Air Fryer Smoking: What's The Deal?

Air fryers are a popular small appliance, perfect for cooking all kinds of foods, particularly deep-fried foods with less oil. However, one common issue with air fryers is that they can sometimes produce smoke. This smoke is often caused by fatty foods releasing grease, which then splatters onto the heating element. Other causes include food particles burning and falling through the basket, or an overcrowded basket. While air fryers are generally safe, it's important to be aware of this issue and take steps to prevent it, such as using lower-fat foods, cleaning the appliance regularly, and ensuring proper ventilation during cooking.

Fatty foods splattering grease on the heating element

To prevent this, you can try cooking at lower temperatures for longer. Cooking at high temperatures (360°F or higher) can cause oil and grease to splatter on the hot cooking element, resulting in smoke.

You can also try using oils with high smoke points, such as light/refined olive oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil. These oils can help minimize smoke as they can cook at higher temperatures without giving off too much smoke.

Additionally, keeping your air fryer clean is important. Make sure to gently wipe down the inside, heating elements, or coils with a damp cloth or soft dish brush to remove any old grease or food residue. Also, ensure that you don't overcrowd the basket or rack, as this can cause oil and food particles to splatter, even if your food doesn't have much oil on it.

If your air fryer starts smoking, you can stop it and use a paper towel to absorb any excess oil at the bottom. You can also place a slice of bread at the bottom to soak up the oil and help minimize splattering. Alternatively, adding a couple of tablespoons of water to the bottom of the air fryer can help, as the water will quickly convert to steam and prevent the greasy food from causing more smoke.

Food particles burning

Food particles can burn and produce smoke when exposed to hot circulating air. This is more likely to happen if your air fryer is not cleaned regularly, as the hot air inside the appliance will splatter grease and food particles, including dried breading, onto the heating coil.

To prevent food particles from burning and causing smoke, you should regularly clean your air fryer. This means cleaning the inside of the appliance as well as the exterior. Remove the basket, grates, pan, and drip tray, and wash them with soap, water, and a non-abrasive sponge. If these components are particularly dirty, soak them in hot water with soap for a few minutes. You can also smear a paste of baking soda and vinegar over greasy areas and wash it off once it dries.

Turn the air fryer upside down to get to the heating coil, and use a damp cloth to wipe it carefully. Just make sure that the air fryer has cooled down before you start cleaning it.

Overcrowding the basket or rack

To avoid overcrowding, try cooking less food in your basket or rack at one time. If your basket is too small for cooking at higher temperatures, consider getting a larger one.

If you are cooking fatty foods, it is especially important to avoid overcrowding the basket or rack. Fatty foods will release grease, which can splatter onto the heating element and cause smoking.

In addition to avoiding overcrowding, there are a few other things you can do to prevent your air fryer from smoking:

• Keep your air fryer clean by gently wiping the inside, heating elements, and coils to remove old grease or food.
• Use oils with high smoke points, such as light/refined olive oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil.
• Cook food at lower temperatures for longer.
• Ensure your kitchen is well-ventilated by opening windows or turning on your vent hood.

Using a basket that's too small

If your air fryer basket is too small, you may be tempted to overcrowd it with food. This can cause a few issues that lead to smoke.

Firstly, when the basket is overcrowded, hot air cannot circulate properly. This causes food to steam instead of crisp, resulting in excess moisture that turns into smoke when it hits the heating element.

Secondly, even if your food has little oil, cooking a large amount at once can still cause oil and food particles to splatter onto the heating element and produce smoke.

To prevent these issues, try cooking smaller batches of food in your small basket or consider investing in a larger basket. It is important to avoid overcrowding the basket to minimise the risk of smoke.

Additionally, you can try placing a slice of bread or adding a couple of tablespoons of water to the bottom of your air fryer. The bread will absorb excess grease, while the water will quickly convert to steam and prevent grease from causing smoke.

Cooking at high temperatures

To prevent smoking when cooking at high temperatures, it is important to manage the amount of grease and oil on your food. Ensure that your food is not overcrowded in the basket, even if it has little oil, as this can still cause oil and food particles to splatter onto the heating element. Additionally, consider using oils with high smoke points, such as light/refined olive oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil, which can help minimize smoke.

If you are cooking fatty foods at high temperatures, it is recommended to cook at a lower temperature for a longer duration. This will reduce the likelihood of grease splattering onto the heating element and causing smoke. Alternatively, you can try cooking such foods using a different method, such as on a stovetop or in an oven, as air fryers may not be suitable for all types of food.

Furthermore, it is important to maintain a well-ventilated kitchen when cooking at high temperatures with an air fryer. Open windows, turn on your vent hood, or use other means to ensure adequate ventilation in the kitchen. This will help dissipate any smoke that may be produced during the cooking process.

Frequently asked questions