Air Fryer Settings: Best Modes For Your Meals

Air fryers are a popular kitchen appliance, but what can you set them to? Most air fryers have a number of preset programs with cook times and temperatures for common foods, but you can also set them manually. Some air fryers have additional settings such as bake, broil and dehydrate. You can cook frozen foods in an air fryer, and some frozen packaged foods even have air fryer instructions on them.

Bake

Baking in an air fryer is a great alternative to the standard air fry setting for recipes that might dry out under intense heat. The bake setting works well with recipes that have higher fat and moisture contents, like fruit-filled cakes, creamy casseroles, or even marinated salmon bites.

The bake setting circulates heated air throughout the cooking cavity, similar to convection baking. This means that when baking in an air fryer, you can often use slightly lower temperatures to cook your food. Depending on the model of your air fryer, the bake setting may also eliminate the fan function or alternate between heating elements throughout the cook time.

You can use your air fryer's bake setting to create baked potatoes with a crispy skin on the outside and a fluffy inside, or even small batches of cookies or a single-serve cheesecake to satisfy a late-night sweet tooth. Baking in an air fryer won't always be perfect, but it's a great option for making small batches quickly.

Broil

Air fryers are similar to convection ovens in that they combine a heating element with a fan to circulate hot air. Some air fryers have a broil setting that exposes food to intense heat on one side only. This is great for achieving a grill-like sear on steaks, browning cheese toppings on pizzas, and cooking flaky, moist fish fillets.

The broil setting is particularly useful for cooking foods that benefit from a crispy, browned exterior. It can also be used to melt and brown cheese toppings, such as on pizzas or open-faced sandwiches.

To use the broil setting on an air fryer, it is recommended to preheat the air fryer first. This helps ensure that the food cooks properly and evenly. Most air fryer instruction manuals advise preheating the air fryer before placing food inside. Preheating can also help the food brown better and reduce overall cooking time.

When using the broil setting, it is important to keep an eye on the food to ensure it doesn't burn. The intense heat of the broil setting can quickly char food if left unattended. It is also important to note that not all air fryers have a broil setting, so it is worth checking the specifications of your particular model before attempting to use this function.

Dehydrate

Air fryers can be set to bake, broil, dehydrate and more. Some air fryers have a preheat function, which can help food cook properly. You can also cook frozen foods in an air fryer.

Air fryers can be set to a low temperature over a long period of time to dehydrate foods like vegetables, fruits, jerky, fruit leather and more. This is a good way to preserve food and make it last longer.

To dehydrate food in an air fryer, you will need to set the temperature to a low setting, typically between 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit. The time it takes to dehydrate food will depend on the type of food and the size of the pieces. For example, fruits and vegetables will take longer to dehydrate than meat. You can also use a dehydrator tray or rack to speed up the process.

When dehydrating food in an air fryer, it is important to keep the temperature low and consistent. This will help ensure that the food dries evenly and thoroughly. It is also important to stir or rotate the food occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the basket or tray.

Some common foods that can be dehydrated in an air fryer include fruits, vegetables, meats, and herbs. You can also use an air fryer to make fruit leather or jerky. Simply slice the food into thin, even pieces and place them in the air fryer basket or tray. Set the temperature and time according to the type of food and let the air fryer do the rest!

Preheat

Air fryers can be set to bake, broil, dehydrate and more. They combine hot air and heating elements to prepare crispy foods without the oil required by deep frying. Some air fryers have a separate preheat function that you can use before setting the air frying cook time and temperature. Most air fryer instruction manuals state that you should preheat the air fryer before placing food inside it. Preheating can help food to cook properly, similar to how you preheat an oven before placing food inside. If you don’t preheat the air fryer, it may take a few minutes longer to cook and/or food may not brown as well.

Air fryers function a lot like convection ovens as they combine a heating element with a fan to circulate hot air. However, standalone air fryers are often less versatile and baking-friendly than countertop ovens with air fry settings. The heat intensity of air fryers isn’t ideal for moist or delicate bakes like cakes or soufflés. Countertop ovens with an air fry setting often feature bake functions that are up to the task, including those that can deactivate the convection bake fan to execute a conventional baking cycle. Some countertop oven air fryers, like options from KitchenAid, feature a broil setting that only exposes food to intense heat on one side, making it easier to get a grill-like sear on steaks, a browned and bubbly cheese topping on pizzas and flaky, moist fish fillets.

Manual air fry

Air fryers can be set to bake, broil, dehydrate and more. They combine hot air and heating elements to prepare crispy foods without the oil required by deep frying. The heat intensity of air fryers isn't ideal for moist or delicate bakes like cakes or soufflés, but countertop ovens with an air fry setting often feature bake functions that are up to the task. Some countertop oven air fryers feature a broil setting that only exposes food to intense heat on one side, making it easier to get a grill-like sear on steaks, a browned and bubbly cheese topping on pizzas and flaky, moist fish fillets.

Most air fryers have a number of preset programs with cook times and temperatures for common foods. However, some people prefer to use the manual air fry function, rather than the presets, so that they can set the cook time and temperature themselves.

Air fryers can be used to cook frozen foods, and some frozen packaged foods (such as some brands of frozen French fries) even have air fryer instructions on them. It is recommended that you preheat your air fryer before cooking. Preheating can help food to cook properly, similar to how you preheat an oven before placing food inside. If you don’t preheat the air fryer, it may take a few minutes longer to cook and/or food may not brown as well.

Frequently asked questions