You should not use pressurized aerosol cooking sprays (like Pam) in an air fryer, as they damage the non-stick coating; instead, use a mister bottle filled with a high-smoke-point oil (avocado, grapeseed) to lightly coat the food or the basket, or simply toss your food in a bit of oil before cooking, as this prevents sticking, enhances crispiness, and improves flavor without harming the appliance.
“If you are using recipes that are for conventional ovens, you will generally want to reduce the cooking time by 20% and lower the heat by 20C (that's from the fan temperature) to account for the air fryer's efficiency.”
Spray or brush a thin layer on the basket before adding food. Avoid non-stick sprays like PAM (they can damage nonstick coatings over time). Use oil misters instead. ✅ 3. Use Parchment Paper Liners or Silicone Mats Air fryer parchment liners (with holes) allow airflow and prevent sticking.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using an Air Fryer
TIP: To convert an oven-cooked recipe to an air-fryer one, a general rule of thumb is to reduce the suggested temperature by 25°F and then cut the cook time by about 20%. Just use the pause button on your machine to occasionally check the doneness and flip for balanced crispness on all sides.
In just a few minutes, you get perfectly cooked eggs. Whether it's a quick breakfast or a tasty topping for rice bowls or toast, air fryer eggs are fast, fuss-free, and seriously delicious.
One of the major risks of air fryers is acrylamide formation, which occurs when cooking foods at high temperatures. The chemical often develops in starchy foods like potatoes or bread and is created through a reaction between sugars and an amino acid called asparagine when the food is heated above 120°C.
Rapeseed oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for air frying. It can withstand the high temperatures of your air fryer without breaking down or producing harmful compounds. This means your food stays crisp, clean, and full of flavour.
Air Fryers Reduce Taste Quality
Out of the top three reasons restaurants don't use air fryers, the taste is the leading cause. It has numerous benefits and can cook food efficiently. However, the taste can be subpar compared to other cooking methods available at the commercial level.
Foodies are switching to healthier halogen ovens that are still small enough to sit on a kitchen worktop but have far cheaper running costs. This £29.89 Daewoo model on Amazon costs as little as 11p to run per 20-minute meal as shoppers who 'don't want to spend money on Ninja' pick it.
Recipes that use a wet batter, including fried chicken, will end up being very messy if cooked in an air fryer. This is because there won't be enough hot oil to set the batter, and it will likely drip everywhere rather than forming a crunchy coating.
To bake in an air fryer, reduce the temperature of your recipe by 25°F and reduce the cook time by 20%. For example, cookies baked at 375°F for 10 minutes would be baked in an air fryer at 350°F for 8 minutes. 425°F in an oven would be 400°F in an air fryer, and so on.
The average air fryer operates at around 1.4–1.7 kW/h (kilowatts per hour) of electricity per hour. If used daily for an hour, this translates to approximately £0.30-£0.50 added to your monthly electric bill. In comparison, conventional ovens consume between 2 and 5 kWh.