How to clean an air fryer

AIR FRYERS have become so popular thanks to their reduced energy use, lack of oil and quickness.

Here is how to clean your air fryer after use to make sure that it's ready to use for next time and that it doesn't get damaged and lasts longer.

How to clean an air fryer

Keeping all your home's kitchen appliances clean and in working order may not sound like fun, but it's really important to make sure you cook food in a hygienic environment.

Thankfully, we've got all manner of cleaning hacks and tips to make sure you're covered across the kitchen.

Air fryers are such a convenient little device, but you may be wondering how you're actually supposed to clean them.

Thankfully, it's really easy to do by using the following steps.

Unplug it

This is really important as you don't want water splashing around on the electrics, especially when it's plugged in.

Ensure it's turned off and unplugged and that it has cooled completely before you start giving it a once over.

Give removable parts a clean

Now it's time to pull out the pan, tray, and basket.

These bits can be washed like the rest of your dishes, with dish soap and water.

They can also normally be placed in the dishwasher if you have one, but check with the manufacturer beforehand.

Most air fryers will have a removable tray which you can simply pull out of the machine.

Others have different designs where you life the pan out from the top of the machine.

Wipe down the main unit

It's very important that you don't immerse the fryer in water, as this could damage it.

For this part of the fryer, simply use a damp cloth to wipe down the control panel and the whole unit to rid it of greasy stains and food spatter.

Most air fryers collect grease from food like bacon at the bottom of the tray and it can turn solid when cooled down.

It's best to try and get rid of such stains as soon as you cook your food.

The warmer the stains, the easier they are to remove and that way they won't stick and give you a hard time removing them.

Check the device's heating coil

Every time you use the fryer, make sure you check its heating coil.

This can normally be found at the top of it.

If there's any residue or oil on it, make sure that it is unplugged and has had time to cool, then wipe it with a dish brush or a damp cloth.

Make sure to you're extra careful when you clean around buttons and controls.

Dry and put back together

Once the device has been cleaned, towel-dry all the parts or allow them to air dry.

After that, simply reassemble it so it's ready to use again!

How does an air fryer work?

Despite its name, air fryers don't actually fry food as hot oil isn't used.

The appliance operates something like a convection oven.

Hot air is created by the heating element which is circulated around the food by a fan.

The meat or vegetables you put in there are held up in the basket, and this allows the - very - hot air to move round all sides of it.

Through this process, you can ensure your food is browned and crispy without having to use much oil, though you may use some to prevent food from sticking to the basket.