How to use an air fryer: the six rules that actually matter

The best thing about an air fryer is that it's hard to get badly wrong. Master six simple habits and any machine — the cheapest to the priciest — will turn out crispy, evenly-cooked food. Here they are, in the order they matter.

1. Preheat for two to three minutes

Putting food into a cold basket means it sits in warming air instead of hitting hot air immediately, which gives you soggy, uneven results. A short 2–3 minute preheat fixes that. Some models preheat automatically; for the rest, run it empty at your cooking temperature for a couple of minutes first. The exception is foods with a long cook time, where the preheat matters less.

2. Don't overcrowd the basket

This is the single most common mistake. An air fryer crisps by moving hot air around food — if the basket is packed, the air can't circulate and you get steamed, pale results instead of crisp, golden ones. Cook in a single layer with a little space around each piece. If that means two batches, do two batches; it's faster than it sounds and far better than one crowded, disappointing one.

3. Shake or flip halfway

Loose foods — fries, wings, vegetables, tots — brown unevenly if they just sit there. Pull the basket halfway through and give it a shake, or flip larger items, so every side gets exposure to the hot air. Many machines have a shake reminder; if yours doesn't, set a timer for the halfway point.

4. Use a little oil — but only a little

Air fryers need far less oil than deep frying, but a light coating still helps fresh food crisp and brown, and stops lean items drying out. A teaspoon tossed through, or a quick spritz from a pump bottle, is plenty. Skip aerosol sprays with propellants on coated baskets — they can damage the nonstick over time. Frozen foods that are already oiled usually need nothing extra.

5. Give it clearance

An air fryer vents hot air, usually from the back. It needs room to breathe — leave about five inches of clearance behind and above it, and never run it pushed against a wall or under a low cabinet where the exhaust has nowhere to go. This keeps it running efficiently and protects your cabinets from the heat.

6. Clean the basket after it cools

Let the basket cool, then wash it with warm soapy water and a soft sponge — most are dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing is gentler on coatings. Don't use metal scourers or utensils that scratch. Wipe crumbs and grease from the heating element area occasionally too; built-up grease is the usual cause of that “burning” smell.

The foods that don't air-fry well

A few things are a bad fit for the basket. Wet batters drip through and make a mess before they set — use a dry breading instead. Light leafy greens and loose items like grated cheese can blow around in the fan. Very fatty foods like bacon can smoke; do them at a lower temperature with the fat drained. And anything you'd normally boil or steam(rice, pasta, soup) obviously isn't an air-fryer job. Everything else — from fries to salmon to roasted vegetables — is fair game.