An air fryer is a great appliance to have in the kitchen, needing little to no oil to cook food and cooking food in record time.
While they are great for cooking a wide variety of food, there are some items Britons should never cook in the appliance.
According to Matt Ayres, an appliance expert at RDO Kitchens & Appliances, cooking certain foods will do more harm than good.
1. Wet batter
The expert explained: “These appliances are simply not designed for wet batters. Unlike deep frying, the air fryer won’t set the wet batter quickly, leading to a soggy, dripping mess at the bottom of the basket instead of a crispy coating.
“This will also be incredibly messy to clean, so instead, use a dry coating like breadcrumbs on your air-fried items for a perfect crunch.”
2. Popcorn
Although there are various recipes online sharing how to make popcorn in the appliance, this can cause more hassle than it’s worth.
Depending on your air fryer model, the expert said it may not reach the high temperatures needed to pop popcorn effectively.
This can lead to uneven popping or even potential burning, according to Matt. He added: “Rather stick to more traditional methods such as a stovetop popper or the microwave.”
3. Leafy greens
Matt said: “Lightweight leafy greens such as spinach can get blown around by the air fryer’s fan, causing them to burn quickly without cooking evenly.
“Instead, opt for dense vegetables like carrots or potatoes which will respond to the air fryer much better, resulting in an evenly cooked side dish.”
4. Smaller nuts and seeds
It may be tempting to toast nuts such as hazelnuts or pine nuts in the air fryer to top foods, but these will just end up blowing around.
Similar to popcorn, these may damage the air fryer whilst also not toasting the seeds evenly. Instead, go for different methods such as pan-toasting, grilling or baking them in the oven.
5. Bread for toast
Toasting bread in the air fryer may seem like a good idea, but breadcrumbs on and around the fan and heating elements can be tricky to clean.
The expert noted: “It is extremely difficult to remove those crumbs from the heating elements, so it’ll likely lead to a persistent burning smell every time the air fryer is used.”
6. Rice and pasta
The expert continued: “Water is a crucial ingredient in cooking rice and pasta. As the air fryer cannot provide this, these foods will not cook properly, ending up hard and undercooked.
“First, cook rice and pasta on the stovetop or in a rice cooker to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked through.
“However, if you’re looking to create a crispy top on a baked pasta dish, simply place the casserole dish into the air fryer for a few minutes to grill the top.”
