Air fryer smoking: Why is my air fryer smoking? and how do I stop my air fryer from smoking?
Let’s be real: Air fryers smoke more than other appliances. Air fryers set off smoke alarms most of the time if you’re not following the cooking guide properly mentioned here.
In this article, I’ll help you to stop air fryers from smoking with a proper cooking guide and templates.
Why is smoke coming out of my air fryer?
Leftover fatty food greases are probably the main cause of smoke coming out of the air fryer. They overheated and started to burn with a bad smell. To fight this, properly clean the basket and air fryer to remove any grease of fatty food after every use.
Reasons for smoke coming out of the air fryer
Possible reasons for smoking air fryer:
- Too much oil or sauces at higher temperatures splatters on the air fryer’s surface and sets off smoke. Most of the time cooking meat at higher temperatures sets off smoke.
- A lot of food in a small basket may be the cause of the smoke. We try hard to fit our whole meal in the air fryer. However, experts recommend that you should only fill 90% of your basket and leave enough room for hot air to circulate properly.
- Dirty air fryers’ inner elements like the pan or the basket, or the heating element can cause smoking if not properly cleaned after use. The leftover food can attach to the inner elements and at higher temperatures cause smoking and even air fryer sets of alarms.
- Using oil that has a low smoking point may cause smoking. Air fryers operate at 400 F temperature. Naturally, low-smoking point oils will start to burn off.
How do I stop my air fryer from smoking?
To stop your air fryer from smoking and setting off the smoke alarm you can use the below tips”
- While cooking fatty food or using sauces, use parchment paper or aluminum foil in the basket.
- Consider using a larger air fryer for cooking meat for the whole family. You get an XL or XXL air fryer model from here.
- After every use, clean your air fryer’s basket, pan, or grill properly. You can use a slice of bread at the bottom of the basket to soak up the excess oil.
- Start cooking at a lower temperature for a longer period. This will lower the smoke risk if you’re at the workplace.
- Start using high smoke point oil which can resist smoking at 400 F. This is one of the best remedies that try first. Here is a list of high-smoking point oils that you try. (Hint: avocado oil, peanut oil, extra light olive oil, etc.)
Further reading:
Is there a high temp paint that is food safe that you can use to redcoat the inside of the basket
If you’re looking for a paint that is high-temperature resistant and also food-grade quality you may want to check out: https://www.foodgradepaint.com/ (not affiliated).
As most of the air fryer comes with Teflon or ceramic coating, they are very high temp resistant around 500 F. So if you’re using Teflon coated basket that is PTFE free then you can continue to use that.