What are some common mistakes to avoid when using a mechanical air fryer?

When using a mechanical air fryer, there are some common mistakes that need to be avoided to ensure that the food is cooked to the desired effect while extending the life of the device. First, many people often overfill the basket of the fryer. The working principle of the air fryer is to heat the food through the circulation of hot air. If too much food is placed in the basket, the air flow will be restricted, resulting in the food not being heated evenly and not being completely crispy. In order to ensure that each piece of food can receive enough hot air circulation, it is recommended to put in the right amount of food, and if the quantity is large, it can be cooked in batches.

Ignoring the preheating step is also a common mistake. Many mechanical air fryers do not have a built-in preheating function and need to set the preheating time manually. If this step is ignored, the food may not be fully cooked in the expected time, and may even taste bad due to uneven heating. Before starting to cook, it is best to preheat in advance according to the requirements of the air fryer. The temperature and time control of the mechanical air fryer are usually manually adjusted, which means that users need to pay special attention to the temperature and time settings. If the settings are not correct, the food may become overcooked or over-burned. For different types of food, the temperature and cooking time will vary. It is recommended to check the recipe or refer to the recommended cooking parameters of the ingredients before use to ensure that the settings are appropriate.

During the cooking process, shaking or turning the food from time to time is also a detail that is easily overlooked. Air fryers heat food by circulating hot air, and this air flow is not always uniform, so part of the food may be heated too quickly and another part may not be heated enough. To ensure that the food is evenly heated and the crust remains crispy, it is best to shake or turn the food every once in a while, especially those larger pieces of food.

Using the wrong oil may also affect the cooking effect. Although the working principle of air fryers is to achieve the effect of frying with a small amount of oil, different types of oils perform differently at high temperatures. For example, although olive oil is healthy, it has a low smoke point and may produce smoke and even lose nutrients at high temperatures. Choosing high-temperature resistant oils, such as vegetable oil or sunflower oil, can ensure that the food remains crispy during frying while avoiding excessive oil smoke.