What are some common mistakes when using a digital air fryer?

When using digital air fryers, many users will inadvertently make some common mistakes, which not only affect the taste and health of the food, but may also cause damage to the device. Many people tend to pile up food in the basket when using digital air fryers. Doing so will hinder the circulation of hot air, resulting in uneven heating of the food, which will not achieve the ideal crisping effect, and even some parts may not be fully cooked. It is crucial to ensure that the food has enough space in the basket. The ideal practice is to spread the food evenly and avoid stacking. If necessary, you can cook it in batches to ensure that each piece of food is fully surrounded by hot air.

Another common mistake is to ignore the preheating process of the air fryer. Although the air fryer heats up quickly, if it is not preheated, the temperature of the food when it enters is low, resulting in unsatisfactory cooking results, especially for some foods that need to be heated quickly and at high temperatures. Preheating is very important. The preheating time is usually a few minutes, which not only helps the food reach the ideal temperature quickly, but also avoids the extension of the cooking time of the food, ensuring the taste and crispy and tender effect of the food.

In addition to these, many users ignore the importance of turning the food. During the cooking process, one side of the food may become overcooked due to contact with the heating element, while the other side may not be fully heated. If the basket is not turned or shaken regularly, the food may not be cooked evenly and the taste will be greatly reduced. To avoid this, it is recommended to turn the food or shake the basket every once in a while to ensure that all parts of the food are evenly heated and achieve the best cooking effect.

Although air fryers reduce the use of oil, some users still habitually use too much oil to spray food. Excessive oil not only makes the food greasy, but also may affect the heating effect of the air fryer. Too much oil will cause more oil smoke, and the oil may penetrate into the inside of the device at high temperature, making it more difficult to clean. You should try to avoid using too much oil, use an oil spray bottle or brush a small amount of oil. This not only reduces the amount of oil used, but also ensures that the food remains crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, while also keeping it healthy.

When using digital air fryers, many users do not adjust the cooking time and temperature according to the characteristics of different foods. Each food has its own unique cooking requirements, and blindly using standard settings often results in over- or under-heating of the food. For example, the temperature and time required to grill chicken wings and fry French fries are very different. If the settings are not adjusted according to the characteristics of the food, not only will the taste of the food be poor, but it may also waste ingredients and electricity. When using an air fryer, refer to recipes or flexibly adjust the time and temperature based on experience to better control the cooking effect.

Some users are accustomed to cooking unsuitable foods in the air fryer, such as wet batter foods or some small ingredients that are easy to break. Without the proper container or method, these foods can easily fall into the frying basket, resulting in uneven cooking or messy inside the frying basket. For this type of food, it is recommended to use suitable accessories, such as a baking tray or a splash screen, to help better contain the food and prevent it from falling.

When using an air fryer for a long time, if it is not cleaned in time, food residue and grease will accumulate in the device, which not only affects the heating efficiency of the air fryer, but may also affect the taste of the food and even damage the machine. It is very important to clean the frying basket, heating element and internal space of the air fryer in time after use. Avoiding food residue and grease from sitting in your appliance for long periods of time will help extend the life of your appliance and ensure you get the best results every time you cook.