If you are new to air frying (or even if you aren’t), you may have questions about how to use your air fryer. To help you out, here is a list of the questions we get asked most frequently about air fryers and air frying.
If your question is not covered here, please feel free to comment below, and we will try to answer it on this page as soon as we can.
Do you have to/ how to preheat the air fryer?
Preheating your air fryer isn’t always necessary, but it can make a difference in certain dishes.
Some foods benefit from immediate high heat—like French fries, chicken wings, or anything you want crispy—taking those few minutes to preheat can give you better results.
However, for many dishes, you can skip preheating entirely. Foods with longer cooking times or items you don’t need ultra-crispy will turn out just fine without this step.
Your air fryer’s manual is your best guide here. Some models specifically recommend preheating, while others say it is not required.
To preheat your air fryer, just switch it on to air fry at the desired temperature for 2-3 minutes. Or use the Preheat mode if your air fryer has one.
Do you use oil in an air fryer?
You can air fry foods without oil, but generally using a little oil will give you much better results. However, a light spritz or brushing of oil is typically all you need for most recipes, which is much less than traditional frying methods.
Some naturally fatty foods like chicken wings or marinated meats may not need any additional oil at all.
If you’re cooking foods that tend to stick or dry out, a light coating of oil can make a big difference. Consider using an oil spray bottle for even distribution, but avoid aerosol-type cooking sprays as these can damage the non-stick coating.
What’s the best oil for air frying?
A cooking oil with a neutral flavor and a high smoke point is a good choice for air frying. Try:
- Avocado oil – can withstand temperatures up to 520°F without breaking down or smoking. It has a mild flavor.
- Light olive oil – smoke point around 465°F, and a milder flavor than extra virgin olive oil (note extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of around 350°F so is not recommended).
- Refined coconut oil – smoke point of approximately 450°F, subtle sweet flavor.
- Grapeseed oil – neutral flavor and 420°F smoke point.
An oil spray is a convenient way to apply a thin, even coating to your food. Choose the type that mists or spritzes rather than an aerosol type (these can damage the non-stick coating).
Can you put parchment paper in an air fryer?
Parchment paper is useful to use when you’re cooking because it reduces mess and prevents food from sticking to the pan.
In general, you can use parchment in an air fryer. However, it is not recommended for some air fryer makes and models, so check your manual to see if it is ok to use in your specific air fryer.
However, using parchment in the air fryer is often not ideal. It can prevent the air from flowing freely around the food, which means the effectiveness of the air fryer will be reduced, and the food may not get as crispy.
Also, if used incorrectly, parchment in the air fryer can be a fire hazard.
We recommend using a purpose-made air fryer liner (paper or silicone) instead of parchment. These are designed to allow the air to flow around the food. And the silicone ones are heavy enough to reduce the chance that they will shift position during cooking.
If you choose to use parchment, here are some important things to consider:
- Firstly, check your manual to be sure that it is ok to use parchment in your air fryer. If not, don’t use it.
- Never preheat the air fryer with parchment paper in it. The loose paper could be blown up onto the heating element by the hot air, and cause a fire or damage the element.
- Only use it with foods that are heavy enough to weigh it down once the fan starts up. Otherwise, the paper will blow around inside your air fryer causing a fire hazard.
- Ensure that the parchment cannot touch the heating element (even if it moves during cooking, which it will). Make sure it does not stick up above the edge of the basket or tray.
- Don’t line the entire air fryer basket or tray edge to edge with paper. This will prevent the hot air from being able to circulate properly leading to uneven cooking.
- Only place parchment directly underneath the food to be cooked. Placing it underneath the basket will block the air flow, and it could blow up onto the heating coil, which could cause a fire.
- Ensure that the parchment does not block the flow of hot air – you can cut holes in it to let the air flow more freely.
- Do not exceed the maximum temperature for the parchment. Check the maximum temperature for your brand of parchment, and make sure you don’t exceed it.
Important! Parchment paper and wax paper are not the same things. See next FAQ for more on using wax paper in the air fryer.
Can you put wax paper in the air fryer?
No, you can’t use wax paper in an air fryer. Wax paper is not heat safe, and should only be used at room temperature or below.
Wax paper is made of a soft type of paper coated with wax. It is used for wrapping up sandwiches or food for cold storage, such as separating or wrapping hamburger patties in the freezer, or for spreading things like homemade chocolate to cool.
It is coated with wax to prevent oil and water from the food soaking into it, or leaking out, and to help keep the food wrapped in it fresh.
The coating on wax paper is not heatproof, so the wax will melt onto your food and onto the air fryer if exposed to heat.
Can you use foil in the air fryer?
In general, yes, you can use foil in an air fryer. However, it is essential to check the manual for your particular air fryer model as it is not recommended for some makes and models.
Using foil in the air fryer can be a safety hazard if used incorrectly. We recommend using a purpose-made air fryer liner (paper or silicone) instead of foil. These are designed to allow the air to flow around the food. And the silicone ones are heavy enough to reduce the chance that they will shift position during cooking.
If you choose to use foil in your air fryer, make sure you use it with caution to ensure it will not touch the heating element. Here are some more factors to consider:
- Firstly, check your manual to be sure that foil can be used in your air fryer.
- Ensure that the foil cannot touch the heating element, even if it shifts during cooking.
- Don’t line the entire basket edge to edge, as this will prevent the hot air from being able to circulate properly, leading to uneven cooking.
- Ensure that the foil is not able to move around during cooking – do not preheat the air fryer with foil in it, and only use it with foods heavy enough to weigh it down.
- Don’t line your air fryer pan (underneath the cooking basket) with foil, as it will block the air from circulating properly. Also, it could blow up around the cooking basket and onto the heating coil, which could damage your air fryer, or cause a fire.
Can I cook foil packet meals in an air fryer?
If you have a ready meal in a foil packet that would normally be cooked in an oven, then yes you can cook it in an air fryer. Just use our oven to air fryer conversion calculator to adjust the recommended cooking time and temperature.
Can I cook frozen foods in an air fryer?
Yes, you can absolutely cook frozen foods in your air fryer! This is actually one of the most best foods to cook in the air fryer.
Most frozen foods like french fries, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and mozzarella sticks cook beautifully in an air fryer. The circulating hot air quickly thaws and cooks the food, creating that desirable crispy exterior that you might expect from deep frying.
Check out our full guide on how to cook frozen foods in the air fryer.
What are the best foods to cook in an air fryer?
Air fryers are best for cooking foods that benefit from crispy exteriors and tender interiors. Frozen foods like french fries, chicken nuggets, and mozzarella sticks turn out wonderfully crisp in an air fryer, often tasting better than when baked in a conventional oven.
Fresh vegetables are another excellent choice for your air fryer. Broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini develop delicious caramelization when air fried with just a light coating of oil.
Proteins like chicken wings, salmon fillets, and pork chops cook beautifully in an air fryer. You’ll get juicy interiors and nicely browned exteriors without the mess of traditional frying.
Surprisingly, many baked goods like small cakes, frozen cookies, and even brownies can be cooked in your air fryer – perfect for small-batch baking or when you don’t want to heat up your entire oven.
Are there any foods I shouldn’t cook in an air fryer?
You can cook almost anything in an air fryer. However, there are some types of foods that aren’t recommended because they can create messy situations or simply don’t cook well in this environment.
Very light foods such as spinach or kale can dry out too quickly and may even blow around inside the air fryer due to the rapid air circulation.
Foods with wet batters, like beer-battered fish or tempura, won’t cook well directly in the air fryer basket. The batter tends to drip before it has a chance to set, creating a mess. The same goes for cheese without a coating or shell. However, these can be cooked in the air fryer if placed in a small pan.
