I Test Air Fryers for a Living. Here Are My 5 Essential Safety Tips to Avoid Disaster

Air fryers have earned their spot as kitchen workhorses, delivering quick meals whether you’re rushing through weeknight dinners or squeezing in lunch between meetings. But convenience comes with a catch: these appliances get grimy fast, and neglecting the mess isn’t just unappetizing — it’s dangerous.

When grease and food particles accumulate, your air fryer doesn’t just cook less efficiently. It starts smoking, filling your kitchen with burnt odors, and in the worst cases, can catch fire. The good news is that regular cleaning keeps your appliance safe, effective and ready whenever you need it.

A quick wipe-down after each use helps, but most people overlook the real trouble spots. The heating coils tucked under the top of the unit are grease magnets, collecting splatter and residue that’s easy to forget until something goes wrong. If you want to prevent malfunctions, eliminate fire risks and keep your food tasting fresh, here’s everything you need to know about air fryer safety and maintenance.

Key takeaways:

• Regular maintenance is essential: Consistent cleaning of the air fryer basket after each use and cleaning the heating coils monthly is essential to prevent grease fires, unpleasant odors and maintain the appliance’s efficiency.
• Knowledge on grease fire safety is crucial: According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, never use water in the event of a grease fire. Instead, use a kitchen fire extinguisher, cover the fryer with a metal lid, and immediately call 911.
• General safety precautions: Air fryers are generally safe but require proper use. Avoid using extension cords, use dedicated outlets, don’t overcrowd the basket and never leave the air fryer unattended while in use.

Are air fryers dangerous?

The potential risk of an air fryer should not overshadow the mighty countertop oven’s many benefits. In fact, air fryers are generally safer than other cooking methods, including natural gas stoves, which have a flammable gas flow and an open flame. Two alarming studies also show that gas stoves can leak toxic gas when not in use and may contribute to childhood asthma.

When used correctly, air fryers reduce fat and calories compared to deep-frying or pan-frying and are an excellent conduit for eating more healthily. They can also save money on your energy bill if you use one instead of the wall oven, which takes more energy to heat and takes longer to cook food once heated.

But the key to air fryer safety is taking care of your cookware. While these handy pieces of equipment are usually incredibly safe, it is important to keep them clean of any grime that might accumulate while you cook.

Increased air fryer recalls since 2021

But that doesn’t mean air fryers don’t pose any risks. Faulty wiring or user error can cause air fryers to overheat, burn the food inside or melt the machine itself, leading to several reported kitchen fires and burns. To date, no deaths have been reported.

One of the reasons could be an influx of cheap air fryers, some as cheap as $20 or $30. A few more affordable brands have caused problems, leading to consumer recalls. While you certainly don’t have to spend more than $100 on an air fryer — and probably shouldn’t — as with any product, going too cheap could spell trouble. 

If you’re considering buying one, check out CNET’s complete guide to air fryers, including how they work and what to consider when choosing a model. In this post, I’ll explain the potential dangers of using an air fryer and how to mitigate the risk of an air fryer-related fire in your kitchen. 

5 air fryer maintenance and safety tips

1. Clean your air fryer basket after every use

Air fryers are great for cooking chicken wings, mozzarella sticks (OK, not all air fryer food is healthy) and other crave-able snacks. If you don’t add cooking oil or spray, you might notice a pool of oil or film left in the basket when you lift out the food. That oil — and any other food bits — should be thoroughly cleaned after every use. Residual oil and small burnt bits of food will increase the chance of a fire inside the basket.

The good news is that most air fryer baskets are nonstick, so all it takes is a few vigorous scrubs with a warm, soapy sponge to get them ready for the next session. Some air fryer baskets are advertised as dishwasher-safe, but I suggest washing them by hand. The pummeling of your basket inside the dishwasher can erode the nonstick coating over time. Some baskets are advertised as dishwasher-safe, but I suggest washing them by hand. Pummeling 

2. Clean the coils above the basket regularly

A less obvious — but equally important — part of air fryer maintenance is cleaning the coils and the area around them inside the unit, just above the basket. During cooking, oil, sauce and even bits of food can spatter up and onto those coils.

You likely won’t notice this buildup unless you tilt the air fryer back or turn it upside down so it’s worth spending a minute or two looking over your cookware to ensure it’s in tip-top shape.

When cleaning the inside of an air fryer, it’s best to avoid using soap because residual soap could taint food the next time you cook. Saturating it with too much water could potentially damage the coils’ functionality. Instead, use a damp sponge or the rough side of your sponge. If you do it often enough, getting those coils clean shouldn’t be difficult. 

Cleaning this section will also lower the fire risk, keeping your air fryer humming along and cooking with optimal power. 

3. Give the air fryer its own outlet while in use and unplug it after

Air fryers draw a large current and potentially cause an electrical fire. It’s always best to unplug them when not in use. Some air fryers are relatively quiet so this also ensures the air fryer isn’t still running or won’t be accidentally turned on by a passing cat or the curious hand of a toddler. (Plus, this can save you money over time, as appliances can still draw power even when turned off.) 

Kitchen appliances, including toasters, air fryers, and microwaves, should also be plugged directly into an outlet rather than into an extension cord or outlet extender, as these add more resistance to the flow of electricity. You should avoid running your air fryer through an outlet with other appliances plugged in, especially those in use, as this can put stress on the circuits.

In truth, any electrical appliance can cause a fire if there’s a faulty electrical outlet or bad wiring. Call an electrician if you hear a crackling noise or see sparks. Speaking of damaged electrical outlets, try to position your air fryer so the hot air blowing out the back is not hitting an electrical outlet in your kitchen. Over time, this can cause problems. 

4. Don’t crowd the air fryer basket

You don’t want food touching the hot coils during use or loads of grease and sauce splattering up toward the hot coils. To avoid this, don’t overcrowd the cooking basket or pile food so high that you have to jostle or squish it to get the basket in. If you find yourself jamming food into a cook to the amount you need for you or the family, it might be time to spring for a larger air fryer.

5. Don’t leave the air fryer on unattended 

Air fryers get hot and they get hot fast. As with any oven, you shouldn’t walk too far away from it while it’s in use. Monitor for smoke or unusual smells like burning food or plastic. And always adhere to the cooking instructions. 

Many ovens only suggest cooking at higher temperatures for 20 minutes or less. Read your air fryer instructions carefully before diving in.

What to know about nonstick air fryer baskets and PFAS

Most air fryer baskets are coated with a chemical nonstick surface. Depending on your age, you’ve probably heard about Teflon and may wonder if it’s safe. A chemical called PFAS used in the original Teflon, used in the original Teflon, was linked to cancer and banned in 2014. 

New and purportedly safer materials such as GenX are now used for nonstick-coated cookware and air fryer baskets. There is still some skepticism and ongoing debate about the safety of nonstick. Still, no significant studies have linked modern cookware use to adverse health outcomes in those who use nonstick or Teflon cookware. GenX, however, when consumed in higher quantities and found in drinking water, has been deemed toxic by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

If you’re trying to avoid nonstick altogether, there are options for air fryers without nonstick baskets, such as this Ninja glass model. Most toaster oven-style air fryers come with wire racks instead of baskets and present another good alternative to nonstick. 

For more on air fryers, read our beginner’s guide and find out how much cheaper an air fryer is to run than a big oven. Plus, learn how to make crispy bacon, the perfect cheeseburger or a whole chicken in the air fryer.

Air fryer cleaning FAQs