Air fryer mistakes I learnt the hard way

With 'air fryer' searches on Google on the rise since 2022 and an estimated two thirds of UK households now owning air fryers, external, the way we cook has changed. But even though part of the air fryer's appeal is its ease and energy efficiency, there are still tricks to get the most out of it.

So, here are some rookie air fryer mistakes I've made (so you don't have to) and lessons learnt, with the help of some expert friends…

Part of the air fryer's appeal is its compact size – making them great for single people or small families. But this does mean you have to be smart on how much you cook at once. One of my first air fryer failures was half-raw garlic bread.

"For a good even bake, you shouldn't overfill your air fryer," says recipe developer and air frying expert Bianca Nice. "Food won't cook properly and will be soggy instead of crisp – this is especially important to remember for things like chips or roast potatoes."

You'd think that cooking at 180C would give the same result whether you're using an air fryer or oven, but air fryers run hotter than you'd think. My early attempts cooking fish and chicken were dry and overcooked.

Chef, TikTok star and author of The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook Poppy O'Toole has a nifty trick for quickly understanding the temperature of your air fryer.

"I found it useful to start off with frozen products, like chips," she says. "Put them in and keep an eye – if they cook in five minutes, you know you've got a very strong air fryer. Then you can start working out how best to cook other dishes."

As a rule of thumb, most air fryers will need a lower temperature than a fan oven. I always add marinades now too (teriyaki salmon and peri-peri chicken) and wrap the lot in foil. This helps keep everything moist and adds flavour.

Because air fryers are so helpful, it's easy to switch on the timer, and walk away.

But checking your food regularly is important, says Nice. "Things can burn on the top, like cakes. If you're cooking something for a long time, you'll need to keep an eye on it and perhaps cover it with foil to stop it from browning too much on the outside."

Now I bake granola at a lower temperature and make sure I give the basket a few shakes along the way for even, golden, crunchy oats.

In the early days of experimenting with my air fryer, I thought I'd be able to use it like a frying pan or deep-fat fryer (it's an air fryer, after all!).

From chewy steak to a disastrous version of the viral Pancake Day TikTok trend, where people were putting layers of batter between baking parchment in the air fryer to make pancakes, I wasn't getting it right.

"Air fryers are great for sausages, chicken and kebabs, however they're not so great for steak, or any other cut of meat that needs you to control the cooking process in fine detail – especially if you want it rare or medium," says Nice.

And for wet batters? "Far more messy than it's worth," says O'Toole. Stick to flipping your pancakes in a frying pan (it's half the fun, anyway).

While air fryers have come a long way – with dual drawers, stacking and more oven-like settings – sometimes they still need a little extra preparation.

If you're planning to cook for lots of people or have several elements of a dish that need cooking at the same time, Nice says you can maximise your air fryer space.

"Use any vessel you would use in an oven to cook in an air fryer. I find using a cake tin works really well for most cooking – just make sure it's not a loose base one."

While O'Toole favours an "oven-proof glass tray with foil walls to add height", especially for baking muffins.

When I started experimenting with pastry, I found it was surprisingly great in the air fryer – my sausage rolls are beautifully crisp and golden.

O'Toole says cooking desserts in the air fryer is an easy win.

"For students, people who are just getting into cooking or those who don't have a lot of space, air fryers make baking possible. People love baking, but we also end up getting stressed by it. Air fryers simplify everything ⁠–⁠ for instance, you don't have to panic about losing heat when you open it to check on your bake, like you do with an oven."

Originally published October 2023. Updated February 2026

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