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Our tests find that some models are much easier to clean than others. Here's the quickest way to get the job done.
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After you’re done cooking and eating, you may be tempted to put off cleaning your air fryer for another day. (We’ve all been there.) But delaying this task could result in odors. What’s worse—if you try to prepare something else in it without giving it a thorough wash, your fryer could give off excessive smoke or even burn your meal. That’s because as food cooks in an air fryer, it produces fat or oil that often accumulates in the bottom of the pull-out basket drawer.
Only five out of the 64 models in our ratings earn a top-notch rating for their ease of cleaning. Learning how to wash every corner of the appliance in a proper manner will make future cleaning easier and keep your kitchen free of odd smells.
Most of the air fryers we’ve tested, 51 out of 64 to be exact, claim to have dishwasher-safe components, and we note this in our ratings. While cleaning the parts of your air fryer that are dishwasher safe works as a great time-saver, wiping clean the interior and exterior will help to prevent lingering smells and smoke.
The owner’s manual will offer cleaning tips specific to your air fryer, but in general, here’s what Ginny Lui, who tests air fryers for CR, suggests you do:
1. Don’t delay cleaning, or you’ll come to regret it. “Do not allow the crumbs and bits of food to sit overnight, or the basket and drawer will be a nightmare to clean,” Lui says. “When you’re done cooking, unplug the air fryer, let it cool, and then empty out the oil from the pullout drawer and dispose of it.”
If you’re air-frying food with a sticky sauce, such as marinated ribs, clean the grate or basket and drawer while they’re still warm—the mess will come off easier.
2. Clean the removable components with warm, soapy water. Use a soft sponge or cloth—no abrasives. If food is stuck on any of the parts, soak them in hot water and dish detergent to loosen the food, then clean.
3. Use a wooden skewer or toothpick to poke out food that may be stuck in the basket or grate. Dry the components separately.
4. Clean the inside of the air fryer using a damp cloth dipped in warm soapy water. The basket and drawer should still be removed. Check the heating element for grease and food debris and wipe clean. (Some manufacturers say you can use a soft brush—but not steel wire—to remove stuck-on food.) Dry, then reassemble.
5. Wipe the exterior with a damp cloth or sponge, then dry the appliance.
When a food gives off a strong smell while cooking, the odor may linger in your air fryer, even after cleaning. NewAir, maker of Magic Chef air fryers, recommends soaking the food basket and drawer in soapy water for 30 to 60 minutes before cleaning again. If the smell persists, cut a lemon in half and rub it over the basket and drawer, let it sit for 30 minutes, then rewash.
Consumers have complained on our website and elsewhere that the nonstick coating on some air fryer components flakes off over time. We haven’t seen this (our tests evaluate performance right out of the box), but our advice regarding other nonstick cookware holds true here, too: Do not use metal utensils, steel wool, or any other abrasives, because they can scratch or chip the nonstick coating.
And if the nonstick coating is flaking, don’t use the air fryer. Instead, call the manufacturer’s customer service and ask for a new basket, or try to return the air fryer to the retailer.
These top-performing air fryers make clearing crumbs and food debris a fairly simple job. All of them earn top ratings in our tests for cleaning and have removable components that are dishwasher-safe.
Tanya Christian joined Consumer Reports as a multimedia content creator in 2021, bringing with her more than a decade of experience in the home and lifestyle space. As a content manager for small kitchen appliances, home remodeling products, and the sleep category, she’s happy to provide readers with recommendations on great design, helpful cooking tools, and smart ways to achieve better sleep. Follow her on Twitter @tanyaachristian.
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