Problems With Air Fryers – Easy Fixes And Solutions

For many people, the air fryer has become the go-to appliance for cooking healthy food.

They are a wonderful invention that can be used for many purposes. They have the ability to fry, grill, roast, bake or even steam food with little to no oil at all! 

Air fryers are a great addition to any kitchen. The problem is that they can be prone to problems, just like every other electronic gadget. And if you want your air fryer to last for years and years, it’s important to take care of it properly.

In the following post, we will discuss some problems with air fryers and how they can be easily fixed or avoided altogether with careful use and maintenance.

12 Common Problems With Air Fryers – Easy Fixes And Solutions

Here are the 12 most common air fryer problems you’re likely to encounter:

1. Air fryer is turned on but not getting power
2. White smoke coming out of your air fryer
3. Black smoke coming out of your air fryer
4. Blue smoke coming out of your air fryer
5. The coating is peeling off
6. Unpleasant food smell
7. Air fryer gives toxic odor or burning plastic odor
8. Food is soggy or dry and not getting crispy as expected
9. Food remains raw or undercooked
10. Food is overcooked or burned
11. Flying food from the airflow
12. Air fryer is too loud

Now let’s see how these can be fixed or avoided.

Air Fryer Is Turned On But Not Getting Power

If your air fryer is turned on but not getting power, it’s possible that there are problems with the plug. This can easily be fixed by replacing or reconnecting the plug to ensure it has a good connection with the electric socket.

Also, check if there is a faulty component in your air fryer, such as a defective power cable. Brining your appliance to a repair shop might fix this problem. And in the last resort, if fixing the power is stressful and more expensive than expected, consider getting a new air fryer.

White Smoke Coming Out Of Your Air Fryer

White smoke is one of the easiest problems with air fryers that can be easily fixed on your own – mainly because it doesn’t require a repair shop.

The good news is that white smoke is not harmful and often indicates that you have too much fat on your air-fried food, which causes a build-up of grease at the bottom. So to get rid of the white smoke, clean the excess fat and oil on your food and at the bottom of your air fryer.

Also, if you have to use oil in your air fryer, make sure that it’s well suited for air frying, and try not to overdo it.

Black Smoke Coming Out Of Your Air Fryer

Black smoke usually indicates that there is a problem with the power supply. If you notice a problem like this, immediately remove the air fryer cord from the plug.

The reason can be something faulty within your air fryer, so it may be a good idea to send your appliance back to the manufacturer – and if it’s still under warranty, even better.

If you don’t have a warranty, you can consider contacting your electrician to replace/repair the faulty component.

Sometimes this air fryer problem can occur even if your food contains a lot of fats, and the excess of fat begins to burn. It might help to put a little water at the bottom of your air fryer.

So always check the nature of the black smoke, and use common sense.

Blue Smoke Coming Out Of Your Air Fryer

This is another serious air fryer problem that is most likely related to electricity. So always consider your safety first, and whenever you notice blue smoke, immediately unplug your device.

This problem can be hard to fix, so it’s best to call a technician or let the manufacturer fix the issue. However, if the repair is costly, maybe it’s time for a new best air fryer.

The Coating Is Peeling Off

The primary reason why your air fryer might peel off after a short time is because of the abrasive tools you probably use for cleaning.

So to prevent this, make sure to clean your air fryer using a gentle sponge, warm water, and non-abrasive soap, which can prevent it from flaking. It’s also a good idea to always keep your fryer clean to avoid grease build-up, which can harm the non-stick surface.

Another thing to prevent peeling off is to avoid buying a cheap air fryer with poor quality.

Unpleasant Food Smell

If your food got an unpleasant smell from the air fryer, the reason could be your cleaning hygiene.

So, to avoid this, make sure to clean your air fryer components thoroughly after every use. You can find detailed information on how to clean your air fryer in the instruction manual.

Remember, your air fryer shouldn’t leave any odor on your food, and with a regular deep wash, you will definitely prevent this.

Air Fryer Give Toxic Odor or Burning Plastic Odor

This problem is usually caused by overheating. So you will want to make sure that the temperature is set correctly and avoid overheating your air fryer.

If you notice an unpleasant toxic odor coming from your air fryer, it might be a good idea to open it and see if there are problems with the heating elements. If some of the internal components are damaged over time, they might produce a burning plastic odor, so you should consider replacing them.

Food Is Soggy or Dry And Not Getting Crispy As Expected

If your air-fried food turns up soggy or dry, you should probably use a thin layer of oil. Sure the air fryer is a much healthier alternative to deep-frying, but sometimes a small amount of oil can be required if you want your food to turn up nice and crispy.

You can use an oil sprayer for a small and even distribution of oil on your air-fried food.

Also, remember not to overfill the basket to avoid problems with airflow.

Food Remains Undercooked or Raw

The problem with raw or undercooked food can be related to the air circulation inside the air fryer. Here are some possible solutions:

• Preheat the air fryer for at least 5 minutes
• Remove some frozen items that might take longer to heat
• Ensure all the vents are open
• Don’t overfill the basket so more heat can reach the food

Food Is Overcooked or Burned

This problem often occurs if you follow the wrong recipe, such as the one made for an oven. 

Air fryers require different temperatures for different recipes, and if you mistake the temperature and the time for cooking, you will probably end up with overcooked or burned food.

So always pay attention to the recipe and the type of food you are cooking.

Flying Food From The Air Flow

This is a unique problem that air fryers have, which can’t be found in convection ovens. Since air fryers use hot air for cooking the food, sometimes the light foods can start flying around.

So if you want to prevent this problem from happening, there are two most common solutions:

• You can use wooden toothpicks to pin the food down
• You can use a second wire rack on top of your light food to hold it down

Air Fryer Is Too Loud

If your air fryer is making a lot of noise, it might be completely normal as the fan circulates at a very high speed to heat your food.

However, if you notice unusual loud noises, the reason can be some loose component inside the air fryer. In this case, you should turn off the air fryer and check if an element inside needs to be tightened.

How To Prevent Other Common Air Fryer Problems From Happening – 8 Safety Precautions

1. Always make sure to buy an air fryer from a reputable brand that stands behind its products, as this will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
2. To avoid the risk of disaster, always read the user manual first.
3. Allow some space around the air fryer for the heat to escape.
4. Keep your air fryer in a safe and dry place to avoid electrical damage.
5. Always clean your air fryer after use to remove the excess oil and grease.
6. Never put anything on top of your air fryer.
7. Don’t use your air fryer with wet hands.
8. In case of malfunction, don’t try to repair the air fryer by yourself – send it to the customer service center (if you still have the warranty) or an authorized service.

Last Thoughts

Whether you’re buying your first air fryer or replacing an old one, it’s important to know what problems can happen and how to avoid them. 

If you’ve had any problems with your air fryer, we hope that this blog post has given you some helpful tips and tricks to get the most out of it.

We also hope that we’ve helped identify a few things which can be done to avoid these common issues in the future!

Have you found anything else about your air fryer worth sharing? Let us know!