Common Air Fryer Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Air fryers are designed to make cooking easier, but a few simple mistakes can mean your food turns out soggy, unevenly cooked or just not as good as it could be.

The good news? Most of them are incredibly easy to fix.

Mistake #1: Overcrowding the Basket

The problem:
You’ve piled everything in at once to save time, but instead of crispy chips or golden chicken, everything comes out soft and disappointing.

The fix:
Air fryers work by circulating hot air around your food. Give everything a bit of space, cook in batches if needed and use racks where possible.

Mistake #2: Never Shaking the Drawer

The problem:
One side is perfectly cooked, the other looks like it still needs another five minutes.

The fix:
Give the basket a shake or turn food halfway through cooking. For longer recipes, I often do this twice.

Mistake #3: Constantly Opening the Drawer

The problem:
You check your food every couple of minutes because you’re worried about overcooking it.

The fix:
A quick peek is absolutely fine, but repeatedly opening the drawer lets heat escape and can increase cooking times. Trust the process!

Mistake #4: Not Cleaning Your Air Fryer Properly

The problem:
Your air fryer starts smoking, smells odd or food doesn’t taste quite right.

The fix:
Clean it after every use. I usually soak the drawer in warm, soapy water while we’re eating, then give it a quick wash afterwards.A dirty air fryer can affect both flavour and performance.

Mistake #5: Using the Wrong Oil

The problem:
Your food tastes burnt or bitter.

The fix:
Choose oils with a higher smoke point, such as rapeseed or avocado oil. They’re much better suited to air fryer cooking.

Mistake #6: Assuming Air Fryers Are Completely Oil-Free

The problem:
You’ve avoided using any oil at all and can’t work out why things aren’t crisping up.

The fix:
A light spray of oil often makes a huge difference to colour, flavour and texture.

Mistake #7: Ignoring the Manual

The problem:
You’re copying someone else’s timings exactly, but getting different results.

The fix:
Every air fryer cooks slightly differently. Spend five minutes getting to know yours and use recipes as a guide rather than a strict rulebook.

Mistake #8: Forgetting to Adapt Oven Recipes

The problem:
You use the oven instructions exactly as written and end up overcooking everything.

The fix:
As a starting point, reduce the temperature by around 20°C and the cooking time by approximately 20%.

Mistake #9: Expecting Perfection First Time

The problem:
You think you’re doing something wrong because a recipe wasn’t spot on.

The fix:
Air fryer cooking is all about learning what works for your model and your tastes. Make little tweaks and you’ll soon find your sweet spot.

The Bottom Line

If you’ve been making any of these mistakes, don’t worry, we’ve all done them! One of the reasons I love air fryers so much is that they’re incredibly forgiving. A few small adjustments can completely transform your results and have you cooking with confidence in no time.