I have been testing the best air fryers for years Quick, convenient, and easy to clean, there seems to be no limit to what you can cook with this gadget But just because you can, doesn't mean you should

Despite constantly reviewing new air fryers, I always go back to the two-stage air fryer I've been using for nearly two years However, I have noticed that despite regular cleaning, some ingredients are difficult to remove from the air fryer basket To make matters worse, when these ingredients build up in the basket, they can burn into the heating element, creating odors and causing other air fryer malfunctions

Of course, this can be solved by knowing how to clean the air fryer properly and keeping up with daily trash cleanup to prevent food from sticking to the feed inlet and drawers However, if you are unable to keep your air fryer clean, the following five foods may be causing the odor

Bacon is one of my favorite foods to cook in the fryer, but if the grease is clumping and you can't get it out, it may be the bacon Air fryers remove the fat from bacon and crisp it up so that the excess fat enjoys falling to the bottom of the air fryer basket Unfortunately, when this fat falls off the slats of the basket, it hardens quickly as it cools, making it very tricky to shift

If you plan to use an air fryer to cook bacon, it is recommended that you wipe the bacon fat with paper towels before it completely hardens and soak the basket in hot water and dish detergent after each use to prevent the fat from splattering into every corner of the air fryer

One of the most common mistakes people make with air fryers is to cook battered food inside This is because the batter will pass through the slats of the cooking basket and fall into the crevices and the bottom of the basket

Battered or tempura-dipped foods are better fried or pan-fried because they become crispy when suspended in hot oil Tempura baskets may cause fish or chicken wings to stick to the basket

When cooking battered foods in an air fryer, it is recommended to use a saucer to avoid placing food on the slats where the batter may fall off

I have cooked cakes in an air fryer before, not with great success, but it did not contaminate the air fryer The bigger problem arises when cooking with sweet, sticky glazes or sugary sauces Anyone who has ever tried to remove caramel from a pan knows that not only does the burnt sugar stick to the surface and give off a strong stench, but it is also incredibly difficult to remove

Many air fryers need to be cleaned gently so as not to disturb the nonstick coating, and cooking sugared sauces in an air fryer and having spills or drips can cause significant damage to the air fryer lining

The problem with cooking baked potatoes in an air fryer is not that the air fryer gets dirty The oil and other grease in the fryer will be baked right into it, making it virtually impossible to remove the oil and other grease unless you soak or scrub the fryer thoroughly

If you want to make baked potatoes in an air fryer, we recommend microwaving the potatoes for a few minutes before crisping the skin in the air fryer Microwaving takes less time and is easier to clean

Air fryers are great for roasting and browning meat and fish, but if you plan on using dry rubs, don't This is because if you rub the spices or rub “dry” on the meat, it will not set up well in the air fryer

Remember that air fryers are essentially convection ovens They use a powerful fan to circulate hot air around the food, which often causes lighter foods to move around in the cooking basket, especially if you are using a particularly powerful model If that happens with bacon and popcorn, imagine what happens when spices are exposed to hot air

Dry spices circulate in the basket and in some cases get stuck in the heating section, where they burn (giving off a pungent odor) and become inaccessible for cleaning Next time you use the fryer, heat it at a lower temperature and avoid scattering it around the fryer or drizzle it with the right amount of oil