Why is my air fryer smoking?
Is your air fryer smoking, or is white smoke coming from your air fryer? Worried about the burning smell from the air fryer with smoke? We will answer you about what happens when an air fryer smokes.
If your air fryer is smoking, it might be due to the following reasons:
- Cooking fatty foods at high temperatures produces smoke.
- Battered or breaded food particles cause burning smells and smoke.
- Too much food in a small air fryer can result in smoke formation.
- A dirty air fryer or leftover grease can also be a reason for smoke.
We are here to help you know all the possible reasons behind your smoky air fryer. Let’s discuss in detail the causes and preventions of smoke in an air fryer.
Reasons for a smoky air fryer
A smoke in an air fryer is not normal if it comes with a bad odor or black smoke. A few reasons for smoking in the air fryer are given below:
- Cooking greasy foods.
Fatty foods can cause smoke when cooked at high temperatures. The excess oil from the meat splatters and reaches the heating element, releasing white smoke.
The hot air circulating over the fatty foods produces grease, which can cause too much smoke in an air fryer. But, you don’t need to be worried due to this white smoke. It is only due to the oil from the greasy foods.
- Bread Crumbs or other food particles
If you cook battered or breaded food in an air fryer, the dry bread crumbs reach the heating coil, which gives a burnt smell and smoke. Smoke detectors in an air fryer set off the smoke alarm due to burnt food particles or greased items.
- Overloaded air fryer
If your air fryer is small and you load the air fryer basket with lots of food, then it can release smoke due to the overloading of food with no space left between them.
It can also smell burning due to food sticking to the air fryer basket.
- A Dirty Air fryer
If your air fryer starts smoking during a normal cooking process, it can be due to dirt or leftover grease residues in an air fryer. If you do not regularly clean your air fryer, it can produce smoke when you cook food.
Air fryer smoking while cooking
If your ninja air fryer starts smoking when you cook food, it can be steam or white stuff smoke which shows that your food is in the cooking process.
A black smoke while cooking is due to the food particles splattering on the heating element. But, if you notice blue smoke in your air fryer. You need to stop ar frying and unplug the air fryer as it is due to the fault in the air fryer.
You must seek help from the manufacturer or a given manual if your air fryer stops working or smoking blue.
How do I stop my air fryer from smoking?
If smoke is coming from the air fryer, you need to follow the instructions;
- Unplug the air fryer
First, you must unplug the air fryer and notice the reason for the smoke.
- Regularly clean your air fryer.
If smoking occurs during a normal cooking process, you need to clean your air fryer. Air fryer cleaning tips include a paper towel to clean the excess grease and dirt from the air fryer.
- Use parchment paper in the air fryer.
You can also use parchment paper for cooking in an air fryer to protect the air fryer basket from getting stuck with food items. But wax paper in an air fryer can catch fire, so avoid using wax paper.
- Use a ventilated place for your air fryer.
If your air fryer is in a less ventilated place, it can cause smoke. To stop this, you must keep your air fryer in an airy and ventilated place for proper air circulation.
How to prevent smoke when cooking?
If your air fryer is smoking while cooking, you can prevent it by following tips:
- Cook at low temperatures.
If your air fryer smokes when you cook fatty foods, you must cook the food at lower temperatures to avoid smoke. Ever thought How do air fryers cause cancer? It is due to the cooking at high temperatures.
- Add some water below the air fryer basket.
If you cook battered foods and they give burnt food smell or smoke. In that case, you can place two tablespoons of water below the air fryer basket or place bread to soak the excess oil or grease in the air fryer to prevent smoke.
- Do not overload the air fryer.
An air fryer with too much food can cause smoke. You can eliminate this by placing less food in an air fryer and cooking food in sessions, or you can purchase a large air fryer. You can also read here large family air fryer reviews.
- Choose a high smoke point oil
Always choose a high smoking point oil that produces less smoke while cooking. You can use avocado oil, peanut oil, and a little extra light olive oil and enjoy happy air frying your food.
Why is my air fryer smoking FAQs
Can an air fryer catch on fire?
Yes, an air fryer can catch on fire. An air fryer can catch fire when the food particles come in contact with the heating element or when the food is cooked at a high temperature, and the grease residues can cause a fire.
Why does my air fryer smoke when I cook bacon?
An air fryer starts smoking when you cook bacon. It is due to the excess fats in the bacon, which melt by the hot air of the air fryer while cooking. Likewise, when you cook chicken legs, thighs, pork, or any meat, the air fryer will produce smoke due to heavy items.
Is it normal for my air fryer to smoke?
Yes, it can be normal. It is normal if it is white stuff, smoke or steam. But, if the black or blue smoke is coming from the air fryer, you need to unplug and check the reason for the smoke.
Final thoughts
Smoky air fryer can be due to various reasons. But, if your air fryer smokes black and gives a burnt smell, you must clean your air fryer or place water below the meshed basket. If the air fryer gives bluish smoke, it must be some technical fault in the air fryer.
If the air fryer still does not work and continues to smoke, you must contact the manufacturer. I hope you got an idea from the article about your smoky air fryer.