Is your air fryer emitting smoke? If you are a user of an air fryer, you might have faced this problem. Sometimes air fryers do smoke, but the question here is why?
Well, there can be various reasons why air fryer smoke.
First, it can be due to excessive use of oil, or if you are using too old oil or it has been heated at a very high temperature, it may produce smoke.
There could also be excess grease that has accumulated on the bottom of the air fryer and is now burning off when cooking.
Also, placing frozen food in the air fryer without preheating could also lead to smoke because of quickly heating up.
If your air fryer is constantly emitting smoke, then it could be an alarming situation; you should know the possible reasons for that so you can take proper care of your air fryer.
If your air fryer is in good shape, not it will only last longer, but it will also cook healthy and tasty meals.
Now let’s dig deep into the reasons and possible solutions so you can prevent the smoke from coming out from your air fryer.
Reasons why your air fryer smokes
1- Excess Grease
First, it could be excess grease that is causing the smoke. Meats with higher fat content, like lamb chops, beef, bacon, and chicken wings, emit plenty of oil as they cook at 375 For above.
When these fatty items begin to get cooked, their fat melts due to heat and causes smoke to emit.
The splattering of grease onto the hot heating element also creates an unpleasant smoky smell in your kitchen as well.
2- Burnt food
The second big reason could be small food particles. Whenever you cook something like wet batter or light vegetable, due to the air pressure of the fan, the tiny particles start to circulate and might be stuck in the upper heating element. This can be problematic as they end up burning on the heating element and releasing smoke as a result.
Additionally, placing your food too high and close to the burner could lead to the burning of that food and eventually result in smoking.
3- Overcrowded Basket
It is always recommended not to overcrowd your fryer basket as this could also lead to giving rise to smoke.
Too much food in your air fryer basket can cause hot air to become trapped, leading to uneven cooking and potential burning. This is the last thing you want, as it can lead to smoking!
4- Long cooking time
Another possible reason for smoke could be a long cooking time. When it comes to air frying, one of the most common mistakes is to overestimate the cooking time. If you leave your food going too long, thick plumes of smoke will be issuing from the food.
Especially when using high heat settings, pay attention to the progress and don’t let your food stay for any longer than necessary in order to avoid smoke.
Keep a sharp eye out and set yourself a timer so as not to forget about your delicious meal – that way, you won’t suffer the consequences of having overdone it in terms of cooking time!
Tips to prevent smoke from air fryers
Below are some of useful tips to prevent your air fryer from releasing smoke:
1- If the temperature of your air fryer is on the higher side typically, you may want to lower it for your current recipe. Recipes are just a general guide – since all models are unique and each has different heating elements, individual adjustments may be necessary when following suggested temperatures and times.
2- Don’t place parchment paper or aluminum foil in your air fryer’s empty basket; due to the high speed of the fan, it will start circulating in the fryer and can get caught in the heating element, will lead to fire and smoke.
So, preheating your air fryer with parchment paper inside is an absolute no-no because it can result in bad. Therefore, make sure to avoid preheating your air fryer with parchment paper inside, as that would put you at risk of potentially dangerous consequences!
3- For cooking fatty dishes, I would suggest try adding some water in the air fryer chamber that is carrying the basket; this way, when the fat starts to melt, the drops will fall into the chamber, and it will prevent the grease from build-up and releasing smoke.
4- Always clean your air fryer after every use. However, I myself don’t clean my air fryer after every use, but it’s better to do so, especially if you have cooked some fat-content dishes previously. This will ensure that your air fryer is clean and there are no tiny particles inside it. This will not only prevent smoke but is also good for cooking healthy foods.
5- Use fat-removing accessories. Just like Philips air fryers, have the fat reducer accessory, which ensures that you are able to avoid the formation of white smoke, which occurs due to the excess fat produced when cooking. Not only that, but it also helps keep your kitchen clean and free of smoke or any kind of strong odor.
Color of smoke
Observing any type of smoke coming out of your air fryer can be alarming. You would mostly see two colors of smoke. One is white in color, and the other is black. You can also have a third blue color which is very rare.
If your air fryer is emitting some white fumes, then probably it is either you are cooking some frozen food or some fatty dish. And if the fumes or smoke is just a little and stops after some time, then that’s normal. No need to worry about it.
On the other hand, black smoke is indicative of a deeper problem – either something is burning, or your air fryer is malfunctioning and needs to be turned off immediately. Let it cool, and remove the basket to investigate what’s wrong.
Blue smoke is a strong indication that something is wrong with your air fryer. The blue smoke may be an indicator that there are some electrical malfunctions in your device, and thus I highly recommend unplugging it right away. After doing so, you must get in contact with the manufacturers or go to an electronics repair shop to get it fixed.
FAQ’s
Does olive oil smoke in air fryer?
Yes, olive oil can smoke in an air fryer. This is because olive oil has a lower smoke point than other oils, so it breaks down faster when heated at high temperatures.
You can use light olive oil that has a higher boiling point of around 475 F. Other oils that you can use in air fryers are avocado oil, corn oil, etc.
