You can experiment with cooking nearly anything using an air fryer.
While this versatile appliance handles a wide range of dishes with ease, there are certain foods that experts caution against placing inside it.
According to Jamie Darlow, a researcher at Which?, some foods can create unnecessary mess and may even present safety hazards.
One item to avoid is popcorn. Although it might seem like a fun idea for movie night, tossing popcorn kernels into the fryer isn’t recommended.
Mr. Darlow suggests sticking to the microwave for this snack, as using an air fryer might leave you waiting indefinitely.
“Most air fryers do not reach the necessary temperature to pop the kernels properly,” he explained. “A microwave is far more efficient for this task.”
Here, he reveals what else you should never cook in your air fryer.
Experts advise against using an air fryer to make popcorn as most don’t reach a high enough temperature to pop the kernels
Pasta and pasta sauce
Unsurprisingly, you can’t use an air fryer to cook raw pasta, since you need to put it in boiling water.
And while cooking pasta sauces isn’t impossible, it’s messy ‘so probably not worth the trouble’.
Mr Darlow said you can use an air fryer to reheat pasta and sauce that’s already been cooked – but the microwave is a more efficient way to do this.
Toast
Like pasta sauce, it’s not impossible to cook toast in an air fryer. However, the results are ‘likely to be disappointing compared to a toaster’.
Mr Darlow said: ‘The air fryer can dry out the bread and crumbs can get stuck at the bottom of the basket as the toast is blown around during cooking.
‘You’ll also need to flip it halfway. It’s just not worth the effort.’
While the gadget works great for most dishes, there are some things that should always be avoided
Rice
Like pasta, cooking rice from scratch requires water.
‘An air fryer isn’t a go-to appliance for boiling and steaming,’ Mr Darlow said. ‘You’re better off sticking to a slow cooker or a pot on the hob.’
Surprising food you can cook
Experts have previously revealed a list of surprising foods that work an absolute treat in the air fryer.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Liana Green, a blogger who has written countless air fryer guides, explained how to create the perfect hard ‘boiled’ eggs in the air fryer.
‘Air frying boiled eggs might sound counterintuitive, but the air fryer offers a consistent temperature, making it easier to achieve perfectly cooked eggs every time,’ she said. ‘Plus, you eliminate the need for boiling water.’
Ms Green recommends air frying at 150C for eight minutes for a runny yolk, or for 12 minutes for a harder centre.
Another unexpected food item is ravioli which – despite being a type of pasta – ‘crisps up beautifully’ in the appliance.
Experts suggest coating your ravioli in beaten eggs and breadcrumbs, before placing them in the air fryer at 175C for ten minutes, flipping halfway through.
And while most fresh cheeses will quickly burn in an air fryer, halloumi is safe to cook in the gadget thanks to its higher melting point.
‘The air fryer’s high heat crisps the halloumi’s outside to perfection while keeping the inside deliciously soft,’ Ms Green said.
‘Drizzle with a little honey to get that amazing Mediterranean taste. I air fry at 200C for eight to ten minutes.’
READ MORE: The most common air fryer fails and how to fix them – from dry chicken to undercooked chips
Since Oprah Winfrey named it one of her favorite kitchen appliances back in 2013, the air fryer has surged in popularity, and is now a staple feature in many people’s kitchens.
The appliance uses hot air rather than hot oil to cook foods, offering a quick and healthy alternative to deep-fat fryers.
However, after purchasing an air fryer, many budding chefs have learned the hard way that there’s a small learning curve to mastering the appliance.
Thankfully, help is at hand, as Which? has revealed the most common air fryer fails – as well as how to fix them.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Emily Seymour, Which? Energy Editor, said: ‘Air fryers are generally easy to use, but it is possible for things to go badly wrong. If you overfill your machine or don’t clean it properly you could end up with undercooked chicken and chips or a kitchen full of smoke.’
After purchasing an air fryer, many budding chefs have learned the hard way that there’s a small learning curve to mastering the appliance
