The air fryer has firmly established itself as a go-to kitchen appliance in recent years, praised for its convenience and ability to whip up crispy, flavourful dishes with minimal oil. But, just because it seems like the perfect tool for any food, doesn’t mean it’s suited for everything in your pantry. In fact, there are certain foods that experts advise against cooking in your air fryer. So, before you go throwing everything into this nifty gadget, here are 10 things you should absolutely avoid.

1. Leafy Greens: A Crunchy Disaster

Air fryers are designed to create crisp textures by circulating hot air around food, but leafy greens don’t quite have the same resilience. Whether it’s spinach, kale, or arugula, these delicate vegetables can get quickly overheated, turning into unappetizing bits of crispiness that are more burnt than crunchy. You might try tossing them in some oil before air frying, but even that won’t stop them from shrinking and losing their color. Not only does this make them unappealing, but it also leads to a huge mess in your air fryer basket.

Be careful not to give them the sort of texture you’d expect if you tried to eat the Michelin Man. (**Getty Stock Photo**)

Pro Tip: If you still want to try greens in the air fryer, try them in small batches with a light spray of oil. Kale chips, for example, can be a great air fryer snack, but the key is to keep an eye on the cooking time and temperature to avoid overcooking.

2. Shellfish: Not the Best Choice

Shellfish can be tricky to cook, and the air fryer’s quick cooking method is often too intense for these delicate morsels. Shrimp, lobster, and scallops are all prone to becoming rubbery and dry in the air fryer, which is exactly what you don’t want from such succulent seafood. While the high heat can give them a crisp exterior, it often comes at the cost of tenderness. In the case of shrimp, they might even curl up too much, creating a chewy texture that’s hard to enjoy.

Why it’s important: The best way to cook shellfish is in a pan or by steaming, where you can control the heat and ensure they stay tender and juicy. Additionally, shellfish thrives when cooked in a moist environment, something an air fryer simply can’t replicate.

3. Cheese: Melty Mess

You may have seen recipes online for cheese-stuffed foods or melted cheese on air-fried pizza, but cheese in an air fryer can often end in disaster. Because cheese melts at a lower temperature than many other ingredients, it can become gooey and spill over before the rest of your dish is fully cooked. This leads to a messy air fryer basket and an unevenly cooked meal. Additionally, cheese may begin to burn if it gets stuck to the bottom of the basket, making clean-up a major hassle.

Truly, the height of fine dining. (**Getty Stock Photo**)

Pro Tip: If you’re craving a cheesy air fryer meal, try adding cheese at the very end of cooking and let the residual heat melt it just enough. This will give you the best of both worlds—a crisp exterior with a melty, gooey interior—without the mess.

4. Big Meaty Bones: Not Ideal for Air Frying

While air fryers are perfect for smaller cuts of meat, like chicken breasts or pork chops, larger cuts—particularly those with bones—are a challenge. Air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food, which is great for quick cooking. However, larger cuts, such as racks of ribs or bone-in chicken thighs, take much longer to cook thoroughly and evenly. In many cases, the result is a partially cooked inside with a burnt exterior, which isn’t safe or appetizing.

For Best Results: Large cuts of meat need more space and consistent heat, which an oven or grill can provide. Using these methods ensures even cooking, which is crucial for safety when cooking meats with bones. If you’re in a rush, using the air fryer for smaller portions is your best bet!

5. Saucy Foods: Clean-up Nightmare

You might be tempted to air fry saucy foods like chicken wings drenched in BBQ sauce or battered fish with a coating of tartar sauce. But when sauces get hot in the air fryer, they can spill over, leaving a sticky mess that’s difficult to clean. Not only that, but saucy foods can drip down into the heating element, which could burn and affect the performance of your appliance. The oils and fats in sauces can also splatter, making it nearly impossible to keep your air fryer clean and hygienic.

If you want sauce with that you might want to prepare it elsewhere. (**Getty Stock Photo**)

Cleaning Tip: If you can’t resist cooking with sauce, use parchment paper or aluminium foil in the basket to catch drips. Afterward, clean the basket thoroughly to prevent any build-up of grease or food remnants.

6. Breaded or Battered Foods: A Crumbly Disaster

Air fryers can work wonders for crispy fried food, but when it comes to breaded or battered items, there’s a lot that can go wrong. The circulating air can disrupt the coating, causing it to flake off or become uneven. If you’re making something like breaded chicken tenders or battered fish, you’ll likely end up with parts of the breading stuck to the basket, creating a mess that will take time to clean up. Not to mention, these foods often don’t cook evenly, leaving the outside crispy and the inside undercooked.

Pro Tip: To get the best results when making breaded foods in the air fryer, make sure the coating is light, and be sure to shake or flip the food halfway through cooking. Also, use a light spritz of oil to help the coating crisp up without turning soggy.

7. Popcorn: A Fire Hazard Waiting to Happen

Popcorn may be the ultimate movie snack, but trying to make it in your air fryer is a risky venture. Air fryers aren’t designed to reach the necessary temperatures to pop corn kernels effectively, and attempting to do so can cause a mess. Unpopped kernels can easily get lodged in the heating element, potentially causing a fire hazard or damaging your appliance. Not to mention, the heat distribution in an air fryer isn’t sufficient for proper popcorn popping, so you’re likely to end up with a bunch of unpopped kernels.

Bits of popcorn can get stuck in your air fryer and mess it up. (**Getty Stock Photo**)

Better Alternatives: Invest in a microwave popcorn maker, or use an air-popper if you prefer a healthier, no-oil option. These methods are safer and more effective at giving you that perfect bowl of popcorn.

8. Uncooked Grains: A Risky Choice

While it’s safe to reheat grains like rice and quinoa in your air fryer, cooking them from scratch is a different story. Uncooked grains need to be cooked with water to fully soften and expand, which the air fryer cannot provide. If you try to cook them directly in the air fryer, you’ll end up with dry, crunchy bits that are impossible to enjoy. Grains like rice, oats, and barley require moisture to cook, and without it, your air fryer is likely to dry them out completely.

Recommendation: To get your grains cooked right, use a stovetop, microwave, or rice cooker, and save your air fryer for crispy finishing touches. Once the grains are properly cooked, you can even use the air fryer to reheat or add texture!

9. Hamburgers: The Grill is Still King

While you can technically cook hamburgers in an air fryer, it’s not the best method for achieving that perfectly juicy patty. Air fryers tend to cook burgers quickly, which can cause the exterior to become dry and overcooked before the inside reaches your desired doneness. If you prefer a rare or medium burger with a crispy exterior, the air fryer likely won’t do the trick. It’s much better to grill or pan-fry burgers, where you have more control over the heat and cooking time.

Remember to adjust your recipes if you’re going to do baked goods in an air fryer. (**Getty Stock Photo**)

Pro Tip: For well-done burgers, the air fryer can work fine, but for juicy, medium-rare patties, stick to a stovetop or grill for that perfect texture and flavour.

10. Baked Goods: The Timing Challenge

Baking in an air fryer requires some adjustments, as recipes meant for conventional ovens might not transfer perfectly. Air fryers tend to cook faster and more intensely than traditional ovens, which means that the temperature and cooking time need to be reduced. If you don’t adjust your recipe accordingly, baked goods such as cakes, cookies, or muffins might end up burnt on the outside and raw on the inside. Baking recipes also often call for specific air circulation, which can be harder to achieve in the smaller space of an air fryer.

Baking Tip: When transitioning oven-baked recipes to the air fryer, reduce the cooking temperature by about 25%, and keep an eye on your food. It’s always best to start with smaller batches to ensure the recipe works well.

Final Thoughts

While air fryers are a great tool for many quick meals, they aren’t suitable for everything in your kitchen. By avoiding these 10 foods, you can ensure that your air fryer stays in top condition and that you get the best possible results from your meals. Keep these expert tips in mind for more successful cooking and less clean-up!

For more cooking tips and tricks with your air fryer, check out our other articles:

Let us know your favourite air fryer recipes on social media or drop a comment below! We love hearing from you!

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images