So, you’ve joined the enlightened club of the air fryer owner. You’ve no doubt planned your weeks’ worth of dinners, imagined a spot for it on the bench and are busy working out what you’re going to do with all that time you WON’T be spending cooking or washing up multiple pots and pans in your kitchen.

However, before you jump into your new life as an air fryer owner and convert, we’ve compiled a list of tips to set you on your way and ensure you can get the most out of your new kitchen BFF.

So let’s get started!

Your air fryer needs space and a heat proof surface.

Coffee machines and other appliances have been known to suffer damage from a close by air fryer blowing off hot air. It’s best to keep your air fryer about 30 cm away from other appliances. Also, just like all things too hot to handle, your air fryer is best placed on a surface that can withstand heat.   

Store-bought oil spray is not always the best idea. Here's a handy DIY hack…

A light spray of oil can really help in an air fryer, but your store-bought oil spray will only cause damage. Who knew, but the store-bought versions contain additives and aerosols which damage the non-stick coating of the air fryer. Although this does raise some questions about just what is in these spray bottles, touted as ‘healthier,’ don’t worry, all is not lost. The DIY oil-spray method has been shown to be a healthier, safer and chemical free, and making your own is simple. Purchase a hand-pump spray bottle and fill it with oil. Voila... chemical free cooking. 

You might be wondering why you need oil in an air fryer

On occasion, you will need to grease the base of your air fryer basket to keep it safe and stop your dinner from sticking unceremoniously to the bottom. It avoids the need for you to have to dig out your dinner from the base if it gets stuck. If avoiding oil is vital, an alternative is to line the basket base with grease proof paper.

Spend a few minutes preheating your air fryer.

If you’re all about the perfect crisp, then according to air frying experts like The Air Frying Guy, pre-heating the air fryer for 3 minutes can make all the difference to increasing your ‘crisp game.’

Adding a tablespoon of water will help avoid fatty foods ‘smoking up.’

Before cooking fatty foods, by adding 2 tablespoons of water to the tray you’ll avoid the inevitable ‘smoking’.  Novices might not realise, but fatty foods like burgers and bacon will cause your air fryer to smoke up, and water prevents grease from getting too hot. Another hot tip is to place a slice of bread in the bottom of the unit to soak up any grease to avoid splutters.

Don’t overcrowd the basket

Always try and stick to a single layer when using your air fryer. While the temptation is real to overcrowd it and have 4kgs of food cooked in 10 minutes, it will be at the expense of food quality. This is because air won’t be able to circulate properly, and your food won’t be crispy.  Try cooking in batches and you'll be finished in no time with better results.

Shake, flip or poke.

Just a few shakes is the key to ensuring your cooking is crisp and tasty. A flip can be instrumental in cooking both sides to perfection. And a poke, vital to check doneness. Again, this comes down to airflow and making sure your food is exposed to an even amount of heat.

Don’t cut corners, make sure you clean both the basket and the drawer, every time.

Mila air fryers are dishwasher safe, making washing up a non-event (unless you even hate opening up the dishwasher drawer, which if that is the case, we can’t help you). If your air fryer model permits, every so often it is good to keep the basket and drawer separated and wash each one thoroughly with soap and water, although not all Mila air fryers detach, so this isn’t a hard and fast rule. Crumbs and grease pile up and can affect the quality of your food, so washing both thoroughly keeps your food quality at A+ levels. (It goes without saying but please don’t put the air fryer in the dishwasher).

You can reheat your food in your air fryer.

Give your microwave a break and reheat in your new kitchen BFF. Simply set the air fryer temperature to a lower than usual temperature so the fryer heats up your food without over cooking it.

You can use your air fryer outside.

BBQ on the blink? Total fire ban day? Still want to cook outside? Want healthy chips with that steak? No worries. Simply run an extension cord, pop your air fryer on a heat proof base on a table and roast, grill or air fry a meal in no time.

If you have any other tips or tricks to get the most out of your air fryer life, please contact us.