Shopping for kitchen tools and appliances can be one of the most entertaining things to do. There is just so much innovation being explored and used in the kitchen, so you’ll always find something new and exciting.
However, cleanups should always be a deal-breaker when shopping for a new kitchen equipment. Why? Kitchen items will get dirty. As they’re mostly used for food, they’ll get wet, greasy, and even crusty on most occasions.
You can’t use them again if they’re still dirty as that’s just a trip to the hospital waiting to happen. This makes the cleaning process an essential part of choosing the best kitchen product, especially a cooking appliance like the air fryer.
4 Reasons Why People Love an Airfryer:
1. Speed
Airfryers cook meals very fast. These days, 24 hours is barely enough for people to carry out their daily activities. People generally try to manage their time. So, it is a good idea to get a cooker that cooks super-fast. You don’t want to spend more than 30 minutes on a single meal.
2. Multiple cooking
Multi-tasking means the ability to carry out more than one task at the same time, and that’s one of the skills hiring officers look out for in job applicants. We all also need appliances that can carry out several tasks at the same time. That’s another reason why people love Air fryers. They can cook multiple meals at the same time. That way, you’ll be able to slash your total cooking time, if you have to cook several dishes
3. Low-fat meals
The Airfryer cooks low-fat meals better than other types of cookers. We don’t need to remind you of the nutritional and health benefits of cooking low-fat meals. Since people are generally shifting to low-fat meals, it is logical that the demand for Airfryers will continue to increase.
4. Easy cleanup
It is very easy to clean up. Besides, since it doesn’t require oil, you won’t have any oil or greasy mess all over your countertop. You should be able to clean up your Airfryer in less than 20 minutes.
How to Clean an Air Fryer? 8 Easy Steps
1. Check the Manual
Air fryers come in different shapes, sizes, and detailings, so it’s always important to know the particularities of your unit before you do anything to it.
You wouldn’t want to void its warranty just because you want to make sure it’s clean before you use it. So, the best way to get started is to read its manual.
Some air fryers will have specific instructions in how to clean their units. You might want to give those a go on the first use of your unit. If your air fryer doesn’t come with cleaning instructions, you can proceed with the following steps.
2. Consider the Materials Used
While most air fryers have nonstick coating on their cooking baskets, not all of them are made from the same exact treatment. This is why quality can also differ from one brand to another.
It’s important to use the right cleaning materials so you won’t cause damage to your nonstick basket. Doing so will keep it in good shape and won’t cause food to get stuck in them. It will also make cleanups easier for you.
3. Let it Cool
The next step is to let your air fryer cool before you wash it. These things will be exposed to really high heat and rapid temperature changes can affect its integrity. It will be best to let it cool down first before getting it wet so it won’t have to experience thermal shock.
While metal is adaptable to such changes, the coating and the crusted food are not. Running it under cold water when the pan is still too hot might weaken the coating and harden the stuck food.
Both won’t have good results, so make sure to just let the basket cool down first.
4. Give the Basket a Good Rinse
Once your air fryer is cool, the next thing you should do is to rinse the basket. Let it sit under the faucet to wash out the oil and other debris in it. Rinse it a few times to help you assess whether the food stuck in it can be easily removed or whether it has already hardened.
5. Let It Soak If Needed
If some food crusted over the pan, you’ll need to soak it in water to loosen the crumbs. Just let it sit with some water inside the pan for a few minutes.
6. Wash with Soap
Now, this is where the washing starts. Once you’ve already let your cooking basket sit with water and the crusted food has loosened up, you’re all ready to start washing.
Most manufacturers recommend giving the pan a nice, gentle scrub with a non-abrasive brush or sponge to remove the food stuck to it as a first step. Even if you’re going to put it in the dishwasher, a bit of initial scrubbing will help ensure that there are no more crusted food in your pan. Once you’ve removed the stuck remnants of food, only then can you put it in the dishwasher.
If you prefer to wash the pan by hand, then make sure to use a dishwashing soap to remove all the grease. Once you’ve gotten rid of the oil, rinse the pan thoroughly. Make sure that you’ve removed all the food and grease from the pan.
7. The Wipe Down
Aside from the cooking basket, the actual body of your air fryer will need some cleaning, too. Being an electronic device, you can’t just wash it.
Use this then to wipe down the unit to remove the oil and dirt that found its way to the surface. Keep wiping until the airfryer is not greasy anymore or until you’re satisfied that it’s already squeaky clean.
8. Dry Thoroughly
Once you’re already done washing and removing all traces of food remnants and grease from your air fryer, drying it would be the next thing to do.
You can let both air dry but it would also be better to just wipe them down to dry. This way, they won’t have to stay wet for too long and won’t saturate the outer materials of your airfryer.
Final Verdict
True to its promise, air fryers are certainly convenient and fuss-free appliances because they’re very easy to use and clean. Learning how to clean an air fryer and actually executing the task won’t take you hours or require slaving away in the kitchen.
So if you’re on the fence about this cooking electronic’s maintenance, there’s really nothing to worry about. You can clean it up every after use without breaking a sweat, especially if you opt for those with dishwasher-safe parts making it really great to have in your kitchen.
- Make These 10 Delicious Appetizers in Your Air Fryer - September 22, 2023
- How to Cook Lamb Shoulder Chops in Air Fryer? - September 13, 2023
- How to Cook Crinkle Fries in Air Fryer? - September 13, 2023