Air fryers have become kitchen heroes, helping us whip up crispy, delicious meals with a fraction of the oil. But let’s be real: after a few batches of crispy fries or succulent chicken, your trusty air fryer can look less than sparkling. Greasy residue, stubborn food particles, and lingering smells can build up, affecting performance and even food taste. That’s why knowing how to clean air fryer easity is crucial, not just for hygiene, but for extending the life of your appliance and keeping your food tasting its best.
Cleaning your air fryer might seem like a chore, but with the right approach and a few clever products, it can be a breeze! Beyond the basic wipe-down, some tools and accessories are game-changers for maintaining your air fryer with minimal fuss.
Why Cleaning Your Air Fryer Matters (Beyond Just Sparkle!)
Beyond the obvious aesthetic benefits, a clean air fryer performs better. Here’s why regular cleaning is so important:
- Optimized Performance: Accumulated grease and food bits can hinder airflow, making your air fryer less efficient and leading to unevenly cooked food.
- Prevent Smoke & Odors: Burnt food residue can cause unpleasant smoke and lingering smells in your kitchen, affecting your food’s flavor.
- Extend Lifespan: Regular maintenance prevents damage to the non-stick coating and other components, ensuring your air fryer lasts longer.
- Food Safety: A clean cooking environment prevents bacterial growth and ensures your meals are always safe to eat.
We’ve scoured the market for the top products that don’t just help you clean, but often prevent messes in the first place, making how to clean air fryer easity a reality.
How to Clean Your Air Fryer Easily: Our Top Product Picks
Here are 5 fantastic products designed to simplify air fryer cleaning and maintenance:
1. Air Fryer Magnetic Cheat Sheet Set – Air Fryer…
This isn’t a cleaning product in the traditional sense, but it’s a brilliant preventative one! The Lotteli Air Fryer Magnetic Cheat Sheet Set takes the guesswork out of cooking by providing precise times and temperatures for over 100 foods. When you cook food correctly, you reduce the chances of burnt-on messes and overcooked splatters, which means less scrubbing later. This durable, waterproof, and oil-resistant set comes with both a large and small magnet, making it super convenient to stick on your fridge for quick reference. It’s like having an air fryer cookbook for beginners right at your fingertips.
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Key Features:
- Durable, waterproof, oil-resistant, tear-proof magnets (10.5 x 6.5″ & 5 x 5″)
- Includes cooking time, temperature, and portion guides for over 100 foods
- Larger font on small magnet for popular frozen foods
- Universally compatible with most air fryer brands
- Clear classification of foods (vegetables, meats, seafood, frozen, desserts)
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Pros:
- Prevents overcooking and burning, leading to fewer tough messes
- Saves time on looking up recipes and settings
- Extremely durable and easy to clean itself
- Great for beginners and seasoned air fryer users alike
- Makes air frying more consistent and enjoyable
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Cons:
- Doesn’t directly clean, but helps prevent the need for intense cleaning.
- Relies on the user to follow instructions.
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User Impressions: Customers rave about how practical and indispensable this set is. Many highlight how it eliminates cooking anxiety and helps them achieve perfect results, significantly cutting down on overcooked messes that are hard to clean. It’s often called a “must-have” accessory.
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Call to Action: See it on Amazon here
2. Air Fryer Magnetic Cheat Sheet – Large Print Easy to…
Similar to our previous pick, this extra-large magnetic cheat sheet focuses on ultimate readability and comprehensive data to ensure perfect cooking every time, thereby preventing many cleaning headaches. At 11×8.5 inches with bold, large type, you can glance at it from across the kitchen. It covers a wide array of foods from meats to desserts, ensuring you’re always cooking at the optimal settings. Less guesswork means fewer burnt bits stuck to your basket, making how to clean air fryer easity a much simpler task.
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Key Features:
- Extra-large 11×8.5-inch size with bold, easy-to-read font
- Comprehensive data for over 90 foods across multiple categories
- Wide compatibility with popular air fryer models (Ninja, Cosori, Philips, etc.)
- Waterproof and easy to wipe clean
- Spells out cooking time, temperature, and food size
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Pros:
- Exceptional readability, even from a distance
- Extensive food list covers most needs
- Very durable and designed to last years on your fridge
- Helps prevent food from sticking due to incorrect cooking
- Universally compatible, a great accessory for any air fryer owner
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Cons:
- Like the previous item, it’s an indirect cleaning aid, not a direct cleaning tool.
- May be too large for some smaller fridge spaces.
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User Impressions: Users with vision impairments particularly appreciate the large print, while all users love the convenience and accuracy it provides. It’s consistently praised for making air frying simpler and more efficient, leading to fewer clean-up struggles from burnt residue.
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Call to Action: See it on Amazon here
3. Chefman TurboTouch Easy View Air Fryer, The Most Convenient…
Why buy a separate cleaning product when your air fryer can be designed for easy cleaning? The Chefman TurboTouch Easy View Air Fryer is an 8-quart appliance that simplifies both cooking and cleanup. Its standout feature is the convenient easy-view window, letting you monitor your food without opening the basket – which means less heat loss and more consistent cooking, leading to fewer stuck-on messes. Plus, all its accessories are dishwasher-safe, and the nonstick basket is incredibly easy to wipe down, truly defining how to clean air fryer easity in practice.
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Key Features:
- Easy-view window to watch food cook
- 8-quart family-sized capacity
- Intuitive digital control with 4 built-in presets (chicken, fish, steak, fries)
- Adjustable temperature (200-400°F) and shake reminder
- All accessories are dishwasher-safe
- Nonstick basket for easy cleaning
- Compact footprint for countertops
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Pros:
- Monitoring food reduces chances of overcooking and sticking
- Dishwasher-safe parts make cleanup incredibly simple
- Nonstick coating ensures food residue wipes away easily
- Large capacity suits families
- Sleek design looks great on any counter
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Cons:
- It’s a full air fryer, so a larger investment if you already own one.
- Requires counter space.
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User Impressions: Customers adore the Chefman TurboTouch for its cooking performance and, more importantly, its user-friendly cleaning features. The easy-view window is a huge hit, and the fact that most parts go straight into the dishwasher is a major time-saver, making daily use and maintenance a breeze.
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Call to Action: See it on Amazon here
4. Cosori, Chefman, Philips, Dash, Emeril Lagasse, Bella,…
This versatile accessory kit is a direct aid in keeping your air fryer clean and expanding its cooking capabilities. Designed for various popular air fryer brands, it includes a stainless steel rack to create a double layer for cooking more food at once, and silicone mats that are perfect for smaller items or more liquid foods that would otherwise cause a sticky mess. Best of all, it includes a grill brush specifically for cleaning your racks and even magnetic cheat sheets to prevent cooking errors. This kit truly embodies the spirit of how to clean air fryer easity by preventing and simplifying mess removal.
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Key Features:
- Stainless steel rack for double-layer cooking
- Silicone mats for cooking smaller or more liquid foods
- Included grill brush for easy rack cleaning
- Magnetic cheat sheets for accurate cooking times
- Small size (6.8 x 6.8 inches) – measure your basket for compatibility
- Compatible with multiple air fryer brands
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Pros:
- Prevents messes from dripping or falling food with mats
- Increases cooking capacity and versatility
- Dedicated cleaning brush for easy rack maintenance
- Cheat sheets help avoid burnt food
- Adds significant functionality to your existing air fryer
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Cons:
- Requires measuring your air fryer basket for a perfect fit.
- Grill brush only for stainless steel.
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User Impressions: Users find this kit incredibly useful for both expanding what they can cook in their air fryer and making cleanup much easier. The silicone mats are particularly praised for containing drips and making delicate foods easier to handle, thus reducing the amount of scrubbing needed in the main basket.
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Call to Action: See it on Amazon here
5. Aria 36 Qt Air Fryer Oven, Ariawave Stainless Steel Air…
If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution that prioritizes both cooking power and ease of cleaning, the Aria 36 Qt Air Fryer Oven is a fantastic choice. This multi-cooker powerhouse can replace several appliances (toaster, convection oven, deep fryer, dehydrator) and boasts a generous 36-quart capacity. What makes it great for cleaning? Its thoughtful design includes two dishwasher-safe ceramic trays that catch excess juice and seasonings, making cleanup of the main unit a breeze. With multiple cooking levels and even heating, you’ll cook efficiently, leading to less mess, and then simply pop the trays into the dishwasher. This is a top-tier appliance that truly simplifies how to clean air fryer easity.
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Key Features:
- Large 36-quart capacity with 3 cooking levels
- Multi-functional: air fryer, toaster oven, convection oven, dehydrator
- Even heating technology with 360° rotation and 6 heating elements
- 10 programmable one-touch presets + 6 customizable presets
- Includes an air fryer basket, 2 grill racks, and a full-color cookbook
- 2 dishwasher-safe ceramic trays for easy cleanup
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Pros:
- Huge capacity, perfect for families or entertaining
- Versatile, replacing multiple kitchen appliances
- Dishwasher-safe ceramic trays make cleaning drips and messes effortless
- Even cooking minimizes burnt-on residue
- User-friendly LED touchscreen display
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Cons:
- Large footprint, requires significant counter space.
- Higher price point as it’s a full appliance.
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User Impressions: Customers are thrilled with the Aria Air Fryer Oven’s versatility and ample cooking space. The integrated cleaning features, especially the removable, dishwasher-safe trays, are frequently highlighted as a major benefit, making cleanup of large meals surprisingly simple.
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Call to Action: See it on Amazon here
General Tips for Easy Air Fryer Maintenance
Even with these fantastic products, a few habits can make your cleaning routine even easier:
- Clean After Every Use: Don’t let food dry and harden. A quick wipe-down immediately after cooling down is much easier than tackling baked-on residue later.
- Use Warm, Soapy Water: For the basket and drawer, this is often all you need. Avoid abrasive sponges that can scratch non-stick coatings.
- Check the Heating Element: Occasionally, flip your air fryer upside down (when cool!) and wipe down the heating element with a damp cloth to remove any splatters.
- Vinegar for Odors: If your air fryer has lingering smells, place a small bowl of white vinegar inside and run it at 350°F for 5-10 minutes (check your manual first).
- Air Dry Thoroughly: Ensure all parts are completely dry before reassembling to prevent mold or mildew.
Frequently Asked Questions About Air Fryer Cleaning
Q1: How often should I clean my air fryer?
A1: You should perform a basic clean (wiping down the basket and drawer) after every use. A deeper clean, involving the heating element and interior, is recommended every 5-7 uses, or more often if you cook greasy foods.
Q2: Can I put my air fryer basket and drawer in the dishwasher?
A2: Many air fryer baskets and drawers are dishwasher-safe, especially those with non-stick coatings. Always check your specific air fryer’s manual to confirm before placing parts in the dishwasher, as some materials may not be compatible.
Q3: What’s the best way to deep clean an air fryer?
A3: For a deep clean, ensure the air fryer is unplugged and completely cool. Remove the basket and drawer, wash them with warm, soapy water, or place them in the dishwasher if safe. For the interior, gently wipe down the heating element and inner walls with a damp cloth and mild dish soap solution. Avoid getting water into the electrical components.
Q4: How do I remove burnt-on food from my air fryer basket?
A4: For stubborn, burnt-on food, fill the basket with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Let it soak for 15-30 minutes to loosen the residue. Then, use a non-abrasive sponge or soft brush to gently scrub it away. Baking soda paste can also be effective for tough spots.
Q5: Can I use abrasive cleaners or steel wool on my air fryer?
A5: No, absolutely avoid abrasive cleaners, steel wool, or harsh scrubbing pads. These can damage the non-stick coating on your air fryer basket and drawer, making food stick more easily in the future and potentially releasing harmful chemicals. Stick to soft sponges or cloths.
Q6: How do I get rid of bad smells in my air fryer?
A6: After cleaning, if odors persist, you can try running your air fryer with a bowl containing a few tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon slices at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes (consult your manual). This can help neutralize odors. Ensure good ventilation during this process.
Q7: Are air fryer liners helpful for cleaning?
A7: Yes! Parchment paper liners or reusable silicone liners can significantly reduce the amount of food residue and grease that gets onto your air fryer basket and drawer, making cleanup much quicker and easier. They are an excellent way to simplify how to clean air fryer easity.
Keep Your Air Fryer Happy & Healthy!
Keeping your air fryer clean doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore. By investing in the right accessories and adopting a few simple habits, you can ensure your air fryer stays in top shape, delivers perfectly cooked meals every time, and truly makes how to clean air fryer easity a reality. Happy air frying!
