Air Fryer Tips for Perfect Results Every Time
Get the crispiest food with less oil. Our top tips for air fryer success.
After testing air fryers for years in both restaurant and home settings, here are the tips that actually make a difference. Most people are using their air fryers wrong.
An air fryer is essentially a small convection oven. Understanding this changes everything about how you use it.
The Truth About Air Fryers
An air fryer is just a small convection oven with a powerful fan. That's it. There's no magic—it works by circulating hot air around food at high speed, which creates a crispy exterior similar to deep frying but with far less oil.
Tips That Actually Work
Don't Crowd
This is the number one mistake. Air fryers need airflow to work. If items are touching, they steam instead of crisp. Leave at least 1/2 inch between each piece.
Preheat
Most people skip this. But preheating your air fryer for 3-5 minutes makes a huge difference in crispiness. The hot air starts cooking immediately.
Use a Little Oil
The marketing says you don't need oil—but a light spray makes everything crispier. I spray a light coating on proteins and vegetables before cooking.
Shake Halfway
For foods like fries or wings, shake the basket halfway through. This ensures even cooking on all sides.
Dry Proteins
Pat proteins completely dry before cooking. Wet chicken or fish steams rather than crisps.
What to Cook (And What Not To)
Great in Air Fryer:
- Frozen fries (crisper than oven)
- Chicken wings
- Frozen fish sticks
- Roasted vegetables
- Reheating leftovers (stays crispy)
Not Great:
- Large whole chickens (too big)
- Soups and stews
- delicate fish (gets dried out)
- Anything wet batter (falls off)
My Air Fryer Picks
The Ninja Foodi 8-Quart at $150 is the best overall—large capacity, versatile, reliable.
The Cosori 5.8-Quart at $100 is the best value—good performance, easy to clean.
Bottom Line
Air fryers are great for specific uses—frozen foods, wings, quick weeknight meals. They're not a replacement for your regular oven, but they make a useful addition.
Related: Read our full Best Air Fryer 2026: Top 5 Models Tested and Ranked for detailed product comparisons and recommendations.