Revealed: The 7 foods you should NEVER cook in an air fryer, according to experts

It’s the must-have kitchen gadget at the moment, loved by celebrities including Sir Mo Farah, Drew Barrymore, and Oprah Winfrey.  

Air fryers use hot air rather than hot oil to cook foods, offering a quick and healthy alternative to deep-fat fryers. 

However, while the appliance can be used to cook a number of foods including chips, pizza and falafels, there are several other products that are not suitable. 

Which? has revealed a list of seven popular foods that you should never cook in an air fryer. 

‘You can get away with cooking almost anything in an air fryer, but some foods will cause a lot more mess than necessary or might even pose a safety risk,’ Which? explained. 

1. Popcorn

If you’re planning a movie night, you might be tempted to pop some popcorn kernels in the air fryer. 

However, Which? advises using the microwave instead – or you could be waiting a while.

‘Cooking popcorn in your air fryer might not even work because most air fryers don’t reach a high enough temperature to pop the kernels,’ it explained. 

‘The good old microwave will do a much better job.’

2. Pasta and pasta sauce

Unsurprisingly, you can’t use an air fryer to cook raw pasta, since you need to put it in boiling water. 

And while cooking pasta sauces in an air fryer is technically possible, it will probably get very messy. 

‘You can use an air fryer to reheat pasta and sauce that’s already been cooked but the microwave is a more efficient way to do this,’ Which? advises.

3. Toast

Like pasta sauce, toast isn’t impossible to cook in the air fryer. 

However, you’re likely to be disappointed with the results, compared to toast made in the toaster or under the grill.  

‘The air fryer can dry out the bread and crumbs can get stuck at the bottom of the basket as the toast is blown around during cooking,’ Which? explained.

‘You’ll also need to flip it halfway. It’s just not worth the effort.’

Air fryers use hot air rather than hot oil to cook foods, offering a quick and healthy alternative to deep-fat fryers

4. Rice

Cooking rice from scratch requires water, so the air fryer just isn’t suitable.

‘An air fryer isn’t a go-to appliance for boiling and steaming – you’re better off sticking to a slow cooker or a pot on the hob,’ Which? said. 

5. Fresh greens   

If you’re a fan of kale crisps, you might be tempted to throw some fresh greens in your air fryer. 

However, this won’t give you crunchy crisps. 

Lettuce, kale and spinach leaves are so lightweight that they’ll likely be blown around the air fryer, creating more of a mess than a delicious snack. 

6. Cheese (unless it’s halloumi)      

While frozen cheese products such as breaded cheese bites or mozzarella sticks are fine to cook in the air fryer, it’s best to avoid using any fresh cheese.

Most fresh cheese has a low melting temperature, which means it can quickly burn. 

The only exception to this rule is halloumi, which is safe to cook in the air fryer thanks to its higher melting point. 

7. Whole chicken    

Unless you have an enormous air fryer, avoid putting a whole chicken in there. 

Air fryers need enough room to let the hot air circulate, and a whole chicken would take up too much space to allow this to happen. 

This means a whole chicken is likely to burn on the outside, and remain raw on the inside. 

‘Cooking whole roasts such as roast chicken can be problematic, so joint your bird first before frying,’ Which? said.

So, what can you cook in an air fryer? 

Aside from the seven items mentioned, you can get away with cooking almost anything in an air fryer. 

Which? added: ‘As well as chicken and chips, other popular choices include potatoes, roasted vegetables, falafel, fish, pizza and even baked goods such as cookies and cakes.

‘Air fryers can also be useful for quickly cooking and crisping up frozen foods and snacks such as fish fingers, chicken nuggets, spring rolls and pies.’

READ MORE: The most common air fryer fails and how to fix them – from dry chicken to undercooked chips 

Since Oprah Winfrey named it one of her favorite kitchen appliances back in 2013, the humble air fryer has surged in popularity, and is now a staple feature in many people’s kitchens.

The appliance uses hot air rather than hot oil to cook foods, offering a quick and healthy alternative to deep-fat fryers.

However, after purchasing an air fryer, many budding chefs have learned the hard way that there’s a bit of learning curve to mastering the appliance.

Thankfully, help is at hand, as Which? has revealed the most common air fryer fails – as well as how to fix them.

Speaking to MailOnline, Emily Seymour, Which? Energy Editor, said: ‘Air fryers are generally easy to use, but it is possible for things to go badly wrong. If you overfill your machine or don’t clean it properly you could end up with undercooked chicken and chips or a kitchen full of smoke.’

after purchasing an air fryer, many budding chefs have learned the hard way that there’s a bit of learning curve to mastering the appliance