Insurance company Aviva has issued a warning over fires caused by air fryers, after a survey of 2,000 adults in the UK revealed that almost one in five people (19%) have suffered either potential or actual fire hazards from their air fryer use. Potential risks included smoke, overheating and scorching.
In cases of fire damage from air fryer use, the insurer said that the average claim for 2024 was a whopping £29,555.
But this doesn’t mean that air fryers are unsafe. Fire hazards were usually caused by people failing to use their air fryer safely. In fact, the insurer found that only 21% of people are following all guidelines for safe usage.
According to Aviva, respondents most commonly admitted to these bad habits:
- 12% of people leave their air fryer unattended when it’s cooking food;
- 8% used too much oil in their air fryer;
- 6% used it in a non-ventilated area such as a cupboard;
- 4% stand their air fryer on a tea towel or another flammable surface;
- 4% plug the appliance into an extension lead;
- 3% often overfill their air fryer.
As long as you buy an air fryer from a reputable brand, an air fryer is safe to use. You can see our round-ups of the best air fryers overall, the best Ninja air fryers, the best dual-drawer air fryers and the best air fryer ovens for our top recommendations.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
But it’s also critical that you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and these safety tips.
Where to place your air fryer for safe use
- Make sure your air fryer is on a stable, non-flammable surface, like a kitchen counter.
- Keep flammable items, such as tea towels, well away from it.
- Don’t stack items on top of your air fryer and ensure there’s plenty of space around and above it for air to circulate.
- If you keep your air fryer tucked away under the cabinets, pull it forward when you use it.
- Your air fryer should be used in a well-ventilated area. It’s a good idea to switch on your extractor fan when you cook in it.
Remember that, in case of an air fryer fire – or any electrical fire – you shouldn’t try to put it out by dousing it with water.
How to cook safely in your air fryer
You don’t need to add much oil to air fried food.
An air fryer doesn’t fry at all, so it doesn’t need a lot of oil to help it crisp up food. It’s actually a mini fan oven, so it browns and crisps food in just the same way that your regular oven does. Using too much oil can be dangerous, as it can spit.
Rebecca Shepherd / Foundry
Pre-prepared and frozen foods (like chips and nuggets) won’t need any oil added. If you’re cooking from fresh, all you need is a spritz of oil from an oil spray bottle to help food crisp up.
Make sure you don’t overfill the basket. Most air fryers cook food via a heating coil at the top of the appliance. If your food touches the heating coil, there’s a risk of fire.
If you’re regularly overfilling your air fryer basket, you need one with a larger cooking capacity. Consider swapping it for a dual-drawer model or air fryer oven.
Finally, don’t leave your air fryer unattended for too long. You don’t need to stay in the kitchen the entire time it’s in use – but popping out to the shops is a no-no.
How to maintain your air fryer safely
You should check your air fryer regularly for signs of wear and tear. Never use it if the power cable or plug is damaged. It should be plugged directly into a wall socket – don’t use an extension lead or multi-socket.
Apart from this, the most important thing is to keep your air fryer clean. Oil that has pooled in the base of the cooking drawer or flecks of food stuck to the heating coil can make the air fryer smoke and can be a fire hazard.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
After every use, unplug your air fryer. Once it’s cool, wipe up any oil in the base of your air fryer and brush any debris from the heating coil with a dry brush or sponge. Ideally, you should also gently clean the crisper plate with a sponge and hot, soapy water to prevent burnt-on oil building up.
We have more detailed information and cleaning tips in our article on how to clean your air fryer.
