Yes. If you want to use your air fryer without the basket, most of them are capable of so! Make sure that there is no food in the basket and then close with or without the cover. Now turn on the fryer. After a couple minutes, open up the lid to check if it’s brown enough for your taste, this will ensure that you’re not overcooking anything inside. At this point, if your food has reached its desired appearance, remove the lid completely and allow any excess oil to drip out before closing again for further cooking. You can also leave it closed like this until everything is cooked through if you don’t want things like onions catching fire (please do not leave fried/boiling oil unattended). It should be noted that cooking times will vary greatly depending on the food being cooked and your personal tastes.
Why would someone want to use their air fryer without the basket?
You may want to use your air fryer without the basket for a number of reasons. For example, if you’re trying to cook something that’s too large or awkwardly shaped for the basket. Another reason might be because you’re cooking ingredients that will give off moisture while they roast (like vegetables). The former reason isn’t an issue since most air fryers are capable of being used without the basket but the latter is because moisture can cause damage to equipment and create a dangerous environment when heated under pressure.
Is it safe to ditch the basket? In short, yes! At worst, if things start getting overheated or fire up in flames due to excess oil/water vapor contact with the heating element, plug it in and turn off the fryer. Leave it alone (unless the fire is particularly large) until it cools enough for you to touch or throw water on.
Don’t ever put water directly into an air fryer!
If you’ve ever seen one of those cooking “how-to” videos where someone pours water right onto oil/fat that’s already hot (and thus, more likely to vaporize the liquid), don’t do this! Even if you’re absolutely sure that your model can take it, this type of accident could result in a small explosion and cause serious injury. This isn’t something we can stress enough: Don’t pour liquid in when there’s oil/water boiling in the bottom of the unit and never let children operate any appliance without supervision. If someone does this and ends up hurting themselves and/or damaging the appliance, we cannot be held responsible.
Q&A:
Will I damage my air fryer if I put it on without the basket?
There’s a chance that your air fryer could get damaged but as long as you’re not doing anything particularly foolish (e.g., constantly heating oil to its smoke point), there shouldn’t be any issues with using it without the basket for short periods of time.
Is it possible to use an air fryer as a regular oven?
While technically possible, we don’t recommend this since most aren’t designed for such heat and will lose some of their advantages used in higher-temperature applications.
What temperature should I use to fry something without the basket?
Most air fryers aren’t designed for frying and you need a thermometer to make sure that your oil isn’t overheating (which can cause dangerous flare-ups). If you don’t have access to one, we recommend using an oven instead since it’s easier and safer.
How do I know if my air fryer will overheat without the basket?
The only way to know this is through trial and error! While some models may be safe up to their maximum operating temperatures (please check the manual first), others definitely will not; those with adjustable knobs or dials are usually more susceptible to damage compared to ones with switches. We cannot stress enough that if you have any doubts whatsoever, just use the basket instead!
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