There are a lot of reasons you might have a hard time getting past 200 degrees F in your air fryer. Some of which include:
First, check if the element is working. When I first started using my air fryer, it did not go above 200 degrees F regardless of what I tried to do to get it higher. After checking the unit’s manual and thinking about what could be wrong with it, I decided to call customer service.
The guy from customer service told me that there could be a lot of things going on with my fryer because “it sounds like nothing is happening when you turn it on.” This was very helpful advice! He said that sometimes the pieces inside the unit get stuck to other pieces if it has recently been oiled. The pieces need to be separated before the fryer will work properly. I oiled my unit and everything worked perfectly!
Second, check if your food is blocking the heat from getting any higher. Some foods have a lot of water in them, which can prevent your air fryer from heating above 200 degrees F. To remedy this problem, just cook those types of foods at a lower temperature or cook them longer so that they become dried out more. If you’re having another issue with your air fryer not getting hot enough to cook food well, read on to learn about other things you might want to check for.
Thirdly, make sure you are following the manufacturer’s instructions for preheating – especially if it says “let stand 5 minutes.” Most air fryers need this extra time to come up to the desired temperature.
Fourth, check if your air fryer has a different setting above 200 degrees F. I have one that goes up to 400 degrees F (that’s the highest it can go) and another that goes up to 500 degrees F.
Fifth, make sure you are using an appropriate pan for your specific model of the air fryer. For example, some models require that you use their special non-stick pan or steamer basket at high temperatures whereas other models allow for normal cookware like Fry Daddy (which is what I use).
Sixth, there could be something wrong with your unit if it won’t heat 200 degrees F even after following all the tips above. You can check out your model’s warranty information or call customer service to have it fixed/replaced if needed.
Seventh, sometimes your pressure settings may be off a little bit. I recommend checking all of these even if you don’t think they’re the problem because you might not realize that one of them is set wrong until after you try everything else on this list. To change the pressure setting on my air fryer, I press “-” and “+” repeatedly until it reaches my desired temperature (in this case 200 degrees F).
Eighth, make sure nothing is blocking the fan from blowing hot air. It could be that there is a piece stuck in there or that something fell into the unit during cooking. If you see that something is in there (e.g., a piece of plastic), try to remove it by hand – do not use your air fryer until the unit works again!
Lastly, make sure you are using enough oil. You will probably need more than 1 tablespoon of oil per pound of food when using an air fryer.
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