In recent years, air fryers have become increasingly popular due to the fact they provide a healthier alternative to deep drying. On top of that, they are also quicker than conventional ovens.
With many households across the world now possessing an air fryer, cleaning considerations have come into play. This is particularly the case when discussing air fryer baskets. Today, we’ll be examining whether you can place these baskets in a dishwasher or if you should use a different method to clean them.
Can you put an air fryer basket in the dishwasher? The simple answer
The good news is that the majority of air fryer baskets are safe to be placed in a dishwasher along with other kitchen utensils. From there, your basket is going to be thoroughly cleaned and dried by your dishwasher so that you can use it again quickly.
If you are someone who uses your air fryer for most meals, this should give you peace of mind because it saves you the hassle of having to hand wash it while also providing you with a deeper clean than you could ever manage with your hands. This is very important when it comes to cleaning items that are used for cooking food for obvious reasons!
Key points for washing your air fryer basket in a dishwasher
When it comes to loading your air fryer basket into the dishwasher, there are some important things to remember if you want the best results possible.
First of all, dishwashers are great but they aren’t magic. They will provide you with a thorough and effective clean providing the items you place in there aren’t in a terrible way when loaded.
Make sure to tip away any crumbs from your basket prior to loading because these crumbs could end up becoming stuck to other items within the dishwasher during the wash. If you have excessive dirt/grease within the basket then you may want to consider other cleaning options (more on that shortly.)
Another key thing to remember if you are going to wash your air fryer basket in the dishwasher is to place it face down. The jets of water from a dishwasher typically rise up from the bottom so you want to ensure that the inner part of the basket is getting the most attention.
Finally, make sure that the basket, and all of the other utensils around it, are securely in place. The last thing you want is for it to be moving around during the cleaning process as it could become damaged or permanently broken.
When not to use a dishwasher for cleaning your air fryer basket
There are two instances when you should opt for an alternative method for cleaning your air fryer basket. The first one is if there is a lot of grease around the surface and/or sides of the basket and the second one is if there is a foul odour coming from the basket.
The reason why a dishwasher is of little use to you for greasy items is because the water used in a dishwasher isn’t hot enough to completely remove large amounts of grease. Instead, the grease will end up being transferred to other items and your problems will be multiplied.
In terms of odour, this isn’t a surface-level issue but rather a deep-rooted issue that can only be resolved through the method we’ve outlined below.
How to remove grease from your air fryer basket
If the issue is grease-related then please follow these steps to clean your basket:
- Fill up a bucket of water with hot water and squirt in some dishwasher soap.
- Place the air fryer basket into the soapy water and leave it in there to soak for half an hour.
- Once the 30 minutes is up, remove the basket from the bucket and use a brush with hard bristles to brush away any excess grease.
- Repeat the process until all the grease has been removed and then place the basket on a drying rack for it to dry off.
- If you don’t have a brush with hard bristles then you can use a sponge but the process will likely just take a little longer and the sponge may have to be thrown away afterwards.
How to remove a foul odour from your air fryer basket
If there is a foul odour coming from your basket, please follow these instructions to get rid of it:
- Mix together a couple of tablespoons of baking soda and water to form a thick, smooth paste.
- Use an old toothbrush, or sponge if you don’t mind throwing it away afterwards, to spread this paste around the air fryer basket.
- Once covered entirely, leave it to set for a couple of hours in an empty bucket in your sink.
- Once the time is up, come back and rinse the basket down with hot, soapy water.
- Leave the basket to dry on a cooling rack and then re-examine the smell.
How often should you clean your air fryer basket?
How often you should clean your air fryer basket largely depends on the type of food that you make with it. If your a producing a lot of mess and grease then you are going to need to wash it thoroughly each time you use it. However, if you are only frying items that are leaving a few crumbs behind then a simple rinse should do the trick.
You do want to try and avoid as much unnecessary cleaning as possible when it comes to your air fryer basket. If you are running it through the dishwasher every day then the non-stick surface is going to start slowly wearing away which is going to negatively impact its performance.
Conclusion
To conclude, an air fryer basket is perfectly compatible with a dishwasher. However, there are instances when you should hand wash it instead, for example, if there is a lot of grease on the basket or if it is giving off a bad smell.
We hope that you now have the knowledge and tools to ensure your air fryer basket stays nice and clean for as long as possible.