With all the positive vibes that come with an air fryer, I could never imagine the magical gadget catching fire. But it did! After loading the unit with my goodies and connecting it to the wall source, I sat on my couch to attend to enjoy my best series. Within minutes, the worst happened. My new oilless oven was smoking to the verge of bursting into flames! I had to figure out what to do.
If your air fryer catches fire, consider your safety first. Evacuate everyone from the house and turn off the main power switch. Grab a large towel, dip it in water, and quickly cover your air fryer. And if the fire is spreading, ring the fire alarm for help. Dial the fire department. Meanwhile, a fire extinguisher can be handy before the emergency response arrives. Stay calm and safe.
Is It Common For Air Fryers To Catch Fire?
Air fryers are some of the safe gadgets to use. Let’s say it isn’t common for an air fryer to catch fire. But due to usage errors, the worst can happen; catching fire. This small kitchen appliance has usage instructions that users overlook.
Disregarding the operating procedures can cause the oven to burst into flames. For instance, adding too much oil to the ingredients can spark a fire. The unit isn’t for deep frying, so follow the air fryer recipe requirements. If they say that you spray or brush your food with oil, do not flood it in the tray.
Flooding the ingredients with oil will cause your fryer to overheat and become a fire hazard. When using your air fryer, observe the simple safety precautions to keep off the fire from the unit.
Read more: Ninja Air Fryer Caught On Fire? Causes & Solutions
Is Too Much Oil In Air Fryer Start A Fire?
You might marvel at how air fryers work. But they aren’t oil-friendly gadgets, at least not when you swamp your tray with fats. This revolutionized gadget provides a healthier alternative to deep frying foods. It uses hot air to fry, bake or roast your food.
However, users get swayed by their desire to add more oil to the food, thus leading to a potential hazard. Excess oil in your air fryer can start a fire risk. Your air fryer doesn’t need oil to cook; it relies on hot air circulation to prepare your food.
Excess oil splatters and gets into contact with the hot heating element, which smokes and causes fire. When my air fryer caught fire, I realized later that I had poured a cupful of oil into my pork chops. That’s a terrible mistake that I lived to regret. When I heated my miniature oven, the splatters/droplets fell on the heater and ignited the fire. Thank heaven that I was near to save the ugly situation.
You can mitigate air fryer fire risks. The topmost of all measures is to follow the manufacturer’s directions. Most companies recommend less or no oil usage in fryers. You can also learn about safer cooking oils with less smoking capabilities, including avocado, peanut, sunflower, and sesame oil.
Safe Oils For Air Fryer
- Soy
- Sesame (refined)
- Corn
- Safflower
- Sunflower
- Grapeseed
- Canola
- avocado
Unsafe Oil For Air Fryer
- Butter
- Lard
- Coconut oil (unrefined)
- Flaxseed oil
- Sesame oil (unrefined)
- Walnut oil
- Palm oil
Do Air Fryer Liners Catch Fire?
Air fryer liners are key in preventing sticking and cleaning the unit after a roasting session. The quilts absorb food juices, thus leaving your accessories and air fryer easy to clean. Also, they protect the heating element from grease and splatters. With the liner’s tiny holes, airflow is sufficient, plus your goodies even cook super-fast and come out crispy. Generally, the papers make your cooking experience smooth.
And though the liners are safe and receive a wide recommendation, there are questions about whether they can catch fire. The paddings are specific to air fryers, thus safe for covering your trays before placing the ingredients.
Unless the liners consist of substandard material, they should never catch fire under normal circumstances. The material composition can withstand even the highest air fryer temperature without causing a fire.
One crucial point to note with these air fryer liners is that you must use them according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. Using them inappropriately can be disastrous. In addition, never use non-approved liners in your air fryer. They cannot serve the purpose well as they may not be heat resistant, thus a fire risk.
Here are the takeaways for air fryer liner safety;
- Use air fryer-specific liners.
- Follow the right lining process.
- Please do not leave the liners in the cooking chamber (fit them in the tray).
- Avoid overfilling your air fryer.
- Do not leave your air fryer unattended.
- Order your liners from a truthful source.
Can An Air Fryer Start A Grease Fire?
A grease fire can occur in your air fryer when there is a buildup of fats and oils. The grease residue ignites once you heat the oven because it is flammable. Grease accumulation forms from drippings and spills you don’t wipe when they happen. Also, fatty foods like meat can drip oil into the heating element and other interior components. These spills can be dangerous as they can ignite at high cooking temperatures.
Here’s how to ensure that your air fryer doesn’t have grease accumulation;
- Clean your oven after each use.
- Trim excess fat from meat before cooking.
- Only add oil if the recipe demands so, and ensure it is little.
- Perform an intensive cleaning of your air fryer at regular intervals.
- Use oils that have higher smoke points to prevent ignition. Avoid lard, butter, unrefined oils, flaxseed, walnut, and palm in your air fryer. Safe-to-use oils include soy, refined sesame, corn, safflower, sunflower, avocado, canola, and grapeseed.
- Use your air fryer appropriately, that is, avoiding extra-fatty foods.
- Keep a watch on your oven to notice unusual smells and smoke.
- Avoid cooking at very high temperatures as they can melt grease residues in the heater and ignite.
- Follow your air fryer guidelines.
How Do You Put Out An Air Fryer Fire?
No electronic device is perfect; chances are, you might experience the worst scare; an air fryer fire. During emergencies, it isn’t applicable to look for the manual and begin looking for sections that guide you on device safety. If you experience an air fryer fire, do not panic. A confusion mode will not let you act fast and salvage the already hazardous situation. The first thing is to figure out how to put out the air fryer fire. I’m assuming that your air fryer is not exploding right now! And you are reading this for preventive purposes.
Here are the steps for putting out an air fryer fire.
Step 1: Turn off your air fryer from the heat source immediately.
Step 2: Pull out the plug from the wall source.
Step 3: Dampen a towel or blanket and cover the air fryer. Covering the air fryer smothers the flames by cutting off oxygen.
Step 4: Grab the fire extinguisher and apply the P.A.S.S. technique. PULL the pin to break the tamper-proof seal, AIM at the lowest level of the flames, SQUEEZE the fire extinguisher handle, and SWEEP at the base of the fire, side to side, until you put off all the flames. Repeat if the fire reignites. If you do not have a fire extinguisher, move to step 5.
Not Manageable? Do not continue to fight!
Step 5: Evacuate the area and call the fire emergency services, 911 for help.
Dos And Don’ts When Putting Off Air Fryer Fire
- If the fire is beyond your control, call 911 immediately. Do not attempt to put it off.
- Switch off the main power control unit.
- Never use water to put off air fryer fire or any other fire.
- Evacuate your house and stay safe.
- Close doors behind to avoid further spread.
- Stay calm.
Safety Precautions To Prevent Air Fryer Fire;
- Do not buy an air fryer from second-hand dealers.
- Buy authentic brands from reliable sources.
- Keep your air fryer clean and free from grease residues.
- Use appropriate oil on your ingredients.
- Don’t pour excess oil into your air fryer.
- Monitor your cooking process.
- Resolve electrical and mechanical faults when they arise.
- Do not use a faulty air fryer.
- Ensure that your temperature settings are appropriate and are not too high.
- Follow the operating guidelines.
- Cook air fryer recommended recipes.
- Dispose of old and obsolete air fryers.
- Use the appropriate accessories for your air fryer.
- Place your air fryer on a cool countertop away from open flames and hot ovens.
