This air fryer mistake is the worst thing you can do to your appliance – and I’ve been doing it for years

A Ninja air fryer sitting next to a basket as someone removes asparagus from it.

As T3’s Home Editor, I’ve tested many different appliances over the years, including the best air fryers. But I recently found out that I’ve been making a common mistake that could be damaging my air fryer – and it’s likely that you’ve made the same mistake too.

The beauty of air fryers is that they use little to no oil. Instead, the mini ovens work by rapidly circulating hot air around its baskets or chamber rather than the food being dunked in oil. This results in food with a crispy exterior and a moist interior, that’s been made in a much healthier way.