FIVE FOODS YOU SHOULD NEVER COOK IN AN AIR FRYER

Daily Mail

 

The 5 foods you should NEVER cook in an air fryer, according to experts

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

Published: 07:01 EDT, 25 May 2026 | Updated: 10:07 EDT, 25 May 2026

 

You can get away with cooking almost anything in an air fryer.

 

But while it works well for most dishes, there are some foods you should never put in the appliance, according to experts.

 

‘Some foods will cause a lot more mess than necessary and might even pose a safety risk,’ Jamie Darlow, a researcher at Which?, said.

 

Topping the list is popcorn. If you’re planning a movie night, you might be tempted to pop some kernels in the fryer.

 

However, Mr Darlow advises using the microwave instead – or you could be waiting a while.

 

‘Cooking popcorn might not work because most air fryers don't reach a high enough temperature to pop the kernels,’ he said. ‘The microwave will do a much better job.‘

 

Here, he reveals what else you should never cook in your air fryer.

 

Pasta and pasta sauce

 

Unsurprisingly, you can't use an air fryer to cook raw pasta, since you need to put it in boiling water.

 

And while cooking pasta sauces isn’t impossible, it’s messy ‘so probably not worth the trouble’.

 

Mr Darlow said you can use an air fryer to reheat pasta and sauce that has already been cooked – but the microwave is a more efficient way to do this.

 

Toast

 

Like pasta sauce, it’s not impossible to cook toast in an air fryer. However, the results are ‘likely to be disappointing compared to a toaster’.

 

Mr Darlow said: ‘The air fryer can dry out the bread and crumbs can get stuck at the bottom of the basket as the toast is blown around during cooking.

 

‘You'll also need to flip it halfway. It's just not worth the effort.’

 

Rice

 

Like pasta, cooking rice from scratch requires water.

 

‘An air fryer isn’t a go-to appliance for boiling and steaming,’ Mr Darlow said. ‘You’re better off sticking to a slow cooker or a pot on the hob.’

 

Surprising food you can cook

 

Experts have previously revealed a list of surprising foods that work an absolute treat in the air fryer.

 

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Liana Green, a blogger who has written countless air fryer guides, explained how to create the perfect 'hard-boiled' eggs in the air fryer.

 

'Air frying boiled eggs might sound counterintuitive, but the air fryer offers a consistent temperature, making it easier to achieve perfectly cooked eggs every time,' she said. 'Plus, you eliminate the need for boiling water.'

 

Ms Green recommends air frying at 150C for eight minutes for a runny yolk, or for 12 minutes for a harder centre.

 

Another unexpected food item is ravioli, which – despite being a type of pasta – ‘crisps up beautifully’ in the appliance.

 

Experts suggest coating your ravioli in beaten eggs and breadcrumbs before placing them in the air fryer at 175C for ten minutes, flipping halfway through.

 

And while most fresh cheeses will quickly burn in an air fryer, halloumi is safe to cook in the gadget thanks to its higher melting point.

 

'The air fryer's high heat crisps the halloumi's outside to perfection while keeping the inside deliciously soft,' Ms Green said.

 

'Drizzle with a little honey to get that amazing Mediterranean taste. I air fry at 200C for eight to ten minutes.'

 

Since Oprah Winfrey named it one of her favorite kitchen appliances back in 2013, the air fryer has surged in popularity, and is now a staple feature in many people's kitchens.

 

The appliance uses hot air rather than hot oil to cook foods, offering a quick and healthy alternative to deep-fat fryers.

 

However, after purchasing an air fryer, many budding chefs have learned the hard way that there's a small learning curve to mastering the appliance.

 

Thankfully, help is at hand, as Which? has revealed the most common air fryer fails - as well as how to fix them.

 

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Emily Seymour, Which? Energy Editor, said: 'Air fryers are generally easy to use, but it is possible for things to go badly wrong. If you overfill your machine or don't clean it properly you could end up with undercooked chicken and chips or a kitchen full of smoke.'