After speaking to medical experts, our team selected the best non-toxic air fryers on the market based on our expert testing.
Lots of people are worried that air fryers are toxic after viral claims on TikTok. When I consulted experts, their responses were incredibly reassuring. Used correctly, air fryers aren’t toxic, but the experts suggested that we can take measures to mitigate some of our most immediate concerns.
Many air fryers use non-stick materials such as Teflon. Its very unlikely, but these non-stick surfaces use chemicals which can be harmful if you ingest them. The only way that this can happen is If your air fryer is chipped or damaged. If youre at all worried, however, medical experts advise that you buy air fryers that use stainless steel parts or are coated with ceramic.
Fortunately, our team of air fryer experts have tested the best air fryers on the market and found that plenty of them are non-toxic. These range from single-function and compact models to multi-functional air fryer ovens. Different models will suit different households, but they all set our minds at ease.
While the need for oil in air frying is not as great as when using an oven or frying something on a pan, a small amount of oil can go a long way in keeping your food moist and providing that golden brown color.
Best looking non-toxic air fryer (Image credit: Our Place)
✅ You want something ceramic: this is made with aluminum and coated in nontoxic ceramic
✅ You want something colorful: this looks good on a countertop
✅ You want to cook a whole chicken: it roasted a small one perfectly
❌ You want precision: the analog timer is a little finicky
❌ You want presets: theres no preset functions
❌ Youre clumsy: the racks dont support themselves, so its easy to spill
Our Place Wonder Oven colorful and stylish, this is a good option if you want a prettier kitchen
If the options above look a little utilitarian and boring, you may prefer Our Places Wonder Oven. Best known for their iconic (if overrated) Always Pan, Our Place have been making forays into a wider range of cookware and appliances in recent years. The Wonder Oven is a great example of the brands ethos – a slick, on-trend appliance that youd actually want to have on your countertop, rather than the same old gray and black appliances.
More importantly, this combination air fryer and toaster oven is non-stick, with a ceramic coating free of forever chemicals. When it came to the taste test, this wasnt the best weve ever tried, but did a great job on tater tots and reheating stuffed peppers. It has a pretty unique feature for baking, too. You can add a capful of water in the top of the machine that keeps baked goods light and fluffy, so our tester found that this made delicious donut holes, too. Theres better options out there, but you wont be disappointed with its performance. The big issue with this air fryer is that it uses an old-school analog timer. That means its pretty hard to set with any great precision. Its hard to tell if youve set a dish to cook for 8 minutes or 12 minutes. Thats fine if youre just blasting some tater tots, but could pose an issue when cooking more delicate meals like fish. That analog timer also means theres no presets, so you have to rely on your own cooking skill. Finally, the racks dont support themselves when you pull them out of the oven, so its easy to spill.
You can read more in our full review of the Our Place Wonder Oven.Todays best Our Place Wonder Oven deals
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Adding fat to the basket is fine, for the most part. (I used bacon grease for my air-fried fried eggs, for example.) There are, however, some rules. You don’t want to add too much oil, as that can cause splattering, and splatters can hit the heating element and smoke. You also don’t want to ever, under any circumstances, hit the basket with a quick hit of nonstick cooking spray. Doing so can ruin the coating, making it hard to use less oil during future air-frying endeavors.
So why is one OK and the other very much not? The difference lies in the formulation of cooking spray. As we’ve discussed previously, most cooking sprays are not made of pure oil:
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There are very few cases where you need to add oil to prevent sticking, because the interiors are (as far as I know) always treated with a nonstick coating. If you are worried about your food sticking to the air fryer basket, you can mist it with a pure oil (buy a mister bottle and fill it yourself), or toss the food in a separate bowl with a little fat to lightly coat it. Greasing the food, instead of the basket, will ensure there’s no excess pooling or splattering, while preventing the dreaded basket-stickage. Latest
Do you NEED to Preheat Your AIR FRYER? I Tested it Out!
FAQ
Do I need cooking spray for air fryer?
Is the coating in an air fryer safe?
Can You Spray food in an air fryer?
“Always spray food with cooking spray outside the machine, as many cooking sprays can cause a sticky buildup on the inner surfaces of the air fryer,” Kennedy told Insider. By removing your food from the fryer to spray it, you are also able to apply a more even coat of oil. You can also turn the food over with chopsticks.
Can you cook with oil in an air fryer?
Just remember to use a light coating of oil, no more than a teaspoon per pound of food, and you should be good to go. Cooking with oil in an air fryer is easy, and it can help you make delicious, healthy meals that your family will love. Discover the truth about using oil in air fryers.
Can You Spray a basket in an air fryer?
Spraying the basket in the air fryer with nonstick spray can damage the air fryer’s nonstick coating and can make the pan unsafe for use. If you need to use a cooking spray, like when cooking breaded food items like chicken tenders, only spray the food directly before turning on the air fryer.
Can I Opt-Out of an air fryer?
You can opt-out at any time. Air fryers are small appliances that use rapidly circulating hot air to create crispy food without the need for large amounts of oil. They’ve grown in popularity due to their convenience and versatility, but these little machines have their own quirks.