Air frying is a great way to develop your cooking skills, from making juicy steaks to crunchy kale. Countertop ovens with an air fry feature offer enough capacity for whole chicken recipes and multiple settings for any recipe you can imagine. This guide will take you through the steps of how to use an air fryer countertop appliance, from setting it up to cleaning up afterwards. Learn more about popular settings for an air fry oven, practical tips, and recipes that can improve your cooking.
AIR FRYER USE GUIDE
Air frying is convenient and results in crunchy, crispy food, but it can also be a healthier option than deep frying. With little to no oil needed, air fryers cook crisp food without submerging it in oil so you can have the texture you desire without having to deep fry. If you are unsure of how to use KitchenAid Air Fryer Oven for the first time, our guide on air frying for beginners provides helpful advice.
1. HOW TO SET UP AN AIR FRYER
Before beginning to cook, take a few minutes to set up your air fryer. Follow the instructions below for guidance.
- Dispose of the packaging and scrub all components and accessories.
- Put the air fryer on a stable, even, and dry surface.
- Make sure there is enough space around the air fryer. Check your owner’s manual for setup guidance and details.
Most air fryers are small enough to fit in the cupboard when not in use, but you may prefer to keep it out on the countertop for quick access. After all, once you start using it, you won’t want to put it away! KitchenAid air fryer Countertop Ovens with Air Fry are especially suitable for a countertop and usually have a slim design that fits nicely beneath upper kitchen cabinets or shelves.
2. PREPARE FOOD
The way you get ready to air fry your food depends on what kind of meal you’re making. Cover proteins or veggies with a thin layer of oil and the seasonings you like, before putting them into the basket. If you are reheating something, it’s okay to not add any oil at all.
Before placing food in your air fryer basket, lightly spray the basket with oil spray to prevent sticking, then distribute food evenly across the bottom for an even bake. There are a few foods that aren’t suitable for an air fryer, but most are. Foods with wet batters, such as beer-battered fish, or delicate leafy greens may end up swirling around the basket when air fried.
3. SELECT SETTINGS
There are some air fryers that come with additional settings, such as bake, roast, or broil, but select KitchenAid countertop ovens with Air Fry include nine different cooking settings, including proofing, dehydrating, and toasting, so you can make air fryer beef jerky in addition to air frying.
4. PREHEAT
Your air fryer’s manual will tell you when and how to preheat your air fryer since not all of them require preheating. It takes only a few minutes to pre-heat an air fryer to get consistent results.
5. COOKING TIME FOR AIR FRYER
It is important to keep in mind that cooking times vary from recipe to recipe, but in general you can expect faster cooking times than if you used a regular oven. Here are some general recipe conversion guidelines for air frying if you’re not working from a specific recipe.
- To convert from deep frying to air frying, lower the air fryer’s temperature by 25°F, cook the food for the same period of time.
- Converting from conventional oven baking to air frying requires lowering the air fryer’s temperature to 25°F below the recommended oven temperature and halving the cook time.
For popular air-fried dishes, use the cheat sheet below to remove the guesswork.
HOW TO SET UP AN AIR FRYER
Knowing every setting will enable you to serve your most mouthwatering concepts. There are air fryers with simply one air fry setting, as well as air fryers with extra settings for baking, broiling, dehydrating, and other cooking methods.
AIR FRY
To make crispy dishes without the need for oil as in deep frying, an air fry setting combines hot air and heating devices. Like most air fryers, the Digital Countertop Oven with Air Fry from KitchenAid has a No-Flip Air Fry Basket that eliminates the need to flip the contents halfway through cooking. For air-frying meats like bacon, it is ideal for this.
BAKE
As they combine a heating element with a fan to circulate hot air, air fryers work similarly to convection ovens, however stand-alone air fryers are frequently less adaptable and baking-friendly than countertop ovens with air fry settings. Although the heat intensity of air fryers isn’t ideal for moist or delicate bakes like cakes or soufflés, countertop ovens with an air fry setting frequently have bake functions that are up to the task, including those that can turn off the convection bake fan to carry out a traditional baking cycle.
BROIL
Some countertop oven air fryers, like options from KitchenAid air fryer brand, feature a broil setting that only exposes food to intense heat on one side, making it easier to get a grill-like sear on steaks, a browned and bubbly cheese topping on pizzas and flaky, moist fish filets.
REHEAT
The crispy skin of food can be quickly restored by reheating it in an air fryer. Your preferred chicken tender, roasted vegetable, or fries meals can be reheated with this setting.
KEEP WARM
After you finish each dish, use the “keep warm” setting to keep the food tasting like it just came out of the oven. Even the warming setting on certain air fryers has a timer that you can set.
TOAST
With the toast option on your countertop oven air fryer, you may toast several pieces of bread to the ideal color by choosing your preferred toast shade from light to dark. Alternately, make delectable crostinis with the ideal amount of crunch.
BAGEL
Including consistently toasting a bagel, this multipurpose device can handle both challenging meals and easy chores.
PROOF
The Countertop Oven with Air Fry from KitchenAid brand has a proofing setting that gently warms the air fryer cavity and enables bread or dough to rise in a controlled environment. All air fryers can deliver the heat for the ultimate crisp, but this model does so in addition to having a heating element for the air fryer cavity. Once the item has proofed, it can be finished by pressing a button to set the air fryer to bake.
DEHYDRATE
Versatile air fryers can be used to dehydrate a variety of things, including vegetables, fruits, jerky, fruit leather, and more by setting the temperature to a low level for an extended length of time. One such appliance is the Digital Countertop Oven with Air Fry from the KitchenAid brand. Use this setting to add dehydrated apple rings or dried bananas to cereal or dehydrated salmon jerky to your next charcuterie platter.

AIR FRYING TIPS FOR PERFECT RESULTS
It’s time to expand your culinary toolkit with a few air frying techniques now that you’ve mastered the fundamentals of air frying. Continue reading for air frying best practices that will elevate your cooking.
A. WRITE A BALANCED BASKET
Avoid packing your air fryer basket too full. As much of your meal as is possible should be in contact with the moving air.
B. Use the appropriate basket.
Use the perforated pan or basket that was included with your appliance. These baskets or pans have holes that promote improved airflow.
C. AVOID USING TOO MUCH OIL
Use moderate amounts of oil. Follow your air fryer recipe, or lightly brush or spray frying oil on fresh meals.
D. Convert the cooking time.
Change the cooking time. As air fryers often cook food more quickly than a normal oven or deep fryer, it’s important to reduce the cooking time when using a non-air fryer recipe.
5. RESIST USING NON-STICK SPRAYS
Using non-stick sprays may contain elements that contribute to chipping the coating on the air fryer, so only dab or spray cooking oil onto items or the base of the basket.
4 CLEANING STEPS FOR AIR FRYERS
An air fryer is a great way to explore the possibilities of your ingredients and create delicious and inventive recipes. Whether it’s succulent meats, sweet desserts or crispy vegetables, your air fryer can give that extra boost to all your favorite foods.
Cleaning your air fryer after each use is essential to guarantee it’s ready for next time, so deep cleaning it regularly can help keep food and residue from building up in the basket. Here’s a guide on how to clean your air fryer so you can make all those tasty dishes with that perfect crunch on the outside and moist and tender inside.
HOW TO CLEAN AN AIR FRYER COUNTERTOP OVEN
An air fryer is a great way to explore the possibilities of your ingredients and create delicious and inventive recipes. Whether it’s succulent meats, sweet desserts or crispy vegetables, your air fryer can give that extra boost to all your favorite foods. Cleaning your air fryer after each use is essential to guarantee it’s ready for next time, so deep cleaning it regularly can help keep food and residue from building up in the basket. Here’s a guide on how to clean your air fryer so you can make all those tasty dishes with that perfect crunch on the outside and moist and tender inside.
SUPPLIES
- Hot water
- Hand soap
TOOLS
- Cleaning supplies
- Sponge or a nylon/polyester mesh pad (optional)
STEP 1: THE AIR FRYER SHOULD BE READY FOR CLEANING
Start off by switching off and unplugging the appliance from the power source. Before trying to clean up the air fryer, make sure you let it cool down fully before taking out any of its components for cleaning. Once it has cooled down, open up the air fryer’s door and get all the detachable parts, like its basket and crumb tray.
STEP 2: WASH THE REMOVABLE AIR FRYER COMPONENTS
Depending on what kind of air fryer you have, the basket may be able to be washed in the dishwasher, as well as other parts like the oven or racks. Still, it’s usually advised to hand wash them. Use warm, soapy water and a damp sponge or cloth to clean the basket and any other removable parts like pans and racks. Be sure to rinse off all parts with clean water and dry them completely with a soft cloth.
STEP 3: CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE AIR FRYER.
Wipe down the inside walls of the air fryer with a soft cloth. For tougher spots, use warm water and gently scrub them away. KitchenAid air fryer ovens specifically feature a nonstick coating to make cleaning up easier.
STEP 4: AIR FRYER EXTERIOR CLEANING
For optimal care and protection of your air fryer countertop oven, gently wipe the exterior with a clean, damp cloth and be sure to dry it thoroughly. To avoid any scratches and maintain its quality, never use harsh or abrasive cleaning agents or metal scouring pads; instead, only use warm, soapy water and soft cleaning tools such as sponges or cloths. Check with your owner’s manual for more recommended supplies to use for your appliance.
Your KitchenAid Air Fryer Digital Countertop Oven will benefit from the information presented in this content. I hope you will find useful information here about how to use the KitchenAid Air Fryer oven.