The reason you shouldn't cook hamburgers in an air fryer is because the hamburgers won't get the richness or smokiness of pan-frying and grilling, air-fried burgers will get a bit of crispness around the sides.
You can put raw meat in an air fryer as long as the raw meat is thawed out and not frozen.
Frozen raw meat will not cook evenly but thawed raw meat will cook just fine in the air fryer.
The most popular thing to make in an air fryer are veggies such as cauliflower, mushrooms and onions, zucchini, potatoes, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
Also popular in an air fryer are tofu, drumsticks, chicken, meatballs, fried chicken, steak and pork chops.
The reason you shouldn't put water in your air fryer is because the water could cause serious damage to the air fryer and even could be a fire hazard.
Also adding too much water in the air fryer could lead to soggy food which will not crisp up properly when cooked in the air fryer.
When cooking meat in the air fryer you brush some oil onto the meat.
The oil will help the meat cook better and make for a tastier meat when cooked in the air fryer.
However you can cook the meat without oil but it won't turn out as good as it would with oil.
When cooking food in an air fryer you put oil in the air fryer.
You can add oil to the pan before adding the food and or add some oil to the food itself.
You can use olive oil spray in an air fryer or other oil spray in the air fryer.
You can use Pam spray in an air fryer although it's not recommended as it can sometimes cause chipping in the air fryer basket.
It's better to use a good quality oil bottle or oil mister.
Tin foil can go in an air fryer as an air fryer uses fan forced convection heat to cook the foods and not a microwave like microwave ovens use.
So tin foil and aluminum foil are safe to use in an air fryer.
Aluminum foil can go in an air fryer just like the aluminum foil can go in a regular oven.
Aluminum foil can make for easy cleanup of the air fryer and will safe to use in the air fryer.
Parchment paper will not burn when used in the air fryer.
You can safely use parchment paper in your air fryer without risk of it burning and the parchment paper makes it easier to clean the air fryer as well.
Air fryers don't give off any radiation because air fryers use heating elements and fans to heat and cook the food through convection just like an electric fan forced space heater would.
Microwaves cook food through radiation and microwaves but air fryers do not.
Almost all meats can be cooked in an air fryer including steaks, hamburgers, chicken, pork, bacon, ham, hot dogs etc as long as the meat is not battered.
Fish can also be cooked in an air fryer as long as it's not battered fish.
Meat should be flipped during the cooking process in an air fryer because most of the heat that cooks the food comes from the top of the air fryer.
You should ideally flip the meat every 10 to 15 minutes depending on how long it takes to cook the meat in the air fryer.
The outside of an air fryer can reach temperatures of 400 F degrees.
There are internal and external components of the air fryer which get super hot during cooking.
It's easy to burn yourself so make sure to not touch any of those hot elements with your bare hands.
Do use a silicone glove or oven safe mitts.
An air fryer in your kitchen should be placed on a heat resistant surface such as a granite countertop or a heat resistant mat on the counter underneath the air fryer.
Always keep your air fryer on a level, heat-resistant countertop and make sure there are at least five inches of space behind the air fryer where the exhaust vent is located.
Pre-heat your air fryer before adding your food.
An air fryer won't crack a granite countertop as the air fryer is very safe for granite countertops as they are heat resistant up to 1,200 F degrees.
An air fryer could burn a bench if the bench is made of wood and the air fryer gets hot enough.
It's best to sit something such as a piece of metal or ceramic underneath the air fryer to keep the heat off the bench or countertop.
Air fryers are popular these days. However, it can get very hot, and when you place the air fryer on the countertops it can damage it.
To fight this problem you can use a heat resistant mat or the below alternative to safely use your air fryer.
An air fryer could explode if not used correctly but it's rare for an air fryer to explode as long as you use it properly and don't use too much oil.
Although there have been occasional reports of air fryers catching on fire, this is not the norm for air fryers.
With proper use, you should not experience an air fryer catching on fire.
Other than user error, the only way is if your air fryer has been shipped with a fault from the manufacturer.
You can season the food before or after air frying.
If you season the food before air frying the food should also be coated in oil to help the seasoning and spices stick to the food or the air fryer will send the seasoning flying around in the air fryer.
Season the food then brush some oil over the food to help the seasoning stick to the food.
When cooking foods in the air fryer that you want the moisture to be retained the vent should be closed on the air fryer.
If you want the moisture to leave the food then open the vent on the air fryer.
Air fryers typically tend to dry toasted items out as much as actually toast them.
If you close that vent, it will keep more moisture in there.
You would want to close the vent for any item that is drying out before it fully cooks.
When using oil in an air fryer you put the oil on the food or soak the food in some oil before putting the food in the air fryer.
Do not put any oil in the air fryer itself but only on the food.
You can also lightly brush the food with some oil.
Coconut Oil can be used in an air fryer but you have to be careful as the coconut oil could burn easily.
Other good oils for air fryers besides coconut oil include.
Peanut Oil - 450 degrees Fahrenheit smoke point.
Vegetable Oil - 400 degrees Fahrenheit smoke point.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 375 degrees Fahrenheit smoke point.
Butter - 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit smoke point.
You can put some oil in the air fryer if you want too.
Although air fryers can cook just fine without any oil as they cook mainly with heat.
Air fryers don't require oil but adding a small amount of oil can bring taste to your mouth.
Using a small amount of oil doesn't increase the health risk as much as deep fryers do.
Air fryers can be cancerous when food is cooked in them.
However air fryers are really very safe to cook with.
Although not only does air frying still run the risk of creating acrylamides, but polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines can result from all high-heat cooking with meat.
These compounds have associations with cancer risk, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Air fryers can smell when they cook due to food particles getting stuck on the heating element used in the air fryer to cook foods.
Air fryers usually come with a heating element that is located at the top of the air fryer and over time food particles start to collect in this section and this also releases a burnt smell.
If you do not properly clean your air fryer regularly then you will be able to get a bad odor which is also not good for your health.
Air Fryers don't actually fry food like a deep fryer does.
The air fryer cooks food through convection and through heat circulating from a fan and heating element.