TikTok always comes through with the tips (Picture: TikTok/Getty)
Not only are air fryers cheaper to run than conventional ovens, they also allow us to get crispy and crunchy results with less oil, effort and time.
It’s no wonder everyone and their mum swears by them. But it seems we’re all looking for new ways to get the best of the countertop cooking appliances.
According to research by Raffolux, searches for air fryer hacks have spiked 305% since last summer, and are now at their highest since they first peaked in 2019.
TikTok has become one of the best sources for these top tips, with videos under the airfryerhacks hashtag racking up a whopping 424.2 million views and those tagged with airfryertips at 67.3 million.
To save you scrolling through the never-ending content available, we’ve narrowed things down to the most popular recommendations.
These are the top hacks that air fryer fanatics on TikTok are loving, and which you can give a go at home.
Keep it clean the easy way
@smartler Cleaning the air fryer was too long 😪 #fyp #foryou #viral #trending #tiktokmademebuyit #lifehack #airfryer #amazonfinds ♬ well this is gonna be my personality – Ted Nivison
Although it’s less of a ‘hack’ and more a product recommendation, the most-watched air fryer tip is this one advising users to give silicone liners a go.
Smartler’s tip to cover the metal gauze in your fryer with a silicone tray has been liked more than 3.9 million times, so home chefs are obviously on the hunt for simple clean-up solutions.
After each meal, swill out the tray with hot water and washing up liquid before wiping clean, ready to use next time. If you prefer, you can also use baking or parchment paper, but this is less environmentally-friendly.
Upgrade your garlic bread
@thisisplanetfood Replying to @✈️💥🏢🏢 Garlic Bread Bagel Bites! 🧄🥯 #PlanetFood #foodtok #ukfood #easyrecipes #airfryerrecipes #bagelbites #airfryerhack #garlicbread #chef 🥯 Slice 2 bagels into ‘chips’ 🧄 Add your chopped bagels to a bowl with 2 tsp each garlic granules and parsley, 1 tsp oregano and 75g parmesan 🥯 Drizzle with olive oil – or even better, garlic oil – and toss together to coat 🧄 Air-fry at 170C for 5 mins until crispy (you may need to do in batches depending on the size of your air-fryer) 🥯 We served ours with a delicious garlic dip! ♬ Sure Thing (sped up) – Miguel
Garlic bread definitely tops the list as one of Brits’ most beloved foods, and now thanks to this Tiktok with 1.2 million views, it’s never been a more viable option in the air fryer.
All you need to do is slice up one bagel into bitesize pieces, add to a bowl with olive oil, parmesan, and herbs like oregano and parsley, then air fry at 180C for eight minutes. A tasty garlic mayo to dip is optional, but very much recommended.
Make pepperoni ‘crisps’
@thisisplanetfood Replying to @Juicy lucy ❤️🧃 We had the same thought! 💭✨ #PlanetFood #FoodTok #UKFood #SalamiCrisps #HighProtein #ProteinSnack #HighProteinMeals #AirFryer #AirFryerHack #CookingHacks #Salami #SnackHacks #EasyRecipes ♬ Hey, Mickey! – Baby Tate
Whether you’re following a keto diet or just prefer your snacks on the meaty side, you’ll want to try these pepperoni ‘crisps’.
Planet Food, in a clip that’s been liked over 363,000 times, shows us how it’s done: layer pepperoni over the bottom of the air fryer tray in a circular pattern, cook at 200C for three minutes, then leave on some kitchen roll to crisp up.
For those wanting a fancy version, add mozzarella and basil on the top part-way through cooking.
Take the hassle out of cleaning
@tracesoats You gotta save this 🤯 Also, you could j add tin foil to prevent the gunk #lifehack #airfry ♬ original sound – Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
One of the biggest searched trends in the air fryer category is #airfryercleaning at 9.1 million views. According to Trace Alexander’s Tiktok with 535.3k likes, when it comes to the ‘deep clean’, you can fully remove built-up grime in minutes.
Take out the tray and fill it with hot soapy water, then air fry at 175C for five minutes to let the heat work its magic. All that gunk should easily wipe off after that.
Whip up a ‘half English’ breakfast
@airfryerguy Breakfast hack #airfryerguy #breakfast #airfryer ♬ Beautiful Breakfast – Jake Grigg – Air Fryer Guy
If you fancy a fry-up but can’t face the hassle of cooking one, Jake Grigg recommends a ‘half English’ breakfast made in the air fryer.
His video, with over 333,000 likes, shows him placing one slice of bread at the base of the cooking tray with an egg cracked in the middle, and a slice of raw bacon on top. Cook for 180C for seven minutes and you have the perfect quick cooked brekkie.
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