Owning an air fryer has many benefits, including faster cooking times and a more convenient appliance to navigate when cooking. However, the downsides of the best air fryer ownership are less discussed. One big drawback I've found as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor is trying to wade through the number of things marketed as 'essential' for your air fryer.
Do you need them? Or are they just tat designed to get you to spend more? Just recently, we looked into whether air fryer covers are worthwhile (the short answer is no) while the debate over using air fryer liners is still alive and well in the Ideal Home office.
Next up on the seemingly endless air fryer accessories carousel are air fryer cleaners, which are dedicated sprays for degreasing your air fryer basket. Here's a look at what they are, and why I think you're best to swerve them.
What is an air fryer cleaning spray?
This summer, the popular cleaning brand Elbow Grease launched a dedicated Air Fryer Cleaner, which you can pick up for £1.29 from B&M. Elbow Grease call it a 'powerful degreaser', and claim it can make air fryer cleaning quick and simple, finished off with a lemon scent.
This 'extra strength grease lifter' contains grease-busting baking soda, according to the brand.
It's not the only brand jumping on the air fryer cleaning spray trend either, with picks from Atonish and HG also available on Amazon. The tagline on each is that these sprays are designed to lift grease, a common air fryer problem.
It is probably best to compare these cleaners to the popularity of oven cleaners. While they will all certainly help clean your appliance, there are so many other products you'll already have in your home that you can use to clean your air fryer just as well.
As we cover in our guide on how to clean an air fryer, there's a much easier way to get your appliance back to a brand-new state than investing in a new single-waste plastic spray. The crucial ingredient in many of these sprays, including the Astonish one, is baking powder, which is a miracle ingredient for cleaning all around your house too.
A much better (and cheaper) method for your air fryer would be to apply a paste made of baking soda to the inside of your air fryer baskets and scrub away at any grease. No single waste plastic or need to buy extra products in sight.
Or, another method (which is my personal favourite) is the most straightforward: filling the basket with hot water and washing up liquid, and leaving to soak before tackling with a non-abrasive sponge.
I'm not the only one unconvinced by the need to invest in a dedicated air fryer cleaning spray. One of the reviews left by a user called Andy on Amazon for the Elbow Grease Spray sums it up neatly, saying 'You certainly need lots of elbow grease using this product, fairly pointless tbh, I have better success with washing up liquid and some boiling water and leaving it a while to soak'.
I couldn't have said it better myself. What's your go-to method for cleaning your air fryer?
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