How do you safely clean an air fryer?

Unplug the air fryer and let it cool completely before you touch anything, then clean only the parts the maker lists as removable, usually the basket and the crisper plate. Keep water, spray cleaners and scrubbing pads away from the heating element and the electrical housing, and never submerge the main unit.

That order matters because most air fryer damage comes from cleaning a hot unit or from liquid reaching the element. The makers in the Best Smart Air Fryers for Cooking to Temperature guide publish which parts come out and which are dishwasher safe, and those statements are the safest guide to what you can wash.

Unplug first and let the unit cool

Give the air fryer time to cool before cleaning. A hot basket warps more easily and a hot element can crack if cold water reaches it. Pull the plug from the outlet rather than switching the unit off at the panel, so no program can start while your hands are inside the cavity.

The Typhur Sync Air Fryer Oven with Wireless Meat Thermometer Probe reaches temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and the Ninja DZ550 Foodi 10 Quart DualZone Smart XL runs from 105 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Those ceilings tell you how much heat the cavity holds, so treat the interior as hot until it has cooled fully.

Once the unit is cool, lift out the parts the maker lists as removable. On the Ninja DZ550 that means the two nonstick crisper plates and the two baskets. On the Cosori TurboBlaze the removable pieces are the basket and the crisper tray, both with a PFAS-free ceramic coating.

Check what the maker lists as dishwasher safe

Dishwasher safe is a maker’s claim, not a guess. The Ninja DZ550 states that its crisper plates are dishwasher safe. The Cosori TurboBlaze states that its nonstick ceramic coated cooking basket and crisper plate are dishwasher safe. Those two statements cover the parts named and nothing else.

The Typhur Sync lists an air fryer basket, roasting pan, wire rack, crumb tray and wireless probe, and states that select parts are dishwasher safe without naming which ones. If a maker does not name the part, wash it by hand in warm water with a little dish soap and a soft sponge.

Hand washing is the safer default for any coated part. Use a soft sponge, not steel wool or an abrasive pad, and let the part air dry or dry it with a cloth before it goes back in the unit. Stacking wet parts traps water in the corners.

Keep water and spray off the heating element

The heating element and the fan housing sit above the basket, and they are the parts you cannot wash. Wipe the inside of the cavity with a damp cloth only after the unit is cool and unplugged, then dry it. Never spray cleaner into the cavity, because the mist lands on the element and on the electronics.

If grease has baked onto the element guard, wipe with a cloth wrung almost dry rather than a soaked one. The Breville BOV900BSS Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro uses five independent quartz elements and a two speed convection fan, and the Nuwave Bravo Pro Smart Air Fryer Toaster Oven Countertop Combo runs a fan with adjustable speeds from 0 to 3. Elements and fans are not user washable parts on any of them.

Turn the unit upside down over the sink only if the maker says the part is removable. Otherwise clean in place with a cloth and let the cavity air dry fully before the next cook.

Deal with grease and baked on food

Soak the basket and crisper plate in warm water with a drop of dish soap for a few minutes, then wipe with a soft sponge. Most grease lifts without scrubbing. For baked on spots, use a non-abrasive pad and warm water, and avoid metal tools that chip the coating.

For the outside of the unit, a cloth dampened with a mild cleaner is enough. The Best Oven Cleaners for Fume-Free and Heavy-Duty Jobs guide covers cleaners built for ovens and grills, and their labels set the surfaces they suit. Goo Gone Oven and Grill Cleaner states that it should not be used on aluminum or faux stainless steel, so check the label against your unit’s finish before any cleaner touches the exterior.

Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner for Ovens and Air Fryers is sold in a 24 ounce can and states that the fume free formula is safe to use without gloves. That is the maker’s statement about the product, not a recommendation to spray it inside an air fryer cavity. Follow the label and keep spray off the element.

Dry everything and reassemble

Let every washed part dry completely before it goes back. Water left in the basket or on the crisper plate turns to steam on the next cook and can drip toward the element. Dry the cavity with a cloth, then leave the basket out for a few minutes so air reaches the interior.

Seat the crisper plate flat in the basket and slide the basket fully home. On the Ninja DZ550, both baskets and both crisper plates go back the same way they came out. On the Cosori TurboBlaze, the crisper tray sits in the bottom of the 6 quart square basket.

Wipe the exterior with a damp cloth and dry it, including the control panel, which should never be sprayed directly. Store the unit with the basket closed so dust stays out of the cavity.

Make cleaning a routine

Empty the crumb tray or basket after every cook, once the unit is cool, and wash the removable parts after anything greasy. A quick wipe of the cavity every few uses keeps baked on buildup from forming, and buildup is what forces hard scrubbing later.

The Typhur Sync includes a crumb tray among its parts, and the Breville BOV900BSS includes a mesh basket rack for air frying and dehydrating along with two oven racks. Empty and wipe those accessories after each use rather than letting grease set.

None of the makers in either guide publish a cleaning schedule, so set your own based on how often you cook and how much fat the food releases. The safe habits stay the same: unplug, cool, wash only removable parts, keep liquid off the element, and dry before reassembly.