Air fryers have become the holy grail of convenience, promising faster, healthier cooking and crispy results with barely any oil – but there’s one food you should never cook in it
Anyone with an air fryer has been warned against cooking one extremely popular breakfast item in it. This beloved appliance has become the ultimate convenience tool, offering quicker, healthier cooking and crispy results without the need for a lot of oil.
From chips and chicken wings to warmed-up leftovers, people like to think there’s nothing it cannot manage. However, according to Julian Klenda, food specialist and founder of Maine Lobster Now, there’s one product that simply doesn’t belong in the air fryer at all: bacon.
He’s warned that whilst it might seem like a quick trick for a mess-free fry-up, preparing bacon in an air fryer can become what he describes as “a smoky, greasy disaster waiting to happen.”
He explained: “Bacon is naturally very fatty. When you cook it in an air fryer, the fat drips down onto the heating element. That fat quickly heats up, causing smoke, splattering, and sometimes even minor flare-ups. You’re not only risking burnt bacon but also a smoky kitchen and a very unhappy smoke alarm.”
Air fryers depend on hot circulating air to cook food evenly, but when something oily like bacon is involved, things can quickly go wrong. The dripping fat doesn’t simply make the appliance messy – it also impacts how effectively the bacon cooks, reports the Express.
“It’s difficult to get even cooking,” Julian said. “The fat and moisture distribution inside the air fryer can lead to some rashers being underdone while others turn dry and brittle. And undercooked bacon, of course, can pose a risk of foodborne illness.”
Anyone who’s ever crammed too much into their air fryer will know the struggle – and when you pile up the bacon rashers or try to cook a larger batch at once, you only make things worse.
“Air fryers need proper airflow to work efficiently,” Julian explained.
“If you layer bacon, it blocks the circulation of hot air. That’s when you end up with chewy edges and raw centres.”
Beyond the uneven cooking and smoke, there’s another big issue to be aware of – the cleanup process.
“People think the air fryer is the easier, cleaner option, but bacon grease can actually create more of a mess,” Julian pointed out. “The fat splatters and sticks to every corner of the basket and the heating element. Once it cools down, it hardens, which makes cleaning a nightmare.”
Leftover grease can also cause long-term problems. Over time, the residue can build up and affect how the appliance functions, even causing unpleasant smells every time you use it.
“You might notice a burnt, smoky odour when cooking other foods later on,” Julian added. “That’s a sign the bacon fat never fully cleared out.”
How to cook bacon
While bacon might not be ideal for the air fryer, there are plenty of other easy ways to cook it.
Julian suggested sticking to the classics. “If you want crispy, evenly cooked bacon, a non-stick frying pan or a baking tray in the oven is your best bet,” he advised.
“Oven-cooked bacon drains fat naturally and cooks evenly without splatter, and you can do big batches.”
He also suggests using a wire rack over a lined tray to allow any excess fat to drip off. “That gives you the crunch you’re after without drowning the bacon in its own grease,” he clarified.
For those still set on using their air fryer, Julian advised utilising protective accessories such as silicone liners or parchment paper designed for air fryers.
