An air fryer is just like the conventional oven, but the only difference is that it circulates hot air around the food to make it crispy and brown.
When you make items in a regular oven you preheat it depending on the type of dish you are making. So just like the oven, you need to preheat an air fryer based on food items that you are making.
Most of the items that you make may require preheating, so it’s always better to do it.
But, what if you do not preheat the fryer?
Don’t worry nothing will happen if you forget or do not preheat the air fryer. Just it will take a little more time to cook the item. If you preheat it then you will get a faster result. That’s it.
But nowadays some are very advanced that don’t require preheating, so check the manual before doing it.
Now if you want to preheat it then the question arises:
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How To Preheat An Air Fryer?
Preheating an air fryer depends on the type of appliance you use. Some of the fryers have a dedicated preheat button on them but some don’t. Some have a digital screen with lots of preheating features and some with only buttons and lights, so it varies from product to product.
Let’s check how to do these.
Preheat An Air Fryer With No Preheating Options
If you have an air fryer with no dedicated preheat option, then check your manual first. If you don’t find any required information then you can follow these steps:
- First, set the temperature to 180-200 degrees Celsius (356 to 392 F).
- After that, set the timer for 2-3 minutes and it’s done. Your fryer will be now set for preheating.
The preheating temperature varies depending on the type of food. Like for chicken, you have to set the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius, and for french fries set it to 180 degrees Celsius. So, it totally depends on the food you are using.
The preheating time is usually set for 3 minutes but for a better result or to make each and every part hot inside the air fryer you can set the timer for 5 minutes.
Below is the list of preheating temperature and time for some common food items:
| Food Items | Required Temperature | Required Time |
| French Fries | 180 degrees Celsius | 2-3 mins |
| Chicken Wings & Breast | 200 degrees Celsius | 3-4 mins |
| Chicken Thighs | 200 degrees Celsius | 5 mins |
Preheat An Air Fryer With Preheating Options
If your air fryer has a dedicated preheat option then you are good to go. There are some fryers that have different preheat options for different food items. This function becomes very useful in daily uses.
You need to press the dedicated button and wait until it indicates. If there are so many preheating options like french fries, chicken, fish, etc then select the desired one and start cooking.
Also Read: How Do Air Fryers Work Without Oil? Can You Use Oil?
How Do I Know When My Air Fryer Is Preheated?
Some of the air fryers will start beeping when it is preheated. It will either make a sound or flash a light. So you will easily know when it is preheated.
But, what if it doesn’t have any indicator?
Don’t worry, it’s also easy to check. Suppose you have set the timer for 3 minutes, then after 3 minutes when it is done, just pull the basket and move your hand towards the air fryer. If you feel the air is hot then it’s done, if not then again set it for another 2 minutes.
Usually, it gets hot within 3 minutes but if you want to cook chicken or steak then preheat it for 5-6 minutes.
How Long Should You Preheat The Air Fryer?
Preheating time is totally depends on the type of food you cook. For most of the items, it is generally for 2-3 minutes. But, if you are cooking non-veg items except fish or prawns then you need to preheat for 5-6 minutes.
After using it for some time you will get an idea of the timings. The timings which I have mentioned above are totally based on my experience.
Also Read: Can I Put An Air Fryer On The Countertop? 5 Problem Solving Questions
Do You Preheat The Air Fryer Before Putting Food In?
Yes, almost 90 percent of the time I do preheat the air fryer before putting in food. Because preheating helps to achieve the desired temperature before and also, helps to cook the item faster.
It works best when you are reheating the cooked items, as it makes them more crispy and brown. If you have cooked chicken then try this out, you will love it.
Just preheat at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes and then put the chicken pieces and let it sit for 10-12 minutes and it’s done.
