Why I stopped ignoring the preheat button on my air fryer

I always skipped preheating because I thought it was a waste of time. Then last Tuesday I threw in some frozen chicken tenders cold and they came out soggy on one side. Now I wait the extra 5 minutes and the crisp difference is night and day. Anyone else skip preheat?

3 comments

3 Comments

stone.lisa28d ago

But have you noticed how preheating affects the oil or spray you use? I used to just spritz my food cold, and it would pool up in spots. Now I heat the basket first, then spray, and the oil actually coats everything evenly instead of beading up. Makes a big difference with things like zucchini chips or homemade potato wedges where you want that golden crust all over.

the_ruby28d ago

Haha right @stone.lisa, who knew preheating was the secret to not eating oil puddles?

knight.dylan27d ago

Yeah, I'm gonna disagree a bit here. I've been skipping preheat for years and my tenders come out fine as long as I shake the basket halfway through and don't overcrowd them. Maybe it depends on the brand of air fryer or the type of food, but I've never had trouble getting things crispy without waiting the extra time.