The Reason You Should Never Put Cheese In The Air Fryer

Air fryers are one of the most popular kitchen gadgets to hit the market in recent years and for good reason. They are versatile, easy to use, easy for cleaning up after cooking, quick to cook food, and energy efficient. According to ITV, air fryer demand has shot up by 3,000% because of these reasons, along with the added health benefits of using an air fryer as opposed to traditional frying methods. WebMD reports that air frying is healthier than frying foods in oil and using an air fryer can cut calories by up to 80%.

So, with all the hype, what can air fryers be used to cook? Honestly, just about everything. You can make shrimp in an air fryer, as well as cookies, chicken, pizza, baked potatoes, and much more. So, with this versatility, are there foods you shouldn't cook in the air fryer? Like most kitchen gadgets, air fryers do have their limits in what they can do, and there are foods you should not cook in this neat little appliance, like brownies.

Like brownies, you want to avoid cooking foods that have a wet batter in an air fryer (per Insider). This means homemade corn dogs, pancakes, and French toast would be better made on a skillet or in the oven. The batter has nowhere to go in an air fryer, so it will drip through the holes in the basket liner and burn at the bottom of the gadget. It won't cook evenly, if at all, and it will create a huge mess. You can, however, use the air fryer to reheat these types of foods, after the dough has been fried in more traditional frying methods. 

Speaking of messes, cheese is another item you do not want to put in an air fryer. According to Reader's Digest, items like homemade cheese sticks and ultimate cheese sandwiches make a huge mess in an air fryer, and it can be hard to clean it up. This opinion is contested, though.

If you really want to, there are ways that you can cook cheese dishes in the air fryer, according to Air Fryer World. For example, you can make a grilled cheese sandwich in the air fryer by securing the two slices of bread together with a toothpick so that it doesn't fly off the basket in the fryer. This also helps to keep the cheese between the bread. Then, lay the sandwich in the center of the fryer and cook at 350 degrees for four minutes to make sure it doesn't burn. You can also cook mozzarella sticks in an air fryer, according to the Food Network, or cheese curds, per Wisconsin Cheese. 

If you are still worried about the cheese melting into the air fryer and creating an impossible-to-clean mess, you can use air fryer liners. These liners can be used when cooking items with cheese and for other messy food dishes, too. Per Something Swanky, the liners cook foods more evenly and they help contain messes.