Whether you just purchased an air fryer or have been using it for a while, you probably have the basic function mastered and enjoy air frying everything from potatoes to chicken tenders. But these machines can go way beyond the fundamental function of air frying. Depending on which model you have at home, there are numerous techniques you can master with this small-but-mighty appliance, including dehydrating, broiling, baking, roasting and reheating.

What Is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is a countertop appliance that uses air circulated by a powerful fan and heating element to quickly cook and crisp foods. It works similarly to the convection setting on some ovens, but with a few modifications. For one, food sits in a basket so that air circulates all around the item. And its small size means that intense heat levels are reached quickly and evenly, promoting fast, uniform browning. Food is “fried” by superheated air, not hot oil. Air frying can be healthier than deep-frying since minimal oil is required.

How to Use an Air Fryer, Step-By-Step

Step One: Turn On the Machine

Your machine should be plugged in, and the display will read “Ready.” You will see the different functions (“Air Fry,” “Roast,” “Bake,” “Reheat,” “Broil,” “Dehydrate”). If these are not visible, touch the knob or the display screen and they will appear.

Step Two: Choose Your Function

Press the function button that best suits your needs. Each function will give a different suggested temperature and time.

Step Three: Select the Time and Temperature

The recipe you’re following will tell you your time and temperature. Use the center knob to turn the temperature up or down. Once you have chosen your temperature, press the button again, which will set your temperature, and the time will flash giving you the ability to change it. Use the knob again to turn the time up or down.

Step Four: Press the “Start” Button

The display will either say “Preheating” or “Cooking.” Depending on your function, it will start preheating, or (if using a lower temperature function like Reheat or Dehydrate), it will immediately begin cooking. If the machine was preheating, then it will beep, and the display will read “Add Food” when it finishes preheating.

Step Five: Add the Food

Carefully add your food to the hot air fryer and close the basket. Make sure it is completely closed, or it will beep, and the display will read “Close Basket.”

Step Six: Monitor Your Food While Cooking

Press the “Light” button to turn on the interior light. Halfway through cooking, the machine will beep, and the display will read “Turn Food.” This is an optional prompt. Also, you can press “Cancel” at any time to stop the cooking. When the cooking time is finished, the machine will beep, and the display will read “End.” Check your food and repeat earlier steps if needed.

What Do the Different Air Fryer Functions Mean?

Air fryer functions like broil, roast, dehydrate, bake and reheat are pre-set temperatures and times programmed to achieve various results for your food.

Wondering how your air fryer can transition to different modes with the switch of a knob or press of a button? It’s not unlike the popcorn button you might have on your microwave: A specific heat and time setting programmed to cook microwave popcorn. Having this pre-set function means the user doesn’t have to read the package directions — or guess at the best way to use their machine.

Having the option to use the air fryer for different cooking techniques is especially helpful when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen by turning on the oven. Plus, you’re almost guaranteed a shorter preheat wait when you opt for cooking in the air fryer, making it time-efficient.

The Air Fryer Dehydrate Function

Homemade apple slices, fruit leather and crispy chips are easy with an air fryer's dehydrating feature. In testing, we loved the Ninja Air Fryer for its versatility, including the dehydrating function. “A traditional dehydrator gently blows warm air on a piece of food for a long period of time, drawing out any excess moisture,” says Neal. When picking the dehydrating setting on an air fryer, it will default to the correct temperature and time to achieve those same results. You can also try these colorful veggie chips or crispy potato chips to achieve crunchy results with manual time and temperature settings. For best results, leave room for the air to circulate around each piece — never stack or overlap the food.

The Air Fryer Roasting and Broiling Functions, Plus How They Differ

Air fryers can get up to pretty high temperatures, making them great for roasting and broiling. When you use an air fryer to roast, it will default to a higher temperature and cook for a shorter amount of time than it does while air frying. That makes it suitable for cooking beef or poultry (hello, chicken wings!) like you would in a traditional oven. If you set your air fryer manually, temperatures ideal for roasting will range from 375 degrees F to 425 degrees F depending on the size of the food item.

Broiling requires strong heat that comes just from the top of the oven. For melting cheese or browning a casserole, opt for an air fryer with a broiler feature, like the Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven, which will only use the direct, top-down heat to create a crisp, bubbly top on your dish.

The Air Fryer Bake Function

Many air fryers come with baking inserts for making everything from bread to cakes to cookies. Like most techniques, the bake function lowers the overall temperature called for in conventional ovens by about 25 degrees F. Additionally, the baking time will be shorter in the air fryer, and preheating takes only minutes if it’s necessary at all.

While Neal finds air fryers to be solid substitutes for an oven in most cases, she cautions against relying too heavily on the baking function. She's found that the hot air tends to dry out baked goods as it circulates. Your best bet is to use reliable recipes developed specifically for the air fryer and air fryer inserts, and to watch your food carefully. Also look for recipes that have a good balance of fat like butter or oil and other moist ingredients to make baking them more forgiving. Air fryer banana bread is a good example. The fruit keeps the bread famously tender, and you have a generous window for getting a moist interior and just-browned exterior.

The Air Fryer Reheat Function

Air fryers are especially good at reheating leftovers like pizza, fried chicken or French fries. While a microwave might make them soggy, an air fryer's circulating air keeps them crisp. Make sure there’s plenty of room in the air fryer basket for heat to circulate around the food; that means that if you’re reheating pizza you’ll probably need to do it one or two slices at a time. If setting the fryer manually, use temperatures of around 350 degrees F for leftovers. And always watch the food carefully. You want it crisped on the outside and just heated all the way through, so check it every 3 to 4 minutes.

What If Your Air Fryer Doesn’t Have Specific Functions?

If your air fryer doesn’t have preset functions, no problem. The manufacturer’s instruction booklet will usually cover what temperatures and times correspond to specific techniques: bake, roast, dehydrate, etc. You’ll just need to manually adjust the temperature and set the cooking time. A good rule of thumb? Use a temperature about 25 degrees F lower than what you may might be accustomed to with a conventional oven: Baking in the air fryer is typically about 325 instead of 350 degrees F, roasting will be about 400 instead of 425 degrees, and so on. You can also convert regular deep-fry recipes to air frying with the same formula. Air fryers typically cook faster than conventional ovens, so start checking your food as early as halfway through estimated cook times.

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53 Best Air Fryer Recipes

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