Cleaning an air fryer properly means unplugging it first, letting it cool, then washing the basket and any trays in warm water and soap after every use and wiping the grease off the coils above the basket. Cleaning it after each use only takes a couple of minutes and keeps the machine safe and ready for next time [1]. The main body never goes in the sink — it gets wiped, not washed.
What you need before you start
Unplug the machine. Safety guidance for air fryers is blunt about this: always unplug your air fryer when it is not in use so it cannot be switched on accidentally [2], and unplug it after you have finished cooking [1].
Let it cool. The coils above the basket should be cleaned once the air fryer is cool, usually around 30 minutes after use [1], and the appliance should be allowed to cool before it is stored [3].
Then gather:
- Warm water and washing-up soap — that is genuinely all the basket needs [1].
- A soft sponge or cloth.
- A trivet or heat-safe board to stand hot baskets and lids on, plus oven gloves for handling them [2].
- Nothing abrasive. Abrasive products should not be used when cleaning an air fryer [2].
How to clean the air fryer basket and tray
- Unplug and wait for it to cool [1][2].
- Lift out the basket, drawer and any tray or plate. These removable parts are the ones that get washed.
- Wash them in warm soapy water. Cleaning after every use takes a couple of minutes and warm water and soap does the job [1].
- Keep abrasives away. Do not use abrasive products, and do not use steel mesh scrubbing pads on tempered glass surfaces — they can cause small abrasions that reduce the glass’s effectiveness over time and can lead to weaknesses [2].
- Dry the parts before they go back in.
- Wipe out the cavity. Loose food particles, excess grease and oil should be removed after cooking, and the fryer should be clean before it is used again [2].
If your drawer has a viewing window, treat it as glass: soft cloth, warm soapy water, no scouring pad [2].
How to clean the inside and the heating element
The element is the part people forget. Over time an air fryer gets greasy, especially on the coils above the basket, and once the machine is cool the coils should be given a good clean too [1].
Wipe rather than scrub, and do not drop or stress components while cleaning. Doing so can dislodge wiring harnesses, heating elements and other internal features that the manufacturer insulates carefully — if they come loose, the appliance can overheat [2]. That is also why water goes on the cloth, not into the cavity: the body houses the wiring and the element [2].
For the outer casing, a damp cloth over a cool, unplugged machine is all that is needed; the ventilation openings should stay clear so hot air can escape [2].
Cleaning an air fryer oven or a toaster-style model
An air fryer is a small countertop fan oven: a fan circulates air around the food to heat it evenly [4]. An oven-style or toaster-style model does the same job in a box shape, so the routine is the same in principle — racks and trays washed in warm soapy water, interior wiped out, element cleaned once cool — but there are more removable parts to keep track of.
Before you start, check the manual for which parts lift out, whether the door glass is tempered (no steel mesh pads on it) [2], and where the element sits so you can reach it without knocking anything. The manufacturer’s instructions are the reference for your specific model [2].
Does baking soda help?
Baking soda is a mild abrasive, and the cleaning advice for air fryers is warm water and soap with no abrasive products [1][2]. If you want to try a paste on a stubborn patch, check the manufacturer’s instructions for your model first — the guidance is to always ensure you use the correct products and to follow the manufacturer’s guidance [2].
How often to clean it, and the checks that go with it
- Clean after every use; it takes a couple of minutes and keeps the machine safe and ready [1]. Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service lists regular cleaning after each use among its essential air fryer precautions [3].
- Unplug when you have finished, and give the appliance its own outlet [1][2].
- Never place the air fryer on a tea towel or other soft, flammable surface, and do not cook with it under over-counter cupboards [2]. For ventilation, keep a gap around the device; the ‘hand-span rule’ calls for at least 5 inches, about an average hand’s length, of clearance [2].
- Do not use baking paper or other inserts inside the appliance [3].
- Any odd smell such as burning plastic suggests a fault and should stop you using it [2].
- If a fire starts, switch the appliance off if it is safe to do so, evacuate and call 999. Never try to put an air fryer fire out with water [3].
The two brands at a glance
| Brand | What they offer | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Ninja (SharkNinja) | Sells air fryers in the UK; its own site describes Ninja as “the UK’s No.1 Air Fryer Brand” [5] | Basket, drawer and element layout vary across the range, so the manual for your model is the reference for what lifts out and what gets wiped |
| Cosori | Sells air fryers in the UK and describes its range as smart air fryers and kitchen appliances for healthy cooking [6] | Check the manual for your model to see which parts are removable and where the element sits before you start cleaning |
Which option fits whom
If you already own an air fryer, the brand does not change the routine much: unplug, cool, wash the removable parts in warm soapy water, wipe the cavity and the coils [1][2]. What changes is the layout — how many parts come out and how easy the element is to reach — which is why the manual matters more than the badge.
If you are choosing a machine and easy cleaning is a priority, weigh that layout. A model with fewer removable parts and a basket you can reach into quickly will be simpler to keep clean after every use [1]. A drawer-style basket is straightforward; an oven-style box with racks and a door adds parts to wash and glass to treat gently [2].
If you want the brand that markets itself hardest, Ninja’s UK site calls itself the UK’s No.1 air fryer brand [5]. If you want a range described as smart air fryers for healthy cooking, Cosori’s UK site positions itself that way [6]. Neither description tells you how a given model is to clean — the product page and manual will.
Whichever you use, keep the routine dull and frequent: warm water, soap, a soft cloth, no abrasives, and the coils wiped once the machine has cooled [1][2]. Confirm current model details and the cleaning instructions for your exact appliance on the brand’s own site before you rely on them.
Sources
- Title: Safely using your Air Fryer — hallslife.liverpool.ac.uk
- Title: Air fryer safety — lbhf.gov.uk
- Title: Are you aware of the fire risks that could be associated with air fryers? – Warwic — warwickshire.gov.uk
- Convection oven (Wikipedia) — Wikipedia
- SharkNinja official site: Title: Air Fryers from Ninja, the UK's No.1 Air Fryer Brand — sharkninja.co.uk
- Cosori official site — cosori.co.uk
How we put this together: we compared these options using each brand's published product and policy pages and the references listed above. We haven't tested the products ourselves, and details such as prices and policies can change, so check the brand's site before you buy.