How to Clean an Air Fryer (Without Ruining the Nonstick)
Noolaguide Editorial·Last updated
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Cleaning an air fryer is quick if you do it often: wash the basket and tray in warm soapy water after each use, wipe the heating element and interior when cool, and deal with baked-on grease with a paste of baking soda, not metal scourers. The two mistakes that ruin air fryers are letting grease bake on until it smokes, and scrubbing the nonstick with abrasives. A soft brush and a light touch keep it working for years.
Wash the basket and tray in warm soapy water with a non-scratch sponge (or the dishwasher if your model says it’s safe — hand-washing is gentler on the coating).
Wipe the interior with a damp cloth to catch splatter.
Wipe the heating element — the coil on the ceiling of the chamber — with a damp cloth. This is the step most people skip, and it’s the one that prevents smoke and smell.
Frequent light cleaning is the whole game: five easy minutes now beats a baked-on scrub later.
Baked-on grease
When grease has hardened:
Make a paste of baking soda and a little water.
Spread it on the grease and let it sit for a few minutes to soften.
Lift it with a soft brush or non-scratch sponge, then wipe clean with a damp cloth and dry.
Never use metal scourers, wire brushes, or abrasive powders — they scratch the nonstick coating, which then flakes and sticks worse. Patience and baking soda, not muscle.
The heating element and smells
Grease that splatters onto the heating element burns on the next use — that’s the source of most air-fryer smoke and smell. Unplug, cool, tilt the unit to reach the element, and wipe it (a little baking-soda paste on the brush for stuck-on spots), keeping water away from the electrical parts. For very fatty foods, add a tablespoon of water to the bottom of the drawer to catch dripping fat before it smokes. A lingering smell usually clears after a thorough clean and a short empty run.
What not to do
Don’t submerge the main unit or put it in the dishwasher — only the removable basket and tray (and only if marked safe).
Don’t use metal utensils or abrasives on the coating.
Don’t stack it away wet — dry everything first to avoid odor and corrosion.
The supplies that make it easy
How often
Situation
What to do
After each use
Wash basket & tray, wipe interior + element
Weekly (frequent user)
Deep-wipe the heating element, check for grease buildup
Smoking or smelling
Clean the element now — it’s burnt-on grease
Cooking fatty foods
Add water to the drawer to catch dripping fat
Keep the basket, tray, and element clean and the air fryer keeps crisping the way it should — grease buildup is the main thing that degrades both performance and taste.
The air fryer to buy for most kitchens. It has by far the largest owner sample of any air fryer we analyzed, and the most favorable: praise outweighs complaints by more than fifteen to one. Frying quality leads the praise, then easy cleaning and ease of use. Six quarts suits one to three people, and the basket has a ceramic coating marketed as PFAS-free. The complaints are few: size, in both directions, then cleaning the basket, and a small number of units that stopped heating.
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Largest and most favorable owner record of any air fryer we analyzed
Frying quality leads the praise by a wide margin
Owners praise easy cleaning and ease of use
Ceramic-coated basket described as PFAS-free
What buyers flag
A single basket: one food at a time
Too small for a family plating a full meal
A small number of units stopped heating
At a glance
Capacity
6 quarts
Dimensions
14.4"D x 11.8"W x 11.9"H
Power
1725 watts
Weight
13.2 pounds
Material
Ceramic
Warranty
2-year
In the box
• 1 x 6.0-Quart Air Fryer • 1 x Crisper Plate • 1 x Recipe Book • 1 x Quick Reference Guide • 1 x User Manual
Owner evidence report
Cosori TurboBlaze 6-Quart Air Fryer
What owners praise
Frying quality19% category avg
34%
Ease of cleaning12% category avg
21%
Ease of use11% category avg
15%
Quality7% category avg
10%
Cooking experience11% category avg
6%
What to watch
Size2% category avg
28%
Ease of cleaning2% category avg
13%
Heating2% category avg
11%
Cooking experience2% category avg
10%
Themes from our analysis of verified owner reviews. Each bar is that theme's share of what owners raise, with the category average beside it for context. Noolaguide does not claim hands-on lab testing; the authority here is the accumulated experience of the people who own it.
After each use, once it has cooled: remove the basket and tray and wash them in warm soapy water (or the dishwasher if they're marked dishwasher-safe), and wipe the interior and the heating element with a damp cloth. For baked-on grease, make a paste of baking soda and water, let it sit, and lift it with a soft brush or non-scratch sponge — never metal scourers, which ruin the nonstick coating. Dry everything before reassembling. Frequent light cleaning is far easier than an occasional deep scrub.
Unplug the air fryer and let it fully cool, then turn it upside down or tilt it to reach the heating element on the ceiling of the chamber. Wipe it with a damp cloth or a soft brush; for stuck-on grease, use a little baking-soda paste on the brush, then wipe clean with a damp cloth and dry. Avoid soaking the element or getting water into the electrical parts, and never use metal tools on it. Cleaning the element regularly is what prevents the smoking and smell that come from burnt-on grease.
Almost always burnt-on grease. When fat splatters onto the heating element or pools in the basket and isn't cleaned off, it burns on the next use — producing smoke and an acrid smell. The fix is to clean the basket, tray, and especially the heating element regularly. For very fatty foods, adding a little water to the bottom of the drawer catches dripping fat before it smokes. A lingering smell usually clears after a thorough clean and a short run empty.
Often yes, but check your model — many baskets and trays are dishwasher-safe, and the manual will say. Even when they are, hand-washing is gentler on the nonstick coating and makes it last longer. Never put the main unit (the part with the heating element and electronics) in the dishwasher or submerge it — only the removable basket and tray, and only if the manufacturer confirms they're dishwasher-safe.
