An air fryer is easiest to clean in the two minutes right after you cook, while it is still warm. Wait until tomorrow and the grease has set into something you have to scrub.

Do This While It Is Still Warm

1. Unplug it and let it cool just enough to handle. Not cold, not scalding.
2. Pull the basket. Tip any grease into the trash, not the sink. Grease down the drain is a future clog.
3. Wash the basket and tray with hot water and dish soap. A soft sponge, not steel wool. The nonstick coating scratches easily and once it is gone the basket sticks forever.
4. Wipe the inside of the unit with a damp cloth. The heating element gets greasy too.

The Hard Water and Baked On Problem

If there is a film that will not come off, fill the basket with hot water and a couple of tablespoons of baking soda, and let it sit for fifteen minutes. Then wash it normally.

How Often

Basket after every use. The inside of the unit every few weeks, sooner if you cook greasy food often. And check the vent at the back, because that is what starts to smell like old oil first.

I line the bottom with air fryer parchment when I am cooking something messy. It catches most of the grease and the wash takes about thirty seconds.