How to Use an Air Fryer for the First Time (Step by Step)
Table of Contents
Learning how to use an air fryer for the first time is simpler than the manual makes it look: unbox it, wash the parts, run it empty once, and cook one forgiving food. This guide walks through each step in order, including the factory smell that worries almost every new owner — and why it is normal.
The short version: wash the basket and crisper plate in hot, soapy water, set the air fryer on a heat-safe surface with about 5 inches (13 cm) of space behind and beside it, run it empty at 400°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes, then cook frozen fries at 400°F (200°C) for 12–18 minutes, shaking the basket once halfway through.
How an Air Fryer Actually Cooks (30-Second Version)
An air fryer is a small, powerful convection oven. A heating element sits at the top, and a fan blows that hot air down and around your food at high speed.
Because the space is small, the air reaches every surface fast. That is why food crisps in minutes instead of half an hour, and why crowded food steams instead of browning — the moving air is the whole trick, and every rule in this guide protects it.
Step 1: Unbox and Check Every Part
Lift the air fryer out of the box and remove every piece of packaging, including any cardboard or foam inside the basket drawer. Shipping material sometimes hides under the crisper plate, so lift that plate out and check underneath.
You should have three main pieces: the main unit, the basket (drawer) that slides into it, and the crisper plate or tray that sits inside the basket. Keep the manual nearby for your model’s exact buttons — the steps below follow the order most manufacturers, including Cosori’s own manual, lay out for first use.
Step 2: Wash the Basket and Crisper Plate
Before any heat touches the machine, wash the basket and crisper plate in hot water with dish soap and a soft, non-abrasive sponge. This removes dust and the light manufacturing residue that causes most of the new-appliance smell later.
Rinse well and dry both parts completely. The main unit itself never goes in water — if it needs a wipe, use a barely damp cloth on the outside only.
Most baskets are labelled dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing takes two minutes and is gentler on the non-stick coating. Our full routine lives in the guide to how to clean an air fryer.
Step 3: Give It Room to Breathe
Set the air fryer on a flat, stable, heat-resistant surface — a countertop, not a wooden board balanced on the stove. The fan pulls air in and pushes hot air out of a vent, usually at the back.
Leave about 5 inches (13 cm) of clear space behind and beside the unit, and do not push it under low cabinets while it runs. Blocked vents make the machine run hotter, cook unevenly, and can steam-damage cabinet undersides over time.
Plug it directly into a wall outlet rather than a lightweight extension cord. Then slide the empty basket in and out once, so the motion feels familiar before it is hot and full of food.
Step 4: Run It Empty Once (the Burn-Off)
Now run the air fryer with nothing in it: 380–400°F (195–200°C) for about 10 minutes. Manufacturers recommend this first empty run because new heating elements and coatings carry a faint residue from production.
A light plastic or “new appliance” smell during this run — sometimes with a wisp of smoke — is expected and fades fast. Open a window or switch on the extractor fan, let the cycle finish, and let the unit cool for 15–20 minutes afterwards.
If the smell is still strong after two or three normal cooks, that is no longer typical; contact the manufacturer. One empty run now is the difference between a first meal that tastes like fries and one that tastes faintly of factory.
Step 5: Your First Cook — Frozen Fries
Frozen french fries are the ideal first cook: they are forgiving, need no oil or seasoning decisions, and show you exactly how your machine browns food. The dedicated guide to air fryer frozen french fries covers every cut; for today, follow the checklist below.
Fill the basket no more than half full — roughly 1 lb (450 g) in a standard basket — straight from the freezer. Do not thaw the fries first, and do not add oil; frozen fries already carry a light coating.
| Step | What to do | What you should see, hear, or smell |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Preheat | Run the empty basket at 400°F (200°C) for 3–5 minutes | A steady fan hum; the basket feels hot when you open it |
| 2. Load | Add fries in a loose layer, basket no more than half full | Fries sit in roughly one layer with small gaps between them |
| 3. Cook | Set 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes | A gentle sizzle by minute 3–4 and a faint potato smell by minute 5 |
| 4. Shake | Pull the basket out at the halfway mark and shake it firmly | Fries tumble freely; edges look drier and paler-gold than the centres |
| 5. Check | Look at the colour from 12 minutes on | Evenly golden with crisp-looking edges means you are nearly there |
| 6. Serve | Tip onto a plate and salt straight away | Steam rises; the fries stay crisp for a good 5 minutes on the plate |
Ninja’s official cooking chart lists 1 lb of fries at 400°F for 18–22 minutes in its larger models, while smaller baskets finish closer to 12–15 — which is exactly why the range above spans 12–18 minutes and the colour check matters more than the clock.
The 5 Rules That Make Every Cook Easier
Everything after your first cook gets easier if these five habits stick. They are also the backbone of our full beginner’s guide to using an air fryer.
- Keep food in a loose single layer. Air needs a path around every piece; a second batch always beats one crowded batch.
- Shake or flip halfway. Small items need a shake, flat items need one flip — this is how browning evens out.
- Use oil lightly, and put it on the food. A teaspoon tossed with vegetables or a quick brush on chicken is plenty; puddles just smoke.
- Preheat for foods that must crisp or not stick. Three to five minutes is enough — the full rule is in our guide to preheating an air fryer.
- Check meat with a thermometer, not a timer. Chicken is done at 165°F (74°C), ground beef and pork at 160°F (71°C), and fish at 145°F (63°C) — USDA minimums that no chart overrules.
What Went Wrong (and How to Fix It)
Your first meal tasted faintly of plastic. The burn-off run was skipped, so the factory residue seasoned the food instead. Run the empty cycle now, wash the basket again, and the next cook will taste clean.
The air fryer smoked during a normal cook. On a new machine this is usually leftover residue or a few crumbs burning off; on later cooks it is almost always grease build-up or food touching the element. Let it cool, wash the basket, and check nothing light — like a loose herb leaf — blew upward.
Food came out pale and soft. The basket was too full or the fries went in thawed and wet. Cook a smaller batch straight from frozen, and make sure the shake actually happens at halfway.
The machine shut off or cooked unevenly against a wall. The rear vent was blocked, so the unit ran hot and the airflow suffered. Pull it forward until there is a hand’s width of space behind it. Most first-week problems trace back to one of these four causes — the full list lives in our roundup of air fryer mistakes beginners make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I run my air fryer empty before first use?
Yes — run it empty once before food goes in. About 10 minutes at 380–400°F (195–200°C) burns off the light manufacturing residue on new elements and coatings, which is the main source of the new-appliance smell. Let it cool fully afterwards, and you are ready to cook.
Why does my new air fryer smell like plastic?
That smell comes from protective coatings and residues heating up for the first time, and it is normal for the first one to three uses. The empty burn-off run, a washed basket, and an open window clear most of it. If a strong chemical smell persists beyond the third cook, unplug the unit and contact the manufacturer.
Where should I put my air fryer on the counter?
Put it on a flat, heat-resistant surface with about 5 inches (13 cm) of open space behind and beside it for the vent — placement is the detail people most often get wrong when learning how to use an air fryer for the first time. Keep it out from under low cabinets while it runs, away from curtains and paper, and plug it straight into a wall outlet. That airflow space is what lets it cook evenly and run at the right temperature.
What is the first thing I should cook in an air fryer?
Frozen french fries are the best first cook. They need no oil, no seasoning decisions, and no thermometer, and they teach you how your specific machine browns food. Cook them at 400°F (200°C) for 12–18 minutes with one good shake halfway.
Can I open the basket while the air fryer is cooking?
Yes — opening the basket is how you shake and check food, and most models pause the fan and timer while the drawer is out. Slide it back in fully and cooking resumes. Just open it away from your face, because a short burst of steam escapes each time.
Key Takeaways
- Wash the basket and crisper plate before the machine ever heats up.
- Give the unit about 5 inches (13 cm) of vent space on a heat-safe surface.
- One empty run at 380–400°F for about 10 minutes removes the factory smell.
- First cook: frozen fries, half-full basket, 400°F, 12–18 minutes, one shake.
- Single layers, a halfway shake, and a thermometer for meat carry every recipe after this.
Read Next
Your next steps: cook the first real batch with the frozen fries guide, settle the hot-basket question in do you need to preheat an air fryer, and keep the coating alive with the cleaning routine. When you are ready for the complete picture, the beginner’s guide to using an air fryer ties the whole Start Here cluster together.
