A common kitchen tool called an air fryer uses hot air to circulate around food as it cooks. In a manner akin to deep-frying it in oil, this gives the food a crispy toexture.

If you want the ingredients you’re cooking to be more moist, you might consider adding some water to the bottom of your air fryer.

Yes, you can put a few drops of water beneath the basket in the bottom of your air fryer.

However, keep in mind that the Air Fryer is not designed to steam food, so only add a few drops (not more than that) of water.

Here’s the skinny on water and what to do with it when using an air fryer: everything you need to know!

Can You Put Water in An AirFryer?

Simply put, you can hydrate the air fryer draw with water.

However, because an air fryer is an electrical appliance, adding water to one should be done very carefully.

As a result, using an air fryer with too much liquid inside can cause it to overheat, which could harm you, your kitchen, or the appliance itself.

Also Read: Can Air Fryers Cause Cancer

When to Add Water to An Air Fryer?

Simply put, you can use water in your air fryer. It can help to hydrate the food in your air fryer and keep it from getting too dry if you add a little bit of water.

There are two key times I find myself adding water to the inside of my air fryer draw when cooking;

To Minimise Smoke from Fatty Foods

A notable advantage of adding water to an air fryer is that it produces less smoke when cooking some foods.

Smoke from your air fryer can lead to stained walls, smoke inhalation, and unpleasant smells. This is something you should try to stay away from.

The foods that produce the most smoke are those that contain a lot of fat and grease, like bacon, sausage, or ground meat.

In the bottom of the air fryer, where the grease collects and burns, these foods’ grease drips and collect.

Smoke is produced during the grease’s burning. Smoke will result from any grease or oil that sinks to the bottom of the chamber. (Read More: 7 Best Oils for Air Fryer)

Additionally, it’s likely that the residue from extra oils and crumbs will burn at the chamber’s bottom.

After that, the smoke is released into the environment from the air vent of your fryer.

The good news is that the simple fix is to fill the air fryer’s bottom with water. Smoking decreases as a result of the water’s ability to cool the grease and stop it from burning.

Also Check: 20+ Instant Pot Air Fryer Recipes 2023 – Tasty & Delicious

To Rehydrate Dried Out Foods

The best kitchen tool for reheating leftovers is an air fryer.

Even though they were cooked in the oven or on the stovetop, leftovers frequently become dried out.

By adding a little water to the bottom of your air fryer before reheating the food, you can quickly fix this issue.

The additional moisture will rehydrate the food and improve its flavor.

Just be careful not to add too much water, or your food will become soggy. The recommended amount is two tablespoons.

How to Add Water Inside An Air Fryer?

Given that your air fryer is an electrical device, you should exercise caution when adding water to it.

Use a measuring cup or spoon to carefully pour a small amount of water into the air fryer’s drawer. This is the best way to add water.

Any electrical parts of the appliance should not come into contact with water as this could harm your machine.

What to Do If You’ve Added Too Much Water to Your Air Fryer?

You must act quickly to prevent further damage if you accidentally add too much water to your air fryer or if you add water close to an electrical component.

Be sure to turn off the appliance and unplug it from the main power outlet before continuing.

Then, using a cup or a cloth, try to wring out as much water as you can.

It’s best to let the air fryer dry naturally after you’ve manually removed everything you can.

This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the situation.

Once you are satisfied with the amount of water (if any) the appliance is drawing, re-plug the air fryer into the power source.

If in doubt, I advise waiting rather than taking a chance on hurting yourself, the appliance, and/or your kitchen.

How Much Water to Add to An Air Fryer?

The amount of water you use on or inside your air fryer is likely going to depend on what you’re using the water for;

Using Water When Cooking

Make sure to add no more than a few drops of water if you intend to cook in your air fryer with added water.

Similar to a deep fryer, an air fryer is unable to remove water from food.

In other words, the majority of the water you add to your air fryer will end up in the final product.

As a result, adding more water to your air fryer than a few drops will not only increase the risk of damage but also result in soggy food.

Cleaning Your Air Fryer

You’ll probably need more than a few drops of water to thoroughly clean your air fryer.

Instead, it’s best to use a damp cloth to reduce the amount of water that comes into contact with the appliance.

Where to Put Water in An Air Fryer?

When using an air fryer, you should either pour water directly onto the food being cooked or into the appliance’s draw (as long as you avoid touching any of the electrical parts of the device).

I frequently decide to add water to the ingredients themselves before I begin cooking out of concern for safety. I do this by either spraying or sprinkling water on the food before placing it in the air fryer’s draw or basket.

Can Adding Water to An Air Fryer Cause It to Break?

Yes, your air fryer may break if you add water to it, is the quick response.

However, as long as you don’t add too much water and you only add it to the food or the appliance’s draw or basket (as long as it’s not connected to the electrical components), you should be okay.

Don’t fill your air fryer with water if you’re hesitant or anxious about it.

Instead, attempt to cook the food without the additional liquid and, if necessary, add moisture in a different way.

Does Water Evaporate in An Air Fryer?

When you cook food in an air fryer, water doesn’t evaporate; instead, it dissolves into the food.

Frozen vegetable cooking inside the appliance is the best illustration of this.

You might guess that as the frozen vegetables melt and the appliance heats up, the water from the frozen vegetables evaporates in this situation.

This isn’t the case, though.

Instead, as the food heats up, the water seeps into it, making it moist and soft.

Can You Clean An Air Fryer With Water?

You might wonder how to safely clean the appliance given that you should only add a few drops of water to your air fryer when cooking.

After all, you want the appliance to be clean to avoid a buildup of grime, bacteria, and grease that could lead to food poisoning.

Fortunately, there is a safe way to clean your air fryer with water.

Cleaning the Interior of the Air Fryer

Your air fryer’s interior is prone to becoming incredibly grimy with use.

As a result, any part of the appliance without an electrical component that can be safely removed from the appliance can be washed and submerged in water.

If in doubt, make sure to check your instruction manual as the specific air fryer parts that can be washed differ between models and manufacturers.

Before putting the parts back into the air fryer after washing them, make sure they have had time to dry.

Cleaning the Exterior of the Air Fryer

Your air fryer’s exterior will probably need cleaning more frequently than its interior because it will become dirty both during use and just from sitting out on the counter.

You should unplug your air fryer from the mains power before cleaning the outside with a damp cloth.

Any component of the appliance that can be safely removed from the air fryer and does not have an electrical component should not be submerged in water.

Air fryers should only be cleaned with the utmost safety and caution because they are electrical appliances first and foremost.

Can You Steam Food in An Air Fryer?

In an air fryer, food cannot be steam-cooked.

This is so because air fryers and steamers operate in various manners.

While fair fryers use hot air that has been circulated to cook food, steamers use heat to create steam to cook food.

Use an alternative appliance, like an instant pot or steamer, if you want to steam anything.

If you’re unsure which cooking tool you should use, keep in mind that steamers use hot water to cook foods while air fryers use air to cook food and make it crispy and dry.

Can You Boil Water in An Air Fryer?

An air fryer is unable to boil water for two key reasons;

First, since air must enter the appliance for the food to be cooked, the basket where the food is placed is not sealed.

As a result, adding a lot of water to this area in an effort to boil it would only cause the water to drain through and seriously damage the appliance.

The temperature of an air fryer cannot be raised to the point where water will boil.

It is best to use a pan on the stovetop or an Instant Pot or pressure cooker rather than an air fryer if you want to cook food using boiling water.

Can You Cook Rice in An Air Fryer?

There are a number of reasons why cooking rice in an air fryer is impossible.

First off, the air fryer can’t heat up to a temperature hot enough to cook rice.

The air fryer basket cannot be sealed to prevent steam from escaping, so even if the appliance could reach a high enough temperature, rice would not be cooked evenly.

Finally, cooked rice must be submerged in water for a long time to cook properly, which is not possible in an air fryer.

Instead of using an air fryer to cook rice, you should instead use a microwave, steamer, rice cooker, instant pot, or pressure cooker.

Can You Add Oil to An Air Fryer?

It’s not necessary to add oil when using an air fryer, but you can.

When using an air fryer, adding oil can enhance flavor while also preventing food from sticking to the basket’s edge during cooking.

When using an air fryer, however, you can cook without using oil because the appliance uses hot air to circulate while cooking the food, which distributes the oil evenly.

In any case, you should only use a small amount of oil in your air fryer for the benefit of your food and the safety of your appliance.

I’ve found in most cases three sprays of an oil spray or three drops of oil is more than enough for most air fryers (although feel free to adjust as you cook based on the specific size of your appliance and your taste)

When compared to a deep-fat fryer and, in many cases, an oven, air fryers are significantly healthier (and, in my opinion, tastier) to cook with because they only need a small amount of oil.

Can You Put Any Other Liquids into An Air Fryer?

We’ve discussed oil and water, but what about the other liquids you might be tempted to use in your air fryer?

Actually, I’d generally advise against using your air fryer to cook with any additional liquids or sauces.

This calls for skipping, or at least delaying, the BBQ sauce.

Once more, it comes down to the air fryer’s method of cooking food, which involves rapid circulation of hot air.

Of course, adding a lot of sauces or seasoning to your air fryer basket is likely to not only make a big mess but also risk leaking through the air holes into the interior of your appliance, potentially causing serious damage.

Once more, since advice varies between appliance models and manufacturers, it is best to consult your specific instruction manual if you have any questions.

Conclusion

Overall, adding a little bit of water can help to hydrate the food in your air fryer and prevent it from becoming too dry. It revitalizes any baked goods you might want to cook in your air fryer and adds moisture to the air inside the appliance.

Never immerse an air fryer in water, and keep water away from the electronic components at all times.

Water helps your food and vegetables taste better by rehydrating them.

Remember to add a few drops of water to the drip tray beneath the basket for juicy, moist food. Happy Air frying!