7 common air fryer settings, what they mean and what foods they’re best for

Air fryers are one of the easiest appliances to use, but if you’re completely new to them, it may take a while to get used to using one.

Luckily, many of the best air fryers have pre-set programmes for popular ingredients and meals. For example, if you click the ‘chips’ function on your air fryer, it will automatically set itself to the right time and temperature to give you the best results – see our air fryer chips recipe for more.

But, you probably want to use your air fryer for more than just chips, which is why it’s important to understand the different functions of your air fryer, what they mean and how to use them – and that’s exactly what this guide is for.

Here are seven common air fryer settings you should understand before using – or buying – one.

1. Air fry

The first – and most obvious – air fryer setting is air fry. How an air fryer works is it rapidly circulates hot air around the interior to cook food and give it that crispy exterior. The air fry setting is best used on foods like chips, chicken and other ingredients that you want to get particularly crispy, like you would if you were using a deep fat fryer. But the great thing about an air fryer and the air fry setting is it uses limited amounts of oil, so unlike a deep fat fryer, it does this in a healthier way.

2. Roast

Most air fryers will have a roast setting but you’ll typically see it on bigger air fryers that have a larger capacity. That’s because the roast setting is used for cooking large cuts of meat at a high temperature. Some air fryers can fit an entire chicken or leg of lamb so you can make a Sunday roast using your air fryer, and you can even use it to brown your meat too.

The roast setting will typically take the same amount of time as it would if you were using an oven. However, an air fryer does cost less to run than an oven which is why most people prefer it – see our air fryer vs multi-cooker vs oven for a full pricing comparison.

3. Bake

As air fryers use similar technology to a fan oven, they can be used for baking – hence, the bake setting. The bake setting tends to use gentler temperatures and more even heat distribution, so it can bake cakes, flapjacks, banana bread, brownies and much more. It cooks at a much lower temperature than the air fry setting so it’s definitely recommended to use the bake setting if you want to make a sweet treat.

4. Grill

The grill setting uses high heats to cook your meal, typically with a grill plate accessory or attachment that gives food grill or sear marks. It’s best used for burgers, steaks, kebabs and other barbecue food.

This setting is a slightly rarer one, and it will completely depend on the type of air fryer you have. Basket air fryers might not have this feature while more ‘traditional’ air fryers that have racks and trays will likely have this setting. There’s also air fryers that can be used as barbecues, like the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ, Grill and Smoker which has barbecue, air fryer and grill settings, so make sure to check if you have this setting before you buy an air fryer if this programme is important to you.

5. Dehydrate

Many air fryers come with a dehydrate setting which uses a low temperature over a long period of time to dehydrate foods. I’m always surprised that this is such a common and popular feature, but if you like making jerky, banana chips or fried fruit, then you’ll like this setting.

6. Broil

The broil setting is similar to the grill setting in that it might not be available on every air fryer. Typically, broil is available on air fryers that have a top heating element as it uses intense heat to cook food on one side. The broil function is great for searing, browning and melting the tops of food. Think pizzas, sandwiches, fish and other meats that you want to get a good crisp on.

7. Reheat

Finally, the reheat setting is grossly overlooked in my opinion. As you’d expect, the reheat function reheats your food and keeps the same crispy texture that it gave your meal originally. I think reheating in an air fryer is better than with a microwave as you get consistent heat rather than heat that stops and starts like a microwave often does.

A similar setting to this one is ‘keep warm’ which you can find on most air fryers, although it’s more common on a multi-cooker. Keep warm is a setting that comes on immediately after cooking – if you select it to – to keep your food warm while you finish cooking or plating the rest of your meal.