10 Things You Should Never Cook in an Air Fryer

Air fryers have become one of the most popular kitchen gadgets in recent years, promising crisp, fried-like food without all the oil. But while they can handle everything from frozen fries to chicken wings, not every food belongs in the basket.

10 Things You Should Never Cook in an Air Fryer

"Mental Floss" recently shared a list of 10 things you should never cook in an air fryer—and honestly, it makes you wonder: who’s out here trying to make soup in one of these?

10. Cupcakes

Yes, cupcakes. The outside will cook too quickly while the inside stays raw, leaving you with half-burnt, half-uncooked desserts. Unless you’re aiming for a culinary experiment gone wrong, use the oven instead.

9. Wet Batters

Beer-battered fish or tempura won’t crisp up in an air fryer. Instead, the batter drips off before it cooks. Stick with pre-breaded options like frozen fish sticks.

8. Greasy Foods

This one is controversial. Some people swear by air-fried bacon, but grease drips and splatters can damage the machine—or even cause a fire. Proceed with caution.

7. Large Bone-In Meats

Air fryers can handle smaller cuts of meat, but don’t try cooking a full chicken or big roast. They won’t cook evenly and could leave you with raw meat in the middle.

6. Extra-Cheesy Dishes

Melted cheese can drip down and damage your air fryer—or at the very least, leave you scraping dried cheese off the sides. Pre-cheesed frozen snacks are fine, but piling on extra cheese is risky.

5. Popcorn

Tempting idea, but most air fryers don’t get hot enough to pop kernels. And loose kernels near heating elements can be a fire risk.

4. Leafy Greens

Trying to air fry spinach or loose lettuce is a mistake. The lightweight leaves can blow around, burn, or get stuck in the heating elements.

3. Pasta

Dried pasta won’t cook in an air fryer because it needs boiling water. Save the basket for reheating leftovers, not trying to make spaghetti from scratch.

2. Soup

This one feels obvious. Air fryers aren’t built for liquids, and tossing soup in there could create a huge mess—or worse, an electrical hazard.

1. Toast

Yes, you can put bread in your air fryer, but you shouldn’t. It tends to dry out and crumble instead of giving you that perfect golden crunch. Stick with your regular toaster for this one.

The Bottom Line

Air fryers are great for a lot of things, but they’re not miracle machines. If you’ve been tempted to toss soup, popcorn, or a batch of cupcakes in there—don’t. Your oven, stovetop, or even just a toaster is better suited for those jobs.

So, the next time you pull out your air fryer, remember: just because you can fit something in the basket doesn’t mean you should.

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