Pro tip: Stop crowding the basket like it's a regular oven

I keep seeing people post pics of their air fryer meals where everything is stacked on top of each other. The whole point of the air fryer is that hot air needs to circulate all around the food to get that crispy texture. If you pile up chicken thighs or fries, you just get steamed sad food instead of crunchy goodness. My rule of thumb is to leave at least an inch between pieces, and if it doesn't all fit, I just cook in batches. Has anyone else had to explain this to a friend who swore their air fryer was broken?

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clairem381mo ago

Haven't you also noticed that a lot of people don't realize you need to shake or flip the basket halfway through? I see folks just set it and forget it, then wonder why the bottom layer doesn't get as brown. A quick toss halfway through really makes a difference for even cooking.