Many cooking sprays contain soy lecithin, which often fails to withstand the high temperatures used in air fryers, resulting in stubborn residue and lasting damage.

Fortunately, there are several alternatives to cooking sprays. You can use certain equipment, cooking oils with high smoke points, and even grease the food itself.

Air fryers can reach about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so peanut, canola, sunflower, avocado, and sesame oils, which have smoke points above that temperature, are best for the job.

You can either dab a bit of oil onto a paper towel or silicone brush and add a light layer to the air fryer basket or coat your food with some oil before dumping it into the fryer.

Another option is to utilize cooking racks or trays to elevate the food above the basket’s base, ensuring even cooking from all angles and preventing potential mess.

To eliminate the need to clean your air fryer basket between each batch of food, try lining it with aluminum foil, air fryer liners made of parchment paper, or silicone liners.

Unlike single-use foil and parchment paper liners, silicone liners can be washed and used indefinitely. Additionally, they eliminate the need for oil or cooking spray.