Can You Put Water In An Air Fryer? Top Things You Need To Know
Can you put water in an air fryer? Can you put water in an air fryer to clean? Can you put water in an air fryer to steam? If you have these questions, you’re not alone! In this guide, we will answer all of your questions about water and air fryers.

If you have wondered about cleaning your air fryer with water, if you can boil water in air fryer and do you put water in an air fryer — we are here to help! These are common questions and we are sharing all the tips in this article!
Can You Put Water In An Air Fryer?
Yes, you can add a small amount (a few tablespoons max!) of water to your air fryer while cooking. However, air fryers are not designed to hold water and should not be used for steaming or boiling.
Can You Put Water In An Air Fryer? – More Details
You can put a few tablespoons of water in your air fryer. Adding a small amount of water to your air fryer can be beneficial. It can be beneficial to add water to your air fryer when cooking greasy foods and meat.
Adding water to your air fryer can prevent smoking and make cleaning your air fryer easier!
When To Add Water To An Air Fryer?
Here are a few times that it may be beneficial to add water to your air fryer.
When Cooking Greasy Foods
When you are cooking greasier foods such as bacon or burgers, it is beneficial to add a small amount of water to your air fryer. Adding water can help catch grease or residue from greasy foods. In turn, this can help prevent your air fryer from smoking!
Adding water when cooking greasier foods helps prevent the grease from smoking by making the grease float and keeping the air fryer cool.
When Cooking Meat
It can also be helpful to add water when cooking any other types of meats. When you cook meat in the air fryer, you often have dripping or residue from the meat. Using water will make clean up easy and help prevent smoking.
Can You Boil Water In An Air Fryer?
No, you should not boil water in an air fryer. Trying to boil water in your air fryer could cause the heating and electrical elements to get wet. This could lead to permanent damage of your air fryer.
Can You Steam Food In An Air Fryer?
No, you should not steam food in an air fryer. Air fryers are not designed for steaming food or for holding more than a few tablespoons of water. Additionally, you should not attempt to boil water in an air fryer.
If you are looking to steam food, it would be a better idea to use a steamer, or InstaPot.
Can You Put Water In Your Air Fryer To Clean It?
You may be wondering – can you put soap and water in an air fryer? Yes, you can put the air fryer basket and trays in water and soap to clean them.
You should NEVER put the air fryer base, that contains the electrical components and motor, in water. However, the drawer/basket and trays are perfectly safe to be cleaned with soap and water.
Can You Use Oil Inside An Air Fryer?
Yes! You can use oil when cooking with an air fryer. Keep in mind, a small amount of oil goes a long way!
When choosing an oil, be sure to select an oil with a high smoke point. This will allow the oil to become hot without burning at high temperatures.
Here are some oils with high smoke points:
- Avocado oil
- Peanut oil
- Canola oil
- Sunflower oil
- Sesame oil
Bottom Line
We hope this guide helped answer all of your questions about putting water in an air fryer. You may also enjoy our air fryer broccoli and cauliflower recipe. Do you have other questions about air fryers? Comment below and we will help you out!