How To Clean A Ninja Air Fryer In 5 Easy Steps

Air fryers have become massively popular in the last few years.

This isn’t much of a surprise, though – able to fry and bake a wide range of recipes with no oil in just a few minutes, these appliances are popular for a reason! 

How To Clean A Ninja Air Fryer featured image

If you want to make sure your Ninja air fryer is staying hygienic and working at its best, then you need to make sure you’re cleaning it properly.

Regularly cleaning your Ninja air fryer will prevent the risk of bacteria building up inside and ensure that your air fryer’s mechanisms are working properly.

But how exactly are you supposed to clean a Ninja air fryer? Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!

In this handy step-by-step guide, we’ll take you through everything there is to know about cleaning a Ninja air fryer so you can get back to using it in no time!

Once cleaned, we can also show you the right way to preheat a Ninja air fryer so you’re ready to cook anything!

So let’s get started, shall we?

Ninja DZ201 Foodi 8 Quart DualZone 2-Basket Air Fryer

Cleaning A Ninja Air Fryer: A Brief Breakdown

A Ninja air fryer uses several different pieces that each need to be cleaned separately.

This can be confusing if you’re new to air fryers, but the three main parts of a Ninja air fryer are the fryer basket (where you put your food to cook), the crisper plate (a sort of rack the food sits on while cooking, which improves the ventilation in the fryer), and the main air fryer appliance itself.

All of these parts are exposed to food as it cooks, so need to be washed to prevent the risk of bacteria building up.

It also helps to prevent the risk of cross-contamination, as well as letting the air fryer perform properly.

The air fryer basket and the crisper plate need to be cleaned after each time you use your air fryer, while the main body of the air fryer can be cleaned when needed.

Luckily, a Ninja air fryer is quick and easy to clean, so you can get back to using it in no time! 

This is also very similar to how to clean a Cuisinart air fryer so if you have a different brand feel free to check that out as well!

So now that we know a bit more about the parts of your Ninja air fryer that need to be cleaned, let’s take a look at how you actually do it!

How To Clean Your Ninja Air Fryer In 5 Easy Steps! 

ninja dual zone air fryer baskets pulled out and ready to clean

Step One: Unplug And Let Cool

First things first, switch off your air fryer and unplug it from the wall. After using your air fryer, you’ll need to give it time to properly cool down first.

The inside of the air fryer gets very hot after use, and can easily burn you if you don’t leave it long enough. 

If you’re in a rush and want to get to cleaning sooner, you can remove the fryer basket and crisper tray from the air fryer and run them under cold water to cool them down.

Step Two: Washing In The Dishwasher

When the parts of your air fryer are cool enough to handle, you can get to cleaning them.

Luckily, this is incredibly simple; both the fryer basket and crisper tray are dishwasher-safe, so you can easily just pop them in the dishwasher and clean them that way.

Just bear in mind that only the fryer basket and crisper tray are dishwasher-safe: avoid getting the main part of the air fryer wet, and never submerge it or put it in a dishwasher.

Step Three: Washing By Hand

If you don’t have a dishwasher, or simply prefer to wash your air fryer by hand, don’t worry – hand washing your air fryer is just as easy as using a dishwasher!

The frying basket and crisper tray are ceramic coated and non-stick, letting you wipe away food residue effortlessly.

If there are any stubborn pieces of dirt that you can’t budge, soak them in warm, soapy water to lift them off.

Avoid using any abrasive sponges or scourers to clean the basket and crisper plate, as these can damage the ceramic coating.

Instead, use a soft sponge or cloth to wipe and clean your air fryer. Again, do not submerge or get the air fryer itself wet.

Step Four: Wipe Down The Air Fryer

Because the main body of the air fryer is full of electrical components and delicate parts, you can’t just go wild with soapy water.

Instead, use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe down the exterior of the air fryer.

Pay special attention to the control pad on the front of your air fryer, as this will get more dirt on it than other parts of the air fryer.

The main unit of your air fryer won’t need to be cleaned after every use, but you should still give it a wipe-down fairly regularly.

Step Five: Clean The Heating Element

The heating element of your air fryer (the metal coil that heats the air inside) is one of the most important parts of your air fryer to keep in good condition.

Any old food or cooked-on residue can keep the element from working as effectively, and even cause damage to the air fryer.

In fact, stuck on dirt on the heating element is one of the leading causes for why your air fryer is smoking during the cook cycle. Keeping it clean is important!

Gently wipe down the heating element with a damp, non-abrasive cloth or paper towel. Lightly scrub away the more stubborn pieces of dirt and wipe away any leftover residue.

Like with the exterior of the air fryer, you don’t have to wash the heating element after every use.

Keep an eye on it and clean it as needed to avoid dirt building up and causing issues.

Final Thoughts

And that’s it – now you know all you need to know about cleaning your Ninja air fryer!

Keeping your air fryer clean is the best way to keep it running at its best, and using this handy step-by-step guide will help you clean your air fryer in no time!

So now that you know how to clean a Ninja air fryer, all you need to do now is put your newfound knowledge into practice.

Check out our list of the 5 best Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer recipes to get started!

Use these instructions and you can have a clean air fryer ready to go in just a few minutes.

We also compiled a guide on how to use a Bella air fryer which can help newcomers get to cooking regardless of their model.

Katie Vine