Your air fryer is in the WRONG place – expert reveals four disastrous mistakes in your kitchen

AIR FRYERS are still hotly popular, but these four mistakes might leave your kitchen unable to take the heat.

On a more serious note, while the kitchen gadget is easy and safe to use, it can be a fire hazard if not treated properly.

Don’t ignore the 5-inch rule 

Experts at kitchen designer Magnet have urged that air fryer owners keep the kitchen gadget away from corners and walls and follow the five inch rule.

Leaving five inches worth of space around your air fryer means the vents have enough room to let hot air out.

It also prevents any heat marks from appearing on your walls and ceilings from rising fumes.

Don't place the air fryer on tea towels

Another hazardous habit is placing the air fryer on top of a tea towel to avoid marking the work surface, making mess or slipping.

But the intense heat an air fryer can produce means they are at risk of setting alight any flammable materials that may be nearby.

Don't use heated appliances near fresh food

It's also not wise to keep your air fryer near fresh produce.

"Whilst it’s easy to pull out an appliance like an air fryer or slow cooker and use it wherever there’s worktop space, it shouldn’t be used in close proximity to fresh food like fruit or bread," experts said.

"The heat they emit when switched on can spoil food much faster than it would typically go off.’’ 

Don’t store appliances near sinks

The last mistake is (hopefully) the most obvious.

Keeping any kind of electrical appliance near water is a big 'no no', as this can be a potentially lethal combination.

But there's also a hygienic reason why it's not a good idea.

"Not only is keeping electrical appliances away from sinks an important safety precaution, but it’s also an important step in protecting the food you’re cooking in them from bacteria," experts cautioned.

"Kitchen sinks harbour more than 17,000 pieces of bacteria per square inch, so it’s certainly best to prepare food and use appliances away from it.’’

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