Can You Put A Ninja Air Fryer In The Dishwasher?

Published: 
July 6, 2022
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Hand Washing Your Ninja Air Fryer and Parts

A kitchen is often a place of innovation. People are always inventing new appliances and ways to cook food items that help you save time or present new recipe opportunities.

Kitchen appliances like the stove and oven have been around the block, but a new guy in town is going to shake things up - the air fryer.

Photo of an air fryer basket

For Many Air Fryers, Some Parts Like the Basket and Crisper Plate are Dishwasher Safe

The air fryer has taken over the cooking world. It has become a popular kitchen appliance due to its ability to cook food rapidly and create a fried food type of crispiness but without the calories of deep frying.

The air fryer is convenient, quick, and easy to use. However, it does take some getting used to.

This guide is to help you use an air fryer in your kitchen comfortably and efficiently. One of the most critical questions is: can you put a ninja air fryer in the dishwasher?

Cleaning your kitchen appliances is essential. Not only to ensure high-quality food but also to maintain safety in the kitchen.

An air fryer with chicken wings in it and dishwasher.

Even if You Use Foil to Catch Splatter, Air Fryers Need to be Cleaned After Each use

By the end of this article, you will know everything you need to know about Ninja air fryers and how to clean them.

What is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is a kitchen tool that cooks food using hot air to "air fry" the food. An air fryer is similar to a convection oven.

The food is cooked by hot air, and a fan circulates the air to ensure an even cooking process.

The use of a fan is essential because hot air rises. Without a fan, the top part of a Ninja air fryer would be the hottest, and the food would cook unevenly.

The air frying process utilizes a fan to distribute the hot air so there are no hot spots. By surrounding food with hot air, air fryers produce food similar in texture to deep fryers.

Because of the similarity in texture, air fryers are a popular alternative to using a deep fryer. An advantage of the air fryer is that it uses less oil than deep fryers and is more versatile.

An air fryer can cook many more foods than a deep fryer can.

Since air fryers use hot air for cooking food, they use far less oil than other frying methods. This makes them a healthier option for cooking food without sacrificing the delicious crunch texture.

A woman using a Ninja Air Fryer.

An Air Fryer Allows You To Use Convective Cooking to Quickly Cook Your Food on the Countertop Instead of the Oven

Another advantage that air fryers have is how quickly they cook food. Since an air fryer surrounds food with hot air, food will cook evenly on all sides.

This means that air fryers can cook food much faster than traditional ovens.

How Does an Air Fryer Work?

Before diving into the essential question, can you put a Ninja air fryer in the dishwasher, it is important to know how an air fryer works.

Despite having "fryer" in its name, air fryers work differently than traditional deep fat fryers. A conventional deep fryer heats large amounts of high smoke point oil and uses that oil to cook food.

The food cooked in a deep fryer ends up with a crispy texture but also absorbs a lot of the oil in the cooking process.

Air fryers work in a completely different way than traditional frying methods. An air fryer uses a heating element to create hot air and uses a fan to circulate that hot air around the food.

The hot air produces a similar crispy texture on the outside of the food but without using large quantities of oil.

The hot air gives food cooked in an air fryer a similar crispy texture to cooking in a deep fryer. You can make the same kinds of foods like french fries and chicken wings that you can in a deep fryer.

However, it is easier, faster, and healthier than deep frying.

Additionally, air fryers are far more versatile than deep fryers. Air fryers can be used to cook many things including vegetables, meat, and even baked goods. Deep fryers are limited in what they can cook.

How Does an Air Fryer Compare to a Traditional Fryer?

Air fryers and traditional deep fryers have their pros and cons. Their principal difference is that air fryers use hot air and deep fryers use hot oil to cook food.

Small amounts of oil are usually sprayed on the food cooked in an air fryer, but it uses much less oil compared to a deep fryer. As a result, air fryers are healthier because the food absorbs much less fat.

The biggest drawback of air fryers is cost. Deep frying with oil is a cheap cooking method, and you can use cooking implements that you already have in your kitchen.

An air fryer is a purpose-built kitchen appliance, similar to a microwave. As a result, air fryers are more expensive upfront than deep frying with oil.

Cleaning Your Ninja Air Fryer

Now that you know all about the ins and outs of air fryers and how they compare to a traditional deep fryer, you might wonder about how to clean one.

Can you put a Ninja air fryer in the dishwasher? The answer is both yes and no.

How to Clean Your Ninja Air Fryer (Video From the Manufacturer)

Is the Ninja Air Fryer Dishwasher Safe?

No, you cannot put the main cooking unit of a Ninja air fryer in the dishwasher . This is the case for all Ninja air fryers, including all three varieties of the Ninja Foodi (Ninja® Foodi® 6-in-1 10-qt. XL 2-Basket Air Fryer with Smart Cook System, Ninja® Foodi® 6-in-1 8-qt. 2 Basket Air Fryer, Ninja® Foodi® 6-qt. 5-in-1 2-Basket Air Fryer), the Ninja® Air Fryer Max XL, and the Ninja Speedi™ Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer.

Photo of a dishwasher

The electrical Components of an Air Fryer Must be Kept Away from the Dishwasher - Along With Any Parts That Can’t Handle High Heat - Follow the Manufacturer's Instructions

The Ninja Air Fryer electrical heating elements have a variety of different cooking functions :

  • Air Broil
  • Air Roast
  • Dehydrate
  • Bake
  • Max Crisp
  • Reheat

Putting any of the electrical components in the dishwasher will destroy them.

Sometimes your air fryer will get dirty through normal use. While the unit is unplugged, you may use a damp cloth to wipe down the outside of the unit.

Make sure that the unit is completely dry before plugging it back into the outlet.

Can You Put Ninja Air Fryer Parts in a Dishwasher?

The Ninja Air Fryer does have some dishwasher safe parts, but it is not recommended. The best way to clean a Ninja air fryer is by hand with soap and water.

Metal basket, ice, sink

The Best Way to Clean Your non-Electronic Air Fryer Components is With Warm Soap and Water

Are Ninja Air Fryer Racks Dishwasher Safe?

Now that you know the answer to the question “Can You Put A Ninja Air Fryer In The Dishwasher”, what about the air fryer racks?

The racks that come with a Ninja air fryer are dishwasher safe. However, the best way to clean the racks is by hand with soap and water.

If you have excessive food buildup on the rack, you can let it soak in warm soapy water.

If you decide to wash the rack in the dishwasher, let it completely dry before using it in the air fryer again. Using a wet rack can potentially damage your air fryer.

Furthermore, using a wet rack will drastically decrease the effectiveness of the air fryer. It will reduce the cooking temperature and can make your food soggy.

It is best to have thoroughly dried the rack before using it again.

Can You Put Your Ninja Air Fryer Basket in the dishwasher?

Technically yes, a Ninja air fryer basket is dishwasher safe. However, the best way to clean the air fryer basket is by hand.

The basket is made of ceramic coated and non stick materials. Since the basket is metal, it can rust if exposed to water for too long.

This can damage the air fryer and make your food dangerous to eat. That said, you can still soak the basket in warm water with dish soap or warm soapy water. 

Gently clean the basket with a soft sponge to make the cleanup process easier.

How to Clean the Ninja 2 Basket Air Fryer

The air fryer basket should be completely dry before use. A wet basket will reduce the effectiveness of the air fryer, and you are less likely to get the desired crispy texture.

Can You Put Your Ninja Air Fryer Crisper Plate in the dishwasher?

The ninja air fryer crisper plate is dishwasher safe. It is ok to remove the crisper plate and submerge it in warm soapy water to make it easier to move debris caused by the cooking process.

Tips for Cooking With an Air Fryer

Now that you know can you put a ninja air fryer in the dishwasher, here are some tips on how to cook with it:

  • Organize the food on the crisper tray in a single layer. If you allow the food to touch or overcrowd the crisper tray, the food will not cook evenly.
  • It can be alluring to use a bunch of oil when cooking with an air fryer, but this is less effective. Only use a few spritzes of oil on the food.
  • If you use oil, use high smoke point oils like vegetable, canola, or peanut. Low smoke point oils can't handle the heat produced by the air fryer.
  • Allow your air fryer to preheat for several minutes before adding food. This will ensure fast and even cooking.
  • Halfway through the cooking process, flip the food. This will ensure that your food gets a crispy crust all the way around. You can also shake the basket to move the food around.
  • Clean the basket and dry between batches of food.
  • All air fryers are different. Experiment with the cooking time and figure out exactly how you need to cook the food. Don't always trust the labeled cooking time.
  • Remove the food from the base with tongs or a fork. This will prevent any excess oil from dripping on your food.
  • Carefully handle the air fryer after you have finished cooking. Air fryers can get hot and pose a danger to someone who isn't paying attention.

Cooking with Ninja's Dual Zone Smart Finish Technology

Here is a video overview of how to cook two different foods with different heating requirements in the same air fryer with Ninja’s dualzone air fryer featuring smart finish technology:

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Cooking Two Different Dishes at the Same Time

Frank Salvatore

Hey there - I'm Frank Salvatore. I created this site as a comprehensive kitchen resource. You'll find everything you need to know about everything in your kitchen. From appliances to utensils and layout - it is covered on this site!

About Me
Frank Salvatore
I created this site as a comprehensive kitchen resource. You'll find everything you need to know about everything in your kitchen. From appliances to utensils and layout - it is covered on this site!
Learn More About Me
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