Air fryer owners have been urged to avoid a common mistake that can affect how well food cooks. Air fryers are amazing devices that many home cooks swear by. Air fryers can be used to make a plethora of dishes such as crispy roast potatoes, roasted chicken and even homemade pizza. Clean-up can be simple and cooking is even easier. Simply place the food in the air fryer and let the handy appliance do the rest.

But there are some common mistakes that people make when it comes to using their air fryers. They seem like simple machines to use, and they are for the most part. But it is also easy to use them incorrectly. Now experts have pointed out one of the mistakes many of us may be making without realising how it can greatly affect the food we eat.

Health and safety experts at Direct365 have urged Brits to avoid using baking paper in their air fryers. This is a common method that people use to cook food in the air fryer to avoid it becoming dirty, making clean-up afterwards easier.

Even though air fryers should be cleaned after every use, baking paper isn't the solution to making your life easier. The experts revealed that 58,000 people turn to Google each month to ask, "Can you put tin foil in an air fryer?" while over 15,000 ask, "Can you put baking paper in an air fryer?"

Using baking paper is not advisable because it can obstruct air flow and lead to food cooking unevenly. This means that you won't get the best results out of your air fryer, and it will take more time for your food to cook all the way through.

Instead, air fryer owners should use designated air fryer liners that allow air to flow freely throughout the basket. While unevenly cooked food can be a nuisance, baking paper also poses a more dangerous threat.

Health experts warn that baking paper can get caught in the mechanism of an air fryer. This can potentially lead to a fire.

In addition to avoiding baking paper, Direct365 advises British air fryer owners never to put liquid in their appliance. Some TikTok users have shared a "hack" that shows them putting soapy water in their air fryers for easy cleaning, but this poses the threat of a fire due to short-circuiting.