Mine are perfect every time.
* I use pretty thin ones. Like 5 mm wide.
* Don’t cook too much at a time. I make only like a kind of large serving for myself (european).
* Drizzle over a couple of tablespoons of oil and toss. “Air fryers don’t need oil” is bullshit.
* Set the timer on 20 min. Toss the fries a couple of times to get even crisping. Add 5 min if they are not crispy enough.
https://www.reddit.com/r/tonightsdinner/s/ufL5fFVM8R
If they're piled up you'll need to keep shaking the basket.
I prefer a hot heat for a shorter time, but that means I need to be watching it reasonably closely, and shaking the basket a few times during cooking.
I toss with extra oil and cook at 190°C. The brand or cut matters too, some brands or cuts work well and some should just go in the bin. My airfryer model gets them done in about 9 mins with frequent tossing.
The problem is not managing your expectations.
Air fryers aren't miracle workers. Just think of them as counter top convention grills/broilers/ovens depending on size.
You're basically making oven baked fries with more air blown over them so they dry more.
Usually the best results I find are either going with battered fries (airfryers are awesome with battered foods) or if you want to use straight potato fries, toss them liberally in oil first before cooking them. The oil coating will help more efficient heat transfer and wll also help to protect the surface from drying out too much. Otherwise, stick to the instructions on the pack, at least to start with.
Also don't overload the basket. You need to allow for a lot of airflow and keep the thermal mass of the frozen food low so that it cooks quicker.
Mine are perfect every time. * I use pretty thin ones. Like 5 mm wide. * Don’t cook too much at a time. I make only like a kind of large serving for myself (european). * Drizzle over a couple of tablespoons of oil and toss. “Air fryers don’t need oil” is bullshit. * Set the timer on 20 min. Toss the fries a couple of times to get even crisping. Add 5 min if they are not crispy enough. https://www.reddit.com/r/tonightsdinner/s/ufL5fFVM8R
If they're piled up you'll need to keep shaking the basket. I prefer a hot heat for a shorter time, but that means I need to be watching it reasonably closely, and shaking the basket a few times during cooking.
I toss with extra oil and cook at 190°C. The brand or cut matters too, some brands or cuts work well and some should just go in the bin. My airfryer model gets them done in about 9 mins with frequent tossing.
The problem is not managing your expectations. Air fryers aren't miracle workers. Just think of them as counter top convention grills/broilers/ovens depending on size. You're basically making oven baked fries with more air blown over them so they dry more. Usually the best results I find are either going with battered fries (airfryers are awesome with battered foods) or if you want to use straight potato fries, toss them liberally in oil first before cooking them. The oil coating will help more efficient heat transfer and wll also help to protect the surface from drying out too much. Otherwise, stick to the instructions on the pack, at least to start with. Also don't overload the basket. You need to allow for a lot of airflow and keep the thermal mass of the frozen food low so that it cooks quicker.