Quick answer: Unplug the air fryer, let the basket cool, and remove the crisper plate according to the manual. Empty crumbs and grease, then hand-wash the approved removable parts with warm water, dish soap, and a soft cloth or nonabrasive sponge. Soften stuck food before wiping; do not scrape the coating. Rinse and dry everything before reassembly. Dishwasher permission varies by model and by part, and the electrical air fryer body must never be submerged.
Start by separating the basket from the appliance
The drawer you pull out may contain a basket, a removable plate, a grease-catching pan, or more than one insert. Those names are easy to mix up when reading cleaning advice. Put the manual beside the appliance and identify exactly which pieces are removable and washable. A plate that lifts out is not permission to undo screws in the handle.
This guide covers food-contact basket parts. It does not cover dismantling a fan, removing a heater guard, opening the housing, or repairing a smoking appliance. If the mess is above or behind a part that the owner instructions do not let you remove, ask the manufacturer about access.
Look at the residue before choosing a tool
A few dry crumbs usually need little effort. A sticky layer from a glaze may soften with washing. A dark patch that is smooth and unchanged after gentle cleaning needs a different decision from a raised lump of food. Check the surface in side light instead of automatically reaching for something sharper.
Stop if coating is peeling, bubbling, or coming off on the cloth, or if the basket has a loose handle or distorted edge. Photograph the problem and request model-specific replacement advice. Do not try to strip away the remaining coating to make the basket look even.
A practical hand-washing sequence
- Make a dry landing area. Clear enough counter space for the basket and plate. Leave the appliance body away from the sink and splashing water.
- Wait until the parts are cool enough to handle. Unplug first. Do not cool a hot basket by plunging it into cold water.
- Remove loose food. Tip crumbs into the trash. Let grease cool and dispose of it appropriately instead of pouring it down the drain.
- Wash the separate pieces. Use dish soap, warm water, and a cloth or sponge labeled suitable for nonstick surfaces. Keep the handle and any nonwashable components within the manual's limits.
- Give attached food time to soften. Where soaking is permitted, let warm soapy water do the work before trying another gentle pass. Do not add oven cleaner, drain cleaner, or an unrelated appliance tablet.
- Rinse both sides. Turn the plate over and check its openings, rim, and underside. Soap hidden below the plate is easy to miss.
- Dry and inspect. Check recesses and the space around approved removable feet or supports. Reassemble only when all parts are dry and seated correctly.
Ninja's AF100 owner guide allows its basket, crisper plate, and accessories to be washed in a dishwasher and describes soaking stuck residue. That is a useful model example, not a rule for every air fryer. COSORI's Pro LE product guidance recommends warm water, mild soap, and a nonabrasive sponge for its basket. Use the instructions belonging to the appliance in front of you.
When food stays in the openings
Work with the plate out of the basket if removal is allowed. View it from each side to see whether a dark opening is actually blocked or simply shadowed. A soft approved brush may reach a corner that a cloth misses. Do not use a knife point, metal skewer, wire brush, or powered tool to enlarge an opening.
If food remains after an allowed soak and a gentle wash, pause and check the manufacturer's next step. A longer soaking time, stronger product, or different pad is not automatically safer. If the part will not come clean within its approved care method, replacement or support is a better next question than how much force it can take.
If a removable insert can fit in more than one orientation, compare it with the manual's drawing before reassembly. A plate balanced on the wrong ledge may look close enough from above. Check that it rests on its intended supports instead of pressing it down to make the drawer close.
Can the basket go in the dishwasher?
Confirm permission separately for the basket, insert, rack, and removable accessories. A dishwasher-safe plate may sit in a drawer that is hand-wash only. Check rack placement and any temperature restrictions too. When the instructions are missing, hand-washing permitted removable food-contact parts is the conservative starting point; keep electronics out of water.
Load approved pieces so spray can reach them without another item rubbing the coating. Afterward, inspect the underside and dry any trapped moisture. A completed wash cycle does not prove every recess is clean.
What a clean basket cannot fix
A persistent burning smell, unusual smoke, damaged cord, or appliance that trips power needs more than another basket wash. Stop operating it and contact support. Never run the air fryer with soapy water inside as an improvised cleaning cycle.
For grease accumulating above the stove, follow the separate range hood filter guide. For everyday kitchen hygiene, see when cleaning is enough and when disinfection is needed. Neither procedure changes the air fryer's cleaning instructions.
Sources
- Ninja: AF100 Series Owner's Guide, Cleaning and Maintenance
- COSORI: Pro LE Air Fryer, Basket Cleaning FAQ
By Gohall Clean Team. Sources checked August 31, 2026. Appliance design and coating-care instructions vary by model. Featured image is an AI-generated editorial illustration, not a product test.