Air fryers are one of the most practical and efficient cooking appliances specifically built for health-conscious people. They run on electricity and are most often left unattended or plugged in when not in use. The U.S. Department of Energy has termed such appliances as “energy vampires” for a reason. So, the question is, can you leave an air fryer plugged in?
No, you should not leave your air fryer plugged in when it’s not in use. Even if the air fryer is turned off, there is still a chance that electricity is being used. So, not only does it lead to energy wastage, but it could also result in fires and damage to the unit.
So, keep reading to learn more about these energy vampires.
Why you should unplug an air fryer when it’s not in use
Here are some important reasons why you should unplug your air fryer if it’s not being used.
1. Reduce wastage of electricity
Unplugging your air fryer after use is just like turning off the lights of the room when you leave. If you were to keep them on, you would not only waste electricity but also contribute to indoor pollution.
Most people underestimate the significance of unplugging small or minor electrical appliances. However, if you were to consider all such appliances in households, it would end up with a huge electricity consumption number.
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This argument may not be critical in the case of an individual, but when accumulated over time and over a vast population of people, it makes a lot of difference.
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2. Avoid fire hazard
Electrical appliances like air fryers can easily cause fires, no matter how safe they are. In fact, appliances with safety features also tend to catch fires sometimes and lead to extreme casualties.
If you leave your air fryer plugged in, the electricity continues to transfer from the outlet to the unit. So, if the power socket happens to be old or there are power surges, your unit could eventually overheat and catch fire. This is particularly true for air fryers that are not equipped with safety features.
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3. Avoid accidental overheating
Some air fryers do not turn off automatically and instead enter power saver or sleep mode. This could result in the unit turning on automatically or unintentionally. That said, the unit may be blowing hot air when there is nothing inside.
Even worse, if you have forgotten something inside, the item could catch fire and spread to other areas in the kitchen.
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4. Keep safe from the dangers of power surges
If you’ve left your air fryer plugged in, in case of lightning or any other kind of power surge, your unit can end up being devastatingly affected. Your appliance can experience an electricity overload and get destroyed by being burned from the inside.
An explosion of transformer or power plant issues can lead to such power surges as well.
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5. Increase the air fryer’s life
As mentioned earlier, an air fryer plugged into a power socket receives electricity regardless of whether it is turned on or off. This wears out and ages the unit faster than if the unit were unplugged. So, it does not only happen due to electrical surges either.
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If you have large units installed in the house, such as heating units, water heaters, AC, etc., you will notice the lights flickering as they are turned on. This leads to a small but significant change to all the other appliances resulting in wear and tear.
Conclusion
In the end, keeping your air fryer plugged in is never a good decision. Always make sure to unplug it after use to prevent fire from breaking out. Do not place it too close to appliances that produce heat, as that could contribute to fires breaking out and affecting the air fryer’s life.