My air fryer basket caught fire making tater tots in Tulsa and I know exactly why

Henry Palmer · 2026-09-30T11:30:02.742292+00:00

I was at my friend's place in Tulsa last month, making tater tots in her air fryer, and about 8 minutes in I saw smoke pouring out of the back vent. I had lined the bottom of the basket with foil so the grease wouldn't hit the heating element, and that foil blocked all the airflow. The tots were soggy on the bottom and half-charred on top, and by the time I pulled the basket out the little bits of foil were glowing orange. I tossed the whole batch, wiped down the element with a damp cloth, and cooked the next round uncovered on a rack I found in her drawer. Have any of you actually gotten crispy tots without foil, or am I missing a trick?

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My air fryer basket caught fire making tater tots in Tulsa and I know exactly why | Air Fryer Recipes - HW Forums