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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

Best Degreaser for Air Fryers

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Air Fryers are lovely to have, but sometimes a nightmare to clean!

It’s fair, we suppose, as it’s easy to enjoy the benefits and then put off the cleaning for later. Unfortunately, the baked-in buildup that can result can make you put off using this wonderful appliance and we certainly can’t have that!

In today’s article, we’ll talk about the best degreaser for air fryers, as well as cover a few cleaning and buying tips along the way, and we’ll also tell you which product or products were our favorite. Nobody likes scrubbing Air Fryer baskets, but with the right cleaner, you’ll be surprised at just how much time you can really save and still enjoy your healthy-frying appliance.

Air Fryer DegreaserCategory
Stanley Home Products Degreaser Concentrate
1. Stanley Concentrate Degreaser Easiest to use
Member’s Mark Oven, Grill, and Fryer Cleaner
2. Members Mark Cleaner Best Cleaner
Dawn Professional Multi-Surface Heavy-Duty Degreaser Spray
3. Dawn Heavy Duty Degreaser Best Value

Without further ado, let’s get the ball rolling in our search for the best degreaser for air fryers!

The wonderful world of Air Fryer cleaning

Air fryers are certainly fantastic little appliances. Utilizing only a fraction of the oil (or sometimes none at all), your air fryer can deliver yummy fried food with 70-80% fewer calories and reduced fat content. It’s really some amazing science, but when you are working with ANY oil then you know what’s going to happen.

Greasy, gunky, build up and residue.

In a perfect world, we’d always be cleaning the air fryer immediately after every use, but let’s be honest – sometimes you don’t have time and you can end up with a fairly impressive build-up on your frying basket, along with a greasy interior compartment.

Thankfully, degreasers and even heavy-duty options are available, so that you won’t be spending the whole weekend soaking and scrubbing that air fryer basket. The biggest problem now, of course, is the deluge of products available on the Internet.

With that in mind, we’ve collected some of the best options out there at varying grades of power, so that if you like to ‘clean as you go’ then there are mild options included, and if you tend to put things off, then we’ve got some heavy-hitters as well. Let’s take a look and you can see what you think of these options!

The Best Degreaser for Air Fryers

In the sections below, you’ll find a little information about each item, as well as a quick glimpse at how each individual product did in the reviews. To help keep things fair, you’ll get a little of the praise, but you’ll also get a taste of the sour 1-star reviews so that you can see the other side of the spectrum.

We feel that this will help you to narrow down your options and warn you a little in advance if there’s something that you might want to research a little before purchasing.

If you are ready, then we’ll move on to the best degreasers for air fryers!

Stanley Home Products Degreaser Concentrate

STANLEY HOME PRODUCTS Degreaser Concentrate - Makes 64 Gallons - Removes Stubborn Grease & Grime - Multipurpose Cleaner for Home & Commercial Use…

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Our first entry is a great example of how a little can go a long way. This Stanley Home Products Degreaser Concentrate comes in a 32-ounce bottle, but this bottle is all that you need to create 64 gallons of degreaser.

Not only that, but it makes short work of grease in seconds and you can use it for your Air Fryer, grill, cookware, and even surrounding surfaces like countertops or tiles. If you’d like a solution that gets the job done and you won’t have to replace it every month, then Stanley might be the only product that you need.

Checking the 5-star reviews, we can see that a strong 75% of people who tried this product were quite satisfied with it, and a further 11% liked it enough to give it a 4. “Jim R’ stated that he mixes 2 – 3 teaspoons of this degreaser with water in a spray bottle and that the results were nothing short of amazing.

A little rain must fall, however, so it’s time to see who DIDN’T like the product by checking the 1-star reviews. Here we can see that 3% of customers gave this product 1 star, with one customer who wasn’t pleased about the scent, while a few others felt that 409 or even soap and water were better.

Ultimately, out of 1526 reviews that were taken, 86% were quite pleased – so be sure to keep that in mind as you evaluate the good and the bad!

Member’s Mark Oven, Grill, and Fryer Cleaner

Member's Mark Commercial Oven, Grill and Fryer Cleaner, 32 oz, 3 Piece

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Next up we have Members Mark Oven, Grill, and Fryer cleaner, and this stuff is a commercial grade!

There’s no mixing involved, as what you’ve got in the bottle is at exactly the perfect strength for cutting through grease and buildup in a matter of seconds. Aside from your air fryer, you can also use Member’s Mark to break up grease and burnt food on grills and your stovetop, so if you’d like a commercial-grade product that doesn’t mess around, then Member’s Mark definitely delivers.

Checking into the reviews, a whopping 77% of folks who purchased this product gave it 5 stars, with another 14% settling for 4. Included among the praise for Member’s Mark, ‘Vanessa’ who deals with over 200 clients for her food business monthly called it ‘life changing’.

Still, it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t share the 1-star data too, so moving on we can see that 3% of reviewers were not as pleased with this product, but as they did not leave feedback (only stars) we have no specific data to share about what upset them. All in all, the reception was pretty positive for this product and we think that it’s well worth your while.

Discovery Products – Fryer Puck Boil-Out Tablets

Discovery Products - Fryer Puck 4 oz. Boil-Out Tablet, Box of 5

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Air fryers are a lot of fun, at least until it’s cleaning time, and sometimes this leads to a situation where deep cleaning is an absolute must.

With Discovery Products Fryer Puck Boil-Out Tablets, you are well-equipped to do so, and you can save yourself a lot of headaches in the process. If you’ve ever boiled out your air fryer with homemade solutions and still found yourself scrubbing most of the evening, then we highly recommend that you give these tablets a try – they get the job done gracefully and if you also have a deep fryer, then your tablets will be doubly useful!

Looking into the reviews we can see that 68% of those reviewed gave this product 5 stars, while 17% felt that it was well worth at least 4 stars. ‘Vectoramusement’ said that this was the 5th product they tried and they considered it the ‘best product we’ve ever used’.

Only 2% of reviewers felt that it deserved 1 star, however, so let’s see what they didn’t like. As it turns out, only 1 reviewer posted their experience, and that fell into the 3-star category.

Their complaint was that the tablets arrived broken, which is unfortunate but as far as negative reviews go, we’ve certainly heard worse! Consider giving it a try to see what you think!

Cascade Fryer Boil Out with Phosphates

Cascade with Phosphates Professional Fryer Boil Out 85-oz (1)

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One of the nice things about cleaning your Air Fryer is that you’ve got a lot of options. This Cascade Fryer Boil Out with phosphates is a good example.

While it’s rated for boiling out a deep fryer, your Air Fryer needs only a fraction of the cleaner to be restored to a like-new status because it uses much less oil. As a perk, you can also use this in small amounts in your dishwasher to cut grease from dishes with quickness! So, how did it do in the reviews? Let’s take a peek!

Out of 683 reviews, Cascade’s Fryer Boil Out showed a solid 78% of 5-star level satisfaction with customers. Another 11% grudgingly gave it 4 stars, so we’re off to a very good start. Included in the positive comments were some words from ‘Ewa’, who called it a ‘game changer’ and said that it saved money and time for cleaning difficult fryers and baskets.

With a flip of the coin, however, we can see that 3% of customers felt it only deserved 1 star, but it’s nice to see that the majority of these complaints were not for the efficacy of the product, but rather for the price going up in the last few years. Some complaints were made about using this in the dishwasher and not removing some of the foodstuffs, but overall Cascade Fryer Boil out had a very high customer rating.

F&G Commercial Fryer, Grill, and Griddle Cleaner

Commercial Fryer and Grill/Griddle Cleaner/Mixture of liquid Caustic Soda / 1 gallon (128 oz.)

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It’s always nice when you can cut down cleaning time, so we like to include commercial-grade cleaners in our lists for those folks out there who don’t mind spending a little extra to save a LOT of time. This F&G Commercial Fryer, Grill, and Griddle cleaner can do exactly that.

The reasoning behind it is sound – this stuff has a pH level of 14, so it’s designed to cut through grease, burnt food, and other residual build-up in MINUTES. The caveat, of course, is that with this kind of power, you need to wear eye protection and gloves. If you need something for a yearly deep clean, however, it doesn’t get much cleaner than F&G’s commercial-grade fryer, grill, and griddle cleaner.

Moseying on over to the Review Corral, we can see that 75% of customers who purchased this product gave it a full 5 stars, and another 9% gave it 4 for an overall 84% satisfaction rating. User ‘Renee McLean’ said that this made restaurant fryers look like new and ‘L T Harms’ stated that it was great for fryers that never seem to get completely clean.

There were, however, 9% of customers who were not as happy with F&G, although complaints were related to the product arriving open or damaged during shipping and one customer who felt it foamed up too much when used. Overall, this was pretty well-received and as it’s highly versatile, it’s a pro-grade cleaner that you can get a lot of use out of after cleaning your air fryer to like-new perfection.

Dawn Professional Multi-Surface Heavy-Duty Degreaser Spray

Dawn Professional Multi-Surface Heavy Duty Degreaser Spray, 32 fl oz (Case of 6), Ready to Use for Kitchen, Restaurants, Foodservice, and More

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Another commercial-grade degreaser that you’re going to love is this Dawn Professional Multi-Surface Heavy Duty Degreaser spray.

Touted as cutting grease 2 times faster than your favorite brand, it will definitely save you a lot of scrubbing, and aside from your air fryer, you can use it on other surfaces such as ovens, stainless steel, range hoods, and more! When you factor in that the price is almost impossible to beat, you’ve got the makings of a new favorite degreaser that you’ll be very happy you’ve found.

Checking into ‘Review Land’, we can see that Dawn is maintaining the standards you’d expect with a trusted name. A solid 71% of users gave it 5 stars and another 13% were willing to give it 4, so we’re at 84% customer satisfaction from the get-go. Praise was very robust about its ability to quickly cut through grease, but checking into the 1-star reviews we find that 4% of 699 polled were not convinced about this product.

Complaints included one user who was upset that it was ‘only a degreaser’, another felt that soap was better, and we had a number of shipping mishaps that filled up the rest of the 1-star review slots. Make of that what you will!

Fry-Whiz Deep Fryer Cleaner

Fry-Whiz Deep Fryer Cleaner, Non-Foaming Fryer Cleaning Powder, Magic Clean Fryer Boil Out Powder to Remove Carbon & Grease Deposits in Deep Fryers, Makes Fryers Shine, 1 Gal Jar

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Air fryer baskets can end up with grease buildup just like deep fryer ones can. As an end result, your fryer can start smoking inside, develop a hard-to-get-rid-of smell, and other issues.

Thankfully, you’ve got deep cleaning options like this Fry-Whiz Deep Fryer cleaner. This non-foaming cleaner will help you quickly make your cylindrical fryer basket all clean and shiny with a minimal amount of fuss.

As this is designed for commercial fryers, with just a small amount of the powder you can give your air fryer basket a soak and the grease will be neutralized with quickness. You might still need a small amount of scrubbing if you’ve waited a year to clean your fryer, but with this powder, it should still reduce that work to a matter of minutes.

Taking a peek at the reviews, 64% of customers gave this product 5 stars, while another 20% settled for 4 stars. ‘Adrian Baldwin’ called it the ‘best fryer cleaner ever period’ in relation to grease and for cleaning their deep fryer, so you know it will make short work of air fryer grease.

Going to the dark side of the review spectrum, 4% of reviews felt that the Fry-Whiz wasn’t up to the hype, although the date reflected was for deep fryer cleaning and the complaint there was that there was still too much scrubbing involved. For minor air fryer degreasing, however, this product is a powerhouse and won’t leach chemicals into your food.

Diversey Break-Up Professional Oven & Grill Cleaner

Diversey CBD991206 Break-Up Professional Oven & Grill Cleaner, Heavy Duty Spray Removes Baked on Grease, Aerosol, 19-Ounce (Pack of 6)

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Diversey Break-Up Professional oven and Grill cleaner is a nifty little spray that can work wonders on your Air Fryer basket and interior, as well as on your grill or in your oven. Considered heavy-duty and commercial grade, just a quick spray is all that you need to start breaking up grease. If you’ve got a baked-in coat on the basket, then spraying it enough to give it a light coat, letting it soak, and wiping it off should do the trick nicely.

This stuff also comes in handy for greasy spills and along with being NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) certified, this product is also kosher.

Checking in on the reviews, 76% of people that tried this product awarded it 5 stars, and another 12% considered it worthy of 4. User ‘MRW’ was able to use this on the rotating basket for their Instapot Vortex Air Fryer and got excellent results, so we’re definitely off to a good start.

Reviewing the not-so-happy 1-star reviews, we can see that 4% of the 1255 users reviewed found Diversey lacking. The good news, however, is that the content of these 1-star reviews had nothing to do with performance. One reviewer felt that the price has gone up a bit in the years and the remaining reviewers in the 1 star slot were upset about packages arriving damaged or (in one case) lacking aerosol.

As far as performance, however, the numbers don’t lie – Diversey Break-Up is the good stuff!

Best Air Fryer Degreasing Tips

Getting your Air Fryer properly degreased is important and not just for aesthetics or sanitary reasons.

When baked-in residue starts building up, it can actually affect the taste of the food, and if you’re very unlucky it can even heat up and start smoking! With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you to ensure that the Air Fryer is kept properly clean and sparkly:

  • If you’re out of cleaner, then add a small amount of water to ½ cup of baking soda and you can make a nice cleaning paste of it. Leaving the unit upright, remove the racks and use a smooth-bristled toothbrush to remove loose food bits after that, your baking soda paste and a damp cloth can help you to tackle the grease that’s left. Rinse it with water afterward and you’re golden!
  • If your Air Fryer is dishwasher safe, then invest in some cleaners that will let you take advantage of this like the Cascade Fryer Boil Out that we’ve listed today. Cleaning as you go is the best way to keep your Air Fryer spotless and it’s worth an extra few minutes of time to never have to deep clean and scrub the basket.
  • Always make sure to thoroughly wipe out the insides with a clean, damp cloth when you are done, and let everything air dry before you reassemble it. This will help you to find any spots that you’ve missed and also prevent accidentally trapping moisture inside the Fryer.
  • For the really stubborn and baked-in grease buildup, it’s vital that you let it soak in your cleaner for the time that they recommend. If you rush this, you’ll have to do quite a bit more scrubbing than you intended, so let the cleaner do its work. Usually, your patience will be rewarded, and the grease will wipe right away.

Buying information for Air Fryer degreasing agents

If you are at your local grocery and see some degreasing agents that you are considering, then there are a few things that you’ll want to consider to make sure that you pick one that’s good for your Air Fryer. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Make sure that the product is safe to use with Air Fryers. If the label doesn’t say for sure, then a quick Google or checking through Amazon reviews can help. This is very important, as the items that you are cleaning are going inside your appliance, so you need to make sure that the cleaner is a safe option.
  • A lot of commercial options will come in concentrated form and can save you a lot of money, as a small bottle of the product can generally produce many gallons of degreaser. Check for these while you are looking at the others and with a little luck, you won’t be running out of degreasers anytime soon.
  • If you tend to clean your Air Fryer after every use, then you don’t need the most aggressive degreaser agents – go with something mild and you can pocket the savings as a reward for your good habits.

Product recommendations

Now that you’ve seen the options and we’ve shared a few tips, it’s time to tell you our favorite product. In this case, it was actually two.

For general usage, we liked the Dawn Professional Multi-Surface Heavy Duty Degreaser Spray for its power, convenience, and it’s very modest pricing. You can invest in a case of 6 32-ounce spray bottles for around the cost of a large pizza and then you won’t have to worry about running out of your favorite cleaner anytime soon.

Our second favorite was the Cascade Fryer Boil Out for those lucky folks who have a dishwasher-safe Air Fryer. Many users in the reviews purchased the Cascade for exactly this and had some very nice things to say about the time that they saved.

Of course, all of the products we’ve listed today are shining examples of their kind, but the Dawn and Cascade definitely shined the brightest in our humble opinion – so use it or just go with the one that piqued your interest most. There are no bad choices here!

FAQs

As a matter of tradition, we like to include a few frequently asked questions before we wrap things and we’ve picked some good ones for you. Let’s take a look!

How do you get baked-on grease out of an air fryer without commercial cleaners?

You can whip up a homemade cleaning mix with half a cup of baking soda, a splash of lemon juice, and a small amount of water – just enough that you can stir it into a paste. Coat your basket with the paste and let it sit for 15 – 30 minutes, after which you can give it a good scrubbing and the baked-in grease should be much more responsive to your cleaning.

Can you use Clorox wipes to clean air fryers?

No, you do not want to use bleach or other chemical-based solutions that do not specifically state that they may be used with an air fryer. Any chemical residue that is left behind could transfer to your food and make it toxic, so you need to stick to cleaners that specifically state they are air fryer safe.

What do you soak an air fryer in to get grease off?

In a pinch, you can simply soak your air fryer basket and its drawer in a container or sink with hot water and Dawn dishwashing liquid. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then try to clean it. Typically, unless it’s baked-in buildup, you should be able to cut the grease nicely so that you can get the basket and drawer cleaned.

In Conclusion

Today we have talked about the best degreaser for air fryers and while our favorite was the Dawn Professional Multi-Surface Heavy Duty Degreaser Spray for general use and the Cascade Fryer Boil Out for dishwasher-safe models, these are just guidelines. All of the products we’ve talked about today are great at what they do, so be sure to go with your gut and check out the reviews on your favorite before purchasing.

While you’re decreasing the air fryer, don’t forget that for baked-in buildup you’ll want to let it soak and when the cleaning is done, you should let it air dry before you put everything back together. Finally, try to get in the habit of cleaning as you go – you’ll really save yourself a lot of time and scrubbing that way and your Air Fryer will always be pristine.

Thanks so much for reading and we hope to see you again soon!

Kitchen Professor author
About the Author: David McLemore

David learned to cook at an early age after his mother told him that he couldn't live on pizza forever, Dave uses his modest kitchen skills to recreate sorely-missed recipes from home and to occasionally make new favorite ones from places he is visiting.

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