The key step you should never forget when cooking in an...

They haven't been on the scene for a long time, but for thousands of UK households, the air fryer is now an essential piece of kitchen kit. Initially sold as a healthier alternative for crisping up chips and grilling the perfect chicken breast, the micro-ovens are now used in households across the world to prepare a variety of meals.

Image Credit: Mail Online [Though it might seem obvious, it's an important to differentiate between things that work well in a pan or deep fryer , but which should skip air-fryer]

The countertop appliances cook by circulating hot air around a drawer to quickly and evenly cook food. But while millions of people now say the air fryer is their go-to kitchen appliance for healthy and speedy meals, they may not even be using the ovens correctly.

Image Credit: Mail Online [The devices aren't designed to reach extremely temperatures and therefore won't be able to reach a heat high enough to pop the kernels.]

Caroline Ross David e Silva, a product marketing director at Cuisinart, has shared the vital step many people are forgetting when cooking food in the air fryer. Speaking to the Express, she revealed there are several food preparation steps amateur cooks should consider before cooking that will help better maintain their air fryer.

Image Credit: Mail Online [Unsurprisingly, neither grains or uncooked pasta shells will go down very well in the air-fryer since both by nature need to absorb water to cook]

She recommended patting down foods to remove excess moisture before using the air fryer - a step that many people forget to do. Caroline explained removing excess moisture will help reduce grease left in the air fryer, which will in turn keep the appliance in better condition long-term.

Image Credit: Mail Online [This vegetable in particular isn't great because it's so easy to get wrong. 'When done in the air fryer, it tends to dry out. This makes it chewy and releases more of the compound that makes it bitter.' she explained]

Similarly, there are plenty of foods you shouldn't attempt to cook in the air fryer altogether. Here, FEMAIL reveals the items that should stay away from the appliance... They've not been on the scene long but air fryers have quickly become one of the most used kitchen appliances in the UK.

Image Credit: Mail Online [Writing for Real Simple, chef and consumer test kitchen specialist, Laurie Klein explained: 'The worst foods for air frying have sauces or batters']

Anything coated in wet batter. Though it might seem obvious, it's an important to differentiate between things that work well in a pan or deep fryer , but which should skip air-fryer. Though it might seem obvious, it's an important to differentiate between things that work well in a pan or deep fryer, but which should skip air-fryer.

According to Poppy O’Toole, the self-titled Potato Queen and author of Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook, the air-fryer is not the place for beer-battered fish or cauliflower wings. ‘It needs that contact heat of hot oil to cook, rather than the non-contact heat of an air fryer,’ she wrote. ‘Otherwise you just end up with mess and a little bit of crunchy batter.’.

According to Which?, some batters can work but provisions need to be made. 'Air fryers aren’t the most appropriate appliance for cooking foods with wet batter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cook cakes, pancakes or onion rings. You just have to do it correctly.'.

The consumer company suggested adding a dry coating of breadcrumbs or flour before cooking to avoid letting it drip through the trays. For cakes and desserts, do not pour batter directly into the tray but instead used a silicone tin or oven-safe glass bowl, cake tin or mould.

Popcorn. The devices aren't designed to reach extremely temperatures and therefore won't be able to reach a heat high enough to pop the kernels. Although mini-ovens can handle nearly anything, popcorn sadly isn't one of them. The devices aren't designed to reach extremely temperatures and therefore won't be able to reach a heat high enough to pop the kernels.

The microwave is tried and tested and still the best port of call for a popcorn. Uncooked pasta and rice. Unsurprisingly, neither grains or uncooked pasta shells will go down very well in the air-fryer since both by nature need to absorb water to cook. Unsurprisingly, neither grains or uncooked pasta shells will go down very well in the air-fryer since both by nature need to absorb water to cook.

But it can offer an quick and easy option to heat up a lasagne, where each of the components has already been cooked separately. Further, air-fryer is the perfect place for crisping up some arancini balls, since again, the risotto will already have been through a round of cooking.

Broccoli. This vegetable in particular isn't great because it's so easy to get wrong. 'When done in the air fryer, it tends to dry out. This makes it chewy and releases more of the compound that makes it bitter.' she explained. According to consumer journalist Grace Forell, broccoli should be avoided when it comes to the air fryer.

This vegetable in particular isn't great because it's so easy to get wrong. 'When done in the air fryer, it tends to dry out. This makes it chewy and releases more of the compound that makes it bitter.' she explained. Instead, she suggested going the usual methods of roasting, steaming or boiling.

Sauce heavy foods. Writing for Real Simple, chef and consumer test kitchen specialist, Laurie Klein explained: 'The worst foods for air frying have sauces or batters'. Foods that are laden with sauce can pose a similar drip risk to the wet batter. Writing for Real Simple, chef and consumer test kitchen specialist, Laurie Klein said: 'The worst foods for air frying have sauces or batters.'.