Debate: Should you preheat the air fryer for frozen foods?

I was making a bag of frozen french fries from the store and had to choose between following the box instructions, which said to preheat, or skipping it to save time. I decided to skip the preheat and just put the fries in cold, cooking them for the full 15 minutes at 400 degrees. They came out okay, but a bit soggy in the middle. Has anyone tested both ways and found a real difference in crispness?

3 comments

3 Comments

aaron_perry2mo ago

Interesting, my results have been the opposite. I skip the preheat all the time and my fries come out fine, nice and crispy. Maybe it depends on the brand or how full the basket is.

viola_lopez302mo ago

Yeah, the preheat matters more than you'd think. That initial blast of hot air starts cooking the outside right away, which is what gives you the crisp. Without it, the fries just sit there warming up in a cold box, so they steam more than fry. That's why yours got soggy in the middle. I never skip it now, the extra couple minutes makes a huge difference in texture.

the_drew2mo ago

Totally agree with the preheat. It's like searing a steak. You need that high heat right away to lock in the texture. If the air fryer is just warming up, the food sweats out all its moisture first. That's what kills the crisp. I learned that the hard way with chicken wings. Soggy skin every time until I started waiting for the full preheat.