Vogue Williams is guilty of a big air fryer mistake that could kill your appliance - you’re probably making the same faux pas, too

Presenter and current I’m a Celeb star, Vogue Williams, frequently blesses my Instagram algorithm, sharing recipes and glimpses into her home life. And it was during one of her recipe tutorials that I spotted Vogue was making a huge air fryer mistake - and it turns out I’m guilty of it, too.

It seems the best air fryer is an important part of any working kitchen these days, as everyone from the top chefs to our favourite influencers and ourselves uses one to whip up quick, easy and healthy meals. Honestly, I’m not sure what I’d do without mine.

But these handy appliances are not indestructible, unfortunately. And if, like Vogue, you're guilty of storing items on top of your air fryer, air fryer experts want you to stop right now.

In an Instagram post demonstrating how to make chicken dust chicken and broccoli, I was quick to spot Vogue’s cult Ninja Foodi (was £119.99, now £99.99 at Argos). It’s easily one of the best budget air fryers as well as one of the best Ninja air fryers, and a popular choice in the kitchen amongst members of the Ideal Home team (myself included).

One reason the air fryer stood out to me is that it’s currently less than £100 at Argos, which is the lowest price we’ve ever seen this year, and the other was that her toaster was stacked on top of it.

‘Vogue's Ninja air fryer has been a bestseller since its launch in 2020, and even though we've tested dozens here at Ideal Home in the years since, it's remained our favourite two-drawer model. That's because it's supremely powerful and has plenty of room for family cooking as well as a good mix of settings. The 200-degree setting Vogue is using is the MAX CRISP function – a favourite in our tests too!' Molly Cleary, Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor, said.

But Molly was also quick to tell me that placing a toaster on top of the air fryer was a big air fryer mistake. In fact, when I asked, experts quickly told me that you should not be putting any items on top of your air fryer. Given that there are currently two cookbooks on top of mine, I’m also making this big mistake.

‘It’s not the best idea to store anything on top of an air fryer since they get very hot at the top and sides while in use. Storing items can just cause heat damage, and since many models vent through the top, blocking this area can simply lead to overheating,’ said Isabella Forgione, small appliance expert at AO.com.

‘Keeping items on your air fryer will also put pressure on the lid or drawer mechanism over time and reduce its lifespan. In future, it’s a far wiser idea to always keep the top of your air fryer clear and treat this appliance the same way you would your oven or hob.’

And specifically a toaster? Absolutely not.

‘You should refrain from storing other appliances like your toaster on top of an air fryer. For the same reasons, storing smaller appliances could block vents, damage the casing or even force overheating in some instances. You should really be storing your appliances separately and not stacking any of them,’ says Isabella.

Air fryer essentials

Well, that’s me off to find a new home for the clutter currently sitting on top of my Ninja air fryer. Have you also been guilty of making the same mistake?