CHARLOTTE, N.C. — They're a hot item, an appliance lots of people own, want or plan to give as a holiday gift: the coveted air fryer.
But a viral Facebook post now has some asking questions over the device's safety. Cindy Jennings posted a picture of what she said is her charred kitchen, writing, in part:
... what caused this was our air fryer. We left it plugged in and when the electric [sic] came back on it surged through it. We even had it plugged into a special outlet for protection- it failed anyway what i [sic] wanted to tell you was the fire inspector said this was the 6th air fryer fires [sic}] he’s had to do, they (firefighters) are trying to get air fryer companies looked into because of all the fires. So please unplug your air fryers when not in use
The Question
Is it possible for an air fryer to spark a fire after being left plugged in?
The Sources
- Adam Ryerson, fire marshal for the City of Concord
- Instruction manuals for various air fryers
The Answer
Yes, it is possible for an air fryer to spark a fire after being left plugged in.
Several air fryer manuals make a point to tell users to unplug the appliance when it's not in use.
Ryerson said, in addition to always monitoring one's cooking, the city's fire education outreach also warns people to unplug any appliance that can generate heat when it's not in use.
He said the Facebook story is a plausible scenario -- especially if the person lost power and didn't realize the fryer was still turned on when the power came back on.
"Anytime you're dealing with a small appliance, if you're not using those appliances, go ahead and unplug them," Ryerson said. "That way, you know, if it's unplugged, that you're not leaving it turned on."
Being mindful of the on-off status of cooking devices is important, in general, Ryerson said. He also said people should avoid putting anything that might burn or catch fire, like a towel, near that device producing heat.
Separately, but important to note: some air fryer models were recalled this year due to fire and burn concerns, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports.
Best Buy recalled more than 700,000 Insignia air fryers in April after getting more than 100 reports of the devices overheating, sparking fires, and causing burns to people.
It is unclear if either was brand involved in the alleged fire from the viral Facebook post.
Contact Vanessa Ruffes at vruffes@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.