Warning to new air fryer owners planning to cook bacon in airfryer over holidays

The humble air fryer has become a staple in households across the UK over the past few years but you need to be aware of the risks if you're planning to whack a few rashers of bacon in one.

Using hot air instead of oil to cook your food, the air fryer has been dubbed a 'healthier' alternative to an oven or grill.

With them also saving us time, money and a whole lot of faff, investing in the kitchen gadget is a bit of a no-brainer.

But, while social media is full of 'air fryer hacks,' there are certain things you should absolutely avoid cramming in there.

According to the BBC's Good Food section, you shouldn't put anything with wet batter or sauce-based dishes in your air fryer.

And, air fryers also weren't built to boil or steam foods - such as pasta or rice - so don't think even think about it.

Dietitian Brenda Peralta warns against cooking bacon in an air fryer (Getty Stock Images)

Then comes our beloved bacon, with dietitian Brenda Peralta warning that its fatty content could spell trouble.

Brenda told Huffington Post: "It is a fatty food, and when it is cooked in an air fryer, the fat can drip down and cause smoke or splatter.

"This can make the bacon difficult to cook evenly, and it can also produce a lot of smoke and odours."

Of course, more troublesome than the scent of bacon filling the air is the idea that it’s cooked unevenly - running the risk of food poisoning.

As well as this, the air fryer can become a bit of a hazard due to the build-up of bacon grease.

The bacon fat splatters out across the air fryer's heating element, causing the gadget to start smoking before a smell of burnt food fills the air.

It can cause problems such as strong odours, smoke and uneven cooking (Getty Stock Images)

And, if you want your plate of scran to look pretty, bacon can be particularly difficult to deal with.

Brenda continued: "A bacon strip is a small and delicate food, and it can be difficult to flip or remove from the air fryer basket without breaking it.

"The air fryer basket may not be large enough to accommodate a large quantity of bacon," the dietitian added.

"This can make it difficult to cook a lot of bacon at once, which can be inconvenient if you are cooking for a group."

So, if you're looking to put together a Full English over the Christmas holidays, you're best off sticking to a frying pan or grill.