Expert issues warning on one type of oil you should never use in your air fryer

Nowadays, you'd likely be in the minority if your kitchen failed to house an air fryer.

After all, these viral culinary staples work faster, cook crispier and are significantly small than traditional ovens.

And with TikTok videos giving insights into the quick and easy recipes that you can rustle up in an air fryer, it's no surprise that everyone is trying to get their hands on one.

What many at-home chefs don't realise, however, is that there are actually a handful of rarely-discussed rules that owners of these appliances must obey to give their air fryer a longer life.

Air fryers have fast become a kitchen staple. (Getty/kajakiki)

An expert previously shut down the widespread belief that the perfect way to cook bacon rather than with lashings of oil in a frying pan is in an air fryer.

That's right, dietitian Brenda Peralta warned users that due to the high fat content it's a bad idea to cook the sweet salty pork strips in this device.

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."

On top of the mess it makes, if you're planning on whipping up a full breakfast spread during a catch up with pals, Brenda says you're best using a pan or a grill.

"The air fryer basket may not be large enough to accommodate a large quantity of bacon," she explained. "This can make it difficult to cook a lot of bacon at once, which can be inconvenient if you are cooking for a group."

Bacon in the airfryer should be avoided at all costs. (LauriPatterson/Getty)

It isn't just the types of food that you cook inside your air fryer that can either make or break your trustee device, however.

No, it's also what you cook your food in - AKA, the oil.

Let us first be clear, not all foods cooked inside an air fryer need oil - primarily frozen food, like chips, chicken nuggets, etc.

That said, though, the majority of meals do need a helping hand from oil to set them off on their sizzling journey, but one common type of oil should apparently be avoided at all costs.

Avocado oil is absolutely fine, due to its a neutral flavour and richness in unsaturated fats.

As is light olive oil, which has a longer shelf life than many other products.

Such is also the case for clarified butter, sunflower oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil and refined coconut oil.

Which oil should be avoided? (Getty/Bloomberg Creative)

So, when it comes to the one type of oil you should totally stay away from when using your air fryer, it's non-stick oil - specifically one that's served in a spray bottle.

According to The Foodie Physician, this type of oil can 'damage the lining of the air fryer basket'.

If, however, you insist on using a spray, their experts recommend a non-aerosol pump-style oil spray, which has no propellant and is air fryer safe.

Either that, or buy a refillable oil sprayer or mister and fill it with a high smoke point oil, they say, being that it allows you to disperse a small amount of oil evenly over the food.