Ninja AF101 Air Fryer
Your air fryer blowing out cold air is a big concern because, without the hot air, your air fryer is nothing more than a fancy box with some buttons.
An air fryer blowing out cold air means its heating element is loose or damaged. If the heating element is loose, you should tighten the screws holding the coil in place with a screwdriver. On the contrary, if it is damaged, you need to replace it with a new one. You can check my recommendations for the Best Air Fryer Grill Combo.
Why Is My Air Fryer Blowing Cold Air?
Low Temperature
The most apparent reason is an error in human judgment. It is quite possible that you have set your air fryer temperature at a very low setting due to the hustle and bustle of cooking. As a result, your air fryer is blowing air that feels colder than how hot it can get at the maximum setting.
Solution: To solve this issue, check the temperature, increase it to the maximum, and see if it solves the problem. If your unit is still blowing cold air, move on and check the heating element.
Loose Heating Element
Another potential reason is the loose heating element. An air fryer heating element getting loose is a regular occurrence.
It is one way for your air fryer to show signs of aging after years of use. Cleaning of the air fryer might have loosened the screws holding the coil in its place.
Solution: Turn the unit upside down to access the heating element located above the cooking chamber—use a torch if you can’t see that section clearly.
A few screws hold the heating coil in its place. Use a screwdriver to tighten the screws. Once done, put the unit's right side up and plug it into the power socket.
If the problem was due to a loose heating element, tightening the screws will solve the fault.
Dirty Heating Element
Dirt, burnt-on grease, and food particles might be causing your air fryer to malfunction and not heat up.
The fan will blow out cold air when the heating element does not attain the right temperature.
Solution: For cleaning the air fryer heating element, turn the unit upside down to reach the heating element.
Use a soft sponge, dip it in warm soapy water and gently scrub the heating element. Later use a damp towel to clean the dislodged grease and food.
For deep cleaning, the air fryer, sprinkle some baking soda on the heating element and let it stay there for about fifteen minutes. Later use a soft brush to remove the grease. Clean the soapy residue with a damp towel and wipe with a dry towel.
Getting Insufficient Voltage
Your air fryer is blowing cold air, probably because it is not receiving enough power. This might be happening because the voltage of the power coming from the main supply is fluctuating and insufficient.
Solution: Check the voltage on the mains supply board to see the fluctuations in the voltage.
If you see rapid dips and surges in the voltage, it is better to unplug the air fryer and wait until the main supply voltage stabilizes.
Voltage fluctuations impact your air fryer's performance and can burn any of its elements.
Dysfunctional Heating Element
If there is no other reason for the air fryer to blow out cold air, finally, it is likely that your air fryer heating element is not working or is broken.
Solution: When the heating element is broken, you are left with only one option— to replace the heating element.
Replacing the air fryer heating element is not possible at home, so it is better to call the customer care department of your air fryer manufacturer.
What is the heating element in an air fryer?
The heating element is the coil, mostly located above the food compartment, responsible for producing heat. It is coupled with a large and powerful fan.
The coil heats up and increases the temperature inside the food chamber, and the fan circulates the heat for cooking food.
Why won't the air fryer go above 200?
If you have a Celsius-based air fryer, then 200C is its max limit. Therefore, it won’t go beyond 200. But if you have a Fahrenheit based air fryer, there might be a fault in the heating element, which does not let it go beyond 200F.
Wrapping Up!
An air fryer cooks food due to the heat produced by the heating element and blown around by the powerful fan. Some issues can cause your air fryer to blow out cold air instead of hot air. The problem of your Air fryer not heating up can be due to many reasons. These reasons and their solutions are mentioned in the article above. Check each of these reasons one by one to locate the problem. If the problem is with your heating element, you will have no other option but to replace it with a new one.