Ninja Air Fryer Troubleshooting: (Ultimate Guide)

In this guide, we have described every probable cause and their fix for Ninja air fryer troubleshooting.

Table of Contents

Shut Off While Cooking?

Reasons: A loose plug, voltage drop, cracked cord, faulty outlet, or internal hardware failure are some of the possible reasons why the Ninja Air Fryer shuts off while cooking. Check each cause and correct the problem as instructed. However, replace the defective part if necessary.

Solution:

Connect the device with another outlet: As a faulty outlet can also stop the appliance from working, you must check the outlet status.

If you don’t have a multimeter to test the current outlet, use another room’s outlet.

If the Ninja air fryer doesn’t turn off on another outlet, it means the outlet you previously used for your appliance is faulty. So you have to fix the outlet.

Use Ninja air fryer in open space: Some individuals use a pantry, cabinets, and kitchen garage to place their appliances there. Closed spaces have ventilation problems.

Spaces like cabinets and panties have poor ventilation. The Ninja air fryer has a fan with required open surrounding around the device, so it gets air access.

Consider placing your appliance on the worktop. If your Ninja air fryer is overheating, it can also cause random shut-off cases. This will probably prevent it from overheating and random shutdowns.

Change power cord: You must see the condition of your appliance power cord. If it seems cracked or broken, consider replacing it. Don’t use any random power cord for replacement.

Just look at the model number and get new parts according to the model number.

The cord times cord seems good from the outside but has malfunctioned inside. must check both ends of the power cord.

Use fine socket: Ninja air fryer plug has standard-sized prongs similar to other appliance plugs. In case the socket you are using is too old, probably it has irregular holes for prongs.

If the socket has a loose connection with the plug, it can cause random power cuts and stop appliances randomly.

Use a socket where the plug has a proper connection. An extension cord is a great idea when it comes to using another socket in a single-socket room.

Air Fryer is Overheating?

Reasons: Using too much oil, overfilling ingredients, or lack of ventilation are some common causes of Ninja Air Fryer overheating. However, using oil as needed, not overfilling the material, and keeping the equipment in a well-ventilated area can prevent this problem.

Solution: The following are best practices to prevent overheating issues in air fryers:

Choose the best place for your appliance, ventilation is the number one requirement for every air fryer whether it is made by ninja or Breville. Sometimes we think the place we have chosen is right. But mistakenly we forgot to check the ventilation.

You can place your unit on counter space where it gets enough access to air. If the unit is placed in the pantry or cabinets then remove it from there. As you wanna stop overheating, a decent space like a worktop is suitable for air pryer placement.

Be sure the basket is not overfilled with food. Sometimes the dish we want to prepare is big and fills the air fryer basket fully. If this happens to you, be sure the dish doesn’t come close to the heating element.

However, the basket is big and you can put enough food inside it. You can also go with the large size basket having an air fryer, or cook the food in batches to overcome the overfilling.

Make sure every time you use the air fryer, use a little amount of oil. Consider checking the recipe oil requirement. Don’t use the instructions given for stove pans for specific recipes.

For example. If the dish needs 10ml oil in a pan of gas to get fried, it doesn’t mean that you should use the same amount of oil in the air fryer. So always use less possible oil in the basket, thus oil cannot cause overheating again.

Air Fryer Keeps Smoking?

Reasons: Using too much oil, grease stuck on the heating element, crumbs on the container, and the need for cleaning are some of the common causes of the Ninja Air Fire smoking. Also if the appliance inside the dish is burning, it can also give off smoke and smell.

Solution: Make sure the appliance is clean. The most common cause of this issue is food residue. If the basket is not clean from any part, consider cleaning it.

Most of the time, some individuals pay less attention to cleaning and maintenance of their appliances, which results in appliance working problems.

Here’s how you can clean the ninja air fryer:

Turn off the device and unplug it.

If the air fryer is just turned off recently, wait for some minutes before cleaning it. This is necessary as the heating elements take some minutes to cool down when get turned off.

Remove the basket from the device.

Have a piece of clean cloth, wipe under the basket and remove all the food residue.

Wash the basket with warm water.

Take the basket in open surroundings until it gets dry.

Wipe a clean cloth again on the appliance. (optional)

The Timer Not Working?

Reasons: Ninja Air fryer does not allow the user to set the time until the frying basket is not fit in its place. This is a default feature, not a fault in the appliance. On the contrary, If the timer is not working when the basket is there, you must try to reset the unit.

Solution: Here’s how you can fix an unworking time of the Ninja air fryer:

If the cooking drawer is inserted, put it in the air fryer. This will start the timer again.

If the cooking drawer is already inserted, check if it properly fits in the air fryer. You can also remove it and put it back for verifying its position.

If the drawer is already inserted properly and still not working, you should reset the timer. Follow the below steps to reset the timer of the ninja air fryer:

Remove the basket and insert it back into the device. Now, press the Start/Stop button during cooking, it will stop the cooking function and reset the timer. Start the function again and the timer will start working again.

Ninja Air Fryer Plug Gets Hot?

Reasons: Your Ninja Air Fryer’s plug has a loose connection to the socket which is the main reason why it gets hot. A loose connection generates heat and heat, increasing the resistance of the connection, and resulting in more heat. Use a cord extension where the appliance plugs in tightly.

Solution: The following are some necessary steps you should take to stop your air fryer plug from overheating.

Check if the outlet: Sometimes the poor wiring causes more resistance into the outlets, indirectly it also causes heat inside the outlet metal connections. Poor wiring can overload the outlet and cause heat with normal current flow.

So if the outlet is not well from the inside, this can overheat the connected plugs to it. Disassemble the cover of the outlet and look at the wiring, if any wire is capable only to flow less voltage, consider replacing it.

Air fryers usually consume high voltage, and if the wire is not capable of high voltage, it gets overheated with high voltage flow within seconds. And when the wiring is hot, it transmits the heat to other metal connections also.

Test the connection: Hold the plug and try to shake the connected plug. If the plug is easily shaking, this means the connection between the plug and the outlet is loose.

You have to choose the right outlet or socket where the Ninja air fryer plug will fit tightly. Thus it will get properly connected to the socket.

If you’re using it in the kitchen, where only one outlet is available, you have to choose another outlet whether you have to use the appliance in another room.

Use a Cord Extension: In case you don’t want to use your appliance in another room because of one outlet in the kitchen, you can use an extension cord.

Plugin the cord extension to the same socket where the appliance was connected. Now, plug in your air fryer to the extension cord.

You must see the extension cord socket must have a tight and proper connection with the plug. If the plug is still shaking in the extension cord’s socket, try another extension cord.

Air Fryer Won’t Open?

Reasons: The Ninja air fryer won’t open when some crumbs or any particles are stuck between the frying basket and the upper body. However, this will open when you push the frying basket forward yourself. Be sure the unit will not fall on the floor when you try to get off the stuck part. So do it slowly.

Solution:

First, if the unit is brand new and you have never used it before, you must see if there are manufacturing flaws or not. Look at all sides of the frying basket(it is a container where we insert food to cook).

If the basket is stuck and looks like it has material bonding with the upper part, there are manufacturing flaws. And also when something is knocking inside the unit. In this case, you should contact the manufacturer and ask for service.

If there is no manufacturing flaw but still it won’t open, intentionally look at the area where the basket top is attached to the device. If some dirt or crumb is there, they can only be removed when you try to open the basket forcefully.

Be sure nothing can break when you apply hard force. This will remove and open the stuck ninja air fryer.

Once it will open, you should consider cleaning it. Have a clean piece of cloth and wipe it on all sides of the basket.

Must clean the upper side where the heating element is located. Make sure the heating element is cool before cleaning the Ninja air fryer.

Air Fryer Leaking Grease?

Reasons: A ninja air fryer could leak grease for several reasons, such as cracked basket bottom, too much use of oil, and if the unit is new there may be manufacturing flaws. In addition, if the unit is not cleaned for many weeks, it can probably happen.

The following are best practices to fix a grease-leaking air fryer:

You should clean the appliance first. Remove the basket and remove the frying pan from it. Place each item on the counter space, use a clean piece of cloth and wipe it on every part of the air fryer.

Don’t use any chemical solution to clean out the appliance. Be sure everything is clean. put all parts back into the air fryer.

Reuse the appliance and see where it is leaking. If it stops leaking, the lack of cleaning was the problem. But if it is still leaking, address the part from where it spread the oil. If grease is leaking from the screws, tighten the screws.

If the unit is old and its cooking basket is broken or cracked, you can use a sealant that is compatible with broken plastic fixing. You must read the instructions given on sealant and check whether it is safe for use on food preparation appliances.

Ninja Air Fryer Keeps Saying Plug In?

Reasons: Ninja Air fryer can show a Plug In warning on the display when its circuit detects the plug prongs are not securely connected to an outlet. In addition, putting a too-cold dish to cook inside its basket can also represent this error.

Solution: The first thing you should do is check the cord connection with the outlet. Sometimes the outlet we use doesn’t provide sufficient voltage and causes electric power-related errors in the appliance. Be sure the cord is securely connected to the socket.

To check this, turn on the switch on the outlet. Hold the cord and shake it. If it is shaking, the loose connection is causing the error. Use a different outlet or cord extension to securely plug in the ninja air fryer.

However, you should also try another outlet if the cord is connected securely but still it keeps saying plugin.

On the other hand, if the food put inside the ninja air fryer basket is too cold, this can cause this error.

When the temperature prong is inserted in a cold dish and the temperature-controlled cook is on, this error can occur.

This is because the food should be warm, not cool when the user is cooking with a temperature-controlled cook. You can also contact ninja support if the unit is under warranty.

Reset the device if recent methods did not work. Unplug and plug in the unit at least 7 times, and reset it again and again until the display is not clear.

Ninja Air Fryer Keeps Saying Add Food?

Reasons: If your unit says Add Food, it means it is preheated and tells you to add food to the cooking basket. However, if the Ninja Air Fryer keeps saying add food, its sensor on the right corner of the grill fails to detect added food. So, clean this sensor to solve this problem.

Solution: The Following are Best Practices to fix add-food errors on ninja air fryers:

First of all, as we know this error comes off when the device detects no food in the basket. Thus, if you have not put the food inside the basket, add it now.

Just remove the basket from the appliance and add the item you want to prepare and insert the basket back into the appliance. If this was caused, the new error will stop displaying.

In case food is already added, remove the basket from the appliance. Take out the item and put it inside the basket. Turn off the device. Wait until it gets cooled as it was preheated. After 30 minutes, use a piece of cloth to clean the basket.

Clean the grill, basket, and all sides of the air fryer, especially where the sensor is located. Preheat the appliance again and add the food to the basket. Put the basket into the air fryer. See if the error goes or not. If the error is no longer displayed, all done.

In case cleaning the sensor doesn’t solve the problem, try to reset the appliance. To reset the ninja air fryer, press the start/stop button for 10 seconds, this will cancel all the programs and reset the unit.

Won’t Go Below 300?

Reasons: Ninja Air Fryer won’t go below 300 degrees if the Dehydrate function is not on. Press Dehydrate button to set the temperature below 300℉ and this will allow you to choose a range from 105 up to 195. However, you can’t do this with Air Fry, Roast, and Reheat functions.

Solution: You don’t need to do anything with the Ninja Air Fryer to fix it when it is not below 300 degrees. You just need to know how to operate or use it. It means you just have to change the mode from the control panel to make it below 300℉.

Why Does My Ninja Air Fryer Smell?

Reasons: New ninja air fryers usually smell like plastic. The odor will go after some use. However, if it doesn’t go away, be sure your unit is cleaned. Lack of maintenance and burning non-stick coating can also cause a smell.

Solution: The following are proven practices to get the smell out of your ninja air fryer:

If the unit is brand new, wait for a few days to let the smell go away automatically. If you don’t want to eat that much, just use the air fryer several times a day at the highest temperature. This will help a lot. Whether it is the first day of use, the results will be amazing.

Use the appliance at the highest temperature frequently during the day. Then remove its basket and wash the basket. Clean all the outer parts of the ninja air fryer with a clean cloth. Only the basket is washable. You can also use a vinegar solution for cleaning(optional).

Select an open space to use a device where it gets enough ventilation access.

You can also leave your air fryer outside (with the lids off) on a sunny day for one or two hours. As direct sunlight has a natural ability to eliminate odors.

Always use the air fryer at an appropriate temperature range.