Best Oil for Air Fryer Cooking (and How to Apply It)

Key Takeaways:

• Our rule of thumb: choose an oil whose smoke point is at or above the temperature you set on your air fryer.
• On a 2014 University of Illinois Extension chart, extra virgin olive oil smokes at 320°F, canola at 400°F and pure olive oil, a refined blend, at 465°F.
• Published smoke points for the same oil vary by source and oil quality. If your bottle lists one, go by the bottle.
• A University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension air fryer recipe uses just ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil for 2 cups of green beans.
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil is about 40 calories, worked out from USDA FoodData Central figures.

Do You Even Need Oil in an Air Fryer?

Not always. University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Extension says air fryers "use very little or no oil during the cooking process," and its air fryer green bean recipe uses just ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil for 2 cups of beans. So oil is optional, and you may need less of it than you'd expect.

We still add a little when we want a crisper outside, or seasoning that clings to the food instead of ending up in the basket. If a recipe needs neither, skip it.

Oil is calorie-dense, which is why a small amount matters. USDA FoodData Central lists olive oil (its "salad or cooking" entry) at 884 calories per 100 grams, with 13.5 grams in a tablespoon and 4.5 grams in a teaspoon. That works out to about 119 calories per tablespoon and about 40 per teaspoon.

Watch the label, too. Olive oils sold as "light" or "mild" are named for their milder flavor, and University of Illinois Extension notes that "the name does not mean they are lower in calories."

If you've been using canned spray to keep the oil down, our roundup of cooking spray alternatives lays out other options.

Which Oil Works Best at Air Fryer Temperatures?

Our rule: pick an oil whose smoke point is at or above the temperature you set on your air fryer. On a 2014 University of Illinois Extension chart, canola sits at 400°F, vegetable oil at 400–450°F and extra virgin olive oil at 320°F. Illinois, whose article doesn't cover air fryers, points to oils of "at least 400 °F" for "frying, searing, grilling."

Illinois defines smoke point as "the temperature at which oil or fat gives off smoke." Lining its numbers up against your air fryer's setting is our own reasoning.

Published smoke points for the same oil vary by source and by oil quality, so you may see a different number for extra virgin olive oil elsewhere. We use this one chart throughout so the numbers line up. If your bottle lists a smoke point, go by the bottle for that oil.

Oil	Smoke point (°F, 2014 Illinois Extension chart)	Best air fryer use (our call)	Flavor
Extra virgin olive oil	320	Lower-heat recipes, or drizzled on after cooking	Distinct flavor
Olive oil ("pure" or regular, a refined blend)	465	High-heat recipes	Milder than extra virgin
Canola	400	High-heat recipes	Neutral
Vegetable oil	400–450	High-heat recipes	Neutral
Safflower oil	510	High-heat recipes	Neutral
Butter	350	Lower-heat recipes	Buttery
Coconut oil	350	Lower-heat recipes	Distinct flavor if unrefined

Extra virgin olive oil for lower-heat recipes

The Illinois chart puts extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) at 320°F, well below the 465°F it lists for pure olive oil. Illinois suggests you "reserve this type to use in salads or as a condiment." By our rule, it suits lower-heat recipes and works as a finishing drizzle.

If your recipe runs hotter than the number on your chart or bottle, cook with another oil and save the EVOO for the end.

Canola and vegetable oil for high heat

In a stir-fry example, Illinois compares EVOO at 320°F with canola at 400°F and picks canola for stir-frying. It also calls both oils neutral-tasting, so they stay out of the way of your seasoning.

Pure olive oil when you need more heat than EVOO

Plain "olive oil," also called pure olive oil, is not the same as extra virgin. Illinois describes it as "a blend of refined oil and virgin or extra virgin" and notes that it "has also been refined, which causes loss of flavor." The chart lists it at 465°F.

So if you want to cook with olive oil at higher settings, this is the bottle with room to spare.

Oils that smoke below your air fryer setting

Butter and coconut oil both sit at 350°F, below the 375°F in UNL's green bean recipe, and flaxseed oil smokes at 225°F. If your setting is above an oil's smoke point, pick another oil.

Illinois Extension is direct about smoking oil: "Once oil starts smoking it's no longer fit for consumption and should be discarded." Avocado oil isn't on the Extension chart, so check the bottle for a smoke point before you cook with it.

How Do You Apply Oil in an Air Fryer?

Coat the food, not the basket, with a thin, even layer. Toss it in a bowl or a bag (UNL Extension's green bean recipe uses a bag), or mist it with a refillable sprayer. Don't crowd the basket, because UNL warns that in an overfilled one, foods "will not cook evenly," and shake it partway through.

Mist or toss for an even coat

Tossing is the no-gadget way. Measure the oil with a spoon, add it to the bag or bowl with your seasoning, and shake until every piece looks lightly shiny. UNL's recipe does this in a bag with ½ teaspoon of oil plus salt and pepper, then shakes the basket at 5 minutes of a 10-minute cook.

Misting is handy when the food is already in the basket, or for a quick extra coat after you shake it. A refillable sprayer like our Olive Oil Sprayer lays down a thin, even coat with far less oil than pouring.

Both methods work, so use whichever fits your kitchen. For how we chose ours, see our sprayer review.

Signs you used too much oil:

• Oil pooling: Liquid oil sits in the bottom of the basket or drawer after cooking.
• Smoke while cooking: You see smoke from the air fryer. Use less next time, and check your oil's smoke point against your setting.
• Soft, shiny surface: The outside looks glossy and feels soft instead of dry and crisp.
• Dripping pieces: Food drips oil when you lift it out with tongs.

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Can You Use Cooking Spray in an Air Fryer?

That depends on your air fryer, so check what its manual says about sprays before you use one in the basket. UNL Extension's general advice is to "check out the operator's manual" to learn how your air fryer works. If your manual allows sprays, a refillable sprayer lets you spray just the oil you pour into it.

For what's inside the can itself, see our breakdown of cooking spray ingredients and five alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What oil should you not use in an air fryer?

Our rule: avoid any oil whose smoke point is below the temperature you've set. On the 2014 Illinois Extension chart, butter and coconut oil smoke at 350°F, below the 375°F in UNL's green bean recipe, and flaxseed oil smokes at 225°F. If oil starts smoking, Illinois Extension says it "should be discarded."

Can you use extra virgin olive oil in an air fryer?

Yes, at lower settings. The 2014 Illinois Extension chart lists it at 320°F and suggests you "reserve this type to use in salads or as a condiment." Comparing that number with your setting is our reasoning, not Illinois Extension's; for hotter recipes, pure olive oil (465°F) or canola (400°F) gives you more room.

How much oil do you need in an air fryer?

Less than you might think. UNL Extension's air fryer green bean recipe uses ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil for 2 cups of beans, which makes 4 servings. For scale, 1 teaspoon of olive oil is about 40 calories, based on USDA FoodData Central figures.

Can you use cooking spray in an air fryer?

Check your air fryer's manual first, since the answer depends on the model. If it allows sprays, a refillable sprayer is an oil-only option: it holds just the oil you pour in.

Is an oil sprayer better than a brush for an air fryer?

They suit different jobs. A sprayer lays a thin, even coat over a whole basket of food, while a brush lets you paint oil onto individual pieces.