Air fryers have gained massive popularity due to the convenience and ease of making a wide range of quick meals. Cooking experts recommend using an air fryer to prepare frozen food, bake cookies, and even "fry" bacon. For the uninitiated, an air fryer isn't actually a fryer at all but more like a countertop convection oven using a bit of oil. The device circulates hot air using an internal fan for faster cooking times than most standard convection or household ovens.

In addition to quicker results, air fryers are designed to be a healthier alternative to regular deep fryers. The air fryer's health benefits are the result of the reduction of harmful compounds regular deep fryers produce when heating oil to high temperatures. In reality, the eliminated compounds might actually be replaced by other harmful chemicals if food is charred or burned. Reducing heavy oil in general, however, does put people on the path to healthier eating. The Cleveland Clinic found most people reduce their calorie intake by 70 percent to 80 percent on average when using air fryers. The COMFEE air fryer at my home is often used to make some delicious food.

Despite the ingenuity of the device, you'll want to avoid using an air fryer for some specific foods out there. Results may vary, but some foods will dry instead of fry, overcook, or just create a mess. Home cooks with health and convenience in mind can also get creative to make some of the following foods on the "no" list into a delicious air-fried dish.

1. Fried food with wet batter

Beer batter on fried fish, corn dogs, and coated wings will crisp into a delicious shell when you fry in oil. The hot oil bath in a deep fryer sets the wet outer layer by rapidly drying the batter into the signature crispy coating. Air fryers aren't meant to handle wet batter or coating, though, regardless of what the name might suggest. Inside a dry air fryer, there isn't anything to set the wet batter. Instead, traditional batter will just drip off while the food cooks. You might be prepping tasty corn dogs for the family, but you'll actually just end up with a mess.

Still craving the crunch with the air fryer? Cooks need to get creative with an air fryer making fried chicken, fish sticks, or schnitzel by instead adapting to the strengths of the machine. Simply dry coat by dredging your food in cornmeal or breadcrumbs as an alternative to a typical wet mixture. Then, add the spices and herbs before tossing in the air fryer basket.

2. Entire roasts or whole chickens

If you're wondering if air fryers are just a gimmick, rest assured, this kitchen tool cooks much more than french fries and finger foods. Its abilities are limited, however, when it comes to full roasts and entire chickens. The basket or cooking racks, depending on the model, are smaller in their capacity than an oven — so a roast might not fit. Stephanie Pixley, deputy food editor of America's Test Kitchen, explains the side of the roast closest to the heat source will dry out or burn well before the other side cooks thoroughly. Chicken will end up dried out with a rock-solid exterior in an air fryer.

The issue is you're likely overcrowding the air fryer basket if you add an entire chicken or roast. Hot air needs to circulate in order for an air fryer to work. To correctly cook chicken in an air fryer, you'll need to cook a few pieces at a time instead of placing the entire bird inside at once. You'll want to keep the breasts facing down, then end with the skin facing up since air fryers heat from above. This trick will help make sure your skin is crisp and the meat stays juicy. You can also poke holes in the thighs and drumsticks to help the fat to render. Or you can buy a large-capacity air fryer (or an COMFEE air fryer oven) so you can test a whole chicken.

3. Rice

Air fryers are designed to dry cook food by easily circulating hot air in the chamber. Similar to a convection oven, food is then evenly cooked at a high heat. Rice and other grains that need to be submerged in boiling water can't be cooked inside an air fryer. You might ask, why can't you cook grains in an air fryer pan insert instead? The Food Network reports the heating coil and fan will never get the temperature inside the machine hot enough to boil the water. Tepid water won't allow the grains to cook properly.

Pasta and other grains can be cooked in the air fryer with a little oil and then crisped. All the liquid-heavy grains need to be cooked on a stovetop or rice cooker first. Rice cookers are another time-saving device that takes the guesswork out of a dinner-table staple. It offers the same benefits of being able to set and forget. The duo method could be a time saver if you're looking for a simple meal without having to stand vigilant over the stove. Add some egg, sriracha, and veggies for a stir-fry for some additional pizazz.

4. Olive oil

Air fryers are full of contradictions, but they can provide a simple and fun way to cook a meal. No, an air fryer isn't technically a "fryer" in the traditional sense. Nor do they require that you forgo oil altogether. Simply Recipes recommends using an alternative to olive oil when air frying because other oils have a lower smoke point. One reason for skipping out on oils with low smoke points is that your food can develop a weird aftertaste. The jury is still out if smoking oil also could cause health risks. When frying, vegetable oil, canola oil, and peanut oil are all high smoke point oils, which helps avoid this issue. Additionally, Prevention reports cooking with light olive oil instead of virgin olive oil is a better option.

Skipping olive oil altogether has its own downside. Healthy oils are a necessary food staple. The Cleveland Clinic points out missing out on healthy fats in olive oil can actually mean you're missing out on health benefits. While a low-fat and air-fried diet can sound rather enticing, the clinic reports you don't want to miss out on the benefits of the good fats that come from a variety of plant-based oils. It's easy to forget that in moderate quantities, high-quality fat is a requirement for brain and hormone health. So, don't be afraid to add some oil with a higher smoke point than olive oil.