The Ultimate Air Fryer Rattling Noise Fix Guide
Important Note: When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Content, pricing, offers and availability are subject to change at any time - more info.
Is your air fryer making a rattling noise, but you just can’t seem to figure out what the problem is? Fortunately, this fairly common issue is typically only caused by a handful of things. We’ve got all the necessary troubleshooting steps and advice on how to stop the incessant noise once and for all coming up in our ultimate air fryer rattling noise fix guide.
Key Takeaways
- If your air fryer is making a rattling noise that simply wasn’t present when you first bought it, and it’s still under warranty, return it. Every manufacturer will either replace or repair a rattling air fryer, as this is not part of its normal operation. Whether this is something as basic as a fan needing tightening or a more serious fault, this will be the best way to get it fixed without an exorbitant expense.
- Check the placement of the basket or rack first to make sure that it isn’t rattling. Follow up by ensuring the air fryer is clean without any debris stuck to the inside, heating element, or fan. Finally, depress the lid and exterior housing to affirm that it’s closed and/or locked into place. After these steps, the only other fix to try is tightening any mounting screws accessible.
- A persistent rattling noise poses no danger, but it is an extremely irritating tone that your air fryer shouldn’t be making. If the unit is clean without an excessive grease buildup, which in turn means that the basket fits properly and there are no other signs of loose panels or the like, then you’ll have to put up with the sound, send the unit in for repair or replace the air fryer.
- Before deciding to tighten screws and mountings or open up/disassemble your air fryer in any way, please note that this will render your warranty void. Only attempt technical fixes if your appliance is no longer under warranty. Otherwise, simply return it to where it was purchased, and most retailers will be happy to help with either tech support or the name of a good repair agent.
- Key Takeaways
- Do Air Fryers Make Noise?
- Why Is My Air Fryer Making A Rattling Noise?
- Issues Out Of Your Direct Control
- Air Fryer Customer Support
- Air Fryer Rattling Noise – Frequently Asked Questions
Do Air Fryers Make Noise?
Air fryers generally emit a sound that’s roughly as loud as a microwave. With certain air fryers, it’s a little louder. The 60 to 65-decibel noise emitted is a combination of the sound of the fan spinning and the buzz of the heating element. One should expect to hear a low-pitched buzzing sound that’s best described as a hum. There shouldn’t be any rattling, or there is likely something wrong.
Why Is My Air Fryer Making A Rattling Noise?
Whether or not the rattling noise of your air fryer is fixable depends on its cause. In many cases, small adjustments are capable of quieting an air fryer significantly. However, if there’s a mechanical fault, you’ll need to know DIY in order to service or oil the motor. Follow these troubleshooting steps to isolate the source behind your noisy air fryer.
Ensure The Air Fryer Is On A Flat Surface
While this should go without saying, placing an air fryer on an uneven surface is likely to cause it to wobble, which may be at the root of the rattling sound you’re struggling with. As a very first step, ensure the counter is flat and the bottom of the air fryer is free from debris so that it sits evenly on the surface.
Give The Air Fryer A Good Clean
If there are any “crumbs” or other waste left attached to the fan blades or in place within or underneath the air fryer, then they’re sure to make a noise while it’s in operation. Loose debris often gets stuck in the fan itself, so clean it well and give it a shake. More often than not, it’ll be a thick layer of grease that makes the air fryer basket fit unevenly and rattle.
Check Basket/Rack Fitment
The simplest issue to resolve that frequently causes an incessant rattling is the incorrect placement of the air fryer basket or rack. Ensure that it is neatly aligned into place so that there’s no movement whatsoever. Sometimes, even the rack being pressed too far back into the fryer will cause noise due to the misalignment.
Degrease Your Air Fryer
If an excess amount of grease has built up around the region where the air fryer basket fits into place, it may not align properly. This, as aforementioned, will result in a rattling sound in the background. Clean your air fryer thoroughly while taking care to avoid scratching the non-stick surface, then make sure that the basket is securely in place before locking the unit tightly.
The easiest way to degrease an air fryer is using the advice in the viral TikTok above from @maverickmcbee. Fill an air fryer-safe dish, such as the baking tray, with a little soapy water. Close up your air fryer and let it cook at 370°F for 3 minutes. Dispense, rinse and wipe clean. Unfortunately, this won’t get rid of stubborn grease that’s built up multiple layers.
To get rid of stubborn baked-on grease, create a sticky paste from three to four parts baking soda to one part water. Scrub the air fryer with this paste and a soft brush like a toothbrush or dishwashing sponge but leave the paste on once applied everywhere for 30 to 40 minutes. You’ll find that the grease rinses away easily after a baking soda soaking.
Clean The Inside, Fan & Heating Coil
Unplug your air fryer, remove the basket and turn it upside down. Unless you’ve got a completely sealed unit, this will make it easier to reach the heating coil. Look for any debris that may be stuck to the coil or the area surrounding it. If there is debris stuck to the heating coil or fan, then use a soft brush to gently clear the dirt away. Don’t use a wire brush or one with hard bristles, or you could damage the element. Flip the air fryer back over, turn it on and allow it to run for a few minutes without any food in and then give it a final clean to remove all food bits that may have been stuck.
Confirm That The Fan Blades Aren’t Warped
Look underneath your unit and isolate the fan. Inspect the blades for any signs of warping. If they are bent in any way, and you can’t resolve the issue by straightening them gently by hand, then the fan itself will need replacement. Parts are available online, but most users will need the help of a technician to fit a new fan.
Feel For Loose Panels
The vibration emitted from a constantly rotating fan and humming heating coil can shake the plastic panels making up the air fryer and its control panel loose. If you suspect this to be the problem, simply press down firmly on the touch controls, lid, and general housing of the air fryer section by section. If there’s anything loose, this will cause it to make a clicking sound as it locks back in place.
Listen Closely To The Fan
Most often, it’s the air fryer fan rattling noise that you hear when your appliance starts acting up. The fan is also about the only sound you hear when an air fryer is on, other than the faint hum of its heating coil. Find the fan and listen carefully. It will be quite obvious when the fan has either shaken itself loose from its mounting, bent a blade, developed a layer of debris, or begun to otherwise fail.
Each revolution stresses the bearings of a fan. Eventually, with enough wear and tear, the spinning itself will become noisy. This can either be emitted as an irregular hum due to the speed being lower than intended due to damage incurred or much higher when the fan is still spinning fine, but the bearings are beginning to take strain. In either case, there’s nothing that you can do other than send the air fryer in for repairs. Unfortunately, unless you’ve got a really high-end air fryer, the cost of repairs is typically too high, making replacement the better option.
Tighten Up Wherever Possible
Now, there will be air fryer owners who prefer not to perform hands-on maintenance like this, but tightening up the screws underneath the appliance often silences an annoying rattle. Once again, flip the machine upside down and see if you can tighten any of the mountings as well as the fan if it is accessible. If the fan is loose, there’s typically a single nut securing the blade. Otherwise, the fan motor could be failing.
Issues Out Of Your Direct Control
As an electrical appliance, not every issue that arises will be able to be fixed by a home user. Those with a background in electronics, appliance repair, or experience with basic DIY have more options than others, but most of the time, a faulty air fryer with any of the following conditions will be able to be fixed by a repair agent. If all else fails and you’re forced to replace your air fryer, be sure to give our overview of the best air fryers with rotisserie a look.
Inaccessible Fan
If you can’t access the fan to determine whether or not the blade is loose, the motor is taking strain, or if the motor has lost its grip on the fan, it will typically be hidden in a chamber behind the heating coil. Removing the heating coil from this recess is something that only the technically inclined should attempt, and even then, the fan may already be tight and just faulty. If yours is inaccessible, we suggest sending it to a repair center or contacting the seller or manufacturer for support.
Loose Parts
When a concealed fan has rattled loose and is making a noise, or there are any other parts that aren’t in reach that may be rattling, sending your air fryer in for repairs will be the best bet. If yours is under guarantee, don’t hesitate otherwise, find an affordable agent and weigh the quoted cost of repair against procuring a new unit. Most of the time, the noise doesn’t pose any danger. It is just irritating.
Faulty Fan Or Heating Element
There will be times when the rattling noise of your air fryer is caused by a fan that needs replacing due to bent blades, a faulty fan motor, or a damaged heating coil. All of these problems can be resolved by an authorized repair agent, but there’s not much that one can do at home. If cleaning, alignment, and resolvable loose fittings aren’t the cause, contact your manufacturer.
Air Fryer Customer Support
In almost all cases, the best way to resolve any issues with an air fryer, regardless of whether or not it is still under warranty, is to contact the manufacturer. Here are direct links to customer support portals for the most common air fryers available.
- Aigostar
- Amazon Basics
- Aria
- Beautiful by Drew Barrymore
- Bella
- Black+Decker
- Brentwood Appliances
- Chefman
- Cosori
- Crux Kitchen
- Cuisinart
- Dash
- Drew
- Elite Gourmet
- Emeril Lagasse
- Farberware
- GoWise
- Gourmia
- Hamilton Beach
- Insignia
- Instant Home (Vortex)
- Kalorik
- Magic Bullet
- National Presto Industries
- Ninja Kitchen
- NuWave
- Oster
- Paula Deen
- Philips
- PowerXL
- Proctor Silex
- SAKI
- Sur La Table
- T-Fal
- Williams Sonoma
- Wolfgang Puck
Air Fryer Rattling Noise – Frequently Asked Questions
Is your rattling air fryer still leaving you with unanswered questions? Don’t worry. We’ve got all the answers you need coming up.
Your air fryer should make a steady hum, and after a few minutes of running, the fan will switch on. There shouldn’t be any rattling or any other obscure sounds other than a slight popping sound. This infrequently occurs during the first few moments of heating due to the expansion of the metal of the air fryer itself, which is completely normal.
Most air fryers are a little louder than a microwave. The average volume of most entry-level air fryers ranges between 40 and 65 decibels which is no louder than a vacuum cleaner at its worst but roughly as noisy as a microwave on average.
According to extensive testing from Consumer Reports, the Williams Sonoma Open Kitchen Digital Air fryer at 3.6-quart capacity is the quietest air fryer at just under 40-decibel noise level with reliable operation, long-lasting durability, simple controls, and a stylish overall look. The Chefman TurboFry range is also praised for its quiet operation across most models.
Air fryers can be serviced as long as there is no damage to the circuitry. Electronic repairs are typically far too costly to warrant fixing, no matter how high-end your air fryer may be. However, the fan blades, fan motor, heating coil, and many other components like bolts and screws are readily available online and can be replaced easily.
