You bought that air fryer specifically to eat healthier.
No one told you what’s coming off in that basket.
These are 7 reasons to replace it.
Quick, little oil, and the kids like it. Exactly why you bought it. Only there’s a layer in that basket that doesn’t belong there-and every time, a tiny bit comes off.
01That chemical smell during first use never really went away
Remember unboxing it? The manual said you should run it empty for half an hour first. Preferably with a window open.
You switched it on and the whole kitchen smelled like a strong, chemical factory odor. You thought: it’s new, that’s normal. And after a few times cooking, you didn’t smell it anymore.
Only that smell didn’t disappear; your nose simply got used to it. What you smelled back then were the first “harmless” fumes from factory residues and the non-stick coating. Every time that basket hits 200 degrees, those chemical coatings-and any forever chemicals (like PFAS)-get heated up intensely again. You may not smell it anymore, but it’s still happening.
02Take a look in your basket. That black layer shouldn’t be coming loose in there
Pull it out for a moment and look at it at an angle against the light. Scratches? Dull spots? An edge that’s curling up?
That black layer is a non-stick coating. A layer on the metal, not a property of the metal itself. And if a layer comes off, it’s gone somewhere.
You cook your kids’ fries in it. Week after week.
03PFOA-free on the box doesn’t mean there’s no PFAS in it
This is the point where people get angry-and we get that.
PFAS is an umbrella term for thousands of substances. PFOA is one of them, and it’s banned. So a product can be called PFOA-free and still contain other substances from that same family.
So there’s something on the box that’s technically true. But the feeling it gives you isn’t.
You did your homework. You chose consciously. And you still ended up stuck with a half-truth.
04The Dutch Consumers’ Association tested five air fryers. None could be proven PFAS-free
Test of five air fryers, 2025 Five popular models. Not the cheapest on the market-just brands that sit on the countertop in half the Netherlands.
Not a single one could be confirmed to contain no PFAS. Some brands didn’t even give a clear answer when asked about it.
So it’s not that you bought the wrong brand. It’s in almost the entire category.
05And what you take in, doesn’t come back out
PFAS aren’t called forever chemicals for nothing. These substances hardly break down at all. Not in nature, and not in your body either.
The RIVM says that virtually everyone in the Netherlands has PFAS in their blood, and that through food and drinking water we already take in more than is considered healthy.
We’re not going to tell you to panic. Just this: anything that doesn’t get in, you never have to get out again.
06Buying a new air fryer doesn’t solve it
Non-stick. Marble. Diamond. Every time a brand makes the news, a new word appears on the box. Same idea every time: a layer on top of the metal.
And every layer wears down. From heat, from airflow, from cleaning. That’s not bad luck - that’s simply what a layer does.
So you can buy a better coating. And in two years, you’ll be right back in exactly the same place.
07Meanwhile, your countertop is full of appliances that can only do one thing
You got the air fryer on Black Friday. The toaster came with your move. The microwave was already there when you bought the house. And the deep fryer sits in the shed, because you don’t want that smell indoors.
You never bought them all on the same day, so you never add it up. Four plugs, four things to clean - and together they do what one could do.
And in two years, it starts all over again. Because by then, that coating is worn out.
So what’s really going on?
That first “burn-in smell” from your air fryer? That’s a myth.
Almost every manual tells you to do it: run the appliance empty for half an hour before first use. Preferably with a window open. But why does nobody ask why that’s necessary?
A healthy kitchen appliance shouldn’t need to air out first.
So what exactly are you smelling?
Heated plastic. Above about 180 degrees, plastic parts start giving off volatile substances. That’s what you smell the first time you use it - and it’s exactly what you stop smelling afterward, even though it’s still happening.
Why don’t I smell it anymore after a few times?
That’s a trick your nose - and the appliance - plays on you. The first thick factory layer really does burn off after a few uses. The smell becomes less intense. But it doesn’t disappear. With every heat-up, coatings keep releasing invisible micro-particles. Your nose simply gets used to it, which makes you think it’s gone.
Is this really harmful, or are you exaggerating?
We’re not going to tell you to be scared. But this: AD wrote about Cynthia, who lost her birds because of the fumes from an overheated pan. Birds’ breathing is much more sensitive than ours, so they notice it first. That’s not proof about humans. But it does show those fumes are real and not imagined.
If a layer comes off, it has gone somewhere
This is the point where most people go quiet for a moment. A scratch isn’t a cosmetic flaw. A scratch means material is missing.
And “gone” is not “disappeared.”
What exactly is that black layer?
A non-stick coating, usually based on PTFE. It’s sprayed onto the metal and baked on. So it’s not a property of the material itself—it’s a layer on top.
How do I know if mine is still OK?
Take out the basket and look at it at an angle against the light. Do you see scratches, dull spots, or an edge that’s curling up? Then the coating is damaged. If in doubt, it’s the same as with pans: if the coating is damaged, it shouldn’t be used with food anymore.
Why PFOA-free means so little
This is what almost every brand gets away with. They name one substance that’s been removed and stay quiet about the rest of the family.
Technically true. And still misleading.
Five airfryers testedNone of them were demonstrably PFAS-free.Consumers’ Association, test of five airfryers → What’s the difference between PFOA and PFAS?
PFAS is the umbrella term for thousands of substances. PFOA is one of them, and it’s banned. So a product can be called PFOA-free and still contain other PFAS. That’s why that label means so little.
Why are they allowed to say that?
Because it’s not a lie. PFOA is simply banned in the Netherlands. So yes, there really is no PFOA in your airfryer. Manufacturers just often swap that substance for another chemical variant. It’s legal, but still chemical.
What does PFAS actually do in your body?
In short: it’s pure poison. PFAS never breaks down and builds up in your body forever. And yes, that’s dangerous. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the RIVM have now officially classified the best-known PFAS variant as carcinogenic to humans. Long-term exposure is demonstrably linked to kidney and testicular cancer, disrupted cholesterol, and a weakened immune system that makes you get sick more easily.
Unfortunately, in the Netherlands we already take in far too much of these forever chemicals through our food and drinking water. The logic is simple: every microgram you can avoid through heated kitchen appliances is a pure win.
Okay. So what should you do instead?
This is the question everyone asks once it clicks. Because you don’t want to wait an hour every evening. You just want food on the table fast, without anything in it that shouldn’t be there. So we first went through everything you’ll find in an average kitchen.
There’s one appliance in your kitchen that never has a non-stick coating inside.
Just buy a new airfryer?
Then you buy a new coating. Non-stick, marble, diamond—whatever they call it: it’s still a layer on metal, and every layer wears down. In two years, you’ll be right back where you started.
So the deep fryer then?
That takes a liter of oil you have to store, filter, and throw away. Your whole house smells like it. And your food sits in the fat instead of above it, which is exactly why you bought that airfryer in the first place.
And the microwave?
Fine for warming something up. But nothing ever comes out crispy. A slice of pizza goes limp and a roll turns tough. So that doesn’t solve it.
So just use the big oven?
It works. But you lose ten to fifteen minutes preheating, you heat up your whole kitchen too, and you turn on sixty liters for two grilled cheese sandwiches. That’s why most people leave it unused and reach for the airfryer again.
So there’s no solution?
It is, and you just named it yourself. Look again at that list. Your big oven doesn’t have a non-stick coating. None of them do.
And that’s no coincidence.
In an oven, your food sits on a rack or tray, and the heat comes from the air around it. There’s no hot bottom for fat to burn onto. So there’s no need for a layer to prevent that.
So you’re not looking for a better airfryer. You’re looking for an oven, just small and fast.
- Consumers' Association, are there PFAS in my airfryer? Five popular models tested
- RIVM, risks of PFAS to health and the environment
- AD, Cynthia lost her birds due to fumes from a pan
- Quotes are from public Dutch forums and product reviews
- Product information and specifications: Safecourt Poweroven, model AO-100
So we built that
Steel and glass. That’s all that’s in it.
The interior, the wire rack, the air fry basket, the baking tray, and the crumb tray are made of stainless steel. The door is glass. So everything your food touches is steel or glass, with nothing in between.
There’s nothing on it that can come off.
Hardly any oil. Yet crispier.
High-speed hot air makes the outside drier and crispier than deep-frying, where your food sits in fat. A thin layer of oil or a spray is enough, and for many dishes you don’t need any at all.
So that deep fryer in the shed can go too.
Six appliances become one
Air fry, bake, roast, grill, toast, and reheat. From 80 to 230 degrees, in twelve liters. That’s twice as much as an average air fryer—enough for a whole chicken or two levels of bread rolls at once.
Four plugs become one, and you get your countertop back.
It even runs at a campsite
With 8 amps, you can just plug it in at the hookup. On the road it goes in the cupboard; once you’re there it goes on the table. At eight o’clock there’s a basket of fresh bread rolls while the rest is still cooking on two gas burners.
Your air fryer from home knocks that whole line out.
What people still ask us
So it won’t stick without a coating?
In an oven, your food sits on a rack or a baking tray, not flat on a hot bottom where grease burns on. The hot air comes from every side. A thin layer of oil is enough, and anything that does stick you can simply scrub off firmly. There’s nothing you need to baby.
How fast does it heat up?
Up to temperature within two minutes. So you don’t have to wait like you do with your big oven. If you’re reheating something, it does it with hot air instead of radiant heat, so your slice of pizza comes out crispy instead of soggy.
Does it replace my big oven?
For one or two people: yes. Twelve liters is enough for a whole chicken or two levels of bread rolls. Cooking for four or more? Then you do it in two rounds: first the meat, then the fries while the meat rests. An XL version is coming for larger families.
Will it work on the campsite power hookup?
Yes. On a standard 8-amp power hookup, you can just turn it on. If you have 6 amps, it works too—just switch off the kettle for a moment. On the road it goes in the cupboard: 30 by 30.5 by 32 centimeters and five kilos.
And what if something breaks?
Two-year warranty from the purchase date on manufacturing defects under normal household use. You can reorder the accessories separately: the baking tray, the wire rack, the air fry basket, and the crumb tray. So a worn baking tray doesn’t mean a new oven. Returns are possible within 60 days.
More than 200,000 households went before you
The difference at a glance
Safecourt Poweroven
Air fryer
Built-in oven
What people say who have it at home
It works well and is easy to use, even for the kids. What pleasantly surprised me is that the outside is made of sturdy material, not plastic. I think the price and quality are definitely great.
Took it camping and it just worked on the power hook-up. First morning, fresh bread rolls, and the neighbor came over asking where that smell was coming from.
No coating to worry about, so I’m not afraid to scrub it. Crumb tray out, wipe it down, done.
Poweroven, 6-in-1 air fry oven
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Food storage box solo, 1 liter Free € 24,95
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E-cookbook with 50+ recipes Free € 29,95
What’s in the box?
2-year warranty- 1× Poweroven AO-10012 liters, 1400 watts, 80 to 230 degrees
- 1× Baking trayStainless steel, for bread, cake, and casseroles
- 1× Wire rackStainless steel, for baking and roasting
- 1× Air fry basketStainless steel, for crispy results without oil
- 1× Crumb trayCatches fat and crumbs, slides right out
- 1× User manualWith the times and temperatures per function