The smoke is from bacon fat dripping onto the heating element. Bacon releases a lot of grease, and when it hits the hot coils below, it vaporizes into smoke. This is normal but fixable with 3 strategies.
Place a slice of bread in the drip tray instead of water. It absorbs grease and prevents splatter smoke. Toss it after cooking. You can also line the bottom tray (NOT the basket) with foil to catch drippings — just don't block airflow vents.
Cook bacon at 350-375°F, not 400°F. Lower temp = slower fat rendering = less violent smoking. It takes 2 minutes longer but produces way less smoke.
Pro tip: Pat bacon strips with paper towels before cooking. Removing surface moisture reduces splatter by 30-40%. If your air fryer still smokes heavily with these fixes, the heating element may have baked-on grease buildup — deep clean it with degreaser and a soft brush.
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Safe storage for hot bacon grease — pour it here instead of down the drain.
For deep cleaning the heating element if you have baked-on buildup causing persistent smoke.
For safely handling the hot basket when dumping grease mid-cook.
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