My air fryer basket handle snapped off mid batch of wings on Tuesday
I was doing a 20 minute batch of drumettes at 380 and when I pulled the basket out to shake them, the plastic handle just popped off in my hand and the basket hit the counter. I ended up finishing them on a sheet pan in the oven but they came out way soggier than usual. Has anyone glued a handle back on or is it just time to get a new one?
The handle snaps because of heat cycling more than the weight of the food. That plastic gets hot and cold over and over and the little tabs inside get brittle, so glue alone usually won't hold it once it fails. The bigger issue is that if the handle let go there, the locking tab that keeps the basket seated might be cracked too, and that's a safety thing when you're pulling hot food out. What I'd check first is the model number and see if they sell just the basket as a replacement part, because a lot of brands do and it's way cheaper than a whole new unit. If it's a cheaper no name brand then yeah, glue is a band aid and you're better off putting that money toward a new one.