I have recently scrounged a Philips Air Fryer XXL. It is not very old, still more or less a current model and a fancy one, too.

It has no faults but was really filthy when I picked it up. I have pulled it to bits, cleaned it and checked it, it works fine and is a good gadget. I will keep it. I suspect it was thrown out because of smoke when cooking - the area around the fan was full of vile brown goo.

The area around the fan and heating element have responded to elbow grease and the selection of chemicals I threw at it. They are now clean.

This model has a basket made of sheet metal sides, covered in some nonstick stuff. The base of the basket is separate, made of stainless steel mesh. That was almost blocked with black residue but is now clean. Being stainless, I could get stuck into it with scourers and sharp implements, without damaging it.

The nonstick basket is different. It is still covered with really hard baked black stuff. Some of it has flaked off but most is stuck hard to the nonstick surface.

I'm usually good at this sort of thing but I'm stumped.

So far I have tried BBQ cleaner from Aldi - useless.

Some sort of spray on kitchen degreaser - useless.

Simple Green - little to no effect.

Wet with cloudy ammonia and leave in a plastic bag overnight - removed the easy stuff.

Citro-Clean orange oil based spray - removed the softer brown stuff but little to no effect on the hard black stuff. It is usually magic - I love the stuff.

Baking soda paste - probably the most effective. It seemed to soften some of the muck but I have done 2 or 3 applications, each left overnight. The remaining residue won't shift.

I later tried a spray on oven cleaner, the kind of product I usually try to avoid. I had imagined it would dissolve the black layer and I'd wipe it off next day... no such luck. It had no effect at all, after 2 applications, each left overnight.

I have had a little luck using a bamboo chopstick to scrape at the residue - some of it flakes off but it is slow work and I don't want to damage the nonstick any more than i have already.

any suggestions?

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If you could mention generic types of product you suggest, or specific ingredients, rather than brand names, would be helpful as we probably have different product brands in Australia.

my final option is to replace the basket, link below. but I'd rather clean this one if I can.

Thanks, sounds like what I want.

I used to be a professional cook but kept my stuff clean and never had to resort to such products...

I've tried ammonia soaking overnight. That's an old family favourite. It did nothing.

Easy-Off fume free oven cleaner did absolutely nothing. Might as well have been water. Tried 2 overnight applications.

This stuff is really rock hard. Nothing seems to soften it.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

If I can't track down some carbon removing stuff, I will probably just replace the basket.

I have already spent enough on cleaning potions that didn't work to have bought a basket any way...

Hi Nathan

does the Selleys gel work on REALLY hard black stuff?

I have seen it mentioned online and was tempted but a jar is about $10 and a new basket is about $36...

The stuff I am trying to get off is seriously hardened. All the other products I have tried have removed anything easier. This is the toughest of tough stuff. I was having some luck chipping at the edges of the black residue with a bamboo chopstick, but what is left is wearing away the chopstick...