Air fryers are all the rage – and many will be planning how they can use one to simplify the biggest meal of the year.

But an expert has now warned that there is one key component to Christmas dinner that you should avoid putting into the popular kitchen gadget at all costs.

Philips, the electrical brand which manufactures air fryers, said while pigs in blankets may be a festive favourite, cooking them in the kitchen must-have might be a recipe for disaster – and according to Philips’ in-house air fryer chef, Martin Senders, it’s just not worth the risk.

Martin said: “Pigs in blankets are a delicious addition to any Christmas dinner, and while an air fryer might seem like the perfect tool to crisp them up, the bacon can create significant problems.

“Bacon is high in fat, and as it cooks, it releases grease. In an air fryer, as the air circulates, this grease can splatter and potentially ignite if it comes into contact with the heating element. This could not only create a lot of smoke but also pose a fire risk.”

The expert explains another reason that it’s a no-no is because the grease associated with the festive treat can in time reduce an air fryer’s efficiency.

He said: “Over time, grease buildup can clog your air fryer’s components, reducing its efficiency and potentially leading to mould. This makes cleaning more difficult and can result in lingering odours – not ideal for your festive meal.”

And a final reason is that your guests could be left with a rather unappetising dish.

He said: “When it comes to pigs and blankets, the bacon on the outside can cook much faster than the sausage inside. This could leave you with cremated bacon and an undercooked sausage, something you definitely don’t want to be serving up to your guests.

“Cooking pigs in blankets in your air fryer would also require multiple batches, making it less energy efficient than using a conventional oven.”

He added instead “let the air fryer handle tasty honey-roasted vegetable sides”.

However, last year Beverley Jarvis, 74, said she would be cooking a festive three-course meal for eight using her air fryer – including pigs in blankets.

Beverley, from Ashford Kent, started using the kitchen gadget after her son bought her one – and quickly fell in love. She’s now the author of the Everyday Air Fryer Cookbook.

The great-grandmother-of-two, said: “I’m doing pigs in blankets, two roast turkey breasts wrapped in bacon, I’m cooking basmati rice in the air fryer for a Christmas salad.”