How to Use an Air Fryer Oven? | First-Time Setup Steps

An air fryer oven cooks by circulating hot air around food, and you start it by placing it on a stable surface, inserting the crumb tray, and choosing a preset.

Air fryer ovens look more intimidating than they are. Unlike a basket-style fryer, these units have a door, interior racks, and several presets. Gourmia’s manuals for the GTF2440, GTF2448, and GTF7660 models break the process into the same simple sequence, and once you run through it a single time, the whole machine makes sense.

The short version: put the oven on a heat-safe counter, slide in the crumb tray, plug it in, and pick a preset. From there, the unit walks you through temperature, time, and preheating. Here’s the step order that works.

Getting the Oven Ready Before You Cook

Start with the surface. Gourmia’s manuals require a stable, level, heat-resistant spot with clearance around the unit — the sides and top throw off heat while running. Pull it away from the wall and away from anything that could scorch.

Next, slide the crumb tray into the bottom of the oven. This catches drips and crumbs so they don’t burn onto the heating element. Some models ship with the tray tucked inside; if yours is wrapped, remove the packaging first. Plug the unit into a standard outlet, and you’re ready to turn it on.

Selecting a Preset and Adjusting the Controls

Press the power icon or the power/menu control to wake the display. From here, the control layout depends on your model:

• Dial-based models (like the GTF2440): rotate the dial to scroll through presets, then press to confirm.
• Touch-panel models (like the GTF2448 and GTF7660): tap the preset directly on the screen.

Once you’ve chosen a preset, the display shows a default temperature and cook time. Most presets let you adjust either with the temperature and time controls. Two exceptions matter: the TOAST and BAGEL presets lock in their time automatically, so the time adjustment is unavailable — you only control the shade level. And for presets that don’t preheat (like toast), food goes in before you press start.

Starting the Cook Cycle and Adding Food

After setting the controls, press START or the equivalent button. On models with a preheat phase, the display shows Preheat, then Add Food when the interior hits the target temperature. Open the doors, place your food on the rack or tray, close them, and let the cycle run automatically.

If a preset skips preheating entirely, load the food before pressing start. Either way, the unit handles the cooking from there — you don’t need to babysit it. When the timer ends, the oven stops on its own.

If you need to pause or stop mid-cycle, use the STOP/CANCEL or Power/Pause control. The exact label varies by model, but the button is always the one that interrupts the current operation.

Removing Food Safely When Cooking Ends

When the cycle finishes, open the doors carefully — Gourmia’s manuals warn that steam may escape when you do. Remove the food with heat-proof protection (a silicone mitt or tongs), and set it on a heat-resistant surface. The trays, doors, and the food itself stay hot for a while after the timer stops, so treat everything as hot until it cools.

Let the unit cool before handling the crumb tray or wiping down the interior. Most models have a dedicated cleaning cycle or a simple wipe-down routine; check your manual for the specifics on your unit.

If you’re shopping for a model that handles more cooking styles in one countertop appliance, our tested air fryer multi-cooker roundup covers the top contenders and what each one does best.

The whole workflow takes about a minute of active time once you know the order. Whether you’re making frozen snacks, reheating leftovers, or roasting vegetables, the sequence stays the same: place, plug, preset, start, and pull when it’s done.