Craving a pile of hot, crispy french fries? Just make them at home in the air fryer. It's cheaper and even easier than driving to your local McDonald's. Plus, air fryer fries use less oil than fully fried potatoes. Transforming humble frozen foods like french fries into hot, crispy bites of deliciousness with minimal time and mess is exactly what the air fryer was made for.ꀖIf you want the crispiest air fryer fries ever, there are a few rules to abide by. To make perfect french fries in an air fryer, all you need is a bag of frozen french fries, a staple in my freezer that's perfect for busy dinners during the week and late-night cravings alike. Crinkle-cut, shoestring, waffle, curly -- whatever your favorite shape is, it'll work using this crispy air fryer french fry method.ꀩatch this: Best Air Fryers: Cheap vs. Expensive

　　Here's how I make crispy french fries in the air fryer.

　　A few techniques help me get the most out of my air fryer when I'm cooking up frozen goodies like french fries, ꁊd tater tots.ꀩ

　　You don't need to preheat the air fryer but it will result in crispier fries.ꀩlexandra Jones/CNET

　　The hotter your air fryer is when you add your fries, the more golden brown and crisp they'll become. Not every air fryer has a preheat function, but you can run yours for about five minutes at the desired temperature to get the chamber nice and hot before you add the food.

　　A very light spritz of oil will ensure your air fryer fries don't dry out.ꀩcott Eells/Bloomberg/Getty Images

　　Some people swear by spraying a little of your go-to cooking oil, like canola, olive or avocado, into the basket and over frozen french fries before air frying. The idea is that the extra oil helps the food brown and crisp up. You don't need to go nuts with oil, but a light coating helps seal the potato strings in a divinely crispy crust.

　　Try not to crowd your fries in the basket. Alexandra Jones/CNET

　　Air fryers create convection heat by using a fan (the noise you hear when you turn the machine on) to circulate air around the food, cooking it faster and creating that crunchy exterior we want. For convection cooking to work well, your french fries need to have as much surface area exposed as possible. That means loading up batches of fries in a single layer and leaving just a little space between each piece if possible. The result is tastier fries in a shorter cooking time.ꀩ

　　Shake a few times during cooking for an even browning.ꀩavid Watsky/CNET

　　Halfway through the cooking time, pull out your air fryer's basket and give it a good shake. This will help your french fries brown more evenly. Try to get the fries back in a single layer before popping the basket back in and finishing the process.ꁏozen french friesCooking oil like olive or canolaꁜlt (optional)Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F for about two minutes.ꁜritz the air fryer basket with oil.ꁊd the frozen fries to the basket, arranging them in a single layer. If you're using oil, spritz the fries with it.ꀖCook the fries for 10 minutes.ꀖPull out the air fryer basket and shake it.

　　Rearrange the french fries in a single layer, then replace the basket and cook for 5-7 minutes more. The exact time will depend on your air fryer, the size and shape of your fries, and your preferred doneness level.ꀖSeason your fries with salt, if using, and serve immediately.

　　You can make an equally fantastic burger in the air fryer.ꀩamela Vachon/CNET

　　In my world, a pile of fries served alongside a salad with a zippy vinaigrette needs no other accompaniment (except maybe a glass of wine). If you're looking to round out your meal or feed a crowd, consider serving air fryer french fries with this easy 45-minute roast chicken or this 10-minute salmon recipe (both made in the air fryer, natch).ꀖYou can even cook up air fryer bacon cheeseburgers, hot dogs, or chicken thighs to accompany your french fries. Add some veggies to the plate by air-frying , cauliflower steaks, broccoli florets or shishito peppers.