Air fryers have become more and more popular over the last few years. With a growing focus on eating healthier foods, air fryers are a great way to cook and prepare your favorite foods in the healthiest ways possible.
Although air fryers are used for a range of recipes, there are some restrictions on what you can put inside them.
You may have wondered, can you put metal in an air fryer? Are metal trays, or baking dishes, not specifically made for your fryer, safe? Maybe you’re wondering if aluminum foil is safe to use inside air fryers since it’s also a type of metal.
Well, you are not alone in wondering about this. If you check the internet, there are contradicting answers on this subject, so you may be a little confused as to whether metal can be put in an air fryer or not. That is why we’re clearing up this debate once and for all.
Table of Contents
So, Can You Put Metal In An Air Fryer?
In short, you can indeed put metal inside of an air fryer! This is because the majority of metal dishes are designed to withstand high temperatures over long periods of time. However, it must be oven-safe metal.
Moreover, because air fryers do not work with any magnetic currents, as microwaves do, foil is also safe to put inside one.
Continue reading as we examine how air fryers work, and what types of metals and other materials can be put into an air fryer without any risk.
What Type Of Metal Is Safe To Put In An Air Fryer?
This is undoubtedly one of the most common queries regarding air fryers. This is because most people own some sort of metal pan or baking dish that they want to use in order to cook something in their air fryer.
The good news is that you can place metal in an air fryer but, as we mentioned above, it has to be oven-safe. This essentially means that if a metal dish is safe to put in the oven, then it is typically safe to put into an air fryer.
As for what type of metal, this can include oven-proof or oven-safe metal containers and/or utensils. As well as metal, you can also use glass, ceramics, or silicone dishes safely in an air fryer as long as they are also oven safe.
It is also important to note that you should only place a metal container or object in an air fryer if it comfortably fits inside its basket.
This is because the basket is responsible for allowing the air fryer to circulate air properly so the food cooks evenly and perfectly.
So, what about aluminum foil in an air fryer? Well, because this is also a metal, it will not react inside an air fryer. Therefore, it is also safe to use.
On the whole, oven-safe metals are safe to use in air fryers. Such metals include:
- Stainless steel
- Cast iron
- Aluminum
Some baking dishes are designed using a combination of different materials such as cast aluminum. Nevertheless, if the dish is made from a selection of oven-safe metals, then it should be safe for use in an air fryer.
Why Metal Can Go In An Air Fryer
Many people treat air fryers like microwaves. Therefore, they believe that items that can not go in a microwave can not go inside an air fryer. However, an air fryer is not like a microwave and does not function in any way a microwave does.
While air fryers may look very similar to microwaves, and also create almost instant heat, these appliances do not use any form of radiation or electromagnetic fields. Therefore, metal does not, and will not, react with anything inside an air fryer.
Air fryers work more like an oven than a microwave, and they can even be considered a type of mini convection oven. These fryers usually have 2 to 3 heating elements that create almost instantaneous high levels of heat.
Once this heat is generated, it is circulated throughout the fryer’s chamber thanks to fans. This regulates the temperature inside and helps to cook the food and make it crisp.
In short, treat your air fryer more like a tiny oven when choosing what materials can safely be used in one.
Why Can You Only Use Oven-Safe Metal In Air Fryers?
The main reason you can only use oven-safe metal inside an air fryer is the same reason as why you can only use oven-safe metal in an oven. As they are the same types of appliances, the effect on the material will be the same. So, non-safe metals will not fare too well in the high temperatures in an air fryer.
Oven-safe metal is made to withstand very high, intense temperatures. Not only this, but they are able to resist such high temperatures for long periods of time.
Unlike non-safe materials, oven-safe metal will not crack, melt, or become damaged when under extreme heat found in ovens and air fryers.
Materials You Should Not Put In An Air Fryer
Although it is safe to put oven-safe metals into an air fryer, there are some materials that you should avoid.
For instance, painted metal dishes or utensils should not be placed into an air fryer as the paints may not be able to withstand high temperatures. Therefore, the dishes and utensils could become damaged almost immediately.
Furthermore, the paints from these items could also release toxic gasses into the food when reaching high heat. These gasses could get absorbed into the food resulting in dangerous and very serious health implications.
Other materials that should stay clear of an air fryer’s interior include plastic or wood. You need to inspect that your metal trays or dishes do not feature any wooden or plastic finishes before placing them inside an air fryer.
However, silicone handles are safe to use but these must also be heatproof and oven-safe.
You should never place paper towels or baking paper into an air fryer, either. These have the potential to catch fire and/or restrict the airflow within the air fryer’s chamber.
Instead, you should use a metal-air drying basket as this will allow any excess juices and fat to run down the fryer into the dip tray underneath.
In Summary
If you own metal trays, dishes, or utensils then you can put them inside your air fryer. However, you must ensure that these are oven-safe first. We recommend inspecting your specific air fryer’s manual before placing metals inside.
Although oven-safe materials are generally safe to use in air fryers, it’s always best to double-check check as not to damage your appliance or the food being cooked.
Follow us on Pinterest to keep up with the best tips and tools for your family kitchen!
Follow us on Pinterest to keep up with the best tips and tools for your family kitchen!
