Safe and Unsafe Items For Air Fryer

7 Items You Can Place Safely Inside Your Airfryer (And Things You Should Avoid)

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Once you’ve mastered the art of air frying and tried a variety of dishes, including 23 of our simple and tasty air fryer recipes, you may notice a handful of issues when it comes to cooking particular foods that can be solved with foil or parchment. However, not all materials should be used in your appliance.

Did you know your air fryer is safe with parchment paper, toothpicks, tin foil pyrex dishes, PAM oil, steel bowls, and iron skillets? On the other hand, water, sauces, paper towels, and plastic should all be avoided while using an air fryer because they can cause significant harm.

We here at DaDongNY will explore why some of these materials are air fryer safe and why others may pose a threat to your teeny little kitchen equipment without your awareness.

7 Air Fryer-Safe Items

The following items are suitable for use in an air fryer oven toaster combo. However, we still recommend reading the instruction manual for your equipment to ensure that it is capable of cooking your meal to perfection and extra crispy.

1. Parchment Paper

Parchment paper prevents food from sticking to the compartment of your air fryer and creating a sticky mess. You should utilize this material if you’re using an air fryer for chicken wings or a delectable dessert like brownies or peanut butter cookies.

Simply lay the bottom of the air fryer with parchment paper and properly distribute the food for even browning and to keep the parchment paper from flying around during the cooking process due to the power of the rapidly circulating hot air blown away by the air fryer microwave oven combo.

Here are some of the reasons why people choose to cook with parchment paper:

  1. Even baking

There are several types of baking sheets, and some are better than ordinary paper liners. Parchment paper inserts a nice layer of air between the food and the sheet. This makes it easier to regulate the temperature and gets rid of unwanted hot spots.

  1. Less unwanted spread

Placing cookie dough directly through the air fryer can cause it to melt and make a mess on your equipment. Parchment paper gives it something to cling to without sticking to, allowing your dough to keep its shape better.

  1. No sticking

One of the primary reasons people use parchment paper, especially when baking, is to keep your food from sticking during the process. It is more effective than oil or butter since it does not thin, evaporate, or burn.

  1. Easier cutting & cleanup

Because your meal will not stick to the paper, baking sheet, or pan, it will be easier to cut and serve. It is very useful for cleanup because there’s a small chance that your food will be in direct touch with your sheet or pan. 

  1. Insulation

Wrapping meat in parchment paper creates a handy steam pocket that helps in even cooking. It also aids in the retention of moisture, ensuring that your food is tender and juicy.

  1. Ventilation

Plastic wrap and foil can trap air, especially if you wrap your food in them, which can be hazardous. Parchment paper does not provide a seal, occasionally required for some recipes. 

2. Toothpicks

Because air fryers blow hot air about the compartment, the force of the air fryer can dislodge small pieces of food and cause them to fly around, resulting in uneven frying and a massive mess.

Toothpicks are used to keep food in place and are necessary for various dishes, including bacon-wrapped Kani, asparagus, and shrimp. To avoid the bacon from unraveling, insert a toothpick into each piece after wrapping it around the other ingredients.

3. Aluminum Foil

In case you’re wondering, yes, you can use foil in your air fryer. Aluminum foil is a good conductor of heat, so if you don’t want to expose your meal to direct heat and just want it to circulate to cook your food evenly, wrap it with foil. 

Just be sure you firmly seal it to keep the foil from flying around. Because foil can be fragile, the force of the circulating heat may end up shredding sections of it. You can also use foil to line the bottom of your air fryer. To keep it in place, evenly distribute the food on top because you don’t want aluminum foil flying around the air fryer.

4. Iron Skillets

Iron skillets can be used in your fryer if they are small enough to fit inside. Because this material conducts heat well, it can aid in evenly distributing heat throughout your equipment’s cooking surface. It can also aid in the containment of foods that cause a greasy or gooey mess in your air fryer, such as cheeses and anything containing sauces.

5. Pam Oil

Pam oil cooking spray can be used safely inside your air fryer. Spraying it all over the surface of the air fryer chamber to prevent food from sticking works like a treat!

Although, we do not recommend using aerosol spray because it has the potential to harm your equipment’s non-stick components.

6. Steel Bowl

Steel bowls are excellent heat conductors. They can simulate the effect of an oven, especially if the top of a steel dish is covered with foil. It retains heat inside, allowing the food to cook through rather than simply frying on the exterior.

7. Pyrex Kitchenware

Dishwares that are heat-resistant, such as Pyrex, or any other dish that will work well in your microwave, will most likely function well in an air fryer. This should reduce the amount of cleaning you must do afterward. It’s also easy to pull out the food you’ve prepared. Simply remove the dish, and you’re ready to go.

6 Items To Avoid Placing In An Air Fryer

The materials listed below are those you should avoid using in your air fryer. Doing so could put your equipment and food at risk.

1. Water

Water can be used occasionally in the air fryer, but you’ll often find it unnecessary. Boiling water in your air fryer should be avoided because the circulating air’s power could cause serious damage to your equipment. If you want to steam something, use alternative equipment such as an instant pot or steamer.

2. Plastic

Plastic should not be used in an air fryer. If you put any sort of plastic in the air fryer, it will most certainly melt and produce a huge mess or major damage to the equipment.

Here are a handful of the potentially hazardous chemicals present in plastic:

  1. BPA

Bisphenol-A is an abbreviation for bisphenol-A. It is a chemical that has been used to produce plastics. Consumers are concerned about BPA due to the numerous potential health implications. BPA can harm a fetus’s, infant’s, or child’s brain and prostate glands. Some foods and water bottles contain BPA. BPA is reported to be safe if eaten in small amounts. Baby bottles, reusable water bottles, storage containers, pitchers, and tableware contain BPA.

  1. PTFE

PTFE is an abbreviation for Polytetrafluoroethylene. Polytetrafluoroethylene is a type of material that is used to coat non-stick pots and pans. Unless a PTFE-containing pan is heated to 572 °F or above, it is non-toxic. PTFE is used in chemical processing equipment, surface coatings, wire insulation, and PTFE gaskets.

  1. PFOA

PFOA stands for perfluorooctanoic acid. This type of plastic is used to make heat-resistant, stain-resistant, and scratch-resistant cookware. PFOA is now mostly present in older cookware. It is hardly widely used nowadays. PFOA side effects include pregnancy-induced hypertension, thyroid disorders, and fetal development. PFOA has been substantially phased out of use.

  1. PVC

PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is the world’s third most common plastic compound. Polyvinyl Chloride emits hazardous chemicals such as lead, phthalates, and cadmium. PVC is mostly used in the construction and building industries.

3. Wax Paper

You should avoid using wax paper in your air fryer. The paper contains a food-safe paraffin wax that cannot withstand the heat inside the fryer. If you’re unlucky, it will emit smoke and perhaps catch fire.

4. Sauce

Sauces and condiments should not be used in the air fryer since they can stick or burn the food. If you wish to add sauce or seasonings to your dish after it has been cooked, do it afterward. However, using light meat marinades is typically okay for use.

5. Paper Towels

Paper towels should not be used in an air fryer. Any attempt to air fry food wrapped in, lying on, or containing paper will almost always result in a fire. Paper materials do not need to be lit by flame; they can be ignited by heat alone at temperatures as low as 425 °F.

6. Cardboard

Another material that should not be used in an air fryer is cardboard. Because it is made of paper, it will catch fire very easily, starting at roughly 425 °F.

Frozen pizza is typically wrapped in plastic around a round cardboard disc. Before placing the pizza in an air fryer, regular oven, or toaster oven, remove both the plastic and the cardboard. You can reheat cold pizza in an air fryer; just avoid using paper items.

FAQs

Can I Use a Ceramic Bowl in My Air Fryer?

Yes, you may use your air fryer with a ceramic basin. In fact, many individuals prefer ceramic bowls because they evenly disperse heat and prevent food from sticking. Just make sure the bowl is oven-safe and large enough to fit in your air fryer.

Can Regular Metal Pans Be Used in an Air Fryer?

Yes, normal metal pans can be used in an air fryer. However, like aluminum pans, you should treat them with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking and burning.

Can an Aluminum Pan Be Used in an Air Fryer?

Yes, an aluminum pan can be used in an air fryer. However, you should proceed cautiously because the aluminum can cause the food to stick and burn. If you use an aluminum pan, spray it with non-stick cooking spray before using it in the oven.

Bottomline

Air fryers are exceptionally handy kitchen appliances. Mastering this tool will allow you to make a selection of delectable meals for yourself, your family, and your friends. 

Mastering this tool will allow you to make a selection of delectable meals for yourself, your family, and your friends. , it’s important to know what you’re putting inside your air fryer; some of it may or may not affect your appliance more than you realize. With this, we hope to have assisted you in determining which one you should avoid in order to avoid future complications or, worse, to break your air fryer.

Want to learn more about air fryers? Check out the link to learn about this useful kitchen appliance.

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