Can You Put Metals in an Air Fryer?

Want to cook something delicious in the air fryer but wondering if you can use metal bowls in your lovely air fryer? The short answer is yes, but there are a few things that you should pay attention to and that can cause issues when you try to use a metal bowl in the air fryer. Let’s find out what you should pay attention to.

As I’m using my air fryer a lot, I often get asked if you can place a metal bowl in the air fryer, especially from those who are trying to bake a delicious cake in the air fryer. I perfectly understand this question because when we are putting a large bowl in the air fryer, we are breaking the way how air fryer is working. I’m referring to the airflow. We are stopping the airflow so the hot air can’t circulate easily on all the sides of our dish.

Because of that, try to use the metal bowls only for specific recipes where it is needed. Don’t use large metal or glass bowls every time because you will break the principle of how the air fryer works. We should make sure that the hot air can easily circulate between our food if we want to obtain in the end a delicious and crispy crust on the outside and a juicy and soft content on the inside. Also, by using different bowls in the air fryer, the cooking time also will be longer.

Personally, I use the metal bowls in my air fryer from time to time. If you cooked some of my air fryer recipes, you probably noticed that.

Usually, I’m using the metal bowl only for some liquid elements, like when I fried eggs in the air fryer, or when I’m baking in the air fryer.

Quick Note: If you just plan to buy a new metal bowl for your air fryer, double-check the size of your air fryer basket. You should pay attention not only to the diameter but also to the height of the bowl. It is important to make sure that the metal bowl will not touch the heating elements of the air fryer.

Is It Safe to Use a Metal Bowl in an Air Fryer?

To make sure that nothing wrong will happen, please use only the metal bowls that are marketed as “Oven Safe”. You should see the wording on their bottom or on the side. In case you bought the metal bowls from an online store, check the item description. If you couldn’t find these wordings and you are not sure about the material that your metal bowl is made of, then better don’t use it. You can ruin the metal bowl and obtain an unpleasant smell to your food.

So, Can You Put Metal in an Air Fryer?

As the air fryer basket is made from metal, then you have no problems using metal utensils in it. Make sure that they are heatproof, don’t have any paintings on them, and most importantly, don’t contain any plastic elements on them.

The only limitation that you will have is the size of them. Make sure that the air fryer can close well with the metal tray in it and it doesn’t touch the top part of the heating element of the air fryer.

If your metal bowl has plastic handles check if you can remove them with a screwer.

The Problem With Using a Metal Element in the Air Fryer?

The only downside of using a metal element in the air fryer is that if you use a large metal bowl, it can stop the hot air circulation and your food may not be so crispy and it will cook longer. If you want to avoid that, just use a smaller metal element than your air fryer basket to make sure that air still can easily circulate around your food.

What Metals You Can’t Put in the Air Fryer?

Make sure that these metal pans/bowls don’t have any other elements made from plastic or other materials that can deteriorate on heating. Also, try to avoid metal trays that have some paintings on them. Some of them are not made to withstand heat and you can ruin them very easily. Or on heating, these paintings on your pans can release toxic elements when they will heat.

Quick Note: When I bought my air fryer, I didn’t have any specialized metal pans that I can use in the air fryer, so I took a saucepan that was a little bit smaller than my air fryer basket and I asked my husband to remove the handle and I used it successfully in the air fryer. Just make sure that it is a little bit smaller than your actual air fryer basket.

On What You Should Pay Attention To?

Avoid Plastic Elements

Make sure that the metal bowls don’t have any plastic elements on them such as bowl handles. They can give off an unpleasant smell of molten plastic during cooking. Or double-check the instructions on them and make sure that these metal pans are safe to put used in the oven. Keep in mind that we are referring to a temperature of 400°F (200°C).

Avoid Drawings

Sure, if you have a quality metal bowl and it is indicated that it is safe for high temperatures and it is safe to be used in the oven, then you can use it. Just make sure that those paintings were made with enamel paint which means that these dyes will resist high temperatures. If you’re not sure about the technical part of those drawings then better don’t use them. You may risk deteriorating the paintings on your metal pan.

Avoid Stainless Steel Bowls

Most probably you have around your kitchen a stainless steel bowl that you are using to mix different ingredients in it. If you are making something simple like frying eggs or another simple dish, you can try to use them if it is oven safe, which means they can handle high temperatures. Usually, up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

If your stainless steel is not good quality, it may become darker on heating. If you want to make a pizza or bake a cake in the air fryer, I do not recommend using a stainless steel bowl for these purposes.

If you plan to bake something in the air fryer and you use a large stainless steel bowl, you may get tricky results because stainless steel is not a great heat conductor. As a result, your cake may not bake evenly on the entire surface.

Which Utensils Can Be Used Instead in the Air Fryer?

If you’re not sure about your metal pan or it has some elements that can deteriorate on heating, then you can easily use glass or ceramic pans. Again, make sure that these are good to use for high temperatures. Otherwise, they can crack at high temperatures.

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