There’s a reason why air fryers are so popular. They do the job of many appliances—including a toaster, an oven, and a microwave, all in one—while getting food on the table in minutes. However, there is a learning curve when using air fryers as the cooking method is different from that of traditional ovens. You can’t always use the same methods or even the same dishes.
Many people worry about using glass dishes, but the good news is that you can put glass in an air fryer. As long as the glass you are using is marked oven-safe, you can probably use it in the air fryer. However, using glass in an air fryer is slightly more dangerous than putting it in the oven. We’ll explain why.
Here is everything you need to know about putting glass in an air fryer.
What Type of Glass Can You Put in the Air Fryer?
When you put glass in an air fryer, make sure you check the label first. The label should be on the bottom of the dish and indicate that it is oven-safe or Pyrex. Of course, you should be doing this before putting glass in your conventional oven as well.
The difference between Pyrex glass and regular glass is that Pyrex is made of soda-lime glass, which is more resistant to heat. Older models of Pyrex are made of more expensive borosilicate glass. These glasses are more resistant to heat, while regular glass will expand, causing it to shatter.
You don’t need to know the science behind why your oven-safe bowls don’t shatter—just make sure that you check the label before putting it in your air fryer.
Why Is It More Dangerous to Put Glass in the Air Fryer?
Even oven-safe glass can shatter when you put it in the air fryer. Air fryers reach higher temperatures than regular ovens and reach them much faster. Rapid temperature fluctuations can damage even heatproof glass and cause your Pyrex glass bowl to shatter.
That doesn’t mean putting glass in the air fryer is dangerous per se, just that you should be prepared for shattering. Be careful when removing glass so it doesn’t shatter and cut you.
Using glass to cook your food in the air fryer can also produce worse results or require slower cooking times. Air fryers work based on the rapid movement of heated air, but glass cookware blocks air from moving freely. That means the appliance cannot cook as efficiently.
Safety Tips for Putting Glass in Your Air Fryer
You can use glass with your air fryer as long as you are mindful of how to use it safely.
Make sure that you are adjusting the temperature settings on your air fryer accordingly. Although your vegetables may not be as crispy when you don’t cook them on the hottest setting, it is worth preserving your glass bowl. Don’t use the hottest temperature, as it could shatter your bowls.
Also, beware of rapid temperature fluctuations. Let your bowl preheat in the air fryer and make sure it’s at room temperature before you put it in.
Finally, thoroughly check the glass dish glass before putting it in the air fryer, making sure that it’s oven-safe and there are no cracks in the surfaces that could break after air frying.
Summary
You can use the same dishes that you use in the oven for your air fryer, including glass. However, make sure that the dish you are using is safe to be heated and doesn’t have any cracks. Also, be careful about using too-high temperatures.