Air fryers are exceptional electronic device that offers a wide range of cooking features for their users.
While an air fryer is a breeze for cooking food, it is also important to know how to use it safely which arises many questions like ‘can you put an aluminum pan in the air fryer’?
The answer is yes, you can use aluminum pans in the air fryer but with a holding accessory so that the pan doesn’t touch the heating element and it would also ensure that the pan doesn’t get melted from the heat.
I also recommend you avoid using acidic food in the aluminum pan as this food would melt and burn through aluminum in the air fryer. To stay safe, avoid heating acidic food in it.
For safety precautions, here are some tips for using an aluminum pan in the air fryer.
What utensils are compatible with an air fryer?
With a few more tools, you will be able to make a variety of delectable foods utilizing the modest air fryer. Because your air fryer also operates as an oven, you may use it for both baking and frying.
The actual challenge is figuring out what works best with an air fryer. The general rule is to use a totally ovenproof tool. Ceramics, glass, silicone, and even metal are popular materials among air fryer owners.
It’s crucial to realize, however, that just because a utensil has an over-safe sticker doesn’t mean it’s safe to use in an air fryer.
What is the best way to utilize aluminum pans in an air fryer?
As a general rule, if your metal pan, tray, and container are small enough to fit in the oven, they are also suitable for the air fryer.
While aluminum cookware can technically be used in an air fryer, it is not a completely risk-free option because most air fryer baskets are designed to cook the food directly in the basket and placing a pot or pan there could restrict the airflow.
Tips For Using Aluminum Pan In The Air Fryer
Use A Holder
The first and most important thing to do is to place your aluminum pan on a holder because placing something between the aluminum pan and the heating element is a MUST.
Because if the pan comes in contact with the heating element even for a short period, it would start to melt. So, it is something that you should not take risks with.
Also, a melted pan would create a mess in the air fryer basket so using a holder is the best option to avoid it and it can ensure that the food comes out from the air fryer as you want it to be. Overall, it’s going to make your experience with aluminum pan better and safe.
Avoid Cooking Acidic Food
With an aluminum pan, you also need to be cautious about the food that is cooking inside the pan.
You should avoid using acidic foods in an aluminum pan as acidic food will burn through aluminum. It won’t react when the food isn’t on heat but can be a serious problem if it is inside the air fryer.
Therefore, it would be great to look for other alternatives to acidic foods and ingredients while using an aluminum pan in the air fryer.
Make Sure The Pan Doesn’t Touch Air Fryer’s Sides
You should never use an aluminum pan in the air fryer if it is touching the walls of the air fryer.
This is the most common mistake that almost all air fryer users make. The aluminum pan is good to use in any condition but it shouldn’t be touching the air fryer sides or the heating element.
It would melt the pan and leave you with so many issues that you wouldn’t want to deal with. Hence, take your time to see and ensure that the aluminum pan only comes in contact with the holder, nothing else.
Avoid Overheating
It’s important not to overheat the aluminum pan in the air fryer.
First, start with a low heat setting to see and check how the pan responds to heat, if it starts to melt then it would be easy to take it out immediately but if you put it on high heat and it melts then it would be a real task to clean up the mess later.
The highest heat setting of an aluminum pan in the air fryer is 400° F at which you can see if the pan can handle heat inside the air fryer while maintaining its structural integrity.
Are All Aluminum Pans Oven Safe?
Yes, in general, all-aluminum pans are oven safe as they are good conductors of heat but it would be good to take proper safety measures to make sure they work properly inside the air fryer too.
You can place a baking sheet at the bottom of the air fryer basket to ensure that the pan isn’t touching it directly.
One of the advantages of an aluminum pan is it doesn’t crack, melt or burn but that doesn’t mean it cannot be damaged in the air fryer. So, it would be even better to use oven-safe parchment paper or baking paper under the aluminum pan to separate these two from contact.
Is Aluminum Pan Better Than Stainless Steel?
To decide which one is better than the other depends upon what you’re making in them but usually, stainless steel bowls or pans don’t taint as easily as aluminum pans.
Stainless steel bowls would be 2-3 times more rugged than aluminum which means they won’t be easily damaged at higher temperatures.
On top of that, stainless steel cookware doesn’t have an anodized layer. But, that doesn’t means aluminum pans are bad, it’s just that they are not as durable as stainless steel cookware.
Though, it has been said in recent research that using aluminum cookware can lead to Alzheimer’s disease but it is not confirmed yet.
So, I think stainless steel cookware is better than the aluminum pan, the rest is on you to decide!
For more clarity, you can check out the following table to see which one is better than the other.
| Properties | Aluminum Pan | Stainless Steel |
| Browning and searing | Poor | good |
| Heat conduction | Good | poor |
| Dishwasher safe | No | Yes |
| Using metal utensils | No | Yes |
| Oven safe | Yes | Yes |
You can also check out the following video to know which cookware is better.
Can You Cook Anything In Aluminum Pan Inside The Air fryer?
No, you cannot cook anything in an aluminum pan inside the air fryer because acidic food is not ideal to cook in aluminum pans.
As for any tomato marinade or vinegar-based marinade, aluminum pans wouldn’t be a good choice as when it comes in contact with the heat, aluminum pans would release particles on the food items which can lead to serious health diseases.
This also increases your chances of contracting Alzheimer’s disease so for health concerns, aluminum pans are not a good option.
Conclusion
It’s an essential thing to know how your air fryer works and what can be safely put in it. While Aluminum pans can be used in an air fryer, it is important to take some precautions before using them.
- Avoid using acidic foods with aluminum foils as, after heating, they will burn through aluminum.
- Aluminum pans shouldn’t touch the sides and heating element of the air fryer as it would melt and create a mess for you.
- Stainless steel cookware is more durable, easier to clean, and doesn’t taint as easily as aluminum pans.
- It’s better to first put aluminum pans on low heat settings to check how they responds to the heat.