Wax paper is one of the kitchen essentials we cannot let go of now. I remember when a friend told me about the uses of wax paper, and I tried it for the first. To this date, I cannot thank that friend enough.
While wax papers are such a blessing, there are places where they can be used, and there are places where they cannot be used at all costs.
As for air fryers, wax paper is simply not safe because of the high temperature of the appliance.
Air fryers work with the regulation of hot air inside the appliance to cook food; that hot air is not suited for the wax paper as the wax melts and can reach your food and the heating elements. Not to forget that the paper alone can also catch fire.
Some food can make a lot of mess when cooked in an air fryer, and people think of ways that can make the mess go away quickly.
Some foods also leave stains on the air fryer, which look really bad, making the whole appearance of your air fryer dirty.
To save themselves, people wonder if they can put wax paper in an air fryer but they cannot!
To learn more about wax paper and its uses, stick with the article till the end!
What is wax paper?
Wax paper is a triple-waxed tissue paper that is created using a food-safe paraffin wax that is pressed into the pores of the paper and spread as a coating on the exterior.
It should not be used to line cookie sheets when baking cookies since wax paper cannot withstand oven heat and will smoke. Wax paper and parchment paper can both be used to line cake pans while baking cakes. The wax paper will not smoke since the cake batter thoroughly covers it. It can be used in the microwave, and Thomas Edison is credited with developing wax paper.
Is wax paper safe to use in an air fryer?
No matter what the reason, the wax paper should never be used in an air fryer.
You’ll wind up with a large mess if you try to cook your meal on wax paper in an air fryer. When exposed to heat, the wax side of your paper will melt and make a big mess, perhaps destroying your meal.
You also risk the wax paper catching fire and burning your air fryer and other items. As a result, using wax paper in an air fryer is not recommended.
When should you not use wax paper in an air fryer?
Wax papers are best for wrapping food in a refrigerator, but they can be extremely dangerous if you put them as a lining in an air fryer or, as a matter of fact, in any heat-producing appliance.
Be it an air fryer, an oven, or a toaster, you must, in all scenarios, avoid wax paper used in these appliances.
Check out this video to know if you can or cannot use wax paper in your air fryer.
Wax paper has a coating of either paraffin or soybean. No matter what the coating the paper has, the wax melts when heated.
Now imagine you have your dinner all lined up on wax paper, and it is all set in an air fryer. What do you think happens when you bring wax in contact with heat?
Like generally, what happens when the candle makers heat wax? It melts, right? That is exactly what is going to happen with the wax paper.
After melting, the wax reaches your food and the heating elements in the air fryer through the holes in the basket, This can cause a severe fire in your air fryer, and if that does not happen (somehow), you will be eating some traces of wax in your dinner. Bon appetite!
Will wax paper catch on fire in an air fryer?
Wax papers are prone to catch fire in an air fryer.
I cannot emphasize more on not putting wax paper in your air fryer because as soon as you put that piece of paper in your air fryer, you will see smoke coming out of it, and before you will know it, the paper will catch fire.
Wax papers are only made to be used at room temperature or at a temperature below that.
What is wax paper best used for?
You might be wondering where these papers are best used because you have seen a lot of people using them.
Wax papers are beneficial when used correctly and for the right reasons. Wax papers are designed to keep your food fresh. It also stops the spilling of oil from your food container.
Check out this table and learn where you can best use wax papers.
| Uses of wax paper | How can it help? |
| Dust cleaning | You can use it to clear up the dust from a swipe of wax paper. |
| Funnel making | Have difficulty pouring some oil into the bottle? Make a funnel out of your wax paper sheet. |
| Easy zipping | Rub some wax paper on your zip and slide it with more comfort. |
| Cabinet lining | You may not know this, but using wax paper as a cabinet liner can make cleaning and maintenance easy. |
| Escalate a fire | Going camping? Take some wax paper along; they help you set the fire quickly. |
What can I use in the air fryer instead of wax paper?
What if wax papers are not made to be used for an air fryer? You have parchment paper, aluminum foil, and silicon linings that are an excellent choice for air frying lining.
Parchment paper is one of the most preferred linings that experts recommend using. All you have to do is make some holes on the parchment paper and place it on your air fryer basket along with the ingredients.
Be sure that the placement is done together of both; parchment paper and ingredients so that the parchment paper does not fly away.
Also, never preheat an air fryer with parchment paper in it; just a tip that will help you later!
Other than parchment paper, you can also use aluminum foil as an air frying lining. This lining also requires a hole in it so that the air does not get interfered with in the cooking process.
You have to be careful with the aluminum foil here because when it is used with citrus food, it breaks down and reaches your food, and that is not beneficial for your health.
Along with these two, silicone linings are also safe to be used in an air fryer.
Ending Note
Air fryers have made our lives easy, and the linings in them have made cleaning easier.
No one likes to clean the appliance every time they use it, and I understand that. I mean, these appliances are made to make our lives easy, but their cleaning makes our life difficult.
Fortunately, air fryer linings bear all the mess. You just have to take them out, and VOILA, your air fryer will be as good as new. The maximum that you have to do is swipe a dry cloth over it.
While we are the subject of air fryer linings, wax paper has always been questioned in this matter.
- Wax papers are not made for air fryers as they are prone to catching fire quickly.
- Wax papers are best for wrapping and keeping them at either room temperature or a temperature below it.
- Wax papers are best used for cleaning dust, greasing your zipper, escalating your camping fire, funnel making, and cabinet lining.
- You can always use parchment paper, aluminum foil, and silicone as air fryer lining.