7 Best Air Fryer Safe Bowls
Air fryers work a bit differently than normal ovens. So it would be natural to second guess yourself when deciding which containers you can actually put in them.
Fortunately, there are a range of bowls that you can use with air fryers without worry.
What are the best air fryer-safe bowls? The best air fryer-safe bowls are made of ceramic, metal, glass, or silicone, and are durable and able to handle high temperatures. You can use any oven-safe bowl or container in an air fryer.
Air fryers are compact convection ovens that blow hot air around food to mimic the conditions found in deep frying. That’s why any oven-safe bowl is also safe in the air fryer.
Still, some options are way better than others.
Read more below to learn about the very best options available for air fryer-safe bowls. Happy frying!
Using Correct Accessories Is Important
Air fryers use a cooking method called convection heating. You may have heard this term be used when describing different types of ovens.
For example, there are regular gas ovens and then there are convection ovens that blow a fan over a heat source to circulate hot air around the cooking chamber.
This results in better cook times and the food is also prepared in a way that is similar to deep frying since the food is equally encompassed in hot air.
When it comes to accessories, an air fryer usually comes with a primary cooking machine and a basket you put food in.
The inner basket has a nonstick coating that protects it from liquids and food juices but even then, these baskets are known to deteriorate after some time due to repeated cleaning and cooking.
This is why some people prefer to cook their food in separate containers rather than the inner air fryer basket.
What To Use In An Air Fryer
Just as you would use an oven-safe container to bake, broil or heat food in a regular oven, you can also use the same accessories to cook food in an air fryer as well.
But there is a big asterisk here.
For this trick to work you must use a durable material that can also easily fit inside the basket and can be taken out without much effort.
It’s not that air fryer-safe materials don’t exist; it’s the size that poses problems. As mentioned, air fryers are compact convection ovens. Therefore they can share almost every accessory used in regular ovens, given that it fits comfortably.
The cooking basket that comes with the air fryer is specifically designed for optimal heat distribution, unlike third party accessories. That can also add to your frustration when looking for a good air fryer-safe bowl.
Some people might also want to use containers to cook food with sauces or other “wet” ingredients which would otherwise ruin the base of the air fryer.
Fortunately, there are a few clever bowls and accessories that you can use for air fryers.
We have prepared a quick buyer’s guide to help you choose the best air fryer-safe bowl for all your cooking needs. Then, we’ll share our recommendations for the very best air fryer-safe bowls.
How To Choose Air Fryer Safe Bowls
This buyer’s guide will be divided into different sections. Each will describe an important feature that every air fryer bowl should have to ensure the longevity of the machine.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Size
- Material
- Design
Size
The size of the bowl is one of the most important aspects.
Air fryers come in different sizes. Some are large, some medium, and some are very compact. Each of these sizes comes with an appropriately sized cooking basket.
The biggest problem that people make while using bowls in air fryers is that they don’t get the right size.
A large-size bowl made to fit forcefully in the cooking basket may result in disaster. Always pick a bowl that can comfortably fit inside the air fryer.
Also keep in mind that some materials may expand slightly when heated so even if you think that there is ample free space in the air basket, you may have to factor in the expansion of the material.
Don’t worry, we are going to talk about different materials below and will also recommend a few bowls that will not cause any trouble.
Material
Air fryer safe bowls are available in different materials. However, there are four that are best suited for the job:
- Silicone – highly flexible and reusable
- Glass – durable and reliable
- Aluminum – Convenient and cheap
- Ceramic – best for baking and cooking
Silicone is a highly resistant and pliable material that can be made to fit in many differently sized cooking baskets.
Silicone won’t burn or distort while the air fryer is operational and you won’t be putting yourself or the appliance in danger by using this material too.
Glass is also a great option. Oven-safe glass is best suited for air fryers and can be used to cook almost anything. It’s easily washable and you may be able to reuse the oven-safe bowls that you already have.
However, some are specifically made for air fryers so do check those out below.
Aluminum is another great and convenient material to use in air fryers. Aluminum can handle high temperatures and will also be able to cook food thoroughly.
Finally, ceramic oven-safe bowls and ramekins can also be used in air fryers to cook and bake all sorts of stuff.
These bowls are specifically designed to handle high heat and will not crack, especially if you choose to go with high-quality ceramic.
Design
Normally the design of oven-safe bowls does not matter but when it comes to air fryers, you might need to pick bowls that are specifically built for air fryers. For example, many silicone bowls made for air fryers come with ridges at the bottom.
The problem with using most bowls is that you have to move the food around to cook it on all sides since the bottom of the food sits over the base of the container – where air can’t get through.
To solve this problem, some manufacturers provide the added benefit of creating whirlpool-like ridges at the bottom to facilitate airflow.
Now that you know what to look for when shopping for the best air fryer-safe bowls, it is time to look at a few great recommendations:
7 Best Air Fryer Safe Bowls
Here are our top seven choices for air fryer-safe bowls:
| Rank | Product | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | MoLIDE Air Fryer Pot | Air-fryer-safe silicone with air vents |
| 2. | Pyrex Glass Food Bowl | High-quality durable glass |
| 3. | Displastible Dutch Oven Liner Pans | Disposable metal tin, multi-purpose |
| 4. | Mint Living Air Fryer Silicone Pot | Air-fryer pot and lid-mold |
| 5. | DOWAN Oven-Safe Ramekins | Durable ceramic |
| 6. | WAVELU Air Fryer Silicone Pot | Air-fryer-safe silicone |
| 7. | Dash Air Fryer Accessory Kit | Two metal pans, grill rack, skewers |
There’s a variety of material and size here, as you can see. We’re sure one – or many! – will work great for you!
Here’s more about each of these great air fryer-safe bowls below:
1. MoLIDE Air Fryer Pot
This silicone pot can easily fit into almost any air fryer. It is 3 inches tall and very flexible.
There are ridges at the bottom of this pot that allow for better air circulation so that you don’t have to move the food around much.
It’s dishwasher safe, highly reusable, and will save you a lot of time when it comes to cleaning the air fryer basket after every use.
2. Pyrex Glass Food Bowl
Oven-safe glass is a safe bet when used in air fryers.
Check out these bowls: they come in different sizes and also have a lid that you can use when storing the food within the same containers.
These bowls are designed to withstand high temperatures and will not crack, even if you set the temperature to 450F. Just be sure to use the bowls by themselves and not the lids, which are not oven or air fryer-safe!
3. Displastible Dutch Oven Liner Pans
These pans are a great option for multiple uses. They are disposable and make cleaning a non-issue.
The size of these pans is sufficient to make all sorts of baking goodies and you can also cook food in them too.
Just place them in, cook, take them out, and discard them. Heck, you can even reuse them many times if you treat them well!
4. Mint Living Air Fryer Silicone Pot
Here’s another great silicone pot!
This one comes with a removable bottom that transforms the pot into a mold that you can use to bake and cook food.
This package also comes with two mini oven mitts that will be extremely useful when pulling out the pot of food when it’s fresh and hot from the air fryer.
5. DOWAN Oven-Safe Ramekins
These high-quality ramekins are a must-have for any air fryer owner.
They will save you a lot of time and energy when it comes to cleaning and will easily cook food just as you would expect it to cook in an oven.
They are made with highly durable porcelain and come in two sizes. They’re nice and versatile, too, so you can use them in the oven and for serving sides when guests are over.
6. WAVELU Air Fryer Silicone Pot
This reusable and heat-resistant silicone pot will make it extremely easy for you to cook food without having to worry about grease stains or long cleaning sessions.
Just fit this pot in most air fryers and cook foods like fries, cakes, stews, and more! Mmmm.
7. Dash Air Fryer Accessory Kit
This air fryer-safe accessory kit is incredible. And since the pieces aren’t too big, they can fit in most air fryers.
This kit comes with a 5-inch baking pot, a 5-inch pizza pan, a double layer rack, and 3 skewers.
It is designed to get the most out of any air fryer and thanks to its small size it can easily fit in any air fryer.
All these accessories are dishwasher safe and can be reused multiple times too!
Related Questions
Here are a few questions that you may have after going through this guide.
Can Hard Plastics Be Used In Air Fryers?
No you cannot use any type of plastic in an air fryer. Plastic can’t withstand high heat safely.
There are countless safer and similarly cheaper alternatives in the market.
Some plastic bowls may be advertised as oven-safe but there is no indication that it is actually safe to use plastic in an oven. Silicone is a much better choice.
Will Food Cook Unevenly If I Use Third Party Bowls In My Air Fryer?
Food should cook evenly regardless of what type of bowl you use in the air fryer. Air fryers work by convection, which circulates hot air around inside the fryer. Therefore, the container should make little to no difference.
Of course, you can benefit from some materials with better designs that may allow the food to cook more efficiently than other bowls, like a silicone bowl with bottom air-ridges.
This would allow for more air flow around the food.
Related Articles
9 Best Air Fryers For Family Of 4
Can You Cook Eggs In An Air Fryer?
