Can you put Plastic in an air fryer

To be on the safe side I recommend you only put oven-proof plastic containers in an air fryer, while avoiding plastic trays, plates and cling film which will melt in an air fryer.

The only plastic you can put in an air fryer are all plastic containers which are sold as oven-proof. Plastic containers can include oven ready meals - plus the film lid attached - and re-useable trays which can be air fried. Never air fry an unknown plastic container which is likely to melt and spill your food.

Believe me, I have once or twice popped a plastic container of some sort in the air fryer as a way to quickly reheat a sauce which I couldn't be bother to decanter into what is a safe to air fry ramekin - and other oven-proof safe dishes.

It took less than 20 seconds for this small plastic pot to melt of which, the sauce spilled and eventually baked onto the basket.

Lesson learnt on that occasion but unfortunately I did something similar later, believing it was oven-safe plastic this time, when it wasn't.

Never should you put plastic other than microwave and oven ready meal plastic in an air fryer, unless the plastic material is made for air frying.

Bear in mind, microwave plastic is different to oven plastic, which relates to how the plastic is heated in open heat versus microwave.

You can't put cling film/saran wrap in an air fryer but unusually you can use this flimsy soft plastic wrap in a microwave.

General rule of thumb is, if the plastic you wish to cook is made to be used in your oven, its 100% safe for air frying. Plastic must still not reach a certain temperature which will cause it to melt; thankfully though most of our air fryers don't reach temperatures above 400°F/205°C - so most of us won't see oven-plastic melt in our air fryers.

Unsafe plastic heated up in an air fryer isn't expected to catch fire which is plus, but it can burn enough to create a fire which isn't good.

What's safe for other appliances

What plastic is sold as safe for ovens - which applies to electric or gas ovens - you can put these same plastic containers/trays in an air fryer.

If they fit that is, and if they don't you must never add the plastic containers in an angle, as the top side will likely come into contact with the coil situated above.

What are safe plastic containers made for ovens especially - but can be made for both oven and microwaves - are clear or black plastic containers which comes with lids.

Plastic lids shouldn't be added to containers when air fryer as they risk flying off under intense air flow. Utilize plastic lids when the food has cold down and is ready to be refrigerated or frozen for later in the week.

Oven safe plastic containers are usually made for people to make ready meals at home, to be cooked later at the workplace.

Replace Ready Meal film lids in foil

On the occasion you cook a microwave and oven safe ready meal in an air fryer, do so knowing the film lid must be replaced with a custom foil lid.

Sometimes you can air fry a ready meal for its full time without swapping out the film lid, but as you may know already, the plastic film lid would of already come partially way off; due to the film lid softening under the heat, and the glue/adhesive softening up.

What I recommend you do before air frying any kind of ready meal in an air fryer, is peel off the plastic film lid, before replacing it with a foil lid.

Simply pierce several holes in the custom foil lid like you would normally be instructed to with the plastic film lid, and your be set to go.

Custom foil lid will wrap around on the extended plastic lip around the edge of the plastic container.

If it isn't possible to keep the foil replacement lid secure on the container, then bear in mind it risks blowing up into the heating element, which can cause a fire.

Chicken in Plastic Bag too risky

Other plastic you can put in an air fryer but you probably will find you can't due to compatibility issues, is your typical roasting bag to air fry chicken and/or vegetables in.

Chicken in a bag is a thing but unlike the size of a regular oven where this kind of cooking method is preferred, most air fryers are simply too small to fit what is a plastic bag which will inflate as it cooks.

Plastic bag which has ballooned out will now come into contact with the heating element, causing the bag to melt and rendering your chicken in a bag pointless.

Roasting bags can be used in an air fryer within reason but on most occasions, the bags are far too big for a too small air fryer basket.

I would recommend you remove plastic bags and air fry the meats and vegetables intended for cooking in a bag - to be air fried fully open to the elements - where the food items can cook directly on the basket in a useful foil tray to keep the air fryer clean.

TESTING takeaway plastic container

Rather than explain away why you should or shouldn't put certain types of plastic in an air fryer, I can think of know better way than testing it for myself.

What I have done here is air fried a regular Chinese takeaway plastic container, of which I air fried for as little as 20 seconds.

As you can see, severe damage has be done to what was a sturdy plastic container, which is no match of an air fryer heating element. And it isn't specific to air fryers either, this container would of melted in an oven and microwave.

Why I performed this test is to demonstrate to you, that you can't just put any old plastic container in an air fryer, to reheat food or cook food from fresh.

Be sure to decanter all takeaways when reheating in any appliance, and not just an air fryer, and reheat in a safe container, be it a plastic or glass one.

Smell emitting out of the air fryer in the few seconds it took the pot to melt wasn't pleasant at all, and certainly smelled like typical melted plastic.

Conclusion

One safety protocol you must follow when air frying any food item, would be to not air fry in an unknown plastic container.

Plastic container could be oven/microwave safe of which you would know about. When it comes to utilizing re-usable plastic container you have spare or wish to use up, it wouldn't be wise to warm up in an air fryer.

Plastic which isn't labelled as safe for oven use, will 100% melt in an air fryer which utilizes an open heating element.

Unsafe plastic is unlikely to set fire but as it melts this can cause a fire elsewhere.

What plastic you can put in an air fryer are all ready meal plastic trays which are safe for oven and microwave use. Unfortunately, plastic containers recommended NOT FOR OVEN USE, will not be safe for air fryers.

Oven-proof plastic containers are the only containers that are safe to be used in an air fryer.

Ready meals will come with a film lid attached of which its vitally important to peel it off, and replace the lid with a foil lid instead. Of course you will want to pierce the foil lid as instructed to when preparing your ready meal for the usual oven cooking.

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