If you’re a foodie like me and want to know the answer to this question: “Can I put glass in an air fryer?”, this article is for you.
You may have saved your leftovers in a glass container. Can you just take this out of the fridge and throw it in the air fryer?
Is there a maximum temperature for a glass bowl? Is there ever a time when you shouldn’t use your oven-safe glass bowl in the air fryer? Let us investigate!
Table of Contents
What is the composition of a glass bowl?
Pyrex bowls were originally made of borosilicate glass, which is extremely heat resistant. Pyrex is currently made of soda-lime glass, presumably as a cost-cutting measure due to the low cost of soda-lime glass.
The majority of Pyrex bowls are labeled oven and freezer safe, but they are not completely thermal shockproof.
When a Pyrex bowl is rapidly heated or cooled, different parts of the bowl expand and contract at different rates, causing stress. If the stress is too great, the bowl’s structure will fail, causing it to shatter.
To avoid it, be mindful of how quickly you change the temperature of Pyrex. Stovetops and broilers conduct heat quickly, causing the bowls to fail.
***Read More: Are Air Fryers Toxic – Benefits and risks
Can I use my air fryer with a glass bowl?
If the glass bowl is oven safe, it can be used in an air fryer. It should not be placed when the glass bowl is cold because it will cause thermal stress and shatter the Pyrex.
For added safety, pre-heat the glass bowl with mildly hot water before using it in an air fryer.
Caution: The temperature of air fryers rises dramatically in a matter of minutes, and most ordinary glass bowls cannot withstand the temperature changes and will shatter or explode. As a result, it’s best to read the label and use an air fryer without food.
How do I find out if my glass cookware is oven-safe?
The best and simplest way to tell is when the manufacturer stamps an oven-safe symbol or writes the words “oven-safe” directly onto the glass cookware. This is usually found on the bottom of the product and denotes the use of oven-safe glass.
If you know the manufacturer of your glass cookware, you can check their website to see if their product is oven-safe. Also, look for the company on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
If they have a profile, you can simply ask the question there, and you will almost certainly receive a prompt response.
Most businesses want to project a positive image on social media, so they will often go out of their way to be helpful!
Aside from that, most oven-safe glass cookware is made at temperatures of up to 600 degrees Celsius, which is equivalent to more than 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Because an air fryer is unlikely to reach this temperature, you should be fine.
However, you should first test your glass cookware in your air fryer (at the highest temperature and without food) to determine whether it will be usable. You use an air fryer at your own risk if the manufacturer does not specifically state that their product is oven safe.
Even if you have an oven-proof glass bowl, do not put it straight from the fridge or freezer into your air fryer.
The rapid temperature change will most likely compromise even the most oven-safe glass!! Thermal shock is real, and if you’re not careful, it’ll bite you in the back.
Please keep in mind that we are discussing glass bowls for use in the oven, not glass containers. These glass containers are frequently used as lunch boxes or for storing food in the refrigerator.
They are almost never designed to be oven-safe. A high temperature from an air fryer will almost certainly cause it to break down in some way!
***Read More: Air Fryer Not Turning On – How to Fix This
Is glass cookware suitable for use in an air fryer?
Anyone who has owned an air fryer for any length of time has probably realized that the most important factor for air fryers is airflow!
We quickly learn that because an air fryer relies on the circulation of hot air around the cooking compartment to function properly, we must never obstruct this in any way.
If I were to write an air fryer 101 book, my number one commandment would be “Though thou shalt not block airflow!”
As a result, the cooking basket is the traditional and primary component of an air fryer. It has large holes to allow air to circulate freely through and around your food.
This is a must-have ingredient if you want your food to be crispy. For the same reason, we bought an extra grill pan for our Philips air fryer, which has many holes in it.
Hence, using a glass bowl or other type of glass cookware with no holes may not be such a good idea.
You are obstructing the airflow around your food, which means it will take much longer to cook the food at the base of a glass bowl, for instance, resulting in uneven cooking and likely frustration.
So, the question should not be whether a glass bowl is safe to use in an air fryer, but rather whether you should use an air fryer at all!!
***Read More: What Is The Healthiest Oil To Use In An Air Fryer? Good Advises
Is there any special case?
There are, in fact, some. Cooking certain types of food in an air fryer does necessitate the use of solid cookware, which contradicts the common advice of allowing air to circulate freely around your food in an air fryer.
The most obvious example is baking a cake. Of course, a solid object must hold the cake mixture in place while it bakes.
If you do decide that your recipe requires a solid cooking pan, whether glass or not, keep the airflow factor in mind. Even if you can’t get airflow around the food, you should make sure you have good airflow around the cookware you’re using.
Don’t use cookware that completely fills the cooking compartment of your air fryer. If you do this, your air fryer will have very little air circulation and the results will be poor.
You must still place the cookware in your air fryer’s basket or lift it up from the bottom of your air fryer. Also, make sure there is enough space on the sides for the air to circulate freely.
These are the most important things to remember when using solid cookware in your air fryer.
***Read More: Can I Use An Air Fryer As A Microwave?
How to prevent glass breakage in the Air Fryer
There are some precautions you can take if you really want to keep your glass bowl from breaking in an air fryer.
#1. Don’t alter anything. The temperature rose unexpectedly.
The primary cause of glass breaking is a sudden temperature change. For example, you may have placed a glass bowl full of frozen leftovers in the air fryer. It has the potential to shatter glass and be harmful.
You can wait for the glass to come to room temperature before placing it in the air fryer at the lowest possible temperature.
#2. Look for structural flaws in the glass.
Even oven-safe glass can shatter if the glass bowl is weaker. Hold the glass bowl up to the light and inspect it for small cracks, unevenness in the glass surface, and color change. All of them point to a weaker glass.
Get a new oven-safe glass bowl that you can use in your air fryer to enjoy your food.
#3. Make use of tempered or oven-safe glass.
Drinking glasses and serving glass bowls are typically not made to withstand oven temperatures, so unless they are specifically labeled as oven safe, never use them in your oven or air fryer.
To ensure safety, use an oven-safe or tempered glass bowl, which can withstand much higher temperatures than regular glass bowls.
#4. High temperatures should be avoided.
Oven-safe glass bowls operate at temperatures ranging from 350°F to 450°F; always read the label carefully to understand the bowl’s limitations. At high temperatures, the glass begins to lose its shape, crack, and possibly explode.
To be safe, try to stay well below the temperature limit.
#5. What are the advantages of heating food in glass jars?
You can heat and re-heat glass containers repeatedly without fear of chemicals leaching into your food.
Glass containers are non-toxic, easy to clean, retain heat for a longer period of time, and have a transparent surface. As a result, it is the best option for many of us.
***Read More: Home Tips: Can You Put Frozen Raw Meat In An Air Fryer?
What are your options?
The best solution is to use metal wire racks inside your air fryer. They will still allow plenty of air to circulate around the food, but they will also allow you to add a second level or layer to your cooking.
The best way to accomplish this is to find a rack that fits snugly inside the dimensions of your air fryer’s basket (you don’t want it to move around). This would still allow for the evenest cooking and optimal airflow.
Some manufacturers provide their own official wire rack accessories. If that fails, measure your air fryer’s basket and search Amazon for wire racks that will fit.
Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to read our article about using glass cookware in your air fryer.
It’s natural for any aspiring chef or home cook to look around their kitchen and wonder what they can make with their air fryer. Hopefully, you are satisfied with our answer to the question: “Can I put glass in an air fryer?“
I wish there were more cooking accessories for air fryers, but they are still relatively new kitchen appliances.
With more time, they should be able to get a wider selection. Then we wouldn’t need to use glass cookware in our air fryers as much.
