The Dangerous Mistake To Avoid When Putting Tin Foil In The Air Fryer

Adding a sheet of tin foil just makes it so much easier to clean an air fryer after you're done cooking. It can catch saucy drips and food crumbs, as well as prevent sticky items like cheese from stubbornly clinging onto the basket. But how safe is it to put a metal sheet in an air fryer? Well, while you can use foil in the appliance, there are certain precautions to take. Overlooking these will not only lead to improper cooking, but they can also cause dangerous accidents.

The most important part is where you place that foil. The sheet should never come in direct contact with the heating element of the fryer — the coil or the hot fan — as this can lead to a fire. Always line tin foil at the bottom of the basket where you would put your food (not the bottom of the fryer itself), or on top of drip pans if it's an oven-style appliance. Foil should never be lined over drawers, racks, or any other areas of the fryer.

Another mistake to avoid is leaving a foil sheet on its own in the air fryer, without any food on top to hold it down. The powerful fan inside will cause the loose foil to blow around, which means it can come in contact with the heating element and become dangerous. Make sure that the tin foil is tightly secured in place and weighed down with food, and never place it inside while preheating an empty air fryer.

Air fryers are similar to convection ovens, so anything that you would use in the latter — e.g. tin foil — is safe to use in the former too. When in doubt, however, always check the manufacturer's manual first. Some air fryers may recommend against using foil altogether, whereas others might have their own do's and don'ts on how to use your model safely.

If you do decide to use tin foil, remember that air fryers have perforated baskets with tiny holes all over their base. This is what allows hot air to circulate properly underneath the food, ensuring that it gets an even cook. So when lining it with foil, make sure that the sheet doesn't entirely cover the perforated surface, and that there is still enough room for air to pass. Always trim the sheet to the size of your basket, so that you don't have any excess foil covering the food or hanging over the sides and touching the heating element.

That being said, there is one instance where you should avoid using tin foil entirely, and that's when you're cooking acidic foods. Acids react with aluminum when exposed to heat and break it down, which then causes the metal to leach into your food. So if you're air frying lemons for a deliciously complex lemonade, or cooking flavorful chicken breasts coated in a tangy citrus marinade, it's best to leave that tin foil out.