Can You Put A Ceramic Bowl In An Air Fryer?

If you have recently bought an air fryer you are likely asking lots of similar questions to understand what you can and cannot put in your air fryer. Due to the abundance of ceramic cookware I have in my kitchen, it was certainly a question I asked.

In short, your ceramic cookware can be used in your air fryer. You can put all your accumulated ceramic cookware to good use. You do not need to go and buy a whole set of air fryer-specific cookware.

This article covers why your ceramic cookware is safe in the air fryer and how to use them in the best way.

Table of Contents

Can you put a ceramic bowl, dish, or plate in an air fryer?

Yes, oven-safe ceramic cookware can go in an air fryer. Oven-safe ceramic cookware in a good condition will be able to withstand extreme heat. Certainly more than the maximum temperature your air fryer can produce.

Ceramic cookware can withstand temperatures over 1800 f (1000 c). While most air fryers do not exceed 400 f (200 c).

However, this does not mean all ceramic bowls, dishes or plates will be suitable for use in your air fryer.

What type of ceramic cookware can I not use in an air fryer?

Most ceramic cookware will be safe in an air fryer, especially if you have used it for years in your regular convection oven. If you are unsure. Here are some key indicators to help identify ceramic cookware that should not be used in an air fryer…

No “oven-safe” stamp

If there is no “oven-safe” wording and you have not used it in your traditional oven many times, do not use it in your air fryer. If the manufacturer has not marked it as “oven-safe”, then it has not been designed or tested for use in a conventional oven at high temperatures. On this basis, it will not be worth taking the risk of using it in an air fryer as it will not withstand the high heat.

Glazed

Some ceramic crockery is glazed to give it a glossy finish, these should not be used in an air fryer or a regular oven. The ceramic will be fine, but the glossy finish will become dull.

Painted

If you have some decorative ceramic cookware, then this should not be used in the air fryer. If you use this type of cookware in your air fryer, the high temperatures used during the cooking process will cause the paint compounds to break down. The compounds will then leach into your food. Enamel-painted cookware is fine, as enamel paint is classed as a food-safe coating by the FDA.

In a poor condition

If your ceramic cookware is cracked, then I would take the opportunity to replace it. At some point, it is likely to break which will spoil your food and create a mess to clean up.

If you have a ceramic bowl that is painted or in a poor condition, don’t use it. It is not worth the risk of it breaking or the paint leaching into your food. There are plenty of low-cost air fryer-safe alternatives to ceramic cookware you can use instead (see below).

Does ceramic cookware work well in an air fryer?

It does if you are using it for the right reasons. During the cooking process, air fryers rely on good airflow to cook your food evenly and make it crispy. The cooking basket has large holes in it to allow for the circulation of hot air. Placing a ceramic dish or any cookware into your air fryer’s basket will reduce this airflow. Changing how the food cooks and increasing the reliance on the heat from the heating element.

For example, I would not use cookware if I was cooking sausages or other types of meat.

By placing the food items in cookware, the hot air will circulate around the outside of the cookware rather than coming into direct contact with the food. This will lead to uneven cooking and is unlikely to produce the best results.

So, if you want the crispy food you were craving from your air fryer. A better option would be to place the sausages/meat in a single layer at the bottom of your air fryer basket. If you want to reduce the clean-up time as your non-stick coating in the basket has deteriorated maybe use silicone air fryer liners, parchment paper, or aluminum foil instead of any form of cookware.

What other cookware can be used in an air fryer?

Ceramic containers are not the only types of containers you can put in an air fryer there are alternatives…

Silicone

Silicone molds are great for baking cakes. They are easy to clean and hard to break. They also come in various sizes and shapes and will fit in any of the best air fryers. If you want to know more about how to use silicone molds and accessories in an air fryer, please read this article.

Metal

Metal cookware is a suitable alternative. It is a low-cost and regularly available option. They like silicone are hard to break, unlike glassware. You might find though that food sticks to them, making them hard to clean vs. the other options. This will be especially true if they do not have a non-stick coating or they have had years of use which has reduced the effectiveness of the non-stick coating.

If you want to know more about how to use metal containers in an air fryer, you will find this article useful.

Glass

Glass containers are another suitable alternative. The glass cookware like metal cookware will need to be oven-safe. You will also need to take precautions to avoid the glass experiencing thermal stress, due to a rapid change in temperature. This could lead to it breaking from heating or cooling unevenly.

Like ceramic cookware, it needs to be handled and stored correctly. This is to avoid the glassware being damaged. A damaged glass bowl even if oven-safe has a higher risk of breaking.

If you want to know more about how to use glass containers in an air fryer, I cover everything you need to know in this article.

Tip: Do not use paper or card cookware (paper plates or paper towels) in your air fryer.

Safety tips for using all cookware in an air fryer

All cookware will get extremely hot after being used in your air fryer. This is especially true of ceramic cookware as it is a good conductor of heat. So, it is a good idea to take these safety precautions when air frying with ceramic cookware…

Use oven mitts to safely remove the cookware
- Or use tongs to remove the food item (if possible) until the cookware has cooled
Place your hot cookware on a heat-proof mat to protect your countertop when you remove the cookware.
Do not squeeze the cookware into the air fryer’s basket. There needs to be space around the sides of the cookware. So, the hot air circulates to cook the food and you can safely remove the cookware.
Use a meat thermometer (if cooking meat) to check the meat is safe to eat.
Do not leave your air fryer unattended. If using cookware for the first time you may need to check the food and cookware to ensure it is cooking as intended.

Useful safety equipment for when air frying

Final word

You only need to use Ceramic cookware in air fryers if you are wanting to cook certain foods like cakes or other wet foods. Cookware reduces the air circulation in the air fryer. So, using cookware to hold foods like sausages, chicken wings, etc., will not crisp up as quickly. Which may have been why you bought the air fryer in the first place.

There are plenty of good alternative types of cookware made from oven-safe materials if you do not have any ceramic cookware.

What Can And Can’t Go In An Air Fryer – A roundup article summarizing what you can and can’t use in an air fryer. With links to more detail on how to use certain materials and items safely.