If you have recently bought an air fryer and frequently entertain you might be wondering, can I put paper plates with leftovers in an air fryer?

Short answer, paper plates should not be used in your air fryer. Paper plates in an air fryer are a potential fire hazard.

This article covers what will happen if you were to put a paper plate in your air fryer and suggests alternative cookware for you to use when air frying. 

Can You Put A Paper Plate In An Air Fryer?

No, you should not put a paper plate in an air fryer. The paper plate will burn if exposed to the high heat of the air fryer and catch fire. Resulting in a destroyed air fryer and potentially much worse.

Even if the paper plate does not catch fire the paper plate will lose its shape and start soaking up moisture from the food. Covering the plate in foil will stop the plate from soaking up any moisture. But this will not reduce the risk of a fire, as the paper plate will start to burn above 350 F (176 c).

What happens if I put a paper plate in an air fryer?

If you were to put a paper plate in your air fryer, there are several things that will happen.

Burning and fire

Putting a paper plate in an air fryer creates a fire hazard. Air fryers generate high temperatures of 400 F (200 c) and above. If a paper plate was exposed to the intense heat of an air fryer for even a short time, it will start to burn and then catch fire.

Air fryers use high-velocity fans to circulate hot air to cook your food evenly. If the paper plate is not weighed down sufficiently, the circulating air will cause the plate to move around in the air fryer. This increases the chances of a fire. If while moving around the paper plate was to touch the heating element of the air fryer it will burn and start a fire.

Damage to the air fryer

A fire in the air fryer basket is going to cause untold damage to the air fryer. The components in your air fryer are designed to withstand high temperatures but not fire.

If the paper plate is not weighed down the air which will be moving at high speeds will start to move the plate around. The plate could get stuck at the top of the air fryer near the heating element or fan. This could make it difficult to remove without damaging the air fryer.

Inedible food

Harmful toxic chemicals in the paper plate could leech into your food as both the food and plate are heated to high temperatures. These harmful chemicals pose health risks and would make the food inedible.

Safe alternatives for paper plates

Transferring your leftovers from a paper plate to oven-proof plates or oven-safe cookware will take thirty seconds. By using oven-safe materials you will not need to worry about any of the above. Below are all oven-safe alternatives that can withstand extreme heat.

Metal

A metal plate or metal cookware is a suitable heat resistant alternative. Metal cookware 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 metal cookware, making them hard to clean vs. the other options. This will be especially true if the the metal cookware does not have a non-stick coating. Or its 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, then read this article.

Parchment paper

Regular parchment paper is perfect for use in an air fryer, though you need to make sure that you do not use too much. If you use too much parchment paper it can disrupt air circulation and result in uneven cooking. You also do not want the paper coming up the sides of the air fryer toward the heating components. If the paper touches the heat coils, then it will burn, potentially causing a fire.

To avoid uneven cooking only put the piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the air fryer. It is a good idea to use a hole punch to make your own perforated parchment paper. Use the hole punch to poke holes in the paper. The holes will allow the hot air to circulate around the air fryer basket. Excess oil will also drain into the bottom of the basket. This can be cleaned with soapy water after cooking.

As parchment paper is light, the high-velocity fan in the air fryer could cause the parchment paper to move or lift from the basket. It is important to weigh the paper down before pre-heating or cooking in your air fryer. You do not want a piece of paper to touch the heating coil.

Air fryer parchment paper liners

Due to the popularity of air fryers, you can buy pre-cut parchment paper air fryer liners. Air fryer parchment paper liners save you time as they are pre-cut to fit in the basket of your air fryer. They have holes already cut into them, ensuring the airflow is not blocked and food is evenly cooked.

Remember to weigh the liner down to avoid it flying around and touching the heating element.

As air fryers come in different sizes you will need to pick the right liner for your air fryer.

I have written a detailed article on how to use parchment paper and ready made liners in your air fryer.

Aluminum or Tin foil

Aluminum or tin foil can be used in air fryers. Depending on the food you are cooking you may need to use the foil in different ways. One of the best ways to use foil is to create a pocket to retain a food’s juices and moisture. This is the best option if you are cooking salmon or leafy greens.

Foil can also be used as a removable liner to prevent food from sticking to the bottom of the air fryer basket. This would be the approach you take if cooking fried chicken or chicken wings.

When using foil, remember as with parchment paper do not use too much. Put holes in the foil to avoid disrupting the airflow. Disrupting the airflow can result in uneven cooking of your food.

If you are cooking acidic foods, you should avoid using aluminum foil. Cooking acidic foods on aluminum foil creates a chemical reaction. This may cause the aluminum to leach into your food.

Aluminum pans

Low-cost aluminum pans are a great option if you do a lot of batch cooking. You can put your leftovers in them and store them in your freezer until needed. The night before you want to eat that leftover yummy slice of lasagna, put it in the fridge to defrost. The next day you can put the aluminum pan (minus the card lid) into the air fryer and reheat it. Allowing you to serve lasagna with a crispy top.

Depending on the pan’s condition you can reuse or dispose of it.

All the information you will need on how to use aluminum foil or pans in an air fryer is in this article.

Silicone

Silicone molds are great for baking cakes or as a container to hold leftovers. 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.

In addition to molds, you can buy silicone air fryer liners. These will stop your food from sticking to the air fryer basket and are easily washed.

If you want to know more about how to use silicone molds and air fryer accessories in an air fryer, check out my article on silicone.

Glass

A glass plate or glass cookware is another suitable alternative. Glass like metal cookware will need to be oven safe. You will also need to take precautions to avoid the glass experiencing thermal stress. 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 creating an unnecessary mess.

I have written an article that covers answers if you can use glass in an air fryer. It provides tips on how to identify if glass is oven safe and how to avoid breaking your glass cookware.

Ceramic

A ceramic plate or cookware provides a great alternative to using a paper plate, provided they are rated as oven-safe. Ceramic cookware is easier to clean than metal containers. Yet, ceramic cookware like glassware is susceptible to cracking and chipping if not handled and stored correctly. This can increase the risk of your ceramic cookware breaking when cooking.

For more in depth information on how to use ceramics in an air fryer check out my other article on the topic.

Safety tips for using all types of cookware in an air fryer

Regardless of the type of cookware you use. The cookware will get extremely hot after being used in your air fryer. So, it is a good idea to…

• Use an oven mitt 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 to ensure good air flow. 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.

Related articles

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.