Can You Put Aluminum Foil in an Air Fryer?

Yes - foil is safe in an air fryer as long as food is holding it down and it stays inside the basket. The danger is never the heat; it is the fan. An unweighted sheet gets lifted into the heating element, where it can scorch or catch fire.

Yes, provided it sits inside the basket with food weighing it down. Foil that is loose or unweighted can be lifted by the fan into the heating element, which is a fire risk. Keep the piece smaller than the basket base so air can still circulate.

Yes - as long as it sits inside the basket with food holding it down, and never in the drawer beneath, where it would block the fat drainage and the airflow. The catch is that foil is often the wrong choice even when it is safe: a solid sheet seals off the moving air that does the crisping, so whatever sits on it browns on top and stays pale and soft underneath. Reach for it only when you actually want that seal - to stop a marinade dripping through, or to wrap something delicate - and keep the piece smaller than the base so the edges stay clear. And you can ignore the shiny-versus-dull question entirely: the two faces differ only because the foil is milled in a doubled sheet at the factory, and since an air fryer cooks with moving air rather than reflected heat, which side faces up changes nothing.

Perforated parchment liners are the safer choice for most jobs, because the holes let air through and they are designed for the basket. Foil is better when you want to wrap or contain something wet, such as fish or a saucy dish, since it will not go soggy.

No. The space beneath the basket is where fat drains and where air is drawn through; blocking it with foil traps grease, restricts airflow and can cause overheating. Only ever put foil inside the basket, under the food itself.

Better not to. Acidic ingredients react with aluminum, which pits the foil and can leave a faint metallic taste. Use parchment or put the food straight in the basket instead.