Can You Put Ceramic in an Air Fryer?
Short answer
Yes - oven-safe ceramic only
Yes, you can put ceramic in an air fryer, provided it is marked oven-safe. Ramekins and small ceramic bakeware work well. As with glass, the thing to watch is thermal shock - an air fryer heats fast, so bring the dish to room temperature first.
Why ceramic behaves this way
Ceramic behaves in an air fryer much as it does in an oven, because that is effectively what an air fryer is. Oven-safe ramekins, small stoneware dishes and ceramic baking dishes are all fine, and they are genuinely useful for the things a bare basket cannot do - baked eggs, individual gratins, small puddings, anything wet enough to run through the holes in the crisper plate.
Two caveats. The first is the same one that applies to glass: an air fryer reaches temperature far faster than a conventional oven, so a cold ceramic dish is asked to expand very quickly, and thermal shock can crack it. Start with room-temperature dishes and cool them on a dry board, not a wet worktop. The second is that "ceramic" covers a lot of ground - a decorative or craft-glazed piece is not the same as oven-rated stoneware, and its glaze may be neither heat-stable nor food-safe. If it does not say oven-safe on the base, do not assume it is.
The rules
- Use only ceramic marked oven-safe or heat-resistant on the base.
- Let it come to room temperature before it goes into a preheated fryer.
- Leave clearance around the dish so air can still circulate.
- Cool it on a dry trivet or board, never a cold or wet worktop.
What goes wrong
- Thermal shock can crack ceramic when cold dishes hit a fast-heating fryer.
- Decorative or craft-glazed ceramic is not heat-rated and its glaze may not be food-safe.
- A dish that fills the basket blocks airflow and cooks unevenly.
- Chipped or crazed ceramic is more likely to fail under heat.
Ceramic in an air fryer: FAQ
Can you put ceramic in an air fryer?
Yes, as long as it is oven-safe ceramic. Ramekins and small stoneware dishes work well. Bring them to room temperature first, since an air fryer heats quickly and cold ceramic can crack from thermal shock.
Can you put a ramekin in an air fryer?
Yes - an oven-safe ramekin is one of the most useful things you can put in a basket. It handles baked eggs, small gratins and anything too wet for the crisper plate. Leave a gap around it so air can move.
Is a ceramic plate air fryer safe?
Only if it is marked oven-safe. Many everyday dinner plates are not heat-rated, and a plate also covers a lot of the basket, which blocks the airflow. A small oven-safe dish is a better choice than a plate.
Can ceramic crack in an air fryer?
It can, if it goes in cold or is not oven-rated. Air fryers heat faster than conventional ovens, so the temperature change is more abrupt. Room-temperature, oven-safe ceramic is fine.
What else can go in an air fryer?
- Plastic No - it melts
- Silicone Yes - the safest liner there is
- Pyrex Yes - but bring it to room temperature
- Plate Only if oven-safe - and it hurts crisping
- Bowl Yes - oven-safe, and expect a bake not a fry
- Cardboard No - it burns
See the full list on what can you put in an air fryer.