Can You Put Paper Towel in an Air Fryer?
Short answer
No - fire risk
No. Do not put paper towel in an air fryer. It is light, it is not heat-rated, and the fan will lift it into the heating element, where it can catch fire within seconds. This is the clearest "never" in the whole appliance. Use a perforated parchment liner instead.
Why paper towel behaves this way
Almost everything else on this list is a "yes, if". Paper towel is not. It combines every property you do not want: it is extremely light, so the fan picks it up immediately; it has no heat rating at all, unlike parchment, which is silicone-coated and tested; and it is designed to be absorbent and airy, which is another way of saying it is excellent kindling. Put a sheet in an empty basket, hit preheat, and it can be against the glowing element and alight before the display has finished counting down.
People usually reach for it wanting to soak up grease, and that instinct is right - it is only the method that is wrong. If you want to catch fat, use a perforated parchment liner or a purpose-made silicone liner in the basket, or a shallow film of water in the drawer beneath it. If you want to blot cooked food, do it on a plate lined with paper towel after it comes out of the fryer, where the paper is nowhere near a 400°F element and a fan.
What to do instead
- Do not put paper towel in the basket, the drawer, or anywhere inside a running air fryer.
- To catch grease inside the fryer, use a perforated parchment or silicone liner instead.
- To blot cooked food, use paper towel on a plate, after the food comes out.
- Wiping the basket with a paper towel is fine - when the fryer is off, cool and unplugged.
What goes wrong
- The fan lifts it into the heating element, where it can ignite in seconds.
- Paper towel has no temperature rating and is not designed for oven heat.
- Even weighed down with food, an exposed corner is enough to catch and lift.
Paper Towel in an air fryer: FAQ
Can you put paper towel in an air fryer?
No. It is unrated for heat and light enough that the fan will blow it into the heating element, where it can catch fire. There is no safe way to cook with paper towel inside an air fryer.
What if the food is holding the paper towel down?
Still no. Food rarely covers a sheet completely, and one exposed corner is all the fan needs to lift it. Parchment gets a conditional yes because it is heat-rated and sold in weighted, perforated shapes; paper towel is neither.
How do I soak up grease in an air fryer then?
Use a perforated parchment liner or a silicone liner in the basket, or put a tablespoon of water in the drawer below to stop the fat smoking. Blot the food itself on paper towel after it comes out.
Can I use paper towel to clean my air fryer?
Yes - wiping down the basket and interior with a damp paper towel is fine, as long as the fryer is switched off, cool and unplugged. The rule is only about cooking with it inside.
What else can go in an air fryer?
- Ceramic Yes - oven-safe ceramic only
- 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
See the full list on what can you put in an air fryer.