Can You Put Silicone in an Air Fryer?
Short answer
Yes - the safest liner there is
Yes, you can put silicone in an air fryer. Food-grade silicone is rated well above air fryer temperatures - typically 400-500°F (200-260°C) - and unlike parchment or foil it is heavy enough that the fan will not lift it. Silicone liners, moulds and cups are made for exactly this.
Why silicone behaves this way
Silicone is the material people are reaching for when they wrongly reach for plastic. It is not a plastic - it is a synthetic rubber - and food-grade silicone is heat-stable to somewhere around 400-500°F (200-260°C), which is at or above the top end of what most air fryers can even produce. It does not melt, it does not off-gas at normal cooking temperatures, and it does not soften into the basket.
It also solves the one problem that makes foil and parchment risky: weight. A silicone liner has enough heft that the fan cannot pick it up and throw it at the heating element, which means it is the only liner you can safely put into an empty basket before preheating. The trade-off is airflow - a solid silicone basket liner shields the underside of the food just as a solid sheet of parchment does, so buy a perforated one if crisping matters, and check the manufacturer's stated temperature rating rather than assuming.
The rules
- Use food-grade silicone and check the stated temperature rating on the packaging.
- Choose a perforated liner if you want the underside of the food to crisp.
- Leave clearance around the edges so air can still circulate.
- It is heavy enough not to fly - the one liner you can safely preheat with.
What goes wrong
- A solid, unperforated silicone liner blocks airflow to the base of the food, leaving it soft.
- Cheap, non-food-grade silicone may not hold its stated rating - buy from a known brand.
- A liner that fills the basket wall to wall stops air moving and slows cooking.
Silicone in an air fryer: FAQ
Can you put silicone in an air fryer?
Yes. Food-grade silicone is heat-rated to roughly 400-500°F (200-260°C), which covers everything an air fryer does. Silicone liners, moulds and muffin cups are sold specifically for air fryer use.
Is silicone safer than parchment or foil in an air fryer?
In one important way, yes. Silicone is heavy enough that the fan cannot lift it into the heating element, which is the main hazard with foil and parchment. It is the only liner that is safe to put into an empty basket before preheating.
Do silicone liners stop food from crisping?
A solid one will, because it blocks air from reaching the underside. Perforated silicone liners let the air through and keep the crisping. If you want maximum crunch, the bare crisper plate still beats any liner.
Is silicone the same as plastic?
No, and this is the distinction that matters. Silicone is a synthetic rubber that is stable at oven temperatures; plastic softens and melts. Anything you have read about keeping plastic out of an air fryer does not apply to food-grade silicone.
What else can go in an air fryer?
- 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
- Toothpicks Yes - soak them first
- Aluminum Foil Yes - if you weigh it down
See the full list on what can you put in an air fryer.