Can You Put Glass In An Air Fryer | Bowls, Dishes, or Pans

Air frying was a lifesaver for me. Not only do air fryers produce tasty food, but they also reduce my intake of calories by reducing the amount of oil I use in everyday meals. 

But, some dishes I like to cook require a glass dish or bowl. Plus, cooking in glass can help your food retain moisture and cook more evenly. So that raises the question, Can you put glass in an air fryer?

Can You Put Glass In an Air Fryer

Yes, you can put glass cooking dishes in the air fryer as long as it’s labeled oven-safe. Oven-safe glass can withstand high temperatures. The most common brand of oven-safe glass cookware is Pyrex. 

Pyrex glass can withstand temperatures up to 500ºF, although cooking at that temperature increases the likelihood of issues. Luckily, most air fryers don’t reach that temperature, instead maxing out at 400ºF or 450ºF.

That said, all types of glass are susceptible to shattering. For instance, tempered cooking glass might be strong, but that doesn’t mean it’s unbreakable or indestructible. Let’s go through the reasons oven-safe glass dishes may shatter.

Will Glass Shatter In an Air Fryer?

Oven-safe glass cookware only shatters in rare circumstances. Glass may shatter in your air fryer, but it’s rare. There are three primary reasons why glass shatters in your air fryer. Glass may break if:

• Sudden temperature changes occur
• There’s a structural weakness in the glass
• You expose it to extremely high temperatures

How To Check If Your Glass Is Air Fryer Safe

Generally, there are two ways to know whether you can safely use glass cookware in the air fryer. First, you can purchase Pyrex of borosilicate glass. The second way is to find an oven-safe symbol on the bottom of your glass dish. 

Pyrex Glass or Borosilicate Glass

Pyrex has designed its glass dishes to withstand high temperatures. If you purchased an oven-safe Pyrex glass dish, bowl, or pan, the cookware is safe for you to use in an air fryer. 

Borosilicate glass is another type of oven-safe glass. While Pyrex is a brand name for glass products, borosilicate is a substance used to make heat-resistant glass. Most brands of borosilicate glass can withstand temperatures of up to 515ºF.

Borosilicate glass has heat-resistant qualities because it uses silica and boron molecules to form its structure. These two elements produce a glass that has a low thermal expansion. That means it can withstand heat without shattering or cracking. 

If you purchased a glass dish made of borosilicate glass, it’s safe to use it in the oven or air fryer without worrying about any issues. In fact, Pyrex uses borosilicate glass in some of its products, including its cookware. 

Air Fryer Safe Symbol

Glass cookware manufacturers often label their oven-safe glass with a specific symbol. The symbol resembles a standard oven with heat radiating from it. If you see this symbol, it means your glass is safe to use in the oven.

Manufacturers most commonly print these symbols on the bottom of a glass dish. Although there is no symbol for air fryer-safe glass, you can use the symbol for oven-safe glass. If it can cook food in the oven, it’s safe to use in an air fryer. 

Avoid Glass Shattering or Cracking in Air Fryer

Shattering glass is probably everybody’s worst nightmare when they cook with glass. Not only do you have to deal with the huge mess and clean up, but you also have to dispose of all that food. 

So, avoiding shattering glass should be everyone’s number one priority. Let’s go through the different circumstances that increase the chance of shattering your glass cookware. I’ll also give you some tips to avoid these situations. 

Sudden Temperature Changes

Even the best glass doesn’t handle temperature changes well. If a glass dish has a temperature rating that allows for high temperature, that doesn’t mean you can put a glass dish from the fridge directly into a hot oven.

That temperature change causes immense stress on the internal structure of the glass dish. Scientists call this process ‘thermal shock.’ Thermal shock occurs because of differences in temperature. If you’ve ever put ice cubes into lukewarm water and heard the ice crack, you’ve experienced thermal shock.

When sudden temperature changes occur, different parts of the glass heat up at different rates. One side of the dish heats up faster, while another part remains cooler. When materials heat up, they expand.

Thermal expansion in one part of the dish but not another causes immense stress on the glass, causing it to shatter. To avoid this problem, always ensure your glass dish is at room temperature before putting it in an oven or air fryer. 

Structural Weakness In Your Glass Bowl Or Dish

If you suspect your glass dish has a crack or any other structural flaw, stop using it immediately. Not only is it unsafe to use in the air fryer, but it’s also unsafe to use in the oven. 

Although glass is a common material, its internal structure is quite complicated. The most common element found in glass is silica. Modern glass is a mixture between silica and another element, such as boron in borosilicate’s case. 

When manufacturers heat silica, the element’s structure morphs. Glass’s structure has thousands of tiny connections similar to crystals, but not identical. A crystalline structure is uniform, whereas glass molecules have different shapes and sizes. 

These shapes and sizes cause the glass to be brittle and dense but also strong when intact. If the glass breaks or cracks, those structures weaken. Once glass weakens, it becomes more prone to breaking or shattering when you apply heat. 

Avoid High Temperatures

Although Pyrex and borosilicate glass can withstand high temperatures, that doesn’t mean you should use them in all high-temperature scenarios. Remember, Pyrex can withstand temps up to 500ºF, and borosilicate can withstand up to 515ºF. 

But those are maximum temperatures, not safe operating temperatures. Never operate anything, whether cookware or otherwise, at its maximum guidelines. Heating cookware to its maximum temperature only increases the chance of shattering due to thermal expansion. 

Also, never apply direct heat to glass dishes. Don’t use them on a hot stovetop or too close to a heating element. Elements may deliver higher temperatures than the maximum temperatures, making them unsafe to use in proximity to glass cookware. 

What Other Containers are Air Fryer Safe

Aside from glass, you can put many other types of cookware into your air fryer. The most common materials people wonder if they can put into the air fryer are ceramics, metals, and silicone products. 

Ceramic

You can use ceramics in the air fryer. Whether it’s a ceramic dish, plate, or ramekin, it should be safe in the air fryer. Before you use ceramics in the air fryer, though, there are some helpful tips you should know first. 

First, always check the bottom of the dish to see if it says oven-safe. You’re all set to use it in an air fryer if it does. If there’s no symbol on the bottom, check the manufacturer’s website to see if it’s safe to use. 

All ceramics can withstand high temperatures, but some manufacturers use glazes or finishes on their products. These finishes may not be safe to use in the oven or air fryer. The manufacturer’s website should be able to answer any questions you have about specific glazes or finishes. 

Metal

As long as your metal cookware is safe to use in the oven, it’s safe to use in the air fryer. Most metal bowls or pans can withstand heat in excess of 500ºF, so they’re completely safe to use in an air fryer. The biggest concern I’ve had using metal cookware is ensuring I don’t burn myself when I remove it from the air fryer.  

Silicone

Silicone is an amazing substance that people use in all sorts of ways, including in cooking. These days, there are oven and air fryer-safe silicone molds, bowls, and accessories that can withstand high temperatures. 

Silicone materials are similar to plastics, but they rarely use petroleum chemicals. Instead, silicone is made up of the elements silicon and oxygen, which together form a strong, flexible material. 

Different chemical compounds give silicone a different level of heat protection. Oven-safe silicone materials are perfectly safe to use in an air fryer with no adverse consequences. Just ensure you have silicone labeled with an oven-safe symbol. 

Verdict: Can You Put Glass In An Air Fryer

So, can you put glass in an air fryer? Yes, as long as you know that the glass is oven-safe, it’ll also be perfectly safe to use in your air fryer. You’ll know if your glass cookware is safe by purchasing specific brands or types of glass. 

By throwing out broken glass cookware and avoiding temperature changes, you’ll have long-lasting cookware that won’t shatter. So, what are you waiting for? Now that you know it’s safe, go ahead and cook with glass in your air fryer!