Air fryers can handle a lot of things. You can put all types of food in the air fryer, and it will come out exactly how you’d like it. But what else can you put in an air fryer to help keep things clean and organized? Can you put paper towel in an air fryer?

Can you put paper towel in an air fryer? The best air fryer recipes may not call for paper towels, but some easy air fryer tips may help. The air fryer is among some of the best modern kitchen appliances.

They are powerful ovens that can sit on a countertop. An air fryer works like a small convection oven that serves as a good alternative to traditional deep frying methods. This is because the cooking process uses the circulation of hot air in the air fryer basket.

These high temperatures are pushed around the food quickly and powerfully, which is why they call it air frying. The high heat is great for cooking anything from french fries to chicken wings and chicken tenders to crispy bacon; you truly can put almost any frozen food into the cooking basket.

Of course, frozen foods aren’t the only things you can put in this toaster oven on steroids. You get the best results, crispy exterior, and delicious food from the bottom of the basket.

Then, there are the things you can use to make the cooking process easier. Air fryer models usually have a basket, and anyone who has used basket-type air fryers knows there is a bit of a mess left behind.

Remember, an air fryer is meant to fill the need for a deep fryer. Excess oil is still an issue, even if you use far less oil during cooking. Food particles can get in the basket, and cleaning all of the removable parts can become time-consuming.

Some people like to use wax paper or aluminum foil to help prevent the basket from getting too dirty too quickly. But can you put paper towel in an air fry if you don’t have those safe alternatives?

Can You Put Paper Towel in an Air Fryer?

We have grown accustomed to using paper towels in the microwave to help us keep things clean. Paper towels help absorb the moisture from the food in the microwave. Especially when we microwave greasy food.

The paper towel is a protective barrier, saving us from scrubbing down the microwave after every quick bite we cook. Therefore, it stands to reason that we can use a paper towel to make life a little easier.

But it is very important to get straight to the point; the short answer is no, paper towels in an air fryer are not a good idea. Air fryers use high temperatures to cook food quicker than a regular oven.

The hot air is forced around the basket-style air fryer, posing a real safety hazard with paper towels. The first is the most obvious: it’s a fire hazard. Some people will say yes, it is safe, and they may have gotten away with it multiple times.

But all it takes is one bad occasion to make life drastically change. Even the best air fryers can’t guarantee that a paper towel won’t catch fire. Then there is the air flow. The bottom of the air fryer has small holes that allow for proper air circulation.

This is how we end up avoiding uneven cooking. Safety aspects aside, no one wants to end up with half-cooked air fryer bacon. Luckily, there are other, safer, and easier ways to keep the air fryer’s basket as clean as possible.

Keeping an Air Fryer Basket Clean

Can you put paper towel in an air fryer basket? The simple answer is no, but there are alternatives. The first step is to use a nonstick coating like a cooking spray to make sure food particles don’t get stuck in the basket.

This is the best way to make cleaning up a lot easier. We still want the air flow to be uninterrupted, so using nothing besides spray is a good general rule. Cooking foods of different sizes is also easier when nothing takes up valuable space in the air fryer besides your food.

Not to mention, reducing fire risk is one of those basic rules we all follow when cooking. Of course, there’s still the problem of excess grease or excess fat to deal with.

​Alternatives to Paper Towels in an Air Fryer

Can you put paper towels in an air fryer? No, even a new air fryer can’t handle paper towels with a safety guarantee. The style of air fryer doesn’t matter. High temperatures are used, and paper is very flammable.

But the good news is there are alternatives you can use if you still don’t want to deal with the clean-up process. We already use parchment paper in ovens; the same rules apply to an air fryer.

You can safely put a piece of parchment paper or wax paper in an air fryer. Of course, we will be obstructing the food, but that all comes down to personal preference. An air-fryer liner is another safe alternative to paper towels in an air fryer.

These liners are designed for the air fryer, though they still obstruct the air flow. Nonetheless, they can handle the intense heat of air fryer cooking. The main concern is staying safe while cutting the cleaning time down for every air fryer basket.

How to Clean an Air Fryer Basket

Cleaning an air fryer basket doesn’t have to require so much elbow grease, though time will help. One of the best ways to keep your air fryer basket clean is to let it cool and then take out the removable parts.

Wipe the outside down with a damp cloth and let the basket soak in warm soapy water. Of course, you may think your new kitchen gadget doesn’t need a soaking, and you may be right.

You could simply wipe down the inside of the basket with the same cloth if the mess isn’t too great. However, soaking the removable parts is mandatory if there is a lot of olive oil that makes a mess.

Then, fill the basket drawer halfway with warm water and add some soap. Let that sit for ten minutes before dumping out the water and wiping it down with the soft side of a sponge.

That’s all there is to it; cleaning isn’t too difficult and shouldn’t cause a lot of confusion.

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