Cut the fat, calories and cholesterol in your favorite dishes by cooking them in an air fryer. This device uses superheated air to cook food quickly and is easier than using an oven or stove top. You can also use it to cook vegetables, stir-fry, bake breads and cookies, roast meats, etc. It’s perfect for healthier recipes because no oil is needed so you won’t get high cholesterol levels or weight gain side effects like most oils can cause when used excessively.
There’s one challenge: The basket where you’ll be placing your food may be made of silicon, Teflon, or even plastic. These materials don’t fare well against high heat. So, try to buy one that’s made of stainless steel or anodized aluminum.
Why you need an air fryer with a stainless steel basket
- A steel basket is dishwasher safe
Cleaning an air fryer basket is very easy. Any food residue, grease, or oil can be easily washed off using warm soapy water. Use a stainless steel scouring pad to remove stubborn marks and tough stains. But if you don’t have a dishwasher, you can hand wash it with warm soapy water easily too.
- It’s easier to lift
Stainless steel is very lightweight compared to most other materials used for making air fryer baskets. Because of its light weight, the basket doesn’t get hot after cooking even food that has high starch content like fries. This means that you won’t burn your hands when taking the cooked food out of the basket.
- They’re durable
Stainless steel is perfect for air fryers. It’s safe to use and won’t get damaged by cooking high heat foods like meat, vegetables, or even fried foods. This means you can use it for many years without replacing the basket.
- Steel is non reactive
Stainless steel doesn’t react with acidic or alkaline foods. This means that there’s no need to worry about your food becoming discolored, for instance, if you’re cooking tomato-based sauces. The basket won’t be affected by the food’s acidity at all.
- It has a smooth surface
Because it doesn’t have any grooves or slots on its surface, the steel basket allows air to flow freely around the food being cooked so that it cooks evenly.
- It’s scratch proof
Your steel basket won’t be easily scratched by using metal utensils when cooking meat especially if they’re made of cast iron or stainless steel.
- It’s a great conductor of heat
Air fryers use superheated air to cook food. Steel is a great conductor of heat. This means that your food cooks quickly and evenly.
Air fryers that have a stainless steel basket
1. The 8 QT chefman XL
This unit is very similar to the Presto model. It has the same 1000 watt heating element, three basket sizes, digital controls and automatic shutoff. The basket is made of stainless steel with a removable perforated basket bottom for easy cleaning. The basket definitely is one of the best features of this Air Fryer. The basket really large and it does a good job of holding food items in place or preventing items from falling into the heating element.
You will notice that the cooking times for this unit on many of the recipes is longer than on others. For example, for some people it takes 60 minutes to cook curly fries in this Air Fryer. This is probably due to the fact that the basket is so large and it will take longer for air to circulate within the large chamber.
This unit does have an adjustable thermostat so you can increase or decrease cooking time depending on what you are making. If you are following recipes that tell you cook something at a particular temperature then adjust accordingly if needed. Shorten cook times if your recipes are taking longer than expected or increase cook times if your food isn’t done when the recipe states it should be done.
2. The Ultrean air fryer
This is a 6-in-1 Air Fryer. You can choose to use it as an air fryer, an oven, a slow cooker, a steamer, a rotisserie and as a dehydrator. It has a 1000 watt heating element that will heat up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a digital thermostat that will automatically adjust air fryer temperature based on the recipe you are cooking. It has a rotisserie and oven settings and will automatically switch to the setting based on the recipe you are cooking. It comes with 3 stainless steel baskets that will hold your food in place while it cooks.
There’s a recipe book included that you can use for reference once you get familiar with the functions of the air fryer.
3. Ninja AF101
This Ninja air fryer has a 1550 watt heating element that will heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It has seven preset buttons which are based on main food types. The recipes are divided into categories for fries, chicken, beef, pork, fish and snacks. There are preset times for each button based on food type and item size which you can increase or decrease depending on the results you get. When you click the “cook” button, the fryer will begin to heat up for a few minutes and then when it is ready, you can add rice or another type of food. There are three preset times for many recipes. The whole cooking cycle takes about 11 to 13 minutes. The drip tray can easily be removed when it is empty so you won’t have to clean anything when the food is ready.
4. Cosori Air fryer
This unit has a very unique design. Instead of a basket that sits on the base of the unit, this air fryer comes with a round tray made of stainless steel that sits on the base. The whole shape is quite some what bulgy and looks different from other models. It comes with a 750 watt element which will heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a digital thermostat so you can control the heat level based on your recipe and can set it based on a timer as well if you want. It will automatically adjust the temperature once food is added so it cooks them all at the same time.
This unit has a pre-heat mode that will pre-heat the air fryer for about 15 to 20 minutes. You can use this mode to make sure your food is ready before the cooking cycle begins.
Frequently asked questions
Can stainless steel plate be used in air fryer?
Yes. You can put al oven safe utensils including aluminum and steel utensils and stainless steel plate inside the air fryer to cook food without making a mess.
Are basket air fryers better?
Yes. Super heated air will circulate around the food in the stainless steel basket which will cook it evenly. It will also cook faster because there are no hot spots.
Is there an air fryer with stainless steel interior?
All the models that we review here have stainless steel baskets. The baskets aren’t non-stick but they’re durable. You can cook food such as chicken wings that would normally stick to the basket easily without tearing the basket itself.
What material is the air fryer basket?
Most air fryers have Teflon baskets which are coated with non-stick layer on the inside. We also see stainless steel baskets in some models. Both materials are safe for using in air fryers but we’d go for a stainless steel basket because it’s more durable. Teflon coated baskets used in air fryers don’t contain harmful materials to humans. The coating is just a layer that protects the basket from stains and other potential damages. It won’t leach into the food you cook in it nor will it permeate into your food after cooking.
Many people worry about how safe stainless steel and Teflon coated baskets are for cooking food. But to be honest, you should worry more about all those chemicals found in non-stick cookware than those found in air fryer baskets.