Can You Put Pyrex Glass In Air Fryer? | It Depends

You probably grabbed the Pyrex dish you use for casseroles and wondered if it could handle the air fryer’s rapid heat. It’s a fair thought — Pyrex is famously oven-safe, and air fryers are basically small convection ovens. But the brand itself gives two different answers depending on where the dish was sold.

The truth is messier than a simple yes or no. Pyrex dishes sold in the UK and Europe are made from borosilicate glass and are officially rated for air fryer use. Pyrex dishes sold in the US are soda-lime glass, and the company explicitly warns against putting them in a direct-heat air fryer. Knowing which one you have makes all the difference.

The Confusing Answer From Pyrex Itself

Official Pyrex UK states that its glass dishes “are ideal for use in air fryers,” citing a temperature tolerance from -40°C to +350°C and resistance to stains and odors. That sounds straightforward — until you check Pyrex Home (the US brand), which says Pyrex glass cannot be used in an air fryer because the appliance is a direct heat source and failure to follow the warning could cause injury.

Both are official sources from the same parent company, but they refer to different glass formulations. The UK/EU dishes use borosilicate glass, which handles thermal shock far better than the soda-lime glass used in US Pyrex products. Instant Pot’s official guidance adds that any ovenproof dish made of glass, ceramic, metal, or silicone can go in its air fryers, but that assumes the glass is rated for the heat.

Why The Warning Matters

The US Pyrex FAQ is clear: “Pyrex glass cannot be used in an air fryer because it is a direct heat source.” This isn’t a suggestion — it’s a safety directive. Many home cooks have reported cracked dishes after assuming oven-safe meant air-fryer-safe.

Why The Same Brand Gives Two Answers

The split comes down to manufacturing history and regional differences. Pyrex originally used borosilicate glass, which resists thermal shock. In the US, the brand switched to soda-lime glass decades ago for cost reasons. Borosilicate can handle the rapid temperature swings inside an air fryer; soda-lime glass is more prone to shattering. Here’s how the two formulations compare:

• Borosilicate glass (UK/EU Pyrex): Withstands temperatures from -40°C to +350°C. Highly resistant to thermal shock. Officially endorsed for air fryers.
• Soda-lime glass (US Pyrex): Typically rated to about 220°C (430°F) for oven use. More vulnerable to sudden temperature changes. Not recommended for air fryers by the manufacturer.
• Oven-safe tempered glass (generic): Most oven-safe glass dishes can tolerate up to 480°F (249°C), which exceeds typical air fryer cooking temperatures, but success depends on thickness and handling.
• Thick tempered glass: Considered the best option by many food bloggers — durable and designed for heat. If it has survived microwave and oven use, it may work in an air fryer, but caution is still needed.
• Soda-lime glass in general: More likely to break under thermal stress. Avoid sudden temperature changes like placing a cold dish into a preheated air fryer.

This means your answer depends entirely on whether you own a borosilicate Pyrex dish (usually sold in the UK, Europe, and some specialty stores) or a soda-lime one (standard in the US). The packaging rarely advertises the glass type, so you may need to check the label or contact the brand.

What Kind Of Glass Is Your Pyrex Made Of?

If you bought your Pyrex dish in the US recently, it’s almost certainly soda-lime glass. That type handles oven heat fine, but air fryers blast heat directly onto the dish’s surface — a setup that can cause uneven expansion and cracks. The official Pyrex dishes ideal for air fryer use are the borosilicate versions sold in the UK and EU. These are clearly marked as suitable on the Pyrex UK blog.

EU Pyrex repeats the same stance: their borosilicate dishes “can withstand extreme temperatures from -40°C to +350°C” and do not retain stains or odors. That’s a direct statement of air-fryer compatibility. If you have a US Pyrex dish, treat it as oven-safe but not air-fryer-safe.

If you’re unsure which glass your dish uses, look for markings on the bottom: “borosilicate” or “Pyrex®” with a region label. Some US Pyrex dishes now include a statement like “not for use in air fryers” near the imprint.

How To Use Pyrex Safely In An Air Fryer

Assuming your dish is borosilicate or you’re willing to risk it with a tempered glass dish, following a few precautions dramatically lowers the chance of breakage. Thermal shock — a sudden temperature change — is the main enemy. Here’s what to do:

1. Let the dish come to room temperature. Never take a Pyrex dish straight from the fridge or freezer and place it into a preheated air fryer. Allow at least 30 minutes for it to warm up.
2. Preheat the air fryer without the dish. Add the Pyrex only after the air fryer has reached temperature. Placing cold glass into hot air concentrates the thermal stress.
3. Avoid adding cold liquids to a hot dish. If you’re cooking something saucy, add room-temperature liquid to the dish before it goes in. Pouring cold broth onto hot glass is a common cause of cracks.
4. Check for existing damage. If your Pyrex has any chips, scratches, or hairline cracks, do not use it in an air fryer. Even borosilicate glass can fail at weak points.
5. Use a lower temperature first. Start at 325°F (163°C) instead of max heat. Once you know the dish holds, you can increase temperature gradually for subsequent uses.

Some sources suggest testing an empty dish by running the air fryer at low heat and then checking for cracks. While that can work, it still carries risk — especially with soda-lime glass. When in doubt, stick to metal or silicone baking pans, which have no shatter risk.

Understanding Borosilicate vs. Soda-Lime Glass

The difference between these two glass types explains the entire confusion. Borosilicate glass contains boric oxide, which gives it a very low coefficient of thermal expansion — meaning it expands and contracts very little when heated or cooled. Soda-lime glass, on the other hand, expands more and is far more likely to crack under uneven heat. The EU Pyrex site explains that its dishes are made from borosilicate glass and can withstand temperatures from -40°C to +350°C, a range that covers any air fryer scenario. That official borosilicate glass temperature range is key to why they’re recommended.

If you have a US Pyrex dish, it’s soda-lime glass. It’s still oven-safe up to about 220°C (430°F), but the concentrated heat blast of an air fryer can create a temperature gradient that causes breakage. Even within the same dish, one side may be much hotter than the other, setting up internal stresses soda-lime glass can’t handle.

The Bottom Line

To safely use Pyrex in an air fryer, you need a borosilicate dish — the kind sold in the UK and EU. US Pyrex dishes made from soda-lime glass should stay out of the air fryer to avoid shattering. In either case, avoid thermal shock by letting the dish warm to room temperature before cooking and never adding cold liquids to a hot dish.

If you’re cooking for a holiday side or a weeknight reheat, check the bottom of your dish for “borosilicate” or the air-fryer-safe icon. When in doubt, an inexpensive metal baking pan or silicone mold is a safer bet for your air fryer and your peace of mind.