Can You Preheat Air Fryer Without Basket? | Model Matters

You’re about to throw in a batch of frozen fries, so you tap the preheat button. The basket is sitting on the counter, still empty. Can you let the air fryer warm up without it?

The short answer is yes — but only in specific situations. Basket-style air fryers usually need the basket in place to avoid overheating, while air fryer ovens and toaster-oven-style models can preheat with a sheet pan or rack instead. The safest approach depends on your exact model.

How Preheating Works in Different Air Fryer Types

Air fryers work like convection ovens, circulating hot air around food to create crispy results. But not all air fryers are built the same. Basket-style models have a removable basket that sits inside a heating chamber. The basket is part of that sealed environment — running the unit without it can disrupt airflow and cause overheating.

Oven-style air fryers look like small convection ovens with wire racks and sheet pans. These models are designed to operate with or without the basket. You can safely preheat them using a baking sheet or the oven rack itself. The Ninja Foodi 8-in-1, for example, works fine with a 13×13 nonstick sheet pan during preheat.

Why You Might Want to Preheat Without the Basket

You might be tempted to skip the basket if you’re using a parchment liner. Many recipes recommend preheating the air fryer before adding food, but liners can fly around if placed in an empty, hot basket. Some people think preheating without the basket is faster or safer for liners.

Here are common reasons people consider preheating without the basket:

• Using a parchment liner: Reynolds Brands suggests warming the air fryer without the liner first, then placing the liner flat in the basket and adding food immediately so the liner stays put.
• Shorter preheat time: Without the basket, the chamber might heat up slightly faster, but the safety trade-off is rarely worth it for basket models.
• Oven-style convenience: For air fryer ovens, using a sheet pan is perfectly fine — you don’t need the basket at all.
• Cleaning the basket: If your basket is dirty or soaking, you might want to preheat without it, but basket models should still be run with the basket in place for safety.

For most basket-style air fryers, though, preheating without the basket is not recommended. The heating element and fan are calibrated to work with the basket inserted.

Safety Risks to Consider

Running a basket-style air fryer without its basket is not a harmless shortcut. According to safety experts, operating the air fryer empty can cause the appliance to overheat, potentially damaging components or even creating a fire hazard. The basket’s exterior also gets extremely hot during use, and without the basket in place, those hot surfaces are exposed.

Consumer Reports warns that damaged insulation in an air fryer can lead to shock or fire risk. Additionally, some air fryer baskets contain nonstick coatings made with polyfluorinated chemicals, but that’s a separate concern from preheating. The main point: if your manual says to always use the basket, respect that.

The Takeout’s guide on when to preheat notes that preheating isn’t always necessary — it’s most beneficial for foods like steak and frozen fries. But skipping preheating is different from running the unit empty.

Knowing your air fryer type is the first step to safe preheating. The second is understanding when preheat actually matters.

How to Preheat Safely (With or Without the Basket)

1. Check your manual first. Every air fryer model has specific instructions. Some explicitly warn against running empty; others allow it.
2. For basket models: Always preheat with the basket inserted. If using a parchment liner, preheat without the liner, then add the liner and food together to prevent the liner from flying.
3. For oven models: You can preheat with a sheet pan or the wire rack. The basket is optional.
4. If you must preheat without the basket (oven models only): Use a heat-safe pan or tray and never leave the unit unattended.

Following these steps minimizes risk while still giving you the preheat benefit for crispy foods.

When Preheating Matters Most

Not every air fryer recipe requires preheating. For delicate items like cookies or baked goods, preheating can help with even cooking. But for many frozen foods, the difference is less noticeable. The Takeout’s guide calls preheating optional for most recipes.

Getting the Temperature and Time Right

One common preheat setting comes from Medium’s preheat temperature time guide, which suggests setting the air fryer to 400°F for 7 minutes. That’s a solid baseline for most foods, though you can adjust based on what you’re cooking. Thicker items like chicken or potatoes may benefit from a slightly longer preheat.

Preheating makes the biggest difference for foods that crisp quickly on the outside: frozen fries, bacon, breaded chicken tenders, and steak. For items that cook through slowly, like a whole chicken or roasted vegetables, the preheat step is less critical.

The Bottom Line

You can preheat an air fryer without the basket, but only if you have an oven-style model designed for that. Basket-style air fryers are safer with the basket in place. Parchment liners should be added after preheating, with food on top to weigh them down.

Check your specific air fryer’s manual for preheating instructions. If you’re using a paper liner, always place food on top immediately to prevent contact with the heating element — no shortcuts on safety.