Air fryers, or health fryers, were originally designed to replace deep-fat food preparation. They use rapid air circulation to cook food, meaning they only require a small amount of oil. So you get less fat, swifter cooking and a quicker clean-up compared to conventional models.
These devices are also excellent when it comes to energy efficiency, since they’re around 25% quicker than a standard oven. So they can shave money off energy bills, while also taking up only a small amount of space in your kitchen.
But will one crack my countertop?
If you’re lucky enough to have kitchen counters in a gorgeous natural stone like marble, limestone or granite, it’s understandable that you may worry about whether an air fryer will damage this surface.
The short answer is potentially, yes – your air fryer could produce temperatures high enough to melt or crack a kitchen worktop. But a lot will depend on the design of the model you have. If your appliance has the right level of insulation, this will stop the heat from creating cracks.
Another factor will be whether there is a decent vent to get hot out of the cooking compartment. If this is on the bottom of your fryer, the heat may not be able to escape so easily.
You can do tests to see how hot your fryer gets, away from the stone surface. But, as general rule of thumb, your surface should be able to withstand temperatures of up to 260° C.
Which stones are most vulnerable?
Granite
It’s true that granite typically does a good job of shrugging off heat. However, because it’s a natural material, there may be minor imperfections within the stone. Small cracks or fissures can make the granite weaker, and more vulnerable as it heats and cools. So protect your stone against this.
Quartz
Quartz itself is heat proof, but it is also made up of around 10% man-made polymers and resins. And if the temperature exceeds around 150°C, it can become damaged. However, this will vary from one manufacturer to another.
Marble
Marble is certainly not cheap, so we’d always recommend protecting it. It is one of the more heat-resistant natural stones, but could still crack.
What can I do?
We’d suggest placing some kind of heat shield between your worktop and air fryer, whatever the natural stone involved. You can buy a number of trivets and protector mats online, including silicon versions. Make sure you like the colour and design, and that it’s the right size to sit comfortably underneath your appliance.
Finally, give your fryer plenty of space around it, and don’t have anything plastic anywhere near your machine. When it comes to protecting your natural stone kitchen worktop, we’d always urge erring on the side of caution. Then you can use your air fryer on it with peace of mind.
Talk to us
Royal Stone Care provides experts in marble crack repair and granite chip repair in London. If you’ve damaged a stone worktop, talk to us before you talk to anyone else.
