Warning: My neighbor's warning about nonstick coatings made me toss my air fryer basket

I was bragging to my neighbor Carol about my new air fryer and she casually mentioned that if the coating starts chipping, it's basically eating Teflon. She showed me a picture of her old basket that looked just like mine, with little flakes missing around the edges. That hit different because I've been using mine daily for 6 months and never even thought to check for wear. Has anyone else swapped their basket for a stainless steel one or found a good alternative?

3 comments

3 Comments

martinez.kim14d ago

i mean i get the concern but honestly i feel like this is one of those things the internet blows way out of proportion. like yeah if you're literally eating big chunks of the coating maybe thats bad but a few tiny flakes here and there? your body isnt gonna absorb that stuff its just gonna pass through. people have been using nonstick pans for decades and the world hasnt ended. plus those stainless steel baskets are a pain to clean compared to nonstick. i think carol might just be one of those people who gets freaked out by every little thing.

hannahsingh14d ago

Huh, I kinda see it differently @martinez.kim. I mean, it's not just about a few flakes - those chemicals can build up in your system over time, and your body doesn't really know what to do with them even in tiny amounts.

milesbailey13d ago

Totally agree with you here. I had a similar freak out last year after I read a study about PFAS and ended up throwing out all my old nonstick pans. Swapped to ceramic ones and honestly the peace of mind is worth the extra scrubbing. Like you said, it's not about one meal, it's about the slow buildup over years and years of tiny particles. My doctor even said there's no real proof it's safe at any level, so better to just avoid it. Did you switch to anything specific for your cookware?