The Air Fryer Starter Set by Xtrema Cookware: Is Ceramic Best? [A Pro Chef Reviews]

Cooking with an air fryer isn’t complete without Xtrema Cookware’s new air fryer accessories. Here’s why pure ceramic is the way to go.

Image of the square cake pan in the Xtrema Air Fry Oven Starter Set, filled with frosted cinnamon buns.
The versatile ceramic pieces included in the Xtrema Air Fry Oven Set are air fryer compatible and built to last.Credit: Xtrema + Organic Authority Studio

You finally did it! You bought a non-toxic air fryer toaster oven and you can’t wait to get cooking. We get it — let us be the first to offer our congratulations for all the time you’ll save with your new kitchen companion (and all the Instagram recipes you can now try). That powerhouse of a machine is worth every penny, but now you have a new challenge to contend with: finding compatible cookware.

That’s right, you may have already done the research to make sure your air fryer is non-toxic, but you can’t stop there. The high temperatures your new appliance is capable of producing make it possible to produce delicious foods faster — but they can also easily cause low-quality cookware to start leaching toxic chemicals into your food. If you’re using cookware and bakeware options that use traditional nonstick coatings in your air fryer, you may be doing more harm than good.

Xtrema Cookware’s Air Fryer Accessories

Thankfully, we’ve got a solution for you: Xtrema Cookware. This brand is among our favorites (it made our list of top non-toxic cookware picks!) because of its commitment to non-toxic, 100% pure ceramic cookware. Organic Authority founder Laura Klein has been using Xtrema Cookware in her own kitchen for over 10 years, so it’s safe to say they’ve stood the test of time.

Image of the Xtrema Cookware 8-inch Versa Pan with lid, showcasing a basil and feta frittata.
Xtrema Cookware’s air fryer accessories, like this 8-inch Versa Pan, make cooking with your air fryer safe and easy. – Credit: Xtrema Cookware

When it comes to cookware, safety is our number one priority. We take such great care in selecting organic, clean foods for our families — but there’s no point in going to those lengths if our pots and pans introduce toxins, heavy metals, and chemicals into our meals while we cook. As a professional chef and mother of two (and a health-conscious consumer), that’s why I love Xtrema Cookware so much. Unlike many conventional cookware options, which can leach harmful substances into your food at high temperatures, Xtrema’s non-toxic 100% pure ceramic provides peace of mind.

Xtrema’s new air fryer oven collection takes the guesswork out of air fryer accessories. This cookware set is the ideal companion for your air fryer, and will elevate your cooking experience while keeping your food safe and healthy. In the words of the great Ina Garten, “How bad can that be?”

The Problem with Conventional Cookware for Air Fryer Toaster Ovens

While it’s always important to cook with non-toxic cookware, it’s especially important when it comes to air fryer cookware. Most standard bakeware options, like thin aluminum or stainless steel pans, aren’t designed to handle the fast, high-heat environment of an air fryer toaster oven. This can lead to several issues:

  • Warping: Thin pans are more prone to warping when exposed to high temperatures, which can destroy your pans and affect the performance of your air fryer.
  • Hot spots: Uneven heating leads to hot spots, which can burn food while leaving other parts of your meal undercooked.
  • Tough to handle: Metal handles and edges can get extremely hot in an air fryer, making it difficult to maneuver your cookware without risking burns.
  • Short shelf life: These conventional pans degrade quickly, especially after repeated exposure to high heat. Ultimately, this results in constant replacement, which harms both the environment and your wallet.

And that’s not all. When you’re using nonstick bakeware, things can get even worse.

The Problem with Nonstick Bakeware for Air Fryers

It can be tempting to throw your nonstick cookware and bakeware into the air fryer to further speed up your cooking and clean-up processes.  But the time that might save you simply isn’t worth the risk — here’s why you should think twice before using traditional nonstick in your air fryer:

  • PFAS chemicals: Many traditional nonstick pans are coated with PFAS (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances), also known as “forever chemicals.” These toxic chemicals don’t break down and can leach into your food, posing long-term health risks — in other words, you should do your best to avoid them whenever possible.
  • Flaking: Over time, the nonstick coating on your cookware can flake off into your meals — something no one wants to see in their food.
  • Polymer-fume fever: When nonstick pans are heated above 500°F, they can release toxic fumes that may cause polymer-fume fever, a flu-like condition.

Given these problems, it’s clear that not all cookware is fit for the almighty air fryer experience.

Can You Put Ceramic in an Air Fryer?

The answer is yes, you can (and should!) put ceramic cookware in an air fryer.

Xtrema Cookware’s 100% pure ceramic offers a game-changing alternative to the pitfalls of conventional cookware. Xtrema has utilized the 10,000 year old ancient tradition of ceramic clay to deliver truly non-toxic products. The pieces in Xtrema’s Air Fry Oven Starter Set were built to withstand high temperatures, making them the perfect match for your air fryer toaster oven.

Image of a 7-inch Xtrema Cookware skillet broken in half to showcase the 100% pure ceramic interior.
Xtrema Cookware’s 100% pure ceramic means there’s never any metal core to worry about in your pots and pans. – Credit: Xtrema Cookware

As a mother and chef with high standards for both cooking and health, Xtrema Cookware stands out as one of my non-toxic faves. Here are some other reasons to love using Xtrema as air fryer cookware:

  • No coating: Xtrema’s 100% pure ceramic design means there are no chemical coatings to worry about.
  • No metal core: Unlike other ceramic bakeware, there’s no metal hidden underneath a layer of ceramic that could warp or react to heat. When they say 100% pure ceramic, they mean it.
  • No flaking: Xtrema’s ceramic is durable and non-porous, so you’ll never have to worry about flakes contaminating your food.
  • No polymer-fume fever risk: You can safely introduce Xtrema pots and pans to the high temperatures of your air fryer without the risk of releasing toxic fumes.

Save 15% with our exclusive code: OA15

My Personal Experience as a Professional Chef and Mama Bear

As a professional chef, I was a stickler for non-toxic cookware and organic foods long before I ever became a mother. I always wanted to protect my clients’ health as if they were my family. And once my kids entered the picture, my standards only increased in intensity (hey, that mama bear phenomenon is a real thing). 

I’ve tested out many cookware brands over the course of my culinary career, and there are many brands that force you to choose between safety and performance. With Xtrema Cookware, that’s just not the case — their products deliver on every level. Their new air fryer toaster oven bundle only sweetens the deal for me! 

Image of an Xtrema Cookware square cake pan with a pepperoni pizza.
The square cake pan in the Xtrema Cookware Air Fry Oven Set is great for throwing a simple weeknight pizza into your air fryer. – Credit: Xtrema Cookware

After a long day of cooking for my clients, the last thing I want to do is get into the kitchen again to cook for my kids. But I won’t sacrifice quality, no matter how tired I am. That’s why air fryers have become my go-to for quick, healthy meals, especially on busy weeknights. And I’m so grateful to Xtrema for making my life even easier with their air fryer accessories!

Save 15% with our exclusive code: OA15

Putting Xtrema’s Air Fry Toaster Oven Set to the Test

Aside from being a truly safe, non-toxic option for cooking in my air fryer, Xtrema Cookware really doesn’t skimp on performance. I love Xtrema’s even heat distribution all around, including in my air fryer toaster oven! 

Image of a funfetti cake being frosted in an Xtrema Cookware square cake pan.
The Xtrema Cookware square cake pan comes included in the set of air fryer accessories and is perfect for throwing a sweet treat in the air fryer. – Credit: Xtrema Cookware

I’ve used the 8.5-inch square cake pan to bake banana bread on more than one occasion, and it turned out perfectly every time — moist on the inside, with a beautifully golden crust on the outside. The ceramic’s heat-retaining properties act like a warm hug for your food, ensuring it’s cooked evenly without burning.

The 7-inch skillet in the Xtrema Air Fry Oven Starter Set is also perfect for making a personalized Shakshuka. This is a spicy tomato sauce-based breakfast dish with eggs baked into it. It’s a staple recipe in North Africa and the Middle East, and it’s one of my favorites. The way to make Shakshuka is to cook the sauce on the stove first and then transfer the skillet to the air fryer once the eggs are cracked into it so they can bake nice and slow. It’s like your own personal pizza, which, incidentally, the 8- inch Versa or cake pan in the collection is also great for personal pizzas.

And whenever I’m craving roasted veggies, I can just pop a serving or two of my favorites (I love mixing zucchini, garlic and green beans together in some ghee or beef tallow, salt, and pepper) and have them ready in 15 minutes. Versatility is really the name of the game here — Xtrema’s starter set opens up endless possibilities for cooking quick, easy, and healthy meals in the air fryer.  

The only real downfall to Xtrema Cookware is that it takes a little longer to heat up compared to metal pans, which increases cooking time. The extra 10-15 minute trade-off is completely worth it to avoid unwanted toxins and heavy metals in my family’s food, so I can handle that! And once it gets going, the results are fantastic.

Save 15% with our exclusive code: OA15

What’s Included in Xtrema’s Air Fry Oven Starter Set?

Image of the three ceramic cookware pieces included in the Xtrema Air Fry Oven Set.

The Xtrema Air Fry Oven Starter Set is designed to be the ultimate companion for your air fryer toaster oven, making it easy to cook in an easy, healthy, non-toxic manner. It includes the following air fryer accessories:

  • 8.5-inch square cake pan: Perfect for cakes, casseroles, and more.
  • 1.5-quart Versa Pot: Ideal for soups, stews, or roasting vegetables.
  • Mini baking tray: A must-have for small-batch cookies or sheet pan meals.

And if you’re not ready to invest in the full set, you can buy each piece individually. Personally, the 8.5-inch cake pan is my favorite — its versatility makes it perfect for baking, roasting, and reheating.

The Long-Term Benefits of Xtrema: Durable, Ethical, and Eco-Friendly

Investing in Xtrema Cookware doesn’t just come with amazing results. It also means investing in long-lasting quality. And that matters because the longer it lasts, the less frequently you need to replace it. Ultimately, using Xtrema means less waste in the environment. 

Plus, there’s also the sentimental value of being able to pass your cookware on to future generations — Xtrema cautions buyers to get their grandkids ready to use it because it will last that long. Whether we’re talking about their air fryer cookware or their ceramic Dutch oven (take a peek at a pro chef’s review of that product here!), this durable cookware can withstand the rigors of daily use, ensuring that it remains a staple in your kitchen for many many years to come.

Image of Organic Authority's Seal of approval for clean cookware or PFAS free cookware.

Xtrema’s commitment to sustainability also means that you’re not just making a smart choice for your kitchen, but for the planet as well. Made with natural materials and produced through eco-friendly processes, Xtrema Cookware aligns with your climate-conscious values and helps reduce your environmental footprint. So much so that we’ve awarded Xtrema with our OA Clean Cookware Seal of Approval — trust us when we say it’s one of our favorites! 

Save 15% with our exclusive code: OA15

Xtrema’s Third-Party Testing

Xtrema’s commitment to healthy living and safe products isn’t just lip service. They are rigorous with their testing to ensure no toxins, chemicals, or heavy metals are leaching into your food. Their products are third-party tested via SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. 

All Xtrema products meet European certification standards — and if you’re not familiar, Europe tends to have stricter requirements when it comes to toxins in their products, from food to skincare to cleaning supplies and more. So when you’re looking to buy anything, our tip is to check the European standards on whatever product you’re looking to purchase!

Save 15% with our exclusive code: OA15

Family-Owned and -Operated

I don’t know about you, but I love a good brand story, especially one that’s rooted in integrity and love. And maybe that’s utopic, but I don’t care. I vote with my dollars when I purchase my food, my clothes, my everything. 

Aside from both performance and safety, that’s one of the best things about Xtrema: it’s been a family-owned and -operated company for over 40 years. In their own words, their mission is:

“To gather around a wholesome meal for the opportunity to share experiences, break bread and relish in each other’s company. Our cookware is not only designed to complement each and every recipe, but to cultivate a nourishing, communal experience for every seat at the table.”

Xtrema’s goal is to create synergy around mindful cooking, healthy lifestyles, people, and the environment. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

Save 15% with our exclusive code: OA15

Time to Get Air Frying!

When it comes to cooking, whether it’s with my air fryer or otherwise, I am an Xtrema Cookware fan for life. They offer the perfect blend of safety, versatility, and durability, and their new air fryer toaster oven bundle is perfect for any air fryer chef. 

When you choose Xtrema, you’re not only enhancing your cooking experience but also making a positive long-term impact on your health and the environment. It’s a win all around! Check out Xtrema today to discover the new toaster oven bundle and other air fryer accessories, along with recipes and blog posts for further education.

Image of the Xtrema Cookware 7-inch Signature Skillet filled with a chocolate chip cookie and vanilla ice cream.
The Xtrema Cookware Signature Skillet that comes in the Air Fry Oven Set is perfect for a delicious dessert cookie. – Credit: Xtrema Cookware

To keep up with all things health, be sure to sign up for our newsletter here. And please share your experience on Xtrema in the comments below so our community can continue to learn from each other — sharing is caring, after all. And in the name of non-toxic healthy living, it matters more than you might think!

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Lauren Lobley is a mom of two, private chef, published cookbook author, food blogger, and host of a podcast ... More about Lauren Lobley
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