Yes — whole eggs in the shell can go straight on the basket, and fried or scrambled eggs cook in a small heatproof dish. Whatever the method, cook them until the white and yolk are firm.
Three ways it works
In the shell, for hard- or soft-boiled eggs: cold eggs straight on the basket, about 270 °F, 15 to 17 minutes for a firm yolk, then ice water. No water, no pot.
Fried, in a greased ramekin or a small pan: about 350 °F, 6 to 9 minutes, until the white is set.
Scrambled or as a frittata, in a dish, stirred once halfway — or baked as egg bites in silicone cups.
The practical problem
Anything loose needs a container, and a container in an air fryer has to leave air space all round or it blocks the airflow that is the whole appliance. A dish that covers the crisper plate blocks the holes that plate exists to provide. See why a single layer matters.
What a dish changes
Slower, because the dish takes heat before it gives it.
Less crisp where the egg touches the dish.
For eggs that is not a loss — it is closer to what you want.
The alternative appliances
An air-fry toaster oven takes a normal baking dish or a quarter sheet pan without any of these questions — the BLACK+DECKER 5-in-1 at $61.99 or the Hamilton Beach at $59.95.
A pressure cooker with an egg program, for eggs by the dozen: the COMFEE’ at $73.79 names an egg maker among its nine functions, and steamed eggs peel cleanly.
And the food safety part
The USDA’s guidance applies to any appliance: cook eggs until the white and yolk are firm, and egg dishes to 160 °F. A preset or a time on this page is a starting point; your manual and a thermometer are the authority.
Check your own manual before you follow anything here. Temperatures, fill limits and pressure ratings differ from model to model, and the manufacturer’s figures take precedence over anything written on this site. We report what makers publish — an oven’s range in degrees, a cooker’s maximum fill line, whether a part is declared dishwasher-safe — and we never turn those figures into food-safety guidance. Cooking temperatures and holding times for particular foods are set by manufacturers and by your national food safety authority, and this site points you to them rather than restating them.
Prices quoted in this text were read on 2026-10-18. The live price is at the top of the page.
What readers want to know
How do I make hard-boiled eggs in an air fryer?
Cold eggs, in the shell, straight on the basket, at about 270 °F for 15 to 17 minutes, then into ice water for a few minutes before peeling. Lower temperatures and shorter times give softer yolks. Machines differ, so test one egg first; a brown spot on the shell is normal.
What container works for fried or scrambled eggs?
A small oven-safe dish, ramekin or silicone cup that leaves air all round and sits flat on the basket floor. Measure the floor, not the rim — baskets taper. Grease it, and expect about 6 to 9 minutes at 350 °F for a fried egg. Check your manual for which materials it allows.
Is an air-fried egg safe to eat?
Cook eggs until the white and yolk are firm, and dishes containing eggs to 160 °F — that is the USDA guidance, whatever the appliance. An instant-read thermometer settles it for a frittata or an egg bake.
Last reviewed 18 October 2026