Why Aluminum Foil Has a Shiny and a Dull Side | March 7, 2025

Aluminum foil: It’s one of the most versatile things you can have in your kitchen. It’s not just good for wrapping up food—you can use it for so many more things!

But there’s one question we all have about aluminum foil: Should we use the shiny or the dull side when we cook? And have we been doing it wrong this entire time?

What Side Should We Use?

As it turns out, there’s no “correct” side of aluminum foil to use when cooking. Both sides are equally effective at heating your food, so just choose whichever side you prefer. Using the shiny or dull side is not one of those cooking mistakes that could ruin your meal.

Why Does Aluminum Foil Have Two Sides?

The difference between the shiny and dull sides comes from the manufacturing process called milling. During milling, heat and tension are applied to stretch and shape the foil. To prevent the foil from breaking, two layers are pressed and milled together at the same time.

• Dull Side: This is the side that comes into contact with the other sheet of foil during the milling process.
• Shiny Side: This is the side milled without being in contact with another sheet of metal.

Reynold’s Kitchen, a well-known aluminum foil brand, explains: “Where the foil is in contact with another layer, that’s the ‘dull’ side. The ‘shiny’ side is the side milled without being in contact with another sheet of metal. The performance of the foil is the same, whichever side you use.”

Are There Any Exceptions?

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