When it comes to aluminum foil, many people wonder which side reflects more light. The answer is that the shiny side of aluminum foil reflects more light than the dull side.
The reason for this difference lies in the manufacturing process. During production, aluminum foil is created by rolling out large sheets of aluminum. The final passes through the rollers create one shiny side and one dull side. The shiny side reflects more light because it is smoother, allowing light to bounce off more effectively.
In practical terms, while the shiny side does reflect more light, the difference is fairly minimal in everyday use. Therefore, you can use either side for cooking and baking without worrying too much about the impact on reflection. However, if you’re looking for maximum reflectivity for something like food preservation or even homemade solar cookers, using the shiny side is the way to go.