Are Air Fryer Liners necessary?
Air fryer liners are a must-have when it comes to air frying!
They are designed to help solve some of those niggly issues that we have with air frying. Things like lifting a piece of tender fish fillet out of the air fryer basket without breaking it. Or keeping the melted cheese off the air fryer basket to help make cleaning easier.
There are two common types of air fryer liners are disposable and re-usable liners.
Within each of these categories are different shapes and forms of air fryer liners, each with its own unique benefits. No matter which air fryer liner you choose, they will help your air fryer go further.
KEY TAKEWAYS
- Air fryer liners are not necessary, but their benefits make them attractive.
- Parchment paper, silicone, and aluminum air fryer liners are popular choices.
- Air fryer liners come in different shapes and forms so be sure about your specifics when buying one.
What Are Air Fryer Liners?
Air fryer liners are placed at the bottom of the air fryer basket to help contain any grease or oils.
But isn’t the air fryer basket non-stick, which makes it easier to clean? Yes, most of them are coated with non-stick material.
So, are air fryer liners necessary? They are not necessary, but they are an inexpensive way to make life easier.
Benefits of Using Air Fryer Liners
Alright, let’s see what the benefits of using air fryer liners are:
- Easy cleanup: Air fryer liners catch food particles and prevent them from sticking to the air fryer basket. This means no scrubbing will be necessary.
- Less wear and tear: Some ingredients, like cheese or fish, get caught between the holes of the air fryer basket. Air fryer liners contain the food particles from these kinds of food. As no scrubbing is needed to get the food particles off, scratches to your air fryer basket are reduced.
- Easy transfer of food: Typical air fryer baskets are deep in height. You would need to use tongs to help you lift food out. Alternatively, you could tip the basket over to pour out the food. This works for sturdy food types like chicken nuggets, fries, and steaks. But, when it comes to delicate food like fish and some vegetables, you often end up with broken pieces of food. This is when using air fryer liners helps.
- No cross-contamination of food: Imagine you have a guest over for dinner, but they are allergic to some of the food you want to cook for the other guests. You could opt to wash the air fryer basket after cooking the food they are allergic to. Or, you could use air fryer liners where you can contain the food and not worry about contamination.
What are Air Fryer Liners made of?
Firstly, let’s consider what types of materials would be safe to put in your air fryer.
As the air fryer resembles the oven, it is safe to use parchment paper, silicone, and aluminum foil in the air fryer. Therefore, it is no surprise that the popular air fryer liners are also made of these materials.
- Parchment paper: These air fryer liners are generally made of food-grade parchment paper. Ideally, you would look for unbleached parchment paper. The chlorine found in bleached parchment paper is harmful over prolonged use. Parchment paper is heat-resistant and non-toxic. However, it is for once-off use only.
- Silicone: Silicone liners are a popular choice for reusable air fryer liners. They are heat-resistant and ideal for long-term use. Ensure that you choose food-grade silicone liners for safe cooking.
- Aluminum foil: Air fryer liners can be made of aluminum foil as well. They have a higher heat resistance than parchment paper liners, and they are generally for once-off use as well.
What to know when buying Air Fryer Liners
Well, when you decide to purchase an air fryer liner, you will see that there are so many out there.
So, let’s break down what you must look out for when buying one.
Size and Shape of air fryer liners
The first thing that comes to mind when selecting an air fryer liner is the size and shape.
How do you find the perfect size when they come in various sizes and shapes to fit different air fryers? Well, you measure your air fryer basket or tray for the right size air fryer liner.
You want the liner to fit snuggly inside your air fryer with no gaps between it and the surface of the basket or tray.
- Round air fryer liners: Perfect for round air fryer baskets
- Square air fryer liners: Great for square or rectangular air fryer trays or basket
Heat Resistance and Safety
Although all air fryer liners are designed to be heat-resistant, the heat resistance point can vary between brands and materials. Therefore, always check the highest temperature the air fryer liner can resist.
Air Fryer Liners Design
As if there weren’t enough choices, air fryer liners come in different designs and forms as well!
Yes, you have the flat liners with holes in them. Some have little spikes to raise the food. Then there are the trays with no holes. And even the silicone pots!
The general rule is if you want to cook crispy food like fries, then opt for the flat liners with holes, as this facilitates airflow to crisp the food. However, if you are making something delicate or food that will leave some juices behind, then opt for the trays and silicone pots.
Compatibility with Your Air Fryer
Finally, check that the liner you choose is compatible with your air fryer.
Some air fryers might have unique requirements or designs that need a specific type of liner. For instance, if you have an air fryer toaster oven, ensure the silicone pot fits.
Using Air Fryer Liners Effectively
Ensuring Optimal Airflow
In my experience using air fryer liners, I have found that even airflow is crucial for cooking food properly.
When placing the liner in the air fryer basket, ensure it’s centered and does not cover the vents at the base. If needed, trim the liner’s edges to allow better air circulation.
Remember, we don’t want to hinder the air fryer technology so that we still get great results.
Maintenance and Cleaning
No matter which air fryer liner you buy, cleaning up is easy.
With parchment paper and aluminum liners, I toss them into the trash after one use. But remember to check whether they are recyclable, in which case I would place them in the recycle trash bin.
Silicone liners, on the other hand, simply need to be washed with warm, soapy water.
Safety
Although it may not be necessary to monitor the air fryer while it’s cooking, I always make sure that I am around.
I think it’s always wise not to leave anything on without monitoring, especially when using parchment paper liners, as they are ultimately made of paper. You will notice that the parchment paper liners can tend to go brown in areas where no food is covering them.
So, I rather not leave anything to chance and would check about the halfway mark and then again at the three-quarter mark of the cooking time.
Do I Need Air Fryer Liners?
Air fryer baskets are usually coated with non-stick materials, so air fryer liners are not necessary. However, the benefits of air fryer liners make them a no-brainer addition to your air fryer accessories.
There are generally two types of liners: reusable silicone liners and disposable paper or aluminum liners. Personally, I prefer reusable silicone liners due to their eco-friendliness and durability. Some of the best silicone air fryer liners are even dishwasher-safe!
Be sure to look for the size and shape of the liner. The liner should fit well in your air fryer without any overlap or excess. For example, an 8-inch square silicone liner would be a good fit for many square air fryers, like these Lotteli square silicone air fryer liners.
Finally, don’t forget to check the liner’s compatibility with your air fryer. Ideally, you would use round liners for round basket air fryers like the Cee & DeeRound Silicone Air Fryer Liners. Square or rectangular liners are for square-shaped air fryer baskets or trays like the Infraovens Square Silicone Air Fryer Liners.
