Are Air Fryer Liners Ever Worth Using?

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Once you purchase an air fryer, you might think you're all set, but no; it turns out there's a world of air fryer accessories you'll probably be prompted to buy. (Those darn pop-up ads, there's no keeping secrets from them.) There are air fryer racks which can help you reheat bacon to make it crispy again as well as air fryer grill pans which come in handy if you're planning to use the appliance for smash burgers. There's even air fryer-specific baking pans that help you turn out a better batch of air fryer brownies. Air fryer liners are also a thing, but are they necessary? Cathy Yoder, who shares air fryer recipes on her website Empowered Cooks and the author of "Air Fryer Recipes Cookbook," thinks they're a must-have. 

"There are a few foods that I don't use a liner for," Yoder told The Takeout. "Like bacon or chicken thighs or anything that tends to be more greasy. Using a liner for these items traps grease with the food instead of letting it fall through." These are the exception to the rule, though. She went on to say, "Almost any other food item I love using my paper liners for because it makes for an easy clean up and it's much easier to maneuver the food."

If you go looking for air fryer liners, you'll find several different kinds available to you, including both paper ones and reusable silicone ones. "Paper liners are an easy and cheap alternative to covering the basket of your air fryer," Yoder continued. "But since they are single use they generate more waste." She also noted that you need to weigh them down with food, since if they go into the air fryer empty (as might be the case if you put them in while preheating), there's a danger they'll float up to where the heating element is which poses a fire risk. While it may be possible in some cases to re-use paper liners, this generally isn't recommended unless you've cooked something with so little grease or moisture that the liner comes out as clean as it was when it went in.

Silicone air fryer liners, while initially more expensive, are washable and reusable; ideally saving you money in the long term. They're also better for the environment since they create less waste and may even be safer because the air fryer fan won't cause them to float around when they're empty. On the downside, they retain more heat than the paper liners, making them hot to the touch when removing food from the air fryer. They can also block airflow and lead to uneven cooking. As Yoder put it, "I prefer to use the paper liners for a better cooking experience."