Air Fryer Guides
Air Fryer Accessories Worth Buying (and the Ones to Skip)
The air fryer accessories that earn their space: a thermometer, liners, an oil sprayer, racks and pans. How to choose the right size, and what to skip.
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Quick answer
The most useful air fryer accessories are an instant-read thermometer, perforated parchment or silicone liners, a refillable oil sprayer and silicone-tipped tongs. Add a stackable rack if you cook for a family, and a small cake pan if you want to bake. Before buying any rack, pan or liner, measure the flat bottom of your basket and leave about half an inch of space around the sides for air to flow.
You can cook almost anything in an air fryer straight out of the box. But a few inexpensive accessories make it easier to cook more food at once, bake in it, and keep the basket clean. Here are the ones that are worth the drawer space, how to pick the right size, and a few you can skip.
Measure before you buy
The most common mistake with air fryer accessories is buying the wrong size. Measure the flat bottom of your basket, not the top rim, which is wider. Choose racks, pans and liners about half an inch smaller than that, so hot air can still move around the food. Product listings usually give a diameter or a basket size range, like 5–6 qt.
The essentials
An instant-read thermometer is the accessory that matters most. Air fryers vary a lot, so recipe times are a guide, and a meat thermometer tells you when chicken, pork or a turkey breast is actually done.
Liners make cleanup much easier. Perforated parchment liners let air through for crispy food, while reusable silicone liners are better for saucy dishes. Our guide to parchment paper in the air fryer covers which to use when.
A refillable oil sprayer gives a light, even coat with your own oil. Many air fryer makers advise against aerosol cooking sprays, which can build up on nonstick baskets over time. A glass or stainless oil sprayer avoids that.
Silicone-tipped tongs let you flip food without scratching the coating. Tongs like these are also handy for lifting out a roast or a pork tenderloin.
Racks, pans and bakeware
An air fryer rack adds a second level, so you can cook a full batch of chicken thighs or bacon at once. Many come with skewers for kebabs. A stackable double-layer rack is the one to get if you often cook for three or more. The top layer cooks a little faster, so swap the layers halfway.
An air fryer pan turns the basket into a small oven. A cake pan with a handle is good for brownies, egg bites, casseroles and small cakes, and the handle makes it easy to lift out.
A silicone pot is a reusable bowl-shaped insert for saucy dishes, eggs and reheating leftovers. Look for one with handles, like these silicone air fryer pots.
Accessory kits bundle a cake pan, pizza pan, rack, mat and more. An air fryer accessory kit is good value if the sizes match your basket, and it makes an easy gift.
For your counter
A heat-resistant mat goes under the air fryer to protect stone, wood and laminate counters from heat, and makes it easier to slide the air fryer forward to open it. A heat-resistant mat for the air fryer also catches crumbs.
A cooking times cheat sheet saves looking things up every time. You can buy a cheat sheet magnet for the fridge, or print our free air fryer cooking times chart.
An air fryer basket for the oven
An air fryer basket for the oven is a mesh tray that sits on a sheet pan, so hot air reaches the bottom of the food. It’s useful for big batches of wings, fries and breaded food that won’t fit in your air fryer, especially for parties and game days. Browse air fryer baskets for regular ovens.
Air fryer oven accessories
Air fryer ovens, with a door and shelves, usually come with a mesh tray, a drip pan and a rotisserie spit. Replacement and extra trays are sold by model, so search with your brand and model number, for example Ninja air fryer accessories or PowerXL air fryer oven accessories. Universal pans and racks work too, as long as they fit on the shelf with space around them.
What to skip
- Paper towels and wax paper. Neither is safe in an air fryer.
- Liners with no holes for crispy food. They trap steam, so the bottom stays soft.
- Anything that fills the whole basket. Without space around the edges, air can’t flow and food cooks unevenly.
- Aerosol cooking spray. It can leave a sticky coating on nonstick baskets.
Foil is fine in small amounts. See can you put foil in an air fryer for how to use it safely, and our guide to cleaning an air fryer for keeping the basket in good shape.
Shopping for a gift?
Accessories make good gifts for anyone who loves their air fryer. See our air fryer gift ideas and the best air fryer cookbooks, or browse more air fryer accessories on Amazon.
Frequently asked questions
What accessories do you need for an air fryer?
You don't need any to get started. The ones that make the biggest difference are an instant-read thermometer for meat, liners for sticky or messy food, an oil sprayer for a light, even coat of oil, and tongs that won't scratch the basket.
Are air fryer accessory kits worth it?
They can be, if the sizes match your air fryer. Kits are cheaper than buying each piece, but you may only use two or three of the pieces. Check the pan and rack diameters against the inside of your basket before you buy.
How do I know what size accessories fit my air fryer?
Measure the flat bottom of the basket, not the top rim, and choose pans and racks about half an inch smaller so air can still circulate. Accessories are usually sold for small 2–4 qt baskets, standard 5–6 qt baskets and larger 7–8 qt models.
Can you put a metal pan in an air fryer?
Yes. Any oven-safe metal, glass or ceramic dish that fits with space around it works. Thinner metal pans heat faster, so baked goods may need a few minutes less than in a glass dish.
What is an air fryer basket for the oven?
It's a mesh tray that sits on a sheet pan in your regular oven, so hot air reaches the underside of the food. It won't match a real air fryer, but it makes wings, fries and breaded food crisper in the oven, and it holds much bigger batches.
Do air fryer accessories work with Ninja air fryers?
Most universal accessories fit Ninja basket models, as long as the size matches. Ninja's dual-basket models have narrow, rectangular baskets, so look for square or rectangular liners and racks, or accessories made for your model number.
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