Laura Honey
Air fryer accessories might not be the first thing you think of when you unpack your new gadget, but trust me, they can make all the difference. Whether it’s a silicone liner that saves on scrubbing or a rack that lets you cook two things at once, the right add-ons can take your air frying to the next level (and save you a lot of faff in the process).
If you’ve already fallen in love with your air fryer, you’ll know how versatile it is, but with the right air fryer accessories, it becomes even more of a game-changer. From crispy bacon to cupcakes, these clever extras unlock even more ways to use the best air fryers out there. And yes, they’re especially handy when you’re trying to whip up a speedy midweek dinner or impress friends without turning on the oven.
One of the things I wish I knew before buying an air fryer is that the accessories can really clean up too. Some air fryer accessories are designed to make tidying up much easier, so if you're dreading the scrubbing part, they might just be your new best friend. You’ll still want to know how to clean an air fryer properly, but a few well-chosen tools can definitely lighten the load.
The best air fryer accessories
Whether you're new to air frying or simply want to upgrade your setup, these essential accessories will help you get the most from your air fryer. I'll go deeper into the details and offer up more suggestions, but if you want a whistle-stop tour of the accessories that feel like air fryer hacks, here's where to look.
RRP: £20 | Cooking with excessive oil is a common air fryer mistake; a simple way to evade this is by using a spray bottle. I like this one for its powerful spritz action that effortlessly covers a full drawer of food in a few presses. The bottle is glass and compact, great if you’re short of cupboard space. It’s a handy addition to the kitchen, not just for air fryer cooking, but also useful for coating a frying pan before frying or spraying chilli oil on pizza.
RRP: £5.24 | If you use your air fryer regularly or to cook foods that stick then liners are going to be a big help. While you can put foil in an air fryer, these can save you on washing up as well as wear-and-tear. Lakeland's universal silicone air fryer collapses for easier storage and thanks to the silicone design, they can be popped in the dishwasher when you're done too.
RRP: £7.49 | These racks are very much in the camp of: see it to believe it. They sit on top of each other inside the air fryer drawer, potentially tripling the space that you have inside your deep drawers when you're cooking things that can be layered, such as chips. They're a true game-changer for busy homes.
RRP: £6.99 | A decent pair of cooking tongs are so useful for cooking with an air fryer and probably come in first place for my most used kitchen accessory. It's important to use ones that won't scratch the non-stick surface of the air fryer, so avoid naked metal and instead opt for a pair with a plastic or silicone end. You also don't want something too large as it will be hard to manoeuvre, so a sleeker design is preferable. The integrated rests are really useful so these don't mess up the worktop while you're cooking. These narrow tongs are perfect for air fryer drawers.
RRP: £7.50 | Whether you're prepping or cooking, it's helpful to have a container to hand that can safely and securely store your food. I like Lakeland's because it feels as robust as tupperware, but it's easier to clean and has that extra flex that some foods need.
RRP: £5.99 | If you have been inspired to expand your air frying repertoire to the realm of baking then you may well need some air-fryer-safe bakeware. I love this brownie set, because you can put it in the dishwasher and the microwave and it's really easy to store. Sam Milner, author of The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook, points out that when using a silicone brownie set “you don’t even need to worry about lining it with parchment paper first or greasing it.” making it even quicker to use than a conventional tin.
RRP: £8.73 | These are the least exciting of all the accessories on my list, but I think they're the most important. Each tray comes with bumpers on the side to stop your air fryer from scratching (and to keep the non-stick safe). Yours will inevitably come off and if it's lost in the dishwasher, you'll want these spares ti hand.
RRP: £12.99 | The king of cooking, Jamie Oliver, has lots of air fryer tips and tricks that he's shared online. However, those quick tips expand into a relative encyclopaedia of air fryer recipes, hacks, and delicious ideas in his Easy Air Fryer cookbook. It's a great gift. He actually even has a Jamie Oliver x Tefal Air Fryer too.
RRP: £27 | Lots of brands make kits for air fryers, but Cosori's is my favourite. The set includes a cake pan, pizza tray, metal holder, rack with skewers, silicone matt, and egg moulds, so you can expand how you're cooking on all fronts. If you want to get even more creative, silicone muffin cases are Jane Curran, food stylist and writer's, air fryer accessory: “silicone muffin cases and cake pans are ideal for an air fryer. They are totally non-stick and easy and quick to clean.”
The experts who offered advice
I'm on woman&home's recipe development team, so I use air fryers and their accessories every day. However, I wanted to make sure that you heard from everyone in the air fryer community, which is why I called on chefs and food stylists to offer advice. If you want to know a little more about them, here's some information about Sam and Jane.
Author of one of the Sunday Times bestsellers: The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook Sam Milner is an air fryer early adopter, she’s been at it for almost 12 years making her an experienced authority on air fryer cookery.
Previously food director at Woman & Home, Jane is part of the team behind the woman&home air fryer bookazines and the Quick & Simple Air Fryer Cookbook. Jane has tested every recipe in the book, so she's well-versed in adapting recipes to work in air fryers and knowing what not to cook in an air fryer.
FAQs
Are air fryer liners worth it?
Air fryer liners are handy for cooking fragile foods, such as fish fillets or for baking cookies as they make lifting things out of the air fryer basket much easier. Many air fryer baskets are deep and the metallic base can be tricky to remove while still hot, whereas a liner can easily be lifted out.
Liners are usually made from a material that is lighter and cools faster than the metal case does, some even have handles so are easy to remove with tongs or by hand. Air fryer liners also help to simplify the cleaning process as they catch most of the mess and can usually be put directly in the dishwasher, or if they are disposable, the bin.
A variety of different types of air fryer liners are available, some are flat and can be positioned under or on top of air fryer tray insert. Others have sides and are more of a pot shape making it possible to heat foods that are juicy or saucy, such as mac ‘n’ cheese. Some have a woven base or holes and are designed this way to ensure the air circulates inside the air fryer, while others have a solid base.
It’s worth noting that if the base is solid the hot air will not circulate in the same way, so we wouldn’t recommend using these for anything that you intend to crisp. If you don’t have a liner for your air fryer and still wish to cook something delicate then baking paper can be a good option. It’s important to ensure it fits neatly in the air fryer basket, as the edges may scorch or catch fire if they are too close to the internal heating element.
Why do you need silicone tongs for an air fryer?
Using non-abrasive utensils, such as silicone tongs when cooking in an air fryer is important. This is so the non-stick coating of the air fryer doesn’t get scratched. Tongs are useful for removing or flipping hot food in the basket. The pointed shape means they are easy to manoeuvre in a compact space such as the air fryer basket.
Classic spatulas can be too large and make it awkward to handle the food in the basket. Tongs are also useful for other cooking, they are useful when frying or dishing out portions of everything soon you’ll be using them for everything from flipping chicken breasts to swirling spaghetti.
Is it better to use paper or silicone liners in an air fryer?
This largely depends on you and how you like to cook. I go for silicone, because it's reusable, which is great from an environmental and a price perspective. However, some people like the traditional feel of paper liners. I often get biscuit parcels wrapped in their paper liners from my friends.
There are plenty of clever ways that you can use your air fryer and this collection of accessories is a great example of why. It's also worth following the experts. Our team treat Jamie Oliver's air fryer hacks like they are rules to live by.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.