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: £4.99 | 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: £36 | When cooking meat I like to use a probe thermometer. Monitoring the internal temperature takes the guesswork out of knowing when it’s cooked to perfection. This one is particularly easy-to-read, with quick and accurate temperature readings. You can set this thermometer to alert you with an alarm when the temperature is reached. Before investing in this make sure there is a gap in the seal of the air fryer that the cable can fit through, otherwise, you will have to keep opening the air fryer to test the temperature.
RRP: £14 | Another common kitchen accessory that is essential for air fryer cookery is a pair of oven gloves. I like using pot holders as they are more compact and less unwieldy than old-school oven mitts. These are available in a range of colours to match your kitchen aesthetic. This is good value as they come in a pack of two and can double up as a pot holder and trivet. They are 20cm square and made of a classy-looking natural matt cotton.
RRP: £25 | 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: £9.99 | 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 one, 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 cake tin “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 cake tin.
RRP: £27 | Silicone muffin cases 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.” Not only is silicone bakeware usually dishwasher safe, it’s also non-stick so your bakes will pop straight out. Made for Tower branded air fryers but small enough to fit in most, this is a mega kit of air fryer accessories, including individual silicone cupcake cases and so much more.
RRP: £12.99 | 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. Vonhaus' universal silicone air fryer liners (set of 2) are small enough to fit into most air fryer models. They're easy to clean and compact, the ideal size for a couple of chicken breasts.
RRP: £14.99| Perfect for messier foods, these liners come with sides and handles. They're more useful as all the cooking mess and juices stay contained. There are lots of options available, but Sam says these are "heavy duty and the handles make getting food in and out of the air fryer so easy." Given her status in the air fryer community, that's golden advice.
£10 | You've seen some advice from Sam already, but this book is absolutely packed with air fryer hacks, tips, and delicious recipes. Both Sam and Dom are great for offering up recipes that make use of the accessories that you'll likely have at home, but they also push you to get create with some alternatives too.
RRP: £5.95 | Some air fryers come with these, so check yours, but it's always good to have a handy companion like this. The guide contains suggested air fryer cooking temperatures and times for a variety of foods, good for a quick reference. It also comes with a magnet so you can store it on the fridge door for better kitchen organisation.
RRP: £5.99 | When it comes to using an air fryer over an oven one of the pros high on the air fryer’s list is it’s simpler to clean as most of the parts can be run through the dishwasher. It's really important that you have a good deep cleaning spray that makes light work of grease and will leave your air fryer looking spotless. It also has a pleasant almond aroma to help make your kitchen smell good.
RRP: £3 | For washing up and removing grease without scratching this is a great sponge. One side is slightly abrasive and the other is a soft sponge. It's machine washable or can be boiled in a pan of water to remove grease. It also miraculously removes 99.9% of bacteria without the need for soap!
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.
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