TL;DR
- Perforated parchment: safest and best for airflow, single use.
- Silicone: reusable and easy to wash, but blocks a little airflow.
- Foil: handy for drips, but risky if loose and reacts with acid.
- Never preheat with an empty paper liner; it can fly into the element.
- For maximum crunch, skip liners and cook straight in the basket.
Table of Contents
A liner protects the basket and speeds up washing, but it sits right in the path of the airflow that crisps your food. Choose the wrong one and you trade crunch for convenience, or worse, create a fire risk. Here is how the three options really compare.
Perforated parchment
Parchment made for air fryers has laser-cut holes that let hot air keep reaching the food from below. It is safe, cheap and great for sticky foods like wings or mozzarella sticks. The one rule: only use it with food on top, never empty.
Silicone liners
Silicone is reusable and rinses clean, which suits messy, greasy cooks. The trade is airflow: a solid silicone base blocks some of the air that reaches the underside of your food, so results are slightly less crisp than the bare basket.
Foil
Foil is useful for catching drips or wrapping, but it carries the most caveats: it must be weighed down so it cannot lift into the element, and it reacts with acidic foods. Our full guide on foil in an air fryer covers the safety rules.
| Liner | Airflow | Reusable | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perforated parchment | Good | No | Safe with food on top |
| Silicone | Reduced | Yes | Safe |
| Foil | Blocks if flat | No | Risky if loose |
When to skip liners entirely
For the crispiest possible results, cook directly in the basket. Liners are worth it for messy or sticky foods that would be a pain to scrub, but for chips you want the full airflow. Either way, keep the basket clean with our cleaning guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are air fryer liners safe?
Perforated parchment and silicone liners are safe when used correctly. Paper liners must always have food on top so they cannot lift into the heating element. Never run an empty paper liner during preheating, as the fan can blow it into the element and start a fire.
Which air fryer liner is best?
Perforated parchment is best for airflow and crisping, and is cheap for single use. Silicone is best if you want something reusable and easy to wash, at the cost of slightly less crisp. Foil is a last resort for drips.
Do air fryer liners affect crispiness?
Solid liners can, because they block some of the airflow that crisps the underside of food. Perforated parchment minimises this with its holes. For the crispiest result, use no liner at all.
Can you use parchment paper in an air fryer?
Yes, ideally the perforated type made for air fryers. Its holes preserve airflow. Always place food on top so the paper cannot lift, and never preheat with an empty sheet inside.
Are silicone air fryer liners worth it?
For messy, greasy cooking they are, because they are reusable and rinse clean quickly. Just accept a small drop in crispness compared with the bare basket, since the solid base blocks some airflow.