What Are Air Fryer Liners Used For?

Air Fryer liners guard your appliance’s bottom surface against getting damaged. When you coat your appliance’s basket or steamer, you reduce the chances of scratches.

Commonly, the lining material is made out of parchment paper. Other alternatives to parchment paper are silicon, bamboo, foil, and unbleached paper. But some chefs go the traditional way, lining their air fryers with oil and grease.

But what is the purpose of these air fryer liners? There are many valid reasons for lining air fryers;

  • To Prevent Scoring

It is to prevent scratches on the bottom surface of your machine. Most air fryer surfaces, including the basket, are non-stick, meaning frequent scratching can damage the coating.

Lining the bottom surface of your air fryer basket with a silicon mat, bamboo, or parchment paper line reduces the scratching of this crucial and irreparable coating.

  • To Prevent Scorching Your Food

You will also line your air fryer to prevent scorching your delicacies. When baking pastries like cookies and cakes, you want the outcome to be brown and not scorched. Before you place your mixture, line the basket or grease it with sufficient shortening to prevent smoldering.

  • For Easy Cleanup

Cleaning a messy air fryer is backbreaking. But it is easy if you cover your basket’s bottom surface with parchment paper for easy cleanup. An example is when you are cooking juicy foods like meat. It would be easier to empty your basket and rinse out instead of embarking on a scrubbing mission even before you enjoy your delicacy.

  • To Prevent Sticking

Some foods stick-on air fryer baskets, especially if the surface is non-stick. The only trick to prevent this is lining the basket’s surface. You will have a presentable delicacy and also save yourself from scoring.

Read More: The 9 Best Air Fryer Liners

What Lining Can I Use For The Air Fryer?

There are several air fryer liners that you can reach out to any time you need extra protection for your basket;

1. Bamboo mats

Bamboo mats create a non-stick lining for air fryers. The mats are made out of biodegradable and non-toxic material. These mats are perforated to let in air so that food does not stick. If you want to go green, consider this quality not only for your air fryer but also in any other baking and cooking processes.

2. Parchment Paper

Parchment papers have perforations like bamboo mats to allow air into the basket or steamer. You should never confuse parchment paper with wax paper as the melting wax can cause fire outbursts in your kitchen. Parchment sheets have different styles and sizes. You can also choose your preferred shape and color (white or brown).

2. Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil is commonly used in the place of parchment paper. It is readily available in most kitchens and can prevent sticky food, burning, and scoring.

A foil does what parchment paper and bamboo mats can. It also prevents spills and dripping of food juices into your air fryer steamer or basket.

Aluminum foil lacks the non-stick features of parchment paper and requires greasing or spraying with oil. Using foil to line your air fryer makes food cook faster because of its reflective properties. We recommend that you check your food to avoid overcooking.   

 3. Grease/Oil Spray

This old-school pan greasing method worked great before the modern lining of ovens came. It is even easier with the oil sprays.

Greasing or oiling an air fryer basket can improve your outcome with no sticking, burning, or scratching the surface. It may not work excellently like a parchment paper, foil, or bamboo mat, but greasing adds great golden-brown color to your bakes.

4. Unbleached Paper

Unbleached paper works like parchment paper. You can get a few sheets from the food store and use them to line your air fryer and prevent your fries, bakes, and chicken from sticking and burning. Unbleached papers are food-grade, thus not toxic.

5. Fiberglass/ Silicon Pads

These are excellent air fryer liners made out of food-grade silicone material. Unlike the bamboo and the parchment paper, they have a heat limit of 428 degrees Fahrenheit. The air fryer accessories offer a non-stick surface to your basket or steamer, and you can also use them to line pans, pressure cookers, and trays.

Due to the heat limit, you have to be careful not to exceed 428 degrees F. Higher temperatures than recommended will melt down silicon.

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Do You Have To Use Perforated Parchment Paper In An Air Fryer?

A perforated parchment paper in an air fryer provides space for air circulation. The perforations come in a pattern and allow air circulation on the basket.

If you use non-perforated parchment paper, air will not flow through the paper. Due to accumulated moisture, your food will stick, so you will not acquire a crisp texture.

What Do You Put In The Bottom Of An Air Fryer?

You can put a bamboo mat, silicon pad, parchment paper or grease your air fryer bottom with shortening. This simple process makes your air fryer non-stick, prevents food/air fryer recipes from burning, and makes it easy for you to clean your appliance. A lining also prevents your food from tearing.

Can Wax Paper Go In The Air Fryer?

When you put wax paper in an air fryer, the wax will melt and contaminate your food. You will also risk kindling fire in your kitchen.

Wax is flammable, so never risk using the paper as an air fryer liner. Use the recommended material such as a bamboo mat, parchment paper, silicon pad, or grease your air fryer basket or steamer.

Do You Need Holes In Parchment Paper In Air Fryer?

Yes, you need punched parchment paper in an air fryer to allow air circulation in the basket or steamer. Besides solving sticking issues, your food will cook or warm evenly.

Using non-perforated parchment paper will block airflow, vital for air fryer functions.

Can I Put Aluminum Foil In An Air Fryer?

You can use foil in your air fryer, but the results will not be the same as using a bamboo mat, silicon pad, or parchment paper. Although aluminum speeds the heating and cooking process, it does not have non-sticking properties.

Instead of silicon pads, bamboo mats, or parchment paper, you can use foil. To improve its performance, smear the base with a shortening or spray oil to make it non-stick. It will prevent spills and hasten the cooking process.

Can You Use Foil Or Parchment Paper In An Air Fryer?

Perforated parchment papers and aluminum foil are the most common air fryer liners. They prevent your food from scorching and also sticking on the basket mesh.

When using aluminum foil, keep an eye on your food to prevent overcooking. The reason is the foil is a heat conductor. It also overheats and transfers the heat to your food during the cooking process, resulting in faster cooking.

The parchment paper is easy to use, but it must be perforated to allow airflow. Air fryer performs efficiently in good air circulation.

If your parchment paper is not perforated, you can punch holes in a consistent pattern to allow consistent airflow. That way, your food will cook well and have a crispy texture.

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Conclusion

Air fryer liners have many functions. The liners guard your appliance against scratches and harsh cleaning. You will not experience burnt cookies, sticking ribs, or torn chicken breasts with suitable liners.

Cleaning your air fryer will no longer be teary. You can order assorted liners from various materials, depending on your preference. Parchment paper, bamboo mats, silicone pads, and aluminum foil are the most common. Get an air fryer liner and enjoy your cooking experience.

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