There's no getting around it: air fryer baskets are a pain to clean. They hog dishwasher space, and frequent machine washing can damage the nonstick coating. That's where the best silicone air fryer liners come in, making cleanup simple while delivering perfectly crispy results.
I've tested over 60 air fryers and consulted extensively with Samantha Erb, the air fryer expert behind Everyday Family Cooking. My top pick for a silicone air fryer liner is the Wavelu Air Fryer Silicone Pot; it has convenient large handles, dishwasher-safe design, and cooking performance. The Lotteli Kitchen Reusable Silicone Air Fryer Liners are another solid choice. Their perforated design lets excess oil drain away for healthier cooking, though you may need to lightly clean the crisper plate and basket.
If you want to upgrade your air fryer, check out our best air fryer guide.
Learn more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and researches kitchen products.
Our top picks for the best silicone air fryer liners
Best overall: Wavelu Air Fryer Silicone Pot — See at Amazon
Best for easy removal: Cosori Air Fryer Silicone Liners — See at Amazon
Best perforated: Lotteli Kitchen Reusable Silicone Air Fryer Liners — See at Amazon
Best flat: Infraovens Air Fryer Liners — See at Amazon
Best for compact air fryers: Simple Lyfe Air Fryer Silicone Pot — See at Amazon
Best baking cups: OXO Good Grips Silicone Baking Cups — See at Amazon
Best overall
The dishwasher-safe Wavelu is one of the best silicone air fryer liners because it keeps ingredients from coming in contact with your basket for an effortless clean-up.
- Easy to clean
- Surface ridges promote even cooking
- Large handles
- Doesn't allow oils and fats to drain
The main goal of the best air fryer liners is to make cleaning your air fryer easier. Yet, many liners have holes that allow oils and fats to drip through, leaving a mess. The $20 Wavelu Air Fryer Silicone Pot is one of the best silicone air fryer liners because it doesn't have holes and contains oils, so you don't have to clean the air fryer basket and plate.
I tested this air fryer liner; initially, I was concerned that the food would hold onto its fat and that the silicone pot would hinder even cooking. However, the Wavelu features a silicone grill and slopes to the peripheries of the pot so oils drain to the sides. In my tests, food cooked just as evenly and quickly with the BPA-free silicone pot as without.
The Wavelu comes in two sizes: large for air fryers between 3 and 5 quarts and extra large for units over 5.3 quarts. Lastly, I liked the handles sticking up enough to grab them easily without oven mitts.
Best for easy removal
The Cosori Air Fryer Silicone Liners' handles and included silicone mitts make removing food safely without burning your fingers easy.
- Comes with mini silicone mitts
- Design keeps oils and grease off the basket and food
- Available in multiple sizes
- Round shape may not efficiently use space in square baskets
The Cosori Air Fryer Silicone Liners are like silicone baking dishes for your air fryer. They're similar to our best air fryer liner, the Wavelu silicone pot, only they come with mini silicone mitts to easily remove them from the basket.
The high sides keep grease and oil from escaping into the basket, and the raised lines on the bottom of the pot keep the oils away from your food and promote airflow. Plus, there's a foldable version for easy storage. The liners come in two sizes: three-to-five-quart and five quarts or more. Unfortunately, the $20 Cosori two-pack only comes in red and gray.
Best perforated
The Lotteli's perforations help grease drain from food into the air fryer basket, making for a lower-fat meal.
- Available in multiple sizes and shapes
- Keeps debris away from crisper plate
- Perforations allow oil to collect in the basket
Erb uses the Lotteli Kitchen Reusable Silicone Air Fryer Liners. They come in a $11 three-pack and are flat, perforated pieces of BPA-free silicone that allow for oil drainage and airflow for even heating. They come in four sizes to fit an array of air fryers, including round, square, and rectangular baskets.
One disadvantage of flat, perforated air fryer liners is that oils pass through the liner and collect in the basket, requiring cleaning. Consequently, the main benefit is that debris won't stick to the crisper plate, which can be even harder to clean with its narrow openings.
Best flat
The Infraoven liner's structure is flat enough for optimal airflow but has a raised lip to keep grease from dirtying the machine.
- Available in multiple sizes
- Low-profile lip keeps the basket and crisper clean
- Hard to remove the liner when it's hot
The Infraovens Air Fryer Liners set has three mats: a flat black grilling mat, a black mesh mat, and a red mat with raised cylinders. The red is the best silicone air fryer liner because it has a low-profile lip that keeps grease from escaping and making a mess while allowing air to flow around the food.
The low-profile design makes it hard to remove the liner when it's hot, so your best bet is to simply remove the food. The set is available in four sizes, ranging from 7.5 inches to 10 inches square, and priced from $12 to $15.
Best for compact air fryers
If you have a compact air fryer, the team at Simple Lyfe has created the solution for quick cleanup.
- Surface ridges allow grease to drain and even airflow
- Fits in small air fryers
- Only available in one shape
The design of the $18 Simple Lyfe Air Fryer Silicone Pot is pretty similar to that of our other silicone pot picks. The difference is it comes in a small 6.3-inch-diameter size that works well in compact air fryers between 2 and 2.6 quarts, making it the smart choice for our best small air fryer, the Dreo Aircrisp Pro Air Fryer.
The BPA-free Simple Lyfe silicone pot is dishwasher safe and, like the other silicone products in our guide, can handle temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. It also features surface ridges and an elevated, sloping center on the base to let grease drain and promote airflow.
Best silicone baking cups
You can use this set of durable silicone baking cups to shape muffins, cupcakes, and more expertly. They're nonstick, so they can be washed easily.
- Can be used for baking muffins and egg bites
- Side tabs make them easy to remove
- Can't be filled all the way
- Ingredients overflow easily
Silicone baking cups are useful in any kitchen, even if you don't have an air fryer. I like the OXO Good Grips Silicone Baking Cups because they have little tabs on the sides, making them easier to remove from an air fryer without burning myself or disturbing the contents. Plus, at $12 for a dozen, they're quite affordable.
I like to use the OXO baking cups to make egg bites for breakfast. If you do this, don't fill the cup more than halfway since the contents will expand as they heat. If ingredients might overflow the cups, you may want to put a separate liner underneath. I liked how easily the cups released the egg bites, and the clean-up was a snap.
Types of silicone air fryer liner
Perforated: A liner with perforations helps with airflow, producing crispier foods faster. The downside is they release oils into your basket, though still less than if you didn't use a liner at all.
Basket: A silicone basket is the best for simple cleanup because oil from your food collects at the bottom of the liner. Unfortunately, this does reduce airflow, making it harder for foods to crisp up.
Ramekins: Silicone ramekins, also called baking cups or egg bite molds, are great for individual portions. They can be tricky to lift out of basket air fryers, and you may want to add another liner underneath to catch any overflow.
Air fryer liner FAQs
Are silicone liners safe for air fryers?
Yes, all the liners we recommend are made of food-grade silicone. It is the same type of material used for silicone baking molds, utensils, and mats. Check the manufacturer information for the maximum oven-safe temperature.
Can you put foil in an air fryer?
Yes, you can put foil in an air fryer. To ensure safety, placing foil exclusively in the air fryer's basket and not in the drawer is important. Placing foil in the drawer can result in it being blown around by the circulating hot air, potentially causing a fire hazard. Never preheat the air fryer when the basket is lined with foil to prevent potential risks.
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
