Best Inserts for Air Fryers: 5 Picks for Every Basket
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There’s no single best insert for air fryers. The right one comes down to three things about you: the shape and size of your basket, whether you want to wash a liner or throw it away, and how hot you cook. These products don’t rank above each other so much as split apart — paper against silicone, square against rectangle, small against large. Most buyers land on one of two: the Reynolds Kitchens Air Fryer Liners for a no-measuring, no-washing habit, or the Square Silicone Air Fryer Liners if you’d rather rinse and reuse.
1. Reynolds Kitchens Air Fryer Liners Disposable
Best for: someone who wants zero cleanup after every single meal.
If you cook in the air fryer most days, the chore you notice isn’t the cooking — it’s the basket. A liner that’s already cut to size removes both the cutting and the scrubbing. These are 9 in. x 9 in. sheets, pre-cut to fit most round and square baskets, so there’s nothing to trim before you cook.
The unbleached parchment is non-stick, which matters for wings and chicken — the foods that leave the most behind.
Fifty sheets per pack sets the rhythm here: this is a disposable habit, not a one-time buy. That suits someone who’d rather toss a sheet than soak a basket.
Good if:
- You cook air fryer meals several times a week and hate scrubbing
- You want a liner that fits without measuring or cutting
- You cook wings, chicken and other messy foods often
Skip it if:
- You’d rather buy once and reuse for years
- You regularly cook above 400 degrees
2. Square Silicone Air Fryer Liners 2 Pack 5-6.5QT
Best for: someone replacing paper liners they keep running out of.
Reusable silicone changes the whole routine. Instead of restocking, you rinse one liner and put it back. This PINTAUR set gives you two, so one can be in the dishwasher while the other cooks. The listing says they’re fully dishwasher-safe and stand up to 450°F — a higher stated limit than the paper picks here.
Fit is the thing to get right, and this listing is unusually direct about it. The top measures 8.46″ × 8.46″, the bottom 7.68″ × 7.68″, height 2.36″, and they suit 5–6.5QT fryers with square baskets up to 8.9 inches. Measure your basket top before ordering.
The raised strips on the bottom lift food out of the oil that collects, and the listing says they also promote airflow. This is the pick for a household that cooks often and wants a single purchase to cover its frying. It’s not for you if you won’t load a dishwasher.
Good if:
- You want a reusable liner instead of a disposable habit
- You own a 5–6.5QT square-basket fryer and will measure first
Skip it if:
- You own a round basket or one of the two fryers named as incompatible
- You want nothing to wash at all
3. Cosori Air Fryer Liners
Best for: a first-time buyer with a small 3–5QT basket.
Small baskets are where oversized liners cause trouble — too much paper, not enough food holding it down. These are 6.5″ square and made for 3–5QT fryers, so they match the basket instead of crowding it. The listing says they’re shaped to fit without folding or cutting.
The warning at the top of this listing is worth reading twice. Don’t put the liner in during preheating, and always make sure enough food sits on it to stop it flying up into the heating element. This seller states it plainly. Follow it.
The paper is wax-free, bleach-free and coated with food-grade silicone, stated safe to 465°F. A hundred liners per pack covers daily cooking and parties.
Good if:
- You own a 3–5QT air fryer and want a liner that matches it
- You want a raised edge to catch juices and sauce
- You’d use liners in the microwave and oven too
Skip it if:
- Your basket is bigger than 5QT
- You won’t remember to keep food on the liner during cooking
4. Ninja Dual Basket Liners
Best for: anyone cooking two different foods in a dual-basket Ninja.
Dual-basket fryers have two narrow rectangular drawers, and a square liner wastes space in both. These are 8.7″ × 5.5″ rectangles, sized for the Ninja 2-Basket DZ201, DZ401 and DZ550 Foodi, and the listing says they suit 8Qt and above dual-basket models with rectangular baskets. Measure your capacity first — that’s the seller’s own advice.
The bowl shape is 1.7 inches deep, which the listing says keeps grease and residue off the basket sides and bottom, and the raised edge makes lifting food out easier. The paper is food-grade wood pulp with double-sided silicone, stated heat resistant to 446°F, and the listing puts the maximum heating time under 45 minutes.
At 45Gsm, the listing calls this paper thicker and sturdier than standard, and the pack holds 125 liners. This is the pick for a dual-basket owner who cooks two things at once.
Good if:
- You own a Ninja dual-basket fryer with rectangular drawers
- You cook a main and a side at the same time and want every basket protected
- You want a deeper edge to hold juices and sauce
Skip it if:
- You own a round or single-basket fryer
- You regularly cook longer than 45 minutes in one go
5. Air Fryer Liners 9.1 Inch
Best for: a large-basket owner feeding a family most nights.
Big baskets mean big messes, and a liner that curls or floats is worse than none. These 9-inch square liners are made from thicker paper and the listing says they stay flat and hold their shape, sized for most 8–12 qt baskets. The seller still says to measure your basket before ordering — do that.
The raised sides are the practical part. They hold in oil, juices and sticky sauces instead of letting them run off onto the basket, which is what makes wings, fish and frozen snacks easier to deal with. The listing states heat resistance to 425°F, so check that against your hottest recipes.
The paper is described as PFAS-free, BPA-free and non-toxic, food grade throughout. At 128 liners per pack, the listing pitches this at daily cooking and meal prep. It’s the pick for a busy family kitchen.
Good if:
- You own an 8–12 qt air fryer and cook for several people
- You want raised edges to contain grease and sauce
- You care about a PFAS-free liner for family cooking
Skip it if:
- You own a small or compact air fryer
- You regularly cook above 425°F
Where These Overlap
The paper picks for large baskets — the Empowered Cooks liners and the Reynolds sheets — are close enough that the choice barely matters. Measure your basket and the answer is obvious.
The silicone liner and the paper liners aren’t interchangeable at all. One is a reusable purchase, the others are a running habit.
Still Not Sure?
Will I actually use a liner every time I cook?
If you cook air fryer meals most days, yes — and a disposable habit suits that. The Reynolds Kitchens Air Fryer Liners remove the cutting and the scrubbing in one step. If you cook a few times a month, a reusable liner makes more sense.
What do I need to measure before I buy?
Your basket’s shape and top dimensions. Round versus square decides between most of these, and the Square Silicone Air Fryer Liners listing names the fryers it won’t fit. The Ninja Dual Basket Liners need a rectangular drawer. Measure first, order second.
What am I most likely to regret?
Buying a liner too big for your basket, or forgetting the paper-liner rule. The Cosori Air Fryer Liners listing warns against preheating with the liner in and without food on it — that’s the mistake that ruins a cook. Match the size, then follow that rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are air fryer liners safe to use?
Yes, if you follow the stated limits. Every paper liner here lists a maximum temperature — 400°F for the Reynolds sheets, 425°F for the Empowered Cooks liners, 465°F for the Cosori ones. Never preheat with a paper liner sitting empty in the basket. Every paper liner here lists a maximum temperature, so check any liner you’re unsure about against the limit the seller states.
What size air fryer liner fits an 8-quart basket?
For a dual-basket Ninja, the Ninja Dual Basket Liners at 8.7″ × 5.5″ are built for that shape. For a single large basket, the Air Fryer Liners 9.1 Inch are sized for 8–12 qt. Measure your basket top before ordering either one.
Do silicone air fryer liners work in any air fryer?
No — shape and size decide it. The Square Silicone Air Fryer Liners fit 5–6.5QT square baskets up to 8.9 inches, and the listing says they’re not compatible with the COSORI CAF-DC601 (6QT) or Instant Vortex Plus (6QT).
Can I use paper liners in a Ninja dual-basket air fryer?
Yes, if the liner matches the rectangular drawer. The Ninja Dual Basket Liners are 8.7″ × 5.5″ rectangles made for the DZ201, DZ401 and DZ550, with a 1.7-inch bowl edge. Always put food on the liner so it can’t lift into the heating element.
Conclusion
If you cook often and want nothing to wash, the Reynolds Kitchens Air Fryer Liners fit that habit. If you’d rather buy one thing and rinse it, the Square Silicone Air Fryer Liners are the match — just measure your basket top first.
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