Air Fryer Liners: Parchment vs Silicone, Sizes and How to Measure

Parchment and silicone liners both catch drips, but they behave differently. Parchment is disposable and Reynolds rates its liners up to 400°F. Silicone is reusable. Either one should sit under food, never alone, and leave room for air to move. Check your manual first, because Philips and Instant advise against covering the basket.

Parchment vs silicone: how the two liner types differ

The temperature row matters more than it looks. The Cosori Pro LE runs from 170°F to 450°F, and the Ninja Crispi Pro’s Air Fry setting runs from 300°F to 450°F. A parchment liner rated to 400°F is outside its rating at the top of those ranges.

What air fryer makers say about liners

Manufacturer guidance is not uniform, so read yours before you buy a pack of anything.

• Cosori (Pro LE manual): “You may use parchment paper or foil.” It also warns never to put baking or parchment paper in “without food on top,” because air circulation can lift paper into the heating coils.
• Ninja (Crispi Pro FAQ): says it is safe to use parchment paper and aluminum foil in the containers.
• Philips: does not recommend baking paper. Covering the bottom of the basket reduces airflow, and paper with no food on it “could be sucked into the heating element and start to burn.”
• Instant (Vortex Slim 6 QT manual): says not to cover the basket “or any part of the appliance with foil,” and that food can go straight on the cooking tray without coverings.

Two manuals also mention accessories in general. Cosori recommends Cosori replacement parts and accessories, and Instant recommends accessories authorized by Instant Brands. Neither names liners specifically; if you choose a liner from another maker, check its size against your basket and its heat rating.

How to use a parchment liner safely

Reynolds gives four rules for its air fryer parchment:

1. Preheat the air fryer first, then add the liner.
2. Put food on the liner before it goes in.
3. Cook at or below the liner’s rated temperature (up to 400°F).
4. Never run a liner by itself.

Silicone liners: what to check

Silicone liners go back in the basket again and again, which suits people who air fry daily. The manuals we reviewed do not mention silicone liners at all, so the checks fall on you:

• A stated temperature rating at or above the highest setting you use.
• Holes or raised ribs, so air can reach the underside of food.
• A size that leaves a gap at the basket walls.

Cosori’s manual adds a general rule that applies here: “Always use heat-safe containers. Be extremely cautious if using containers that aren’t metal or glass.”

How to measure your air fryer basket

Manufacturers publish quart capacity and outside dimensions. They almost never publish the inside floor of the basket, which is what a liner has to fit. A quart rating does not tell you the shape, so two 5-quart baskets can take different liners. Measuring takes two minutes.

What you need

A ruler or tape measure, and the empty, cool basket with the crisper plate removed.

Steps

1. Measure the floor, not the rim. Baskets usually taper, so the top opening is wider than the bottom. Measure across the floor, wall to wall.
2. Square baskets: measure both directions. Note the corner radius; a square liner with sharp corners may not sit flat in a rounded-corner basket.
3. Round baskets: measure the diameter at the floor.
4. Check the depth if you want a bowl-shaped silicone liner. Measure from the floor to the rim.
5. Subtract a margin. Pick a liner a little smaller than the floor so air can pass around its edges. Philips links a covered basket bottom to weaker cooking.
6. Dual-basket models: measure each drawer. The two sides are not always the same size.

A note on published container sizes

Some makers do publish container measurements. Ninja lists its CleanCrisp glass containers at 9.2 by 9.2 inches (2.5-quart and 4-quart) and 9.7 by 9.7 inches (6-quart). Ninja does not say whether those are inside or outside figures, so treat them as a ceiling rather than a liner size.

If you are shopping by brand, our Ninja accessory guide and Cosori accessory guide list official parts by model.

Liners and the crisper plate

Liners usually go on top of the crisper plate, under food. Cosori’s care section says lining the basket with foil “(except the crisper plate)” may make cleanup easier. Ninja’s FAQ explains why the plate matters: it lifts food so air can flow under and around it. A solid liner over the plate cancels part of that.

When to skip the liner

A liner is optional. Instant’s manual says food can go directly on the cooking tray. For crisp results, bare baskets let the most air reach the food. For easier cleanup without a liner, see how to clean an air fryer.

Browse every accessory type in our air fryer accessories guide.