Four air fryer accessories change cooking results enough to matter: perforated liners, oil sprayers, instant-read thermometers, and racks. Most others change convenience rather than outcome, and several — solid liners and foil in particular — make results worse by blocking airflow.
This page covers which accessories change cook time or result, which are neutral, which are actively harmful, and the conditions under which each earns its place.
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Which accessories change the result?
Four, each solving a specific mechanical problem.
Perforated parchment liners. They stop delicate food sticking without blocking the airflow that solid parchment or foil would. Essential for cookies, fish and anything with a coating that tears. Never place them in the basket during an empty preheat — the fan will lift them into the heating element.
A refillable oil pump sprayer. Distributes a small amount of oil evenly, which matters for lean proteins, fresh-cut fries and breaded coatings that otherwise finish pale. Refillable rather than aerosol: aerosol cooking sprays contain propellants and lecithin that build up on non-stick baskets and degrade the coating over time.
An instant-read thermometer. The most useful accessory on this list, and the cheapest. Converted times are estimates calibrated to your unit; internal temperature is the actual doneness test for every protein. Chicken breast, pork chops and steak all pass from correct to ruined within a few degrees.
A wire rack or second layer. Increases usable capacity for flat items by giving a second tier with airflow between. Only worth it if the rack still leaves clearance above the top layer.
Which accessories are neutral?
Silicone baskets, cake tins, pizza pans and skewer racks change what you can cook rather than how well. A 6-inch cake tin makes cake possible in a basket model; it does not change the conversion.
Silicone liners are a convenience item for cleaning. They are acceptable if perforated and sized to the basket, and they slightly slow the underside cook because silicone conducts less heat than metal.
Which accessories make results worse?
Solid parchment and foil under food. Both block airflow to the underside, which is the difference between an air fryer and a small oven. Food on solid foil steams underneath while browning on top.
Anything that fills the basket footprint. Oversized pans and dishes leave no path for air around the edges. If an accessory touches the basket wall on all sides, it is defeating the appliance.
Loose foil anywhere. The fan can lift it into the heating element. Only use foil where your manual permits it, weighted down and never blocking airflow.
Does a splatter guard help with bacon?
It reduces spatter but not smoke. Smoke comes from rendered fat dripping onto the hot drawer floor beneath the element, and the fix is 2–3 tablespoons of water in the drawer rather than any accessory.
What about the drawer itself?
Emptying it between batches matters more than any accessory. Accumulated fat from a first batch smokes during the second, and it is the single most common cause of an air fryer setting off a smoke alarm.
Related conversions and adjacent topics
Temperature and time convert together, never separately. The same rule set covers every appliance pair on this site, and the methodology page sets out where it comes from and the seven conditions under which it stops holding.
Every figure above is built into the oven to air fryer conversion calculator, which applies both adjustments together so you do not have to work them out separately.
Frequently asked questions
What air fryer accessories are actually worth buying?
Perforated parchment liners, a refillable oil sprayer, an instant-read thermometer, and a rack if it leaves clearance.
Can you put foil in an air fryer?
Only if your manual permits it, weighted down and never blocking airflow underneath food. Loose foil can lift into the element.
Do silicone liners affect cooking?
Slightly. Silicone conducts less heat than metal, so the underside cooks a little slower. Use perforated versions.
Do I need an oil sprayer?
For lean proteins, fresh-cut fries and homemade breaded food, yes. Frozen pre-fried foods carry enough oil already.