You bought an air fryer, made chips twice, and now it sits on your worktop looking vaguely accusatory. Or maybe you use it daily but keep seeing accessories online — silicone liners, grill pans, skewer racks, dividers — and wondering whether they’ll transform your cooking or just clutter up a drawer. Having tested a frankly embarrassing number of air fryer add-ons over the past year, I can tell you that about four are brilliant and the rest are solutions looking for problems.
In This Article
- Accessories That Are Genuinely Worth Buying
- Accessories That Are Nice to Have
- Accessories You Should Skip
- Size Compatibility: Check Before You Buy
- Best Places to Buy Air Fryer Accessories in the UK
- Cleaning and Care for Accessories
- Frequently Asked Questions
Accessories That Are Genuinely Worth Buying
These four accessories made a measurable difference to how often I use my air fryer and the quality of what comes out of it.
Disposable Perforated Parchment Liners
About £6-8 for 100 | Available from Amazon, B&M, Home Bargains
This is the single best air fryer purchase after the fryer itself. Perforated parchment liners sit in the basket and catch all the grease, crumbs, and cheese drips that would otherwise bake onto the basket coating. They save 5-10 minutes of scrubbing after every cook.
The perforations are critical — they allow hot air to circulate underneath the food, which is the entire point of an air fryer. Don’t use regular baking parchment without holes; it blocks airflow and produces soggy results.
- Round liners for basket-style air fryers (Ninja, Tower, Cosori)
- Square liners for drawer-style air fryers (Ninja Foodi dual zone)
- Buy the size that matches your basket — too large and they fold up the sides and touch the heating element
Silicone Tongs (23-25cm)
About £5-8 | Available from Lakeland, John Lewis, Amazon
You need something to flip, turn, and remove food from a scorching hot air fryer basket. Metal tongs scratch the non-stick coating. Wooden utensils are too clumsy. Silicone-tipped tongs are the answer — heat-resistant to 250°C+, gentle on coatings, and precise enough to flip individual chicken thighs without disturbing the ones next to them.
Get a pair that’s 23-25cm long. Shorter than 20cm and your knuckles are too close to the heat. Longer than 28cm and you lose dexterity.
An Instant-Read Meat Thermometer
About £10-25 | Available from Amazon, Lakeland, Nisbets
Air fryers cook unevenly compared to conventional ovens. The fan circulates heat aggressively, meaning the top of a chicken breast can be 80°C while the centre is still 55°C. An instant-read thermometer (push-in type, not a probe you leave inside) removes all guesswork.
- Chicken: 74°C internal
- Pork: 63°C (rested for 3 minutes)
- Beef burgers: 71°C for well-done, 63°C for medium
You don’t need an expensive Thermapen (though they’re brilliant at £60). A ThermoPro TP-01 at about £10 does the job for home cooking. The key feature is speed — you want a reading in 2-3 seconds, not 10-15.
For our reference on cooking temperatures and times, see the air fryer cooking times guide.
An Oil Spray Bottle
About £5-8 for a refillable sprayer | Available from Lakeland, Amazon, Wilko
Air fryers use less oil than deep frying, but “less oil” doesn’t mean “no oil.” A light spritz of oil on chips, vegetables, or breaded items produces noticeably crispier results. The difference between sprayed and unsprayed frozen chips is stark — one batch comes out golden and crunchy, the other comes out pale and slightly chewy.
Buy a refillable spray bottle rather than aerosol cans of cooking spray. The aerosol propellants can damage non-stick coatings over time, and a refillable bottle lets you use whatever oil you prefer. Rapeseed oil works well for high-heat cooking, olive oil adds flavour to Mediterranean dishes, and avocado oil handles the highest temperatures without smoking. A glass bottle with a pump mechanism costs about £6-8 and lasts years — far better value than buying aerosol cans repeatedly.
Accessories That Are Nice to Have
These aren’t essential but earn their place if you use your air fryer daily and cook varied meals in it.
A Grill Pan or Rack Insert
About £8-15 | Available from Amazon, specialist air fryer shops
A raised grill rack sits inside your basket and elevates food above the base, allowing air to circulate underneath as well as above. Particularly useful for:
- Bacon — fat drips through the rack instead of pooling around the rashers
- Fish fillets — prevents the underside from steaming in its own moisture
- Reheating pizza — the base stays crispy rather than going soggy
Most air fryers include a basic rack, but aftermarket ones with smaller spacing and non-stick coating work better for delicate items.
Silicone Baking Cups
About £6-10 for a set of 12 | Available from Lakeland, Amazon
Reusable silicone cupcake moulds that fit inside your air fryer basket. Use them for:
- Egg muffins — crack an egg into each cup, add cheese and ham, 10 minutes at 180°C
- Individual cakes or muffins — scales down oven recipes perfectly
- Portion control — cooking different items side by side without them touching
They’re dishwasher safe and last years. A set of 6-8 is enough for most basket sizes.
A Dual-Zone Divider
About £8-12 | Only for single-basket air fryers
If you have a single-basket air fryer (not a dual-zone Ninja), a silicone divider lets you cook two things simultaneously at different stages. Put chips on one side and fish fingers on the other — add the fish fingers 5 minutes after the chips so everything finishes together.
Not needed if you already own a dual-zone air fryer, which is increasingly standard. See our guide to dual-zone air fryers for options.
Accessories You Should Skip
These are the items that look useful in product photos but disappoint in real kitchens.
Multi-Layer Stacking Racks
The theory: stack food on multiple levels to cook more at once. The reality: the bottom layer cooks faster than the top, creating uneven results. You end up rotating food between layers mid-cook, which defeats the purpose. Your air fryer’s capacity is what it is — accept it and cook in batches instead.
Silicone “Air Fryer Baskets”
Soft silicone bowls marketed as replacement baskets. They block airflow from underneath (the opposite of what an air fryer needs), trap moisture, and produce results worse than using the original basket with a parchment liner. The liners cost a fraction of the price and actually work.
Pizza Stones
Air fryers don’t get hot enough to use a pizza stone properly. A pizza stone needs 250-300°C and sustained radiant heat from above and below. Air fryers max out at 200-230°C with convection heat. Your pizza base will be warm but not crispy. Use the air fryer basket directly — it produces better results for reheating pizza than any stone insert.
Rotisserie Attachments
Unless your air fryer specifically came with a rotisserie function (some Tefal and Tower models do), aftermarket rotisserie attachments are a waste of money. They don’t fit properly, they’re difficult to clean, and a whole chicken cooks better simply sitting on the basket with the breast side down. Flip it halfway through and you’ll get perfectly crispy skin without any spinning mechanism.
“Air Fryer Cookbooks” on Amazon
Most are AI-generated garbage with incorrect temperatures, missing instructions, and recipes clearly not tested in an actual air fryer. Save your money and use the free recipe section on your air fryer manufacturer’s website or app. For properly tested recipes, our air fryer recipes for beginners has 10 reliable starting points.
Size Compatibility: Check Before You Buy
The most common mistake with air fryer accessories is buying the wrong size. Air fryer baskets vary enormously:
- Small (2-3.5L): typically 15-16cm round baskets
- Medium (4-5L): typically 19-21cm round baskets
- Large (6-8L): typically 22-24cm round baskets
- Drawer style (Ninja dual zone): rectangular, approximately 24 × 19cm per zone
Before buying any accessory, measure the inside of your basket at its widest point. Leave at least 1cm clearance on all sides — accessories that fit too tightly block the air vents around the edge.
Brand-Specific vs Universal
Brand-specific accessories (Ninja-branded, Cosori-branded) are typically more expensive but guaranteed to fit. Universal accessories are cheaper but check dimensions carefully. Amazon reviews are your best friend here — filter by your specific air fryer model.
Best Places to Buy Air Fryer Accessories in the UK
For Quality and Reliability
- Lakeland — curated selection, tested products, slightly premium pricing
- John Lewis — good range of silicone tools and thermometers
- Nisbets — professional catering supplier with excellent thermometers and utensils
For Value
- Amazon — widest selection, but quality varies wildly. Check reviews and avoid no-name brands
- B&M and Home Bargains — surprisingly good parchment liners and basic accessories at rock-bottom prices
- Wilko — oil sprayers, silicone cups, and basic utensils
For Specialist Items
- Your air fryer manufacturer’s website — guaranteed compatibility
- Ninja UK — if you have a Ninja, their own accessories are well-designed (if pricey)
According to the Food Standards Agency, reaching the correct internal temperature is the only reliable way to ensure meat is safe to eat — making a meat thermometer one of the most important kitchen tools regardless of cooking method.
Cleaning and Care for Accessories
Silicone Items
Dishwasher safe (top rack). If hand washing, use hot soapy water and a non-abrasive sponge. Silicone can absorb strong odours — soak in baking soda solution overnight if they start smelling of last week’s curry.
Parchment Liners
Single use — throw away after cooking. Don’t try to reuse them; the perforations weaken and grease soaks through on second use.
Metal Racks and Inserts
Hand wash with warm soapy water. Avoid putting non-stick coated racks in the dishwasher — the detergent is too abrasive. Stainless steel racks are dishwasher safe.
Oil Spray Bottles
Rinse with warm water after each use. Deep clean monthly by filling with hot water and a drop of washing-up liquid, shaking vigorously, and pumping through the sprayer mechanism to clear any oil buildup.
For more on maintaining your appliances, see our guide to deep cleaning kitchen appliances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy accessories to get the most from my air fryer? Only parchment liners and silicone tongs are close to essential. Everything else is optional and depends on what you cook most. If you only make chips and chicken, those two plus a thermometer cover you. If you bake in your air fryer regularly, add silicone cups. Don’t buy a full accessory kit on Amazon — half the items will go unused.
Are silicone air fryer liners better than parchment ones? Reusable silicone liners are more environmentally friendly but harder to clean properly — baked-on grease doesn’t come off as easily as you’d hope. Parchment liners cost about 6p each, work perfectly, and go straight in the bin. For convenience, parchment wins. For reducing waste, silicone wins — just be prepared for more scrubbing.
Can I use aluminium foil in my air fryer? Yes, but with caution. Foil is fine for wrapping items (baked potatoes, fish parcels) or lining the basket temporarily. Never place foil in the basket without food weighing it down — the fan can blow loose foil into the heating element, creating a fire risk. Parchment liners are safer and more convenient for everyday use.
Will metal utensils damage my air fryer basket? Most air fryer baskets have a non-stick coating that scratches easily with metal utensils. Once scratched, the coating degrades faster, food sticks more, and eventually the coating peels. Use silicone, wood, or nylon utensils exclusively in non-stick baskets. Stainless steel baskets (found on some premium models) can handle metal tools.
How much should I spend on air fryer accessories in total? The essential four (liners, tongs, thermometer, oil sprayer) cost roughly £25-45 total. That’s all most people need. If you add a grill rack and silicone cups, budget another £15-20. Spending more than £70 on accessories means you’re buying things you probably won’t use — put that money toward a better air fryer instead.