Air frying is an excellent cooking method, especially if you want to eat healthier meals, shorten kitchen time, or reduce energy consumption. Things get even better when you cook with the essential air fryer accessories.
With the right accessories, you can enhance your air frying experience and boost your versatility as a home cook. However, you don’t have to spend on every air fryer accessory available.
Ideally, limit your accessory choices to those that match your cooking style to avoid overspending and cluttering your kitchen cabinets.
To help, I’ve listed some multipurpose and practical tools that can help air-fryer users like you.
Let’s explore their functions so you can assess which ones are worth adding to your air fryer repertoire.
Essential Air Fryer Accessories
Optional tools, like mats, racks, or moulds, are worth investing in for added convenience and better air-frying results.
These also allow experimental home cooks to learn new recipes and broaden their air-frying skills.
So, which ones should you get? Here are some of the most essential air fryer accessories to consider.
1. Oil Brush or Mister
One of the benefits of air frying is you do not have to submerge your food in hot oil to get it crispy. A little dab of butter or oil will do.
While you can buy convenient oil sprays in aerosol cans, adding fat to your food using an oil brush or spray bottle is more economical and sustainable.
I also like that you can use your brush for basting or egg washing. Ideally, pick silicone brushes as these are more heat resistant and easy to wash.
An oil mister is also a multipurpose accessory that you can use for greasing your frying pans or adding small amounts of oil to your salads.
2. Air Fryer Liners
Air fryer accessories that prevent your food from sticking are 100% essential. Air frying temperatures can quickly increase as it is a more compact appliance.
This concentrated heat, in turn, can brown your food fast, causing it to stick to the bottom. Brushing the surface with oil can work, but using non-stick liners is better.
This accessory can be parchment paper liners or reusable silicone mats. Disposable liners are excellent for easy clean-up. I prefer using these to cook greasy foods or make things extra crispy.
Perforated silicone mats are more sustainable and versatile. I like using them when air-frying foods with sticky marinades or ingredients.
They also come in various sizes and designs to suit your kitchen appliance or recipe. For example, some silicone mats have small raised dots for better airflow.
Others have corner dots that you can press together to turn your silicone mat into a tray or plate.
3. Grill Tray and Pan
These air fryer accessories are essential if you love grilling or searing meats in your air fryer. The metal conducts and transfers heat to your food while the perforated holes allow hot air to circulate.
The holes also let excess oil or grease drip away from your food.
If using your pan without any liner, brush it with enough oil to avoid sticking.
This accessory can also double as a steamer with a right-sized saucepot.
Also, if you like baking or reheating pizzas, consider getting a shallow pizza pan that fits your air fryer.
4. Silicone Tongs
Metal tongs are essential in the kitchen. However, a pair of tongs with silicone tips is better for air frying.
The silicone material is more heat resistant and will not transfer heat to your tong handle. The soft head will not scratch the interior of your air fryer, either.
When you buy silicone tongs, pick one long enough to keep your hands away from the hot air fryer basket.
Tongs with locks are also preferable to keep them flat and save space. Note that silicone turners and spatulas are also available.
5. Silicone Cupcake Moulds and Pots
If you love baking, heat-resistant silicone cups are essential accessories for your air fryer. These can hold your cake batter and are small enough to fit inside the compact cooker.
They come in various colours and shapes, too. Best of all, these flexible moulds are non-stick and easy to clean and store.
You don’t even have to limit them to muffins and cupcakes. You can also use your silicone moulds for single-serve bread rolls, egg bites, or baked pasta.
They are perfect for your meal prep snacks that you can freeze and reheat later.
Outside the air fryer, silicone cups also make excellent dip or sauce holders for your kids’ bento lunch.
You can also get silicone pots or baskets for large food items, like whole chicken. These have built-in handles, so you can easily remove them after cooking.
You may also use ramekins and other stoneware containers instead of silicone cups or pans. The best part? You can serve ceramic dishes from the air fryer to the table.
6. Mandoline and Chopper
Air fryers are a go-to when you want tasty meals done in minutes. You can even speed up prep time when you pair this appliance with a mandoline.
Chopping is way faster with either tool than with a knife and board.
Plus, diced and thinly sliced ingredients will cook evenly faster. I particularly like these tools when roasting vegetables in the air fryer.
They also have safety features to protect your hands and fingers from sharp blades.
7. Metal Rack and Skewers
These accessories usually come in a set. The multilayer rack is perfect for maximising the available space in your air fryer.
On the other hand, the metal sticks let you make delicious barbecue skewers and kebabs at home. The rack and skewers also cook your mains and sides in one go.
Sometimes, I use the steel rack to keep my baking glassware or silicone cups elevated and away from the heating element.
8. Air Fryer Cookbook
I know you can find recipes online. However, if you are new to air frying, cookbooks are great for adding and compiling notes, recipe adjustments, and more.
Air fryer cookbooks also have helpful guides or cheat sheets you can refer to when needed.
They’re like one-stop shops for all your air frying ideas.
Final Thoughts
Essential air fryer accessories can level up your air frying abilities. However, buying all of them is not ideal for your budget or storage cabinet.
They’ll probably end up as kitchen clutter, while others may not suit your cooking needs.
So, take the time to evaluate these accessories before buying. Choose those that are durable, not too expensive, and have multiple uses.
If you love oven cooking, check your bakeware, trays, and roasting pans first to see whether some can double-duty for your air fryer.
Another good tip is to choose your air fryer well. Pick a model that already includes handy accessories.
Alternatively, study your air fryer brand and check whether it offers optional accessories you can purchase later.
