You’re using your air fryer liners wrong – expert debunks TikTok’s latest air fryer ‘hack’

If you hate cleaning your air fryer, a liner can make the world of difference to your clean-up time. But a recent TikTok has been going viral showing a very interesting way of using liners, and according to an air fryer expert, this ‘hack’ is actually wrong.

Liners are a must-have accessory for your air fryer, especially if you hate cleaning it. Using a liner in your air fryer – whether it’s reusable silicone or paper – massively cuts down your cleaning time as it contains splashes, spills and stains, and prevents it making the main basket too messy.

But where people are using their air fryer liners incorrectly is by placing them underneath the tray. In a TikTok posted by @melfyx, she places her paper liner into the air fryer basket before putting a tray on top of it.

Since this video, there’s been a debate on whether this is the right way to use an air fryer liner – and if you should use one at all. So, I spoke to Martin Senders, in-house air fryer chef at Philips who gave us his expert verdict on air fryer liners.

Senders stressed the handiness of air fryer liners when used correctly but said that “the latest TikTok trend telling people to place the air fryer liner underneath the tray will affect cooking quality, reducing the crispiness of your food.”

According to Senders, “liners should sit above the tray so that the airflow isn’t restricted.” He goes on to explain that placing the liner this way allows your air fryer to perform efficiently and it still protects the basket from any unwanted grease and grime.

To ensure your air fryer and liner are working properly, Senders states that “it’s important to weigh the liner down with enough food, as loose material can get pulled up into the heating element.” If this happens, the liner – especially if its paper – can burn and become a fire hazard.

Aside from placing your liner correctly and weighing it down properly, I’d recommend using a silicone liner for your air fryer instead, something that Senders agrees with. Not only are they designed for air fryers, but they “stay in place and allow your air fryer to work as it’s designed to. It means you get the easy clean benefits of the liner while the air circulates properly to cook food to that perfectly crisp texture.”