Yes, you can use both foil and baking paper in most basket air fryers, as long as you use them properly. Check your manufacturer's manual first, because some models advise against one or the other. Never cover the whole base or block the airflow. Always weigh the liner down with food so it cannot lift up into the heating element, and never preheat with loose paper inside. Used this way, a liner is a genuinely useful tool for sticky glazes, delicate fish and small bakes. For anything you want properly crisp, though, you are usually better off without one.
The short rules
- Read the manual. It is the final word for your model, especially for accessories and liners.
- Leave room for air. The liner should be smaller than the base, or perforated, so air can flow up and around the food.
- Weigh it down. Put food on the paper or foil straight away. An empty liner can be blown into the element by the fan.
- No loose paper during preheating. Add the liner and the food together once the air fryer is hot.
- Keep it away from the element. Trim any edges that stand up above the food.
- Use the right paper. Baking paper (parchment) is heat-resistant; wax paper, kitchen roll and ordinary paper are not.
Baking paper in the air fryer
When it helps
Baking paper earns its place with food that would otherwise stick to the basket or fall through it: fish fillets, sticky marinades, honey or maple glazes, soft vegetables and small bakes. If you are making something like Honey Garlic Salmon, a sheet underneath stops the glaze welding itself to the basket and makes washing up much easier. It also suits oven-roasted vegetables with a sweet finish, such as Honey Roast Parsnips, where the honey would otherwise catch and burn onto the mesh.
How to use it safely
- Preheat the empty basket if your recipe or model calls for it.
- Cut the paper slightly smaller than the base, or use ready-made perforated air fryer liners. Holes or gaps let the hot air circulate.
- Put the food on the paper before it goes in, so it is weighed down from the start.
- Trim anything that stands up above the food, so no edge can reach the element.
- Check the maximum temperature on the packaging. Most baking paper is rated for normal oven temperatures, but brands differ.
- Take care when cooking small, light items. If the food is too light to hold the paper flat, skip the liner or use a small tin instead.
Foil in the air fryer
When it helps
Foil is best as a shield or a parcel rather than a liner. You can lay a small piece loosely over something that is browning too fast, such as the top of a cake or the wing tips on a chicken, and tuck it in securely so it cannot lift. You can also wrap foods into sealed parcels, for example vegetables with butter and herbs, which steam gently in their own juices. For reheating saucy dishes in an oven-safe dish, a sheet crimped tightly over the top keeps them moist.
How to use it safely
- Never cover the whole base of the basket. It blocks airflow and can make the appliance overheat or cook unevenly.
- Secure it. Fold, crimp or tuck the foil tightly so the fan cannot catch it.
- Keep it off the element and away from the sides of the chamber.
- Avoid it with acidic foods. Tomatoes, citrus and vinegar-based marinades can react with aluminium and leave a metallic taste. Use baking paper instead.
- Be gentle with non-stick baskets. Do not scrape or cut foil inside the basket, as it can scratch the coating.
Foil or baking paper: which to use?
| Situation | Best choice | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fish fillets | Baking paper | Stops sticking and tearing; weigh down with the fish |
| Sticky glazes and marinades | Baking paper | Protects the basket; add glaze late to avoid burning |
| Tomato, lemon or vinegar dishes | Baking paper | Acid can react with foil |
| Top browning too fast | Foil | A small, tucked-in piece loosely over the top |
| Sealed parcels | Foil | Crimp tightly; place in the centre of the basket |
| Chips, wings, breaded food | Neither | Cook directly on the basket for the best crunch |
| Cakes and brownies | A tin, lined with paper | Oven-safe tin with space around it |
Temperatures and accessories vary between models, so treat this as general guidance and check your manual.
When to use neither
If crunch is the goal, a liner works against you. Chips, roast potatoes, wings and breadcrumbed foods need air flowing all around them, including underneath. A liner traps moisture below the food and softens the bottom; it is one of the twelve problems in our guide to air fryer mistakes that make food soggy. A thin coat of oil on the food is usually enough to stop sticking.
Also leave out anything that is not heat-safe: wax paper, kitchen roll, cling film, plastic tubs and paper plates. Greaseproof paper varies by brand and is not always suitable for high temperatures, so check the packaging before you use it.
Better alternatives worth knowing
- Silicone liners and baskets. Reusable and easy to clean. Choose ones rated for air fryer temperatures, and make sure they still leave room for air to circulate.
- Small oven-safe tins and dishes. Metal tins, ceramic ramekins and heatproof glass dishes that fit with a gap all round are ideal for bakes, eggs and saucy dishes, if your manual allows them. Brownies and small cakes, such as Air Fryer Brownies, need a small lined tin like this rather than a loose sheet.
- A light brush of oil on the basket. For many foods, this alone stops sticking.
Every recipe in The Everyday Air Fryer states its time and temperature and says what to do about a smaller basket, which takes much of the guesswork out. If you are working through fish in particular, search the recipe finder for salmon. And if you are still weighing up the appliance itself, read air fryer vs oven.
Questions people ask
Can baking paper catch fire in an air fryer?
It can scorch or burn if it is blown up into the heating element, which is why it must always be weighed down with food, kept smaller than the base and never left loose during preheating. Used this way, and within the temperature on the packaging, it is a common and sensible choice.
Does it matter which side of the foil faces up?
Not in any way you will notice. The shiny and dull sides are a result of how foil is made, and the difference in how they reflect heat is negligible for everyday cooking. Some non-stick foils have a coated side, so check the packaging for those.
Do I need to line my air fryer at all?
No. Most food cooks best directly on the basket. Liners are useful for sticky, delicate or saucy food and for easier cleaning, but they are optional.
Can I put a glass or ceramic dish in the air fryer?
Yes, if it is oven-safe, fits with space around it and your manual allows it. Avoid sudden temperature changes, such as moving a dish straight from the fridge into a very hot air fryer, as some glass and ceramic can crack.