Choose an air fryer liner by two measurements, not by the word "parchment": the inside diameter and shape of your basket, and the way your machine moves heat. A forced-air machine drives hot circulation down through the basket and back up its walls, so a liner that is oversized or curled at the rim blocks the return path and the load cooks unevenly. A machine with a bottom element runs hotter at the floor, so a thin uncoated sheet can scorch where it touches metal. Here are the numbers to check, a table for four basket types, and the misuses that spoil the cook.
What an air fryer liner has to do
In an air fryer the liner is not mainly a non-stick surface — it is a floor barrier sitting inside the airflow loop. It catches fat, crumbs and marinade so the basket wipes clean, and keeps sticky glazes off the perforated floor. But air must travel down past the food, across the floor and back up the sides. Anything that seals the floor or folds over the rim interrupts that loop, and the machine heats unevenly no matter what the dial says. That is why cut size matters as much as paper grade.
The three figures that decide the cut
Record three figures for your own machine. Each is a range you confirm by batch test in your own basket, not a fixed figure from a listing.
Typical ranges to record:
- Basket inner diameter — measured across the floor, not the rim; commonly 16–22 cm round single, 20–24 cm per side square twin.
- Peak temperature at the floor — setpoints usually run 160–200 °C, and the floor above a bottom element reads hotter.
- Clearance left for return air — the gap between liner edge and basket wall; a few millimetres to about a centimetre is workable, a sealed floor is not.
Confirm each figure by batch test: load the basket as you would in service, run a full cycle, then check for scorching at the floor edge and pale patches where airflow stalled.
Matching the liner to the machine
Find your machine in the first column, then read across for paper and cut.
| Machine type | Basket inner diameter | Peak temperature | Paper grade | Cut style | Airflow blocking risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round single basket | 16–22 cm across the floor | 160–200 °C setpoint | Uncoated for dry foods; silicone-coated for sticky glazes | Round disc, 1–2 cm under the floor diameter | Low, if undersized and flat |
| Square twin basket | 20–24 cm per side, two floors | 160–200 °C; divider side cooler | Silicone-coated both sides, so the sheet does not lift | Rounded square, one per compartment | Medium — a sheet bridging both baskets seals the divider |
| Upright drawer | Depth matters more than width | Up to 200 °C, floor-biased | Heavier uncoated parchment for long holds | Rectangle cut to the floor, short of the back wall | High — a curled sheet can ride over the drawer lip |
| Air-fryer oven | Rack width, not a basket | 200–220 °C on the top rack | Silicone-coated for racks; uncoated for solid trays | Full-width pre-cut sheet, trimmed to the rack | Low on a rack; high if it drapes over the element |
Two paper families cover all four rows. Uncoated vegetable parchment suits dry, short cycles; silicone-coated parchment adds a release layer for sticky glazes. Specify both the same way — grammage, peak and continuous heat figures, a food-contact declaration for your market — and confirm by batch test.
Common misuses and where the liner stops helping
- Cutting to the rim. A disc that matches the rim folds up the wall and covers the return path. Cut to the floor.
- One sheet across a twin basket. It bridges the divider, air stops moving between compartments, and one side finishes late.
- Leaving the liner in for pre-heat. An empty basket, a light sheet, nothing to hold it down — the most common scorch case.
- Using it as a rack. A liner is a floor barrier, not a perforated tray; food piled on a flat sheet steams instead of crisping.
- Treating "air fryer safe" as a grade. It is not a number; ask for heat figures and the cut size you need.
FAQ
Can I use ordinary baking paper in an air fryer?
Yes, if the heat figures suit the machine and the sheet is cut to the floor so air can return. The risk is fit, not the paper family.
Should the liner be perforated?
Perforated liners drain fat and let air pass; solid liners hold more mess but block more airflow. Choose by whether you want drainage or a clean basket.
Why did my liner scorch only at one edge?
That edge touched the hot floor, or curled into the element's path. Recut smaller and press the sheet flat before the cycle starts.
How do I size a liner for a basket I cannot measure?
Measure the floor across its widest point, subtract 1–2 cm, and confirm by batch test. A tested range beats a guess.
Browse the range
Ready-cut discs and sheets for these machines are under air fryer paper liners, and the wider line — ovens to release — starts at baking and food paper. If you cut in-house, order the master roll and trim to your own floor diameter.