Best Air Fryer Accessories You Should Buy

The Three Measurements That Determine Compatibility

1. Interior basket diameter or width (horizontal)

This is the measurement that determines whether a liner, pan, or rack fits inside the basket at all. Measure the interior of the basket at the base, the narrowest point where the basket tapers in.

For round baskets, measure the interior diameter. For square baskets, measure both the width and depth. Any accessory larger than this measurement in any direction won’t fit in the basket.

2. Interior basket height (vertical)

This determines whether a rack or tall accessory leaves safe clearance between its contents and the heating element. Measure from the basket base to the bottom of the heating element with the basket fully inserted. Subtract 1–2 inches for minimum safe clearance.

Any accessory that places food above that clearance line should not be used. Taller accessories equals less clearance. Always verify before cooking.

3. Basket rim diameter (top)

Some accessories, particularly silicone liners, are designed to sit across the top rim of the basket rather than inside it, or to fold up against the basket walls.

The rim diameter determines whether the liner’s folded walls are stable or whether they collapse inward during cooking.

For liners specifically, buy a liner that matches the interior basket base measurement, not the rim measurement.

The Universal Accessory Rule: Measure Twice, Buy Once

Before purchasing any air fryer accessory, write down three numbers: interior basket diameter or width, interior height clearance, and the basket rim size if relevant.

Every product listing worth buying will specify the dimensions of the accessory and its compatible air fryer sizes.

Match those numbers to your measurements. If the listing doesn’t specify dimensions, look for another product from a brand that does.

For owners of popular models, Ninja AF101, COSORI 5.8 QT, Instant Vortex, search specifically for accessories branded to your model. These have been physically tested for fit by the seller or brand and remove guesswork entirely.

First-party COSORI and Ninja accessory kits are available at reasonable prices and carry a compatibility guarantee that third-party universal accessories don’t.

What Happens If an Accessory Doesn’t Fit

An accessory that’s slightly too large will press against the basket walls and prevent the drawer from closing fully, which means the air fryer won’t start (most models have a safety interlock that requires the basket to be fully seated). Don’t force it.

An accessory that’s slightly too small will wobble during cooking as the fan creates air currents. For liners, this means uneven cooking. For racks, this creates stability issues.

The fix for too-small liners is simple. Use a larger liner that folds up slightly against the basket walls. The fix for too-large accessories is to return and remeasure.

Most silicone liners sold as round have some flexibility and can accommodate a small measurement discrepancy. Rigid metal pans and racks have zero flexibility tolerance.

Air Fryer Accessories to Skip: What’s Not Worth Your Money

For every genuinely useful air fryer accessory, there are three that look useful in listings and do almost nothing in practice. Here’s what to leave in the cart.

• Dedicated air fryer thermometers: Any instant-read digital meat thermometer does this job. A dedicated air-fryer-specific thermometer adds no value over a $12 universal model that works in your oven, grill, and air fryer. Skip the branded version, buy a general probe thermometer instead.
• Magnetic cheat sheet sets: Every air fryer kit includes these. They list cooking times and temperatures for common foods. Useful for the first two weeks. After that, you’ll know the times by memory, and the magnets become refrigerator clutter. Not worth paying extra for as a standalone product.
• “Non-stick” aluminum foil pads: Inferior to silicone liners in every way less durable, single-use cost adds up, and the non-stick claims don’t hold up on sticky marinades. Silicone liners serve the same protective purpose and are reusable for 12+ months.
• Bread-slicing guides: Occasionally included in accessory kits. A cutting board and a knife work better. Never needed.
• Air fryer rotating basket attachments: These exist for oven-style air fryers, not basket models. For standard basket air fryers, they’re incompatible additions in marketing materials that can’t actually be installed.
• Overcrowded accessory mega-kits (20+ pieces): These kits include specialized items (waffle molds, pie weights, mandolines) that no regular home cook uses in an air fryer. Buy specific tools for specific needs. A 20-piece kit with 5 useful items and 15 pieces of storage burden is a worse purchase than buying those 5 items individually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need air fryer accessories?

You don’t need them to use an air fryer. It works without accessories. But the right accessories extend basket life (silicone liner, silicone tongs), expand cooking capacity (rack), improve food quality (oil mister), and dramatically reduce cleanup time (liner). 

They make an already useful appliance significantly more useful. The three essential purchases, liner, rack, oil mister, cost about $30 combined and return that value on the first week of use.

Are silicone liners or parchment liners better?

Homes & Gardens’ trained tester concluded silicone liners are better for most people. They’re reusable, work with all food weights (no fly-up risk), dishwasher-safe, and produce excellent cooking results with their perforated base. 

Parchment liners are better for specific use cases: beginners who want zero-commitment cleanup, very messy foods that you want to discard without washing, and situations where you’re cooking for one and want to throw the liner away with the mess.

For daily use over a full year, silicone costs significantly less and performs better.

What size silicone liner fits a 5-quart air fryer?

Capacity in quarts does not translate directly to a linear size. Measure your basket’s interior base, most 5 QT round air fryers fit a 7–8″ round liner, and most 5 QT square air fryers fit an 8″ square liner. Always measure before purchasing.

The measurement that matters is the interior basket base diameter or width, not the QT capacity number on the packaging.

Can I use a regular cake pan in my air fryer?

Yes, as long as it fits. An oven-safe metal or silicone cake pan that physically fits inside your basket can be used in the air fryer.

The practical limitation is diameter: most 4–5 QT air fryers fit a 6-inch round pan at most, while 6 QT models typically fit an 8-inch round pan.

America’s Test Kitchen uses standard 8-inch cake pans in their air fryer baking tests. The pan must be oven-safe to at least 400°F.

How do I know which accessories are compatible with my Ninja air fryer?

Ninja sells branded accessory kits specifically tested and sized for each model in their lineup. For third-party accessories, search by your model number (e.g., AF101, DZ550) and measure your basket interior before buying.

For DualZone models, remember to size accessories to the individual basket (4 QT or 5 QT), not the total unit capacity.