I don’t have to clean my air fryer as often thanks to a handy accessory
As an avid air fryer user, my trusty kitchen gadget sees action almost every day. It’s quick, versatile, more energy-efficient and far easier to juggle with than our small oven. However, the cleaning aspect is a bit of a nightmare.
From salmon and sausages to chicken and frozen foods, I cook a wide variety of foods in our air fryer, which necessitates a clean after each use. But, like many, cleaning my air fryer isn’t exactly top of my to-do list, leading to instances where it’s been neglected, only to require a lengthy deep clean at the end of the week.
Thankfully, I’ve stumbled upon a solution: air fryer liners.
I confess, I may be a little late to the party on this one. Over time, I’ve experimented with numerous air fryer cleaning hacks, from soaking the baskets in hot water with a dishwasher tablet to using a special brush to eliminate grease without endless scrubbing, reports the Express.
While these methods have had mixed results, it seems that prevention truly is the best remedy – especially when it costs a mere 10p per use.
I own a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer, so I purchased matching liners. My exact ones are no longer in stock, but BYKITCHEN’s pack of 100 disposable parchment paper air fryer liners, available on Amazon for £9.99, are very similar.
Plus, there’s so many other options out there to suit any shape or size of air fryer.
Air fryer liners have been a game-changer in my culinary journey, dividing it into two distinct phases: pre and post-air fryer liners.
Before each cooking session, I simply pop a liner into the basket, ensuring that all the food I’m about to cook is neatly arranged within the parchment’s boundaries.
The rest of the process remains unchanged, including the mid-way shake-up and flipping over meat or fish as required.
Once cooked, I can easily lift out the entire contents of the air fryer by grabbing the edges of the liner. Depending on its condition, the liner either goes straight into the bin or gets another round.
At worst, this method leaves behind a few crumbs and a smudge of grease from the paper’s underside in the cooking basket, which is easily sorted with a quick rinse and wipe. But more often than not, my air fryer is ready for its next mission without any cleaning needed.
One thing to bear in mind is that the paper can fold up or get singed by the heating element unless you anchor all four corners with food. It hasn’t posed a problem for me, but it’s worth keeping in mind.
There are all kinds of air fryer liners available, including Bronxic’s 150-pack of circular liners (£6.79, Amazon). You can also opt for a silicone liner like Dunelm’s square silicone tray (£4).
