Do Air Fryer Liners Need Holes? | What Testing Shows

You probably bought an air fryer for the crispiness. That golden crunch comes from a fan blasting hot air around the food at high speed. Slap a solid sheet of parchment paper in the basket, and you’ve just turned your air fryer into a sad little oven — the air can’t reach the bottom of the food, and steam builds up instead of escaping.

The short answer is straightforward: yes, liners need holes. But the details — what kind of holes, which liner material, and when to skip the liner entirely — make the difference between a great meal and a disappointing one. This article walks through what actually works in the basket.

Why Airflow Matters in an Air Fryer

An air fryer isn’t really a fryer. It’s a compact convection oven that moves hot air around the food at high speed. That moving air is what creates the Maillard reaction on the surface — the browning that gives you crispy fries and golden chicken wings.

When you place a solid liner in the basket, you’re blocking that airflow where it matters most. The bottom of the food sits against the paper, moisture gets trapped, and the heat can’t reach evenly. The result is a soggy underside and uneven cooking. A blocked airflow causes uneven cooking because the hot air has no path to circulate underneath the food.

Perforated liners solve this by letting the air pass through. The holes are small enough to catch crumbs and drips but large enough that the fan can still do its job. That’s the basic trade-off: some mess protection without sacrificing cooking performance.

What Happens When You Use a Liner Without Holes

It’s tempting to grab any parchment paper or silicone mat and call it a liner. But the wrong choice can ruin your food — or worse, create a safety issue. Here’s what you might experience with a non-perforated liner:

• Soggy food every time: Steam trapped under the food makes the bottom surface wet. Fries turn limp, breaded chicken loses its crunch, and vegetables come out steamed rather than roasted. The crispiness you paid for never shows up.
• Uneven browning across the basket: Food in the center may cook faster because it’s closer to the fan, while food near the edges stays pale. You end up shaking the basket mid-cycle just to get some color on everything, which defeats the convenience of using a liner.
• The liner can lift and touch the heating element: A lightweight paper liner without holes can get sucked up by the fan’s airflow. If it touches the heating coil, it can scorch or even catch fire. This is why safety guides consistently warn against preheating with an empty liner inside.
• Grease pools instead of draining: Without holes, rendered fat from bacon, burgers, or chicken thighs has nowhere to go. The food sits in its own grease, which affects texture and adds calories you weren’t counting on.
• Longer cook times to compensate: Because the liner blocks heat transfer from below, you may need to add extra minutes to every recipe. That kills one of the main advantages of air frying — speed.

If you already own non-perforated liners, you can punch small holes with a skewer or hole punch before using them. Just space the holes evenly across the surface so the air has multiple paths.

Paper vs. Silicone: Which Liner Type Works Best?

Disposable paper liners are the most common choice. They’re inexpensive, easy to toss after one use, and many come pre-perforated for airflow. Reynolds Brands explicitly designs its disposable paper liners with pre-cut holes for airflow, which makes them a convenient option for everyday chicken tenders, frozen fries, and roasted vegetables.

Silicone liners are reusable and environmentally friendlier over time. America’s Test Kitchen found that a superthin silicone liner with raised bumps conducted heat well and allowed air to circulate underneath the food. Those raised bumps — small nubs on the surface — lift the food slightly off the liner, mimicking the open space of a bare basket.

The trade-off between paper and silicone comes down to cleanup effort versus cost over time. Paper is toss-and-go but creates waste. Silicone requires a quick wash after each use but can last for years if cared for properly. Both work well when they have perforations or a raised design that promotes airflow.

No matter which material you pick, the rule stays the same: the liner must allow air to reach the food from below. Without that, you’re better off skipping the liner entirely and using a light spritz of oil on the basket.

How to Use Air Fryer Liners Safely

Using a liner isn’t complicated, but a few habits make the difference between safe operation and a frustrating experience. Follow these steps to get the best results without the risk:

1. Never preheat with an empty liner inside. Lightweight paper can lift off the basket when the fan starts, and that’s when it may contact the heating element. Always place food on top of the liner before starting the preheat cycle, or add the liner after preheating is done.
2. Weigh the liner down with food placed around the edges. Serious Eats recommends positioning dough balls or heavier food items near the outer rim of the liner to anchor it in place. This prevents the paper from shifting during cooking and blocking airflow unevenly.
3. Check that your liner doesn’t extend up the basket walls. Liners should sit flat on the bottom of the basket. If the edges curl up the sides, they can block air vents or touch the heating element. Trim oversized liners to fit.
4. Use a light spritz of oil on the liner for sticky foods. Even perforated liners can let delicate items like fish fillets or cheese-stuffed chicken adhere. A quick spray of vegetable oil creates a non-stick surface that protects both the liner and the food.

Safety extends beyond the liner itself. Place your air fryer on a stable, level surface away from flammable materials and at least a few inches from the wall. The appliance gets hot, and proper placement prevents accidental burns or heat damage to countertops.

When You Should Skip the Liner Altogether

Liners are a convenience tool, not a necessity. America’s Test Kitchen notes that you don’t need a liner to air fry — but they do make cleaning easier. If your air fryer has a non-stick basket that releases food well, you may find you rarely need one.

For mesh baskets, the recommendation shifts. America’s Test Kitchen specifically recommends using liners with mesh baskets because crumbs and drips fall through the grid and bake onto the heating coil, producing smoke and odors over time. A perforated liner catches those drips while still allowing airflow.

Mestaek recommends choosing perforated liners to ensure airflow reaches the food — its guide on liner selection covers the specific safety and performance factors to check before buying. If you’re shopping for liners, look for products that explicitly mention perforations or holes in the product description.

Skipping the liner is perfectly fine for many recipes. Fresh vegetables, pre-breaded frozen items, and foods that release their own fat (like bacon or burgers) cook well directly in the basket. A quick soak in warm soapy water after cooking handles the mess without needing disposable paper.

The Bottom Line

Air fryer liners need holes — it’s not negotiable if you want crispy, evenly cooked food. Perforated paper liners and silicone liners with raised bumps both work well, while flat, solid liners block airflow and produce soggy results. Always weigh the liner down with food and never preheat with an empty liner inside.

If you’re unsure whether liners are right for your specific air fryer model — especially one with an unusual basket shape or a high-wattage heating element — the safest bet is to test a small batch of frozen fries with and without a liner and compare the texture. Your basket and your taste buds will tell you what works.