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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• HOODANCOS Air Fryer Rack — biggest strength: stainless steel round rack with smooth, low-stick wires, sized at roughly 7.68 x 7.68 x 2.76 inches, and it ships with 8 skewers, so it covers both flat cooking and kebab-style cooking in one item.
• HOODANCOS Air Fryer Rack — biggest trade-off: at about 2.76 inches tall and 6.4 ounces, it is the shorter, lighter build of the two, so it reads more as a single elevated layer plus skewers than as a true two-tier cooking system.
• OUNONA Stainless Steel Air — biggest strength: it is explicitly a double layer grill rack measuring roughly 5.31"D x 7.87"W x 3.15"H, and it includes grill needles, so stacking two levels of food is the whole point of the design.
• OUNONA Stainless Steel Air — biggest trade-off: at 8.16 ounces it is the heavier set, and its footprint is longer and narrower, which is great in some baskets and awkward in others.
• Who each pick is for: HOODANCOS for the cook who wants one rack that doubles as a skewer setup for vegetables and meat; OUNONA for the cook whose main goal is maximizing how much food fits per air fryer session.
The HOODANCOS rack is a round stainless steel grill with smooth wires, and the design brief is clearly "lift food off the surface." That matters more than it sounds. When food sits directly on the bottom of a basket, the underside steams in its own drippings and the air can't reach it. Raise the food on a wire rack and hot air circulates on all sides instead of just the top. That is the entire logic of a rack like this, and the low-stick smooth wires help keep things from welding themselves to the metal.
What makes this one distinctive is the eight stainless steel skewers in the package. That turns a plain round grill into two tools. You can lay a fillet, vegetables, or a small pizza-style item flat on the wires, or you can thread meat and veg onto the skewers and cook them vertically so more surface area faces the moving air. For someone who does a lot of small-batch cooking — beef jerky, dried fruit, reheated leftovers, a handful of turkey pieces — that flexibility is the whole appeal. It is also described as oven safe and easy to clean by hand in warm soapy water, so it isn't locked to one appliance.
Who should buy it: anyone with a round air fryer basket who wants one compact stainless accessory that covers both flat cooking and skewer cooking, and who values a lighter, shorter rack that stores easily. In my opinion, it's the better pick for a single person or a couple cooking smaller portions.
OUNONA Stainless Steel Air: Who It's For
The OUNONA set is built around a different idea. It is described as a double layer grill rack whose purpose is to maximize the heating surface of the food, and the whole listing leans into that: "cook multiple items at once," "more versatile recipes," "for those who want to eat more." That is not marketing fluff in this category — it is a real design decision. Two levels mean the air has two planes of food to work across instead of one, which is exactly what you want when you're feeding more than one person from a single basket.
The dimensions tell the story too. At about 5.31 inches deep, 7.87 inches wide and 3.15 inches tall, it is longer and slightly taller than the HOODANCOS rack, and it weighs 8.16 ounces versus 6.4. More metal, more structure, more height for a second tier. It's stainless steel and heat resistant, and it comes with grill needle accessories, which are the OUNONA equivalent of skewers — they expand what you can cook by letting you pin or thread food rather than only laying it down. It is also listed as a folding steam rack, which is worth noting if storage space is tight.
Who should buy it: households cooking larger volumes in one session — wings plus vegetables, two levels of nuggets, a batch of skewers on the top tier with something flat underneath. If your complaint is "the air fryer just doesn't hold enough," this is the accessory aimed squarely at that complaint. In my opinion, it's the stronger choice for a family or for anyone doing meal-prep batches.
Who should skip it: if you have a small round basket, the wider footprint and extra height could be a tight fit, and you'd be paying in bulk and height for a second layer you can't fully use. If you mostly cook single portions, the HOODANCOS rack gets the job done with less metal to wash.
• Best for cooking two levels at once → OUNONA Stainless Steel Air. It's explicitly a double layer grill rack designed to maximize heating surface.
• Best for skewer cooking → HOODANCOS Air Fryer Rack. Eight stainless steel skewers are included in the box.
• Best for a compact, lightweight rack → HOODANCOS Air Fryer Rack. 6.4 ounces versus 8.16 ounces, and a shorter profile.
• Best for feeding more people per batch → OUNONA Stainless Steel Air. Two tiers plus grill needles means more food per run.
• Best for a small round basket → HOODANCOS Air Fryer Rack. The round ~7.68-inch design suits round baskets better than the longer OUNONA footprint.
• Best for storage flexibility → OUNONA Stainless Steel Air. It's described as a folding steam rack, which helps if drawer space is limited.
• Best for simple flat reheating and crisping → either one. Both lift food off the surface so air circulates underneath; the difference is how much you want to stack.
• Best for someone who cooks for one → HOODANCOS Air Fryer Rack. Less metal, less to clean, still does the skewer trick.
• Best for meal prep → OUNONA Stainless Steel Air. More capacity per session is the whole reason to buy a double-layer set.
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the OUNONA Stainless Steel Air — my reason is capacity. A double layer rack with grill needles directly attacks the number one annoyance with air fryers, which is that you can never fit quite enough in one go, and the extra tier is the feature I'd actually notice every single day. But I'd genuinely recommend the HOODANCOS Air Fryer Rack to anyone cooking for one or two, or anyone who wants skewers without buying them separately. Neither is a bad buy. They're just built for different kitchens, and the volume you cook is what should decide it.
how to use multi layer rack in air fryer
Set the lower tier in the basket first, load it with food that can take longer or drip, then place the upper tier on top and load lighter or quicker-cooking items. Keep gaps between pieces so air can move through both levels rather than just over the top one. A double layer rack like the OUNONA set is designed for exactly this; a single round rack like the HOODANCOS one is meant to elevate one layer.
can you stack racks in an air fryer
Yes, provided the basket is tall enough and the racks are stable. This is what a double layer grill rack is for — the OUNONA set is built as a stacked two-level system, while the HOODANCOS rack is a single round grill roughly 2.76 inches tall that you'd typically use as one elevated layer. Always check your basket height before stacking, and don't block the air vents.
can you put a rack in an air fryer
Yes. Both of these are stainless steel racks made for air fryer use, and stainless steel is heat resistant enough for the job. The HOODANCOS rack is listed as oven safe as well, so it isn't limited to the air fryer. Just confirm the rack's footprint fits your basket — the HOODANCOS is about 7.68 inches round, while the OUNONA is about 7.87 inches wide and longer front to back.
can you use an air fryer without the rack
Absolutely. The rack is an accessory, not a requirement — food can sit directly in the basket. What you lose is airflow underneath the food, which is why racks exist: they lift food up so hot air circulates on all sides instead of only the top. If you want crispier undersides and less sitting in drippings, add a rack; if you're reheating something soft, you can skip it.
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