We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 9 min read · Independent comparison
Every air fryer comes apart into three cleanable zones — the non-stick basket and crisper plate that touch your food, the drawer cavity under them, and the heating element and fan up top — and each one needs a different touch: warm soapy water for the basket, a damp cloth for the cavity, and a soft brush with the unit upside down for the element. Do that after most cooks and a full deep clean every few weeks, and you'll never deal with baked-on grease or that stale "old fries" smell again.
• Basket and crisper plate: wash in warm water with dish soap and a soft sponge after every use. Most air fryer baskets are non-stick, so skip steel wool and abrasive powders.
• Heating element and fan (the top): unplug, let it cool completely, turn the unit upside down, and wipe the coil and fan guard with a damp cloth or soft brush. Grease splatters up there and bakes on, which is what causes smoke and odor.
• Drawer cavity: wipe with a damp cloth and mild soap. Don't submerge the drawer body if it contains the electronics.
• Stubborn baked-on grease: a paste of baking soda and water, left 10–15 minutes, then gently scrubbed with a non-scratch pad.
• Never: put the main unit in water, use oven cleaner on non-stick, or scrub the heating coil with anything metal.
Unplug it first. That's not a formality — the element stays hot for a while after the display goes dark. Let the whole thing cool to room temperature before you touch anything.
Pull the basket out of the drawer. Most models separate into two pieces: the outer basket and the inner crisper plate with the perforations. That plate is where the real mess collects, because fat drips through it and carbonizes on the bottom. Soak both in hot soapy water for five minutes if food is stuck, then wash with a soft sponge. A bottle brush gets into the corners where a sponge can't reach.
Now the part people skip: the drawer cavity and the ceiling. Flip the unit over and look at the element and fan. You'll usually see a brown film of grease on the coil and the metal guard around the fan. Wipe it with a damp microfiber cloth. If it's stubborn, a soft-bristle brush (an old toothbrush works) with a little dish soap loosens it without bending the coil. Never spray water directly into the housing.
Dry everything completely before reassembly. Moisture in the drawer just steams your next batch of fries and can leave a musty smell.
Cleaning the basket but ignoring the top. This is the number-one cause of an air fryer that smokes on the second or third use. The basket looks spotless, but the element is coated in a layer of baked grease that burns off every time you cook. If your fryer smells like a diner grill, the ceiling is the culprit.
Scrubbing non-stick with abrasives. Steel wool, scouring powder, and stiff brushes scratch the coating. Once it's scratched, food sticks permanently and the basket is effectively done. Soft sponge, warm water, mild soap — that's the whole toolkit.
Putting the main unit in the sink. The housing contains the heating element, fan motor, and wiring. Water gets in and it either shorts or rusts. Wipe it, never dunk it.
Using oven cleaner. It's formulated for bare metal oven interiors and will destroy the non-stick coating in your basket.
When Baking Soda Actually Helps
Baking soda is a mild abrasive and a decent de-greaser, and it's the right tool for one specific job: baked-on residue on the basket or crisper plate that soap won't lift.
Mix three parts baking soda to one part water into a paste. Spread it on the affected area, let it sit 10–15 minutes, then scrub gently with a non-scratch pad and rinse thoroughly. Don't leave it on for hours — baking soda is alkaline and prolonged contact isn't kind to non-stick coatings. And don't use it on the heating element; a damp cloth is all that surface needs.
For the drawer cavity, a baking-soda paste on a cloth works well on grease rings. Rinse it all out afterward, because dried baking soda leaves a white film that tastes chalky.
Liners: The Shortcut That Changes the Routine
These four are the liners and reusable options I'd point most people toward, depending on basket shape and how much you cook.
• vailnd 500 — for high-volume households that want a huge supply of square paper liners and never want to think about restocking.
• Baker's Signature 250 — for round 4.7–7.5 L baskets, especially Ninja, Gourmia, Chefman and PowerXL models.
• Seropy 2 — for anyone who'd rather wash a liner than keep buying paper, and wants a reusable silicone option that survives the dishwasher.
• HONYAO Air Fryer Paper — for dual-zone and two-drawer air fryers where a square liner simply won't fit the rectangular baskets.
This is a 500-count pack of 8-inch square paper liners, sized for 5–8 quart air fryers. The dimensions are 8 inches at the bottom, 9.4 inches across the top, and 1.8 inches tall — the raised edge is what keeps food and grease off the basket walls rather than just the floor. The brand lists compatibility with common 5–8 qt models like the Ninja AF181 and AF141, plus COSORI and Chefman units in that range.
The material is food-grade natural paper with a silicone coating, unbleached, and free of BPA, PFAs, and fluorescent agents. It's rated to 428°F, and the coating makes it both water- and oil-resistant so it shouldn't tear or soak through during a normal roast or bake cycle. The non-stick, grease-resistant surface is the whole point: it keeps the basket interior clean and makes the wipe-down afterward trivial.
Five hundred sheets is a lot — this is the pick for a big family, someone who air-fries daily, or anyone hosting regularly who'd rather not reorder every couple of months. It also works in ovens, steamers, and microwaves, so it's not a single-appliance purchase. The natural color is unbleached, which some cooks prefer for the same reason they buy unbleached parchment for baking.
A 250-count pack of round 8-inch liners, meant for 20 cm baskets — the brand names Ninja, Gourmia, Chefman, and PowerXL Instant Pots in the 4.7–7.5 L range, plus ovens and microwaves. If your air fryer has a round basket, round liners fit better than square ones because there's no overhang to fold or trim.
The paper is natural unbleached wood pulp with a double-sided silicone coating. That coating is why baked goods slide off and why no extra oil is needed before cooking. The brand states the liners don't curl or burn at high heat and are rated to 450°F. It's also free of the bleaching-related chemicals — the brand specifically calls out Quilon and fluoride, and notes it's fluorescent-free — which is the main argument for brown liners over white ones.
The packaging is designed for tidy storage, which matters more than it sounds when you're dealing with 250 loose sheets. The practical benefit is the same as any liner: significantly less gunk in the basket after cooking, and no washing up. The brand also mentions using them to set the table, which is a stretch, but the core function is solid.
This is the reusable option: a 2-pack of square silicone liners sized for 4–7 quart baskets, about 7.1 inches. Food-grade silicone, PVC- and BPA-free, non-stick, and rated to 464°F — the highest heat tolerance of the four here. They're scratch- and tear-resistant, so they hold up to repeated use instead of being thrown away.
The design details are what make these more than a flat mat. The inner surface is smooth to shed grease, while raised lines on the bottom keep food slightly elevated so oil drains away and heat circulates evenly — that's what gets you crispier results rather than steamed ones. Two handles on the sides let you lift the liner straight out, and they can hang on hooks for storage. They're dishwasher safe, or you can flip them inside out and wipe with a brush.
The trade-off versus paper is obvious: you wash them. But they replace disposable liners permanently, which is the reason to buy them. They also double as baking mats, oven tray liners, and general basket protection for deep fryers and toaster ovens.
These are rectangular paper liners built specifically for dual-zone and double-stack air fryers — 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.8 inches, with a top opening of 9.6 x 6.8 inches. That's the exact footprint for two-drawer 8–10 quart models: the Ninja DZ401, DZ302, DZ550, SL401, SL451, DZ201, DZ100, and DZ090, plus Cosori 9 Qt and Instant Pot 8 Qt. If you own one of those, a round or square liner wastes space and doesn't sit flat.
The paper is food-grade with a silicone oil coating, unbleached, BPA-free, PFAs-free, and rated to 446°F. The edge has extra wrinkles by design — that helps it conform to the basket and hold its shape instead of curling toward the center and burning. It comes in a clear plastic box so you can see how many are left and pull one out without digging.
One instruction worth repeating: don't preheat with the liner in place. Put it in with the food. The 1.8-inch raised edge protects the sides of the basket, and the whole thing is disposable and degradable, which keeps cleanup to a single motion.
FAQ
how to clean air fryer
Unplug and cool it, then wash the basket and crisper plate in warm soapy water with a soft sponge. Wipe the drawer cavity with a damp cloth, and turn the unit upside down to wipe the heating element and fan guard. Dry fully before reassembling.
Remove the basket from the drawer and separate the inner crisper plate. Soak both in hot soapy water for about five minutes if food is stuck, then wash with a soft sponge and mild dish soap. Never use steel wool or abrasive powders on the non-stick coating.
how to clean air fryer heating element
Unplug the unit and let it cool completely, then flip it upside down. Wipe the coil and fan guard with a damp microfiber cloth or a soft-bristle brush and a little dish soap. Never spray water into the housing or scrub the coil with metal.
how to clean air fryer with baking soda
Mix three parts baking soda with one part water into a paste, spread it on baked-on residue in the basket or crisper plate, and leave it 10–15 minutes. Scrub gently with a non-scratch pad and rinse thoroughly. Don't use it on the heating element or leave it on non-stick for hours.
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