We’ve all been there. You buy a shiny new air fryer, join a few Facebook groups, and suddenly you feel like you need to buy £200 worth of accessories just to cook a chicken nugget.
From taco holders to tiny silicone waffle molds, the internet is full of "essential" gadgets. But which ones will actually help you cook better food, and which ones will just clutter up your kitchen drawer?
After testing hundreds of meals, we’ve narrowed it down to the only 5 tools you actually need—starting with the one that solves the biggest problem air fryer owners face.
The 5 Accessories You Actually Need
1. The Ultimate Essential: A Dedicated Air Fryer Probe
If you only buy one accessory this year, make it this one. Why? Because air fryers cook differently than ovens. The high-speed fan cooks the outside of your food rapidly, often tricking you into thinking dinner is ready when the inside is still raw.
The "cut and check" method lets all the juices escape, leaving you with dry chicken or tough steak.
Why it’s a game-changer:
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Safety: No more guessing if that chicken breast is pink in the middle.
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Quality: You stop cooking the second your food hits the perfect temperature, guaranteeing juicy results.
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Convenience: Our Air Fryer Probe is designed specifically for this high-speed environment. It reads temperatures in under 0.6 seconds and comes with a free magnetic temperature chart so you never have to Google "safe chicken temp" with messy hands again.
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Always Ready: Unlike other thermometers that get lost in a drawer, ours comes with a custom adhesive hook to mount right on your air fryer. This helps you build probing into a daily habit - as it is always right there, next to the draws you are opening!
2. A Quality Oil Sprayer (Not an Aerosol Can)
Most air fryer recipes call for a "light spray" of oil. But standard aerosol sprays (like Pam) often contain harsh propellants that can peel the non-stick coating off your air fryer basket over time.
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The Fix: Get a refillable glass oil mister. It gives you a fine mist of pure olive or avocado oil, ensuring your fries get crispy without drowning in grease or ruining your machine.
3. Silicone-Tipped Tongs
Your air fryer basket is your baby—don't scratch it! Metal tongs are the enemy of non-stick coatings.
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The Fix: A pair of 9-inch silicone-tipped tongs. They are heat resistant, grippy enough to flip a heavy steak, and gentle enough to keep your basket looking brand new for years.
4. Perforated Parchment Liners
We love air frying, but we hate scrubbing grease. While some people swear by silicone pots, they can sometimes block too much heat.
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The Fix: Perforated parchment paper liners. The holes allow the hot air to circulate (crucial for crispiness) while catching the worst of the drips. Pro-Tip: Only put the liner in AFTER you add the food, or the fan will blow it up into the heating element!
5. A Heat-Resistant Countertop Mat
This is the "boring" accessory that saves you hundreds of pounds. Many air fryers vent hot air out of the back or bottom, which can crack quartz or granite countertops or warp wooden tables over time.
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The Fix: A simple silicone or felt heat-resistant mat to place under your machine.
The 2 Accessories You Can Skip (Save Your Money!)
1. Tiny Silicone Muffin/Cupcake Molds
Why skip it: They look cute, but they are often so light that they blow over in the air fryer wind. Plus, air fryers are great at roasting, but baking cakes in them often dries out the batter before it rises. Stick to your regular oven for the cupcakes.
2. "Universal" Layering Racks
Why skip it: The idea is great—"Cook two layers of food at once!" In reality, the top layer burns while the bottom layer steams and stays soggy. You are much better off cooking in two fast batches than trying to cram everything in at once with a fiddly metal rack that’s a nightmare to clean.
