Kitchen know-how / Before you cook
Can you preheat an air fryer with a paper liner?
Easy cleanup sounds good. A loose sheet near a heating element doesn’t. Here’s when the paper should actually go in.
BY NEXT UP GUIDE · SEPTEMBER 23, 2026
THE SHORT ANSWER
No—leave a loose paper liner out during preheating.
If your air fryer allows paper, finish any required preheating first, then add the liner with food. If your model advises against paper, skip it altogether.
That sequence follows Reynolds’ air-fryer parchment instructions. The model exception matters: Philips advises against baking paper for the Airfryers covered by its support guidance.
Why an empty liner is the problem
Picture the basket before dinner goes in: the paper is light, and there’s nothing holding it down. Moving air can lift it toward the heating element. That is why a heat-resistant label alone doesn’t settle the question.
COSORI’s Iconic guide specifically warns against lightweight liners without food on top because they can lift and create a fire hazard. The issue is where the paper can end up, as well as how much heat it can withstand.
Keep the paper on the counter until it’s time
For an air fryer that permits paper liners, the order is straightforward:
- Preheat without the paper, if preheating is required. Use your appliance’s directions for the setting and timing.
- Add the liner and food together. Food must hold the liner down before the air fryer runs.
- Keep within both sets of instructions. The appliance’s rules and the liner’s temperature, mode and fit limits all apply.
Reynolds gives this preheat-first, liner-and-food-later sequence in its official parchment FAQ. Adding the paper early doesn’t save a useful step—it removes the weight intended to keep it in place.
Why one “yes” doesn’t fit every air fryer
Shopping for a liner and checking whether your appliance permits it are two separate decisions. These official instructions show why:
Philips: a liner is not recommended
Philips’ support page advises against baking paper and foil for the models it covers. It says covering the basket or the grease-collection pan interferes with airflow and cooking performance. This is broader than a warning about preheating: food on top does not turn that advice into permission. Read the Philips guidance and model list →
Reynolds: specific liners, specific limits
Reynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Air Fryer Liners are rated to 400°F on the fryer setting only. The product is single-use and is not recommended for rectangular or toaster-oven-style air fryers. Those limits belong to this product; they are not a universal rating for every sheet of parchment. See Reynolds’ product instructions →
A useful way to read the packaging: “fits most air fryers” describes the liner. It doesn’t override the instructions for the machine on your counter.
A SMALL HABIT THAT HELPS
Keep the instructions with the liners.
If you move the sheets into a drawer or storage box, keep the package label too. The temperature limit and compatible appliance style are more useful than a generic “air-fryer safe” tip.
A few questions before you cook
What if my air fryer doesn’t need preheating?
Don’t add a separate preheat cycle just for the paper. Follow your model’s cooking sequence. If it permits a liner, food still needs to hold that liner down before the fan runs. COSORI’s liner warning explains why an unweighted sheet is the concern.
Do holes in the liner make empty preheating okay?
No. Reynolds’ liners have holes for circulation, but its directions still require food on the paper and tell you to preheat first. Perforations don’t replace the loading instructions. Reynolds liner FAQ →
Can I put paper under the basket to catch drips?
Not in the Philips models covered by its guidance: the company specifically advises against lining the bottom of the pan where grease collects because that disrupts airflow. Don’t move a liner to a different part of the appliance as a workaround. Philips support →
