During the pandemic, I jumped on the air fryer bandwagon and never looked back. In fact, the only time I use my standard full size oven now is when I cook Christmas dinner or a large tray dinner such as lasagna.
I use my air fryer daily, sometimes two or three times a day for quick, tasty, evenly cooked healthy meals for me and my family and even the occasional indoor S’more’s.
That’s why I love a nifty little best air fryer gadget and this brilliant $17 air fryer rack from Amazon solved my one air fryer bug bear: wasted vertical capacity.
Why I love my air fryer rack
This non-stick tall air dryer rack has doubled my cooking space and I use it every day in my XL Tower Vortex air fryer. Check the dimensions will fit yours:
I have an extra large, one-basket Tower five-in-one 5.6 liter air fryer, available on Amazon, and it lives permanently on my countertop as it’s in constant use. From air frying bacon for crispy brunch sandwiches, to tender salmon fillets cooked to perfection to serve on rice, and even whole roast chickens, nothing escapes my jumbo air fryer.
However the one thing that bothered me when I first got mine, was having to cook two rounds of foods such as fries to feed my family of three. Though the basket has a ton of vertical space and capacity, I found the cooking time increased due to the piled up food and I am disabled so I can’t stand up for long cooking sessions.
I knew the solution would be to have an extra shelf in my air fryer to separate and lift multiple layers of food so I can make use of the vertical cooking space without having to add a lot of cooking time, to ensure everything crisped up or cooked properly.
This BPA free stainless steel air fryer riser shelf from Amazon was the perfect solution.
Now, I can easily cook for my family of three in one go and only have to add an extra 1-3 minutes to crisp up the bottom layer, if that. By the time I’m done serving up the first couple of plates, the final items are ready to go.
Whoever invented these racks deserve a medal if you ask me. I love that it doesn’t rust, is easy to wash and has stayed in perfect condition despite two years of constant use. It fits perfectly in my rounded square air fryer when not in use, too, so no need to find an extra storage space for it.
When purchasing, make sure to measure your inner air fryer basket dimensions and check there is enough clearance between where the top of your food will sit and the heating element of your appliance so you don't end up with a smoky mess on your hands.
A word of caution: watch out for the heat of the stainless steel. I use a long pair of heat resistant tongs, available from Amazon, to move mine in and out of my air fryer and place it on a heatproof silicone trivet from Amazon to protect my glass electric stovetop or kitchen countertops when turning or dealing with the food underneath it. Or, it goes straight into the sink, and I freshen it up when I clean the air fryer basket.
What to shop
I have a number of air fryer accessories I love. Here are my favorite picks that make my life easier when air frying on the daily:
I use stainless steel tongs with silicone ends to lift my hot air fryer rack up and out, or to check on the items underneath. These are dishwasher safe too for easy cleaning.
I use my air fryer multiple times a day so to save time and washing up, I use disposable air fryer liners. These are grease proof and compatible with Cosori, Ninja, Tower Cosori and are unbleached. Do check the dimensions fit your fryer.
Silicone liners are on my wish list because the durable, reusable nature of them makes it a more eco-friendly way to line your fryer. This is a pack of two, 8 inches across, and compatible for Cosori 4.7l 5.5l, Tefal Easy Fry Max 5l, Ninja 4.7l square air fryers. Check your fryer's dimensions before purchasing to ensure it'll fit.
Next learn about our tried, tested and best non-toxic air fryers.
