If you're thinking about swapping disposable parchment for a reusable silicone liner, there's a fair chance one question has stopped you: is it actually safe to cook on silicone at air fryer temperatures? It's a sensible thing to ask. This material sits next to your food, meal after meal.
LFGB-certified, BPA-free: see the liners
100% platinum silicone, rated -40°C to 230°C. Our silicone air fryer liners for Ninja come in two shapes: rectangle for the Dual Zone 9.5L (AF400UK, AF451UK) and square for the 5L AF141 and AF181. Find your fit.
The short answer is yes: food-grade silicone liners are safe when they're made properly and used correctly. Here's what silicone is, how ours is tested, and how to use a liner safely.
What are silicone air fryer liners made of?
Food-grade silicone is a synthetic rubber made mainly from silica, the same mineral found in sand, bonded with oxygen. It isn't petroleum-based, and it doesn't behave like plastic when it's heated.
Silicone is cured in one of two ways: with peroxide or with platinum. Platinum-cured silicone is the higher grade, because the process leaves no by-products in the finished material. It's the grade used in premium bakeware, and it's what every Kitchen Curated liner is made from.
Do silicone liners leach chemicals into food?
This is the heart of the safety question. Food-grade silicone is chemically stable at cooking temperatures: it doesn't react with food, and it isn't a plastic, so there's no plastic to shed.
Our platinum silicone was tested by an independent laboratory in April 2024, against the German LFGB food-contact standard (Sections 30 and 31) and EU Regulation 1935/2004. It passed all four tests:
- Odour and taste: no taste or smell passed to food.
- Extractable components: what can leach out, tested in water, acid and alcohol. Well under the limit.
- Volatile organic matter: tested at 200°C for four hours. Within the limit.
- Peroxide: none present, which confirms platinum curing.
Our liners are also BPA-free, flavourless and odourless.
What temperatures can a silicone liner handle?
Most air fryer recipes cook between 160°C and 200°C. Kitchen Curated liners are rated from -40°C to 230°C, so normal air frying sits comfortably inside the range, with room to spare.
The practical rule: stay under 230°C, and never let a silicone liner touch a heating element or go under a grill. In an air fryer the liner sits in the basket, away from the element, which is how it's designed to be used. Our liners can also go in the oven, microwave and steamer within the same range.
Are cheap silicone liners safe?
This is where buying carefully pays off. Lower-grade liners can use peroxide-cured silicone or fillers that cut cost and weaken the material. A quick check many cooks use: pinch and twist the silicone. If white shows through strongly where it's stretched, it may contain filler.
What to look for:
- Platinum-cured, food-grade silicone
- A named food-contact standard such as LFGB, not a vague "food safe" badge
- A solid, even thickness. Ours are 2.63mm, which keeps them rigid and upright.
- A stated temperature rating. Ours is -40°C to 230°C.
- A liner made for your air fryer model, so airflow isn't blocked
Using your liner safely
Get the right fit. A liner that's too big can block airflow or ride up towards the element. Check your model in our fit guide, and if it isn't listed, measure your basket before you buy.
Don't block the airflow. Keep food in a single layer and don't fold the liner. More in our guide to the 5 common mistakes.
Keep it clean. Oil left on any cooking surface can smoke over time. Wash your liner after each use, by hand or in the dishwasher. The full routine is in our cleaning guide.
Replace it if it's damaged. If a liner is ever cut or torn, replace it.
Silicone or parchment: which is safer?
Parchment liners are safe when used correctly. But if there's no food weighing them down, they can lift into the heating element. A fitted silicone liner stays put, can't catch light at air fryer temperatures the way paper can, and doesn't create waste every time you cook.
Frequently asked questions
My new liner smells slightly. Is that normal? A faint smell when new is common. Wash the liner before first use and it usually goes within a few cycles.
Are silicone liners dishwasher safe? Ours are. The top rack is best.
Can silicone liners go in the oven or microwave? Ours can, within -40°C to 230°C. Whatever liner you own, stay within its rating and keep it away from elements and grills.
What certification should I look for? LFGB. It's the German food-contact standard, generally regarded as stricter than the baseline, because it tests what can move from the material into food.
The bottom line
Platinum-cured silicone is one of the safest materials you can cook on: stable, plastic-free and built for repeated heat. The questions worth asking are about quality (platinum-cured, LFGB-tested, a stated temperature rating) and use (the right fit, the right temperature, kept clean).
Shop the liners: Rectangle liners for the Ninja Dual Zone 9.5L · Square liners for 5L baskets
