You probably know the benefits of using an air fryer: food cooks quickly and evenly, and it ends up with a crispy finish. But what if you don't have an air fryer? Or what if you do have an air fryer but would like to cook in your oven for its larger capacity?
This is where the best air fryer basket for oven use comes in. An air fryer basket allows the oven to circulate hot air over, under, and around the items you're cooking. This results in more evenly cooked food and better crisping.
I personally used a half-dozen oven air fryer baskets to find the best among the array available. I also looked at reviews and descriptions of many other baskets made for convection ovens, toaster ovens, and traditional ovens in an effort to bring you the best of the best.
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Top Oven Air Fryer Basket Choices
- Best Stainless Steel Air Fryer Basket: Ingcebo 13x9.6 Inch Stainless Steel Air Fryer Basket for Oven
- Best Non-Stick Air Fryer Basket: Musential 2-Piece Non-Stick Air Fryer Tray for Oven
- Best Rotating Drum Air Fryer Basket: USBlueWave Stainless Steel Air Fry Oven Rotating Drum
- Best Round Air Fryer Basket: Letemps Air Fryer Basket for Oven
- Best Silicone Air Fryer Basket: LMTNNB Air Fryer Silicone Pot Square
- Best Copper Air Fryer Basket: Eazy Mealz Crisping Basket & Tray Set
The Testing Process for the Best Oven Air Fryer Basket for Oven Use
An air fryer basket for oven use is excellent for cooking either a main dish or a side dish for a family of four. What I did was cook various items in the different baskets.
I considered how well they worked in terms of actually getting the food crisp and cooked evenly. I also looked at how easy they were to handle while taking them in and out of the oven filled with food.
Finally, I paid attention to how easy they were to clean, if they came fully clean, and whether they were dishwasher safe.
Reviews of Each Air Fryer Basket Tested
1. Ingcebo 13x9.6 Inch Stainless Steel Air Fryer Basket for Oven: Best Stainless Steel Air Fryer Basket
| SPECIFICATIONS | Color: Silver Material: Stainless Steel Size: 13 x 9.6 Dishwasher-Safe Parts: Yes Weight: 1.5 pounds |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
| REASONS TO BUY | + Dishwasher safe + Good sized tray to hold drippings + Crisp cooking |
| REASONS TO AVOID | - Tray is a little shallow |
Overall Impression: This is a nice, shiny stainless steel air fryer basket for the oven. The basket itself fits nicely in the tray, and there's not much room for it to wiggle around.
The tray isn't very deep, though, so I was concerned it wouldn't hold all of the juices created by a plump whole chicken.
Performance: Well, the tray did, in fact, hold all of the chicken juice, so I was pleased with that. Because the tray wasn't very deep, I had to hold the basket and tray together when putting the chicken in and out of the oven, which was a little awkward. Still, they stayed together just fine.
The bird itself came out evenly cooked and perfectly done in under 90 minutes, which is less time than it normally takes in my oven.
The bottom stayed nice and crisp, which isn't usually the case when cooked in a casserole dish in the oven. The inside was nice and moist, and I'd call it perfectly done.
User-Friendly Features: The tray is convenient and holds more drippings than you might expect. Also, the stainless steel was cleaned up fully and easily with a sponge and dish liquid. This is dishwasher safe, though I did not put it in the dishwasher.
2. Musential 2-Piece Non-Stick Air Fryer Tray for Oven: Best Non-Stick Air Fryer Basket
| SPECIFICATIONS | Color: Black Material: Stainless Steel Size: 13” x 9” 2-Piece Weight: 1.5 pounds Dishwasher-Safe Parts: Yes |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
| REASONS TO BUY | + Easy-to-clean finish + Tray fits into place well + Great air circulation |
| REASONS TO AVOID | - No cons |
Overall Impression: This is a nice, sturdy oven air fryer basket. The basket fits snugly in the tray, which makes it easy to keep it together when transferring items in and out of the oven. It's 9 x 13", a good size for a main entrée or side dish.
Performance: This was one of my favorite oven air fryer baskets. I made roasted potatoes on it, and it crisped them up beautifully.
The inside of the potatoes was soft and the outside crispy, which is perfect. It also cleaned up very well; I hand-washed it, but it's dishwasher safe.
User-Friendly Features: This tray is easy to use safely since the basket fits very well into the tray; it didn't slide at all when I handled it with oven mitts. It cleans up easily and it's a convenient size.
3. USBlueWave Stainless Steel Air Fry Oven Rotating Drum: Best Rotating Drum Air Fryer Basket
| SPECIFICATIONS | Color: Silver Material: Stainless Steel Size: 6"D x 8.6"W x 6"H Weight: 13.5 ounces Dishwasher-Safe Parts: Yes |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
| REASONS TO BUY | + Easy to rotate food + Dishwasher safe |
| REASONS TO AVOID | - Doesn't come with a tray - Awkward to wash by hand - Difficult to open with oven mitts on |
Overall Impression: I was a little perplexed by this one; without a rotisserie, I wasn't really sure how to use it at first. I quickly realized, however, that it would make turning small items easy; I could simply rotate the basket.
Note: This oven basket doesn't come with a tray underneath. I used the one that came with the stainless steel basket.
Performance: I chose to roast broccoli in this one since I know it can be difficult to rearrange broccoli florets in a typical flat tray.
The basket performed as expected; I simply rolled it a couple of times during the cooking process, allowing the broccoli to turn over. That part was simple. The basket came out great after going through the dishwasher.
One complaint: I was able to open the basket easily with my bare hands, but once the basket was hot and I had to open it wearing oven mitts, it wasn't quite as simple. I ended up letting it cool off for a few minutes so I could handle it safely without the mitts.
User-Friendly Features: The main benefit of this basket is the ability to rotate it to turn the food. If you have a rotisserie, this would be an even easier feature to use. The basket is dishwasher safe, which is important since it would be awkward to wash this one by hand.
4. Letemps Air Fryer Basket for Oven: Best Round Air Fryer Basket
| SPECIFICATIONS | Color: Grey Material: Stainless Steel Size: 12.28 x 12.2 x 2.99 inches Weight: 1.28 pounds Dishwasher-Safe Parts: Yes |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
| REASONS TO BUY | + Nice round shape + Includes a tray + Not too large + Non stick coating |
| REASONS TO AVOID | - Basket slides around somewhat on the tray |
Overall Impression: This air fryer basket comes with a tray, and since it's round, it fits nicely in just one side of the oven, leaving the other side open for something else.
It could also be pushed back or forward to accommodate an additional pan. It has a non stick coating for easy use and cleaning.
Performance: I made roasted potatoes in this tray, and they came out perfectly. Nice and crisp, and the excess oil I used on the potatoes dripped neatly into the tray below.
The tray itself was shallow, though, and the basket slipped when I went to take the potatoes out of the oven, resulting in me nearly dropping some of the potatoes.
It's important to use two oven mitts even though the tray is a fairly small size, as the basket slides around on the tray a bit, possibly due to the coating and shape.
It cleaned up well with a sponge and dish liquid. Again, this one is dishwasher safe but I hand-washed it. It did leave a bit of staining I couldn't scrub off, and I didn't want to try too hard with anything abrasive. Perhaps a run through the dishwasher will remove some of that.
User-Friendly Features: The round shape is convenient, and having the tray underneath the basket makes it simple to use. It's also non-stick, resulting in an easy-to-clean texture.
5. LMTNNB Air Fryer Silicone Pot Square: Best Silicone Air Fryer Basket
| SPECIFICATIONS | Color: Grey Material: Food Grade Silicone Size: 7.5 or 8-inch square Weight: 13.1 ounces Special Feature: Waterproof, oil-proof, non-stick |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
| REASONS TO BUY | + Comes with two in the package + Folds down into a flat square + Keeps food off any oil runoff |
| REASONS TO AVOID | - A bit floppy - Small size (though this is an advantage if you have a smaller space) |
Overall Impression: These seemed a little floppy to me, but they actually stood up well in use. This product is small in size and could potentially make a good air fryer basket replacement in addition to being able to be used in the oven.
Note: This is a solid silicone basket and doesn't come with (or need) a separate tray.
Performance: I used this to heat up leftovers, since it's small and didn't have a larger capacity like some of the other baskets I reviewed. They came out nicely warmed.
The ridges in the bottom ensured the food wasn't sitting in grease, which was nice. The food grade silicone is dishwasher safe, but I washed it by hand, which was convenient.
User-Friendly Features: These are small and convenient in size to make heating leftovers simple. They also fold down into a flat square, making it easy to store them in a cabinet or on a shelf. Additionally, they're dishwasher safe.
6. Eazy Mealz Crisping Basket & Tray Set: Best Copper Air Fryer Basket
| SPECIFICATIONS | Color: Copper Material: Copper Size: 13.94 x 10.2 x 3.11 inches Weight: 2.03 pounds Is Dishwasher Safe: No |
| TODAY'S BEST DEALS | View at Amazon |
| REASONS TO BUY | + Copper non stick finish + Basket didn't slide in tray + Dishwasher safe |
| REASONS TO AVOID | - No cons |
Overall Impression: I really liked this one from the beginning. It looks nice, and the copper finish is non stick. Also, the basket fits well in the tray without any slipping.
Performance: I baked some chicken thighs in this one. (It wasn't this recipe, but here's one you can try!) It held four fileted boneless thighs nicely, and they came out tender and delicious.
The basket didn't slide when putting it in or taking it out of the oven, and it washed up easily. Rather than putting it in the dishwasher, I decided to hand-wash it.
User-Friendly Features: This is a non stick copper air fryer basket that is easy to clean; it's dishwasher safe, and it can also be hand washed easily. It promotes good air circulation and seems to be a sturdy piece that will hold up well over time.
Factors to Consider When Buying Oven Air Fryer Baskets
Compatibility With Your Oven or Toaster Oven
Whether you're going to use your air fryer basket in an oven, a toaster oven, or a convection oven, it's important to ensure it's compatible. This means you need something that's rated for the appliance you'll be using and that it's big enough to fit.
Size and Capacity of the Baskets
Think about what you'll most likely be cooking in the oven air fryer basket. Do you have a large family, or are you cooking for one or two?
Choose the size and shape that will best accommodate what you need to cook. And, of course, keep in mind that you can always purchase more than one if you will need a larger capacity than you're finding available.
Tray Included or Not Included
Many oven air fryer baskets come with a tray to go underneath, while others don't. You can use your basket on a sheet pan or a foil tray to catch drippings if the one you choose doesn't include the tray.
The cooking tray can often also be used on its own in a conventional oven or toaster oven. Be sure you know what's included before making your final decision.
Materials Used
You'll have quite a few options when you choose your air fryer oven basket. Here are a few of the common materials:
- Copper: Copper has excellent heat conductivity and durability. If you're going to be using your oven crisper basket often, you might consider one made of copper.
- Stainless steel: This is a versatile material that can be used for air frying, roasting, baking, and so on. High quality stainless steel is also safe and non-reactive, and they usually don't have non stick coatings (but are still easy to clean).
- Non-stick: If you want to be sure your oven air fryer basket is super simple to clean, you might opt for a non-stick variety.
- Food grade silicone: Silicone is a popular material to use when air frying. It's non stick, it's easy to store, and you can use it in the microwave as a heating dish if needed.
Air Circulation
The oven basket should be raised enough off of the tray to allow for the circulation of heated air. This is what will improve the efficiency of the oven, resulting in crisper food and more even cooking.
Ease of Cleaning
Most air fryer baskets will be easy to clean, whether they're stainless steel or have a non stick coating. Still, this is something you'll want to know ahead of time. You should also check to see if the product is dishwasher safe if that's important to you.
Price
Of course, there's no need to overpay for oven air fryers. With so many options available, you can probably find one at a moderate price. Do some comparison shopping to see what you can find in your chosen price range.
Brand
Finally, think about the brand you're purchasing. Some kitchen brands are known for having high-quality products. Some also include a warranty of some type; a warranty can also come from the seller. Look into what's available as far as brand goes, then choose something that meets your needs for coverage should something go wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can air fryer baskets be used in toaster ovens?
Yes, if the basket fits in your toaster oven, it should be able to be used. Remember, toaster ovens need to be fully closed in order to work properly, so check the dimensions carefully to ensure the basket you're buying will fit.
Can these baskets be used in convection ovens?
Again, yes, if the air fryer basket will fit inside your convection oven, it will be fine to use. Keep in mind that an air fryer is really the same thing as a convection oven; they both use the same technology to cook food quickly, to ensure it's cooked evenly, and to create a crispy texture.
Are all oven air fryers dishwasher safe?
Not every air fryer rack will be dishwasher safe, though many are. This is something to check in the product description before purchasing if it's important to you.
What types of foods are best to air fry in an oven?
The list of foods to cook in an air fryer is practically endless! Here are some that will work out perfectly in an oven crisper basket:
- Meat, like a whole chicken, chicken breasts or thighs, fish fillets, and even bacon.
- Baked goods such as cookies, small cakes, or muffins.
- Vegetables; popular ones include broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.
- Frozen foods like frozen French fries, frozen mozzarella sticks, or frozen chicken nuggets.
Just about anything you cook in an air fryer can be cooking in the traditional oven within a crisper tray or basket.
Do air fryers cook faster than ovens with air fryer baskets?
Yes. Your actual air fryer will use a fan to circulate hot air under, over, and around your food, allowing it to cook more quickly. Your regular oven does not have this ability. Neither do toaster ovens, but convection ovens do.
So, your oven or toaster oven will take more time to cook than your air fryer or convection oven, despite using an air fryer basket in any of these appliances.
What can I use as an air fry tray if my basket doesn't come with one?
If your air fryer basket didn't come with a crisper tray, you can use a sheet pan or a disposable aluminum foil tray to catch any drippings, extra oil, cooking spray, or even seasonings that fall out of the oven basket.
I wouldn't recommend only using the basket with no tray. Not only is this very messy, but it also carries the possibility of starting a fire.
Finding the Best Air Fryer Basket for Your Oven
When considering the best air fryer basket for the oven, you'll want to think about what type of air fryer recipes you most often use, the amount of food you would typically make, and whether you're looking for something to use in a convection oven, toaster oven, or conventional oven.
My personal favorites were the Eazy Mealz Crisping Basket & Tray Set and the Musential 2-Piece Non-Stick Air Fryer Tray for Oven because they were easy to use and because the basket didn't slide in the trays. They also looked nice and cleaned up very well.
If these aren't right for you, though, I'd recommend considering any of the baskets I've reviewed; being able to air fry in your oven is convenient and delicious, and it's a great technique to include in your regular weekly menu plans.
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