If we’re looking to buy the best air fryer tray for oven does that mean that we don’t need to buy a separate air fryer?
Let’s explore this question a bit before deciding to review some of the best air fryer trays for ovens.
An air fryer is basically a convection oven in a smaller, more portable shape. Preheat times are also shorter for air fryers. Especially for the smaller models.
Basket air fryers, the classic design, are certainly a lot smaller and that’s why they can cook food faster than convection ovens. That’s definitely a difference between the two appliances. A cooking chamber will always cook food faster. But an air fryer and a convection oven work on the same principles.
Hot air circulates around the food with the help of a fan and exhaust system. That’s why air fryer baskets have holes. So that the hot air can envelope our food completely. Although, we still need to turn our food when the air fryer alerts us.
And then we have convection air fryer ovens that resemble countertop convection ovens. Some are smaller but others look exactly like convection ovens. One example is the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. It’s a complex oven with a lot of cooking functions. And it comes with a mesh basket rack for air fryer and dehydrating.
Thus, if you already own a convection oven and you don’t want to buy another separate appliance for the purpose of air frying food, then you need to buy the best air fryer tray for oven and cook your food on convection mode.
Table of Contents
Best Air Fryer Tray for Oven Reviews
Most air fryer trays for ovens will consist of two pieces: we get a mesh basket rack and a tray that looks like a baking sheet.
These air fryer trays that can be used in our ovens if we choose the right size might also be called a crisping basket & tray set.
Thus, we cook the food in the mesh basket or crisping basket. We can use the basket to cook meats, vegetables, etc. Just as we use a baking sheet. The difference is that this one is a mesh construction that allows the air to circulate around the food on all sides.
The second part of the set is a baking tray. It’s not actually used for cooking anything if we use the mesh basket. It’s used for catching the grease and any other liquids that drip from the food being cooked in the mesh above.
Convection air fryer toaster ovens also come with a mesh basket and a baking tray because we want to keep our oven clean.
Of course, if we’re not using the mesh basket and we just want to do some regular baking, then we can use the baking sheet for that. It has dual purposes, depending on how we use our oven.
Nowadays, there are also big home ovens that offer an air fryer cooking function but don’t include the needed accessories. My reviews for the best air fryer tray for oven will also address these bigger models.
Check out my reviews for the most expensive air fryer models if you’re interested to see what some of them offer.
1. Checkered Chef Baking Sheet for Oven: The Best Air Fryer Tray for Oven
While the Checkered Chef Baking Sheet for Oven isn’t advertised as an air fryer tray for oven, it can certainly be used for that. Let’s see what it offers.
I should also mention that the price is quite affordable so there are no problems in that area.
Plus, we get to choose between two main popular sizes: half sheet and quarter sheet. Between these two, you might find the right size for your oven.
Components & dimensions
As always, we must focus on the dimensions of the tray if we want to see if a particular model will work as the best air fryer tray for our oven.
The Checkered Chef Baking Sheet for Oven consists of 2 components:
- baking sheet pan – it measures 18 x 13 inches for half sheet or 9 1/3 x 13 inches for quarter sheet
- baking rack – it measures 17 x 12 inches for half sheet or 8 x 11 1/4 inches for quarter sheet, being smaller since it fits inside the tray
It should fit in most standard ovens.
Thus, you must always make sure that the baking sheet pan is the one whose dimensions will match your oven model and its interior measurements.
Features
It’s not the classic mesh basket + baking tray combo because the Checkered Chef Baking Sheet for Oven is actually a baking rack + baking tray combo.
A mesh basket has tinier holes, it looks like a mesh hence the name.
A baking rack like this one has larger holes. It’s actually a cooling rack that is oven safe. But that’s about the only difference between the two.
The wire rack features a spaced grid pattern that optimizes air flow and won’t let our food fall through.
It’s really great.
And that’s why the Checkered Chef Baking Sheet for Oven can be purchased as the best air fryer tray for oven, as long the size of the tray fits the rack in your oven.
The baking sheet is made of stainless steel. The manufacturer describes it as being created from thick, top quality 304 stainless steel with rimmed edge.
The pan is strong, heavy duty, and non-toxic. You can also use it separately to bake and cook whatever food and desserts you want.
The baking/cooling rack is made of stainless steel, which is awesome.
The stainless steel wire rack and the tray are machine washable. Some people mention that it’s so easy to clean that they wash it by hand.
The whole set is great for: baking, cooking, grilling, roasting, cooling, and more. It’s highly versatile and it’s a great tool for those who want to use their convection oven as an air fryer.
It is oven safe up to 500 degrees F.
How good is it for air frying?
There are a lot of user reviews that bought it for that exact purpose, either as the half sheet or the quarter sheet. Both sizes are popular among buyers.
For example, a user is using it in their GE Café oven using the air fryer option at 400 and 425 degrees F.
The good news is that it doesn’t warp. The same review mentions that it is a good quality pan and rack that is great for multi-portion air frying. It cleans up easily.
Another buyer gave away their air fryer because it was too bulky and too nosy but they still wanted to air fry. So they decided to get the Checkered Chef Baking Sheet for Oven, which is the perfect way to air fry in an oven. It is extremely sturdy and the baking sheet is perfect for baking cookies.
The rack elevates the wings or chicken pieces perfectly and it seems that no turning is necessary. You can still turn your food if you want. I do it because it’s a habit of mine.
Moreover, we can also use the baking rack as a cooling rack for the times when we’re just using the baking sheet for baking and we don’t air fry.
2. USA Pan Bakeware Baking Pan and Bakeable Nonstick and Cooling Rack Set
Another product that is quite similar to what the Checkered Chef Baking Sheet for Oven that I reviewed above offers is this set from USA Pan.
Components & dimensions
I decided to review this USA Pan set because we get slightly different sizes so it’s another option for people who still haven’t found the right size tray for them.
The USA Pan actually has a whole range of sizes and different trays so there’s a chance that you’ll find what you’re looking for.
I think that most people will benefit from checking out the half sheet pan & rack set.
As I’ve mentioned, the tray is the one we need to concern ourselves with because the tray goes on the rack and the basket or the baking rack is smaller to fit inside the tray.
The half sheet pan & rack set consists of:
- half sheet baking pan with the outer pan dimensions of 17.75 x 12.75 x 1 inches
- baking rack that can also be used as cooling rack that measures 16.75 x 11.5 x 0.5 inches
The sheet pan is made in the USA and the rack is imported.
The baking rack looks similar to a mesh basket. It just has slightly bigger holes but they’re not big enough for food to fall through so there should be no concerns about that.
Features
Both the pan and the rack are oven safe up to 450 degrees F.
What I really love is that both the pan and the rack are made from commercial grade and heavy gauge aluminized steel. They’re heavy duty and they will last for a long time.
I also like the nonstick Americoat coating that is patented silicone coating which is PTFE, PFOA, and BPA free. I certainly approve of this kind of nonstick coating.
To make the coating last longer, don’t use metal utensils. Use silicone and wooden cooking utensils. And I recommend washing it by hand. We are advised to wash with hot water, mild soap and gentle sponge.
All in all, it’s great for home ovens that nowadays come with the air fry function but don’t include the necessary accessories, like a mesh basket.
But it’s also good for convection ovens that can be used or air frying even if they don’t have an air fry function. If we have convection, we’re good.
3. Gotham Steel Air Fryer Tray for Smaller Countertop Ovens
While it’s pretty easy to come across quite a lot of bigger air fryer trays for ovens, it’s a lot more difficult if you’re looking for a smaller size for a smaller oven.
Thus, I decided to recommend the Gotham Steel Air Fryer Tray for those looking for a smaller size.
The thing with these smaller air fryer trays is that they receive quite a large amount of negative reviews. It’s just hard to find one that is of good quality.
The Gotham Steel Air Fryer Tray is not perfect either. There are still quite a lot of negative reviews that you should check out but.
At least it’s not overly expensive.
Components & dimensions
We get 2 components:
- baking tray or crisper tray as they call it
- mesh basket where the ingredients are placed and cooked on, the tray is there to catch the grease that can drip from the basket
There are also two sizes to choose from.
The thing that interests us is the dimension of the tray because that is the component that goes on the rack in the oven.
The basket will have a smaller size, it’s going to be about 1 inch smaller than the tray because it needs to fit inside the tray.
The smaller tray measures 12.4 x 9.45 inches.
The bigger tray measures 13.4 x 11.4 inches.
Features
The first thing we must pay attention to is the fact that the Gotham Steel Air Fryer Tray is oven safe up to 500 degrees F.
However, there are some users who reported wrapping at lower temperatures so I wouldn’t say that this set is exactly heavy duty.
This set is a nonstick ceramic copper cookware. It is free of PFOA, PFOS, lead & cadmium.
The pan and the basket are made of aluminum.
4. Nordic Ware Extra Large Oven Crisping Baking Tray
The Nordic Ware Extra Large Oven Crisping Baking Tray is certainly quite different from all the other options that I review for the best air fryer tray for oven. So it deserves a spot among our options.
Components & dimensions
This is larger than any of the other sets I reviewed until now. Maybe some of you need this large set.
The set consists of:
- baking pan that measures 21.1 x 15.8 x 2.3 inches
- without the rack, the pan measures 21 x 15 x 2 inches but it’s bigger when the rack is fitted inside the pan because of the handles
- baking rack that measures 20.3 x 14.3 inches
Features
The only disappointing news is that it is oven safe only up to 400 degrees F.
The pan is made of aluminum with a carbon steel rack.
We are also advised to hand wash with warm, soapy water. Extended soaking is not recommended.
5. Frigidaire ReadyCook Air Fry Tray
As the name of the manufacturer suggests, this mesh basket is created for Frigidaire ovens.
However, there’s a certain problem we must be aware of.
There are quite a few user reviews that mention that this air fry basket doesn’t fit all Frigidaire models.
For example, it won’t fit wall mounted models.
If you own the Frigidaire Gallery 30 Inch Freestanding Induction Range, then it will fit.
So, you must measure before you buy to make sure that it will actually fit whatever Frigidaire oven you have that you intend to use as an air fryer thanks to this accessory.
Dimensions
The easiest way to make sure that our pick for the best air fryer tray for oven can work for our oven is to measure before buying.
The Frigidaire ReadyCook Air Fry Tray consists of two components:
- oven rack – this one measures 24.1” x 15.3”
- air fry basket – it measures 18.4” x 15.3” x 0.8”
The actual component we must worry about fitting inside our oven is the oven rack actually. Because the air fry basket is placed in the oven rack.
The oven rack acts as a support for the basket so we need to make sure that the oven rack can fit inside our oven, it needs to be a perfect match.
If the Frigidaire ReadyCook Air Fry Tray fits inside our Frigidaire oven, then we can get the same great taste and crispy texture of deep frying, while using just a few drops of oil.
It will help us cook foods like we would in an air fryer but without spending money on the air fryer, choosing to use our Frigidaire oven instead.
However, before doing that we must make sure that the oven rack is actually the right size for our appliance.
The manufacturer doesn’t recommend flipping the food during cooking, mentioning that with the ReadyCook Air Fry Tray air flows evenly to heat all sides of our food. That’s true, because the food is cooked in a mesh basket with hundreds or thousands of small holes.
However, air fryer manufacturers and users in general recommend flipping food halfway through the cooking time. Thus, I’ll stick to flipping my food, whether I’m using my air fryer or I’m cooking in a convection oven in the best air fry tray for oven.
Features
Since this oven rack + air fry basket is created for a home oven and not a small countertop oven, the size of the basket is quite big.
It means that we can cook a lot of food at the same time. It will be great for big families or for hosting people.
Frankly, that’s one major advantage over cooking in a small air fryer. We can certainly cook more food in the Frigidaire ReadyCook Air Fry Tray than in most air fryers.
The air fry basket sold as the Frigidaire ReadyCook Air Fry Tray can hold 2 pounds of chicken nuggets, 2.6 pounds of chicken wings, over 3 pounds of tater tots, and many other foods.
What it lacks
As we’ve already seen, the Frigidaire ReadyCook Air Fry Tray consists of 2 components: oven rack and the basket to cook the food in.
However, there’s one important component that isn’t included and I’m truly disappointed in that because this cooking accessory is not cheap at all.
We don’t get a tray to catch the grease and other liquids dripping from the mesh basket.
Frigidaire mentions that for the best results we should use the Frigidaire ReadyCook Air Fry Tray with the Frigidaire ReadyCook 16” Baking Sheet. But that baking sheet is sold separately, which is not good at all.
We can use any other baking sheet as long as it covers the entire size of the air fryer basket.
All in all, while I like the Frigidaire Frigidaire ReadyCook Air Fry Tray for the fact that it can transform a regular Frigidaire oven into an air fryer, I’m disappointed that it doesn’t include the baking sheet for catching the grease and anything else that drops from the basket.
And the price is quite expensive for what we get.
It would be cheaper to buy a baking rack and a baking sheet to place the oven rack on. Or to buy one the best air fryers under $50.
6. Ingcebo 13×9.6 Inch Stainless Steel Air Fryer Basket for Oven, Toaster Oven Crisper Tray
Since I only reviewed just one small set as the best air fryer tray for oven, I decided to end my reviews by recommending a second set that can be used on air fry mode in toaster ovens.
Since the tray is quite small, I wouldn’t recommend those with home ovens checking out this set from Ingcebo. This is specifically created for toaster ovens, for countertop ovens, thus the smaller size.
Components
We get a baking sheet that measures 13 x 9.6 inches.
Thus, it can be a good alternative to the two small sets offered by the Gotham Steel Air Fryer Tray for Smaller Countertop Ovens. If neither of those two sizes from Gotham work for your oven, then you can check out this air fryer basket for oven with its 13 x 9.6 inches stainless steel tray.
Of course, the basket where we actually cook the ingredients is smaller because it fits inside the tray. Thus, the dimension of the tray is the one we look at when we look for the best air fryer tray for oven.
Features
The Ingcebo baking sheet with rack set is great for cooking, baking, and toasting.
The basket and the tray are made with premium quality, durable, food-grade, non-toxic, heat resistant 304 stainless steel material. I like the use of stainless steel.
However, keep in mind that stainless steel is not non-stick. I recommend brushing a light coating of oil on the basket. Or you can use an oil sprat or oil mister.
It is dishwasher safe.
Best Air Fryer Tray for Oven FAQs
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions regarding our search for the best air fryer tray for oven or our search for the best air fryer basket for oven use.
1. What tray to use in air fryer oven?
The tray we can use in an air fryer oven is actually a set consisting of: a baking sheet that houses a baking rack or an air fryer basket. This combination is needed because the principal of an air fryer is hot air that circulates around out food from all sides, 360 ° cycle heating. Thus, what we place in a baking sheet needs to be a basket or a rack that has tiny holes so the food is cooked more quickly.
2. Can I put an air fryer tray in the oven?
There are quite a few ovens that have an air fry mode but don’t include the needed cooking accessory. Moreover, we can use an air fryer tray in the oven even if we don’t have an air fry mode. Just use the convection mode to cook your food and you’d be imitating how an air fryer works.
3. What is the best tray for the air fryer?
If you don’t want to buy a set like the ones I recommended above, in a variety of dimensions, there is an alternative we can employ as we’re looking for the best air fryer tray for oven. You can buy a baking sheet that fits your oven and then buy a baking rack that fits inside that baking sheet. That’s basically what the Checkered Chef Baking Sheet for Oven offers. And what the USA Pan Bakeware Baking Pan and Bakeable Nonstick and Cooling Rack Set and the Nordic Ware Extra Large Oven Crisping Baking Tray also offer. All in all, what should firstly matter when we’re looking for the best air fryer tray for oven is to find the tray that can fit the racks in our oven so I hope that my recommendations will help you find what you’re looking for.
