9 Best Heat-Resistant Mats For Air Fryers [2024]
Air fryers can provide us with crispy food that satisfies our craving for fried goods, but in a much healthier way. While we hate to say anything disparaging about these incredible machines, there is one major drawback to using them.
Air fryers work so well because they get so hot, generally operating at around 400°F. This is not unusual for an oven, but these small machines generate these high temperatures while sitting directly on your countertop.
If you’re not careful, they can ruin your counters and even cause fire hazards. A heat-resistant mat underneath your air fryer will protect your home and ensure you can enjoy your air fried foods with peace of mind as often as you’d like.
So what are the best heat-resistant mats for air fryers? The best heat-resistant mats for air fryers will be made of durable materials like silicone or steel-enforced rubber, be the right size for your counter, and have a relatively high heat resistance, at least up to 400°F.
In this article, we’ve reviewed 9 of the best heat-resistant mats for air fryer and we’ll also explain what to look for in a heat-resistant mat as you shop the endless options.
What Is a Heat-Resistant Mat?
There are many types of heat-resistant mats, used in various industries for a wide variety of occasions.
For the purpose of this article, heat-resistant mats are designed to protect your countertops from exposure to high heat sources or regular heat exposure.
Your air fryer may not throw as much heat outside the device as it does inside, but it does give off heat that can damage its surroundings, especially if it’s used often.
The constantly changing temperature underneath an air fryer can crack, melt, or otherwise damage your countertop. A heat-resistant mat underneath your air fryer will protect against this.
Heat-resistant mats should not be confused for air fryer liners. If that’s what you’re looking for, you may want to try using parchment paper in your air fryer instead.
Are Cutting Mats Heat-Resistant?
Cutting mats have become extremely popular in recent years and are pretty amazing, but they shouldn’t be used as a heat-resistant mat underneath your air fryer.
Cutting mats are typically designed for hobbies and crafts, though some cooks also use them in the kitchen. They are considered self-healing because their material is designed to fill back in after being cut.
They are usually heat-resistant, but this is not their primary purpose and repeated heat exposure will damage the material over time. It also won’t last underneath your air fryer as long as a proper heat-resistant mat will.
Why Do You Need a Heat-Resistant Mat?
You’ve no doubt heard the saying, “with great power comes great responsibility.” This is true for many aspects of life and can also be applied to the use of an air fryer.
These machines are designed to safely reach very high temperatures, however, to do so safely, especially if you use your air fryer regularly, you need to protect your countertops.
Purchasing a heat-resistant mat is an easy way to keep your countertops safe and sound.
If you only ever use your machine when it is sitting on a specific mat, you will know that the machine itself is safe, your counters are safe, and cleanup is going to be quick and easy, even if you happen to drip or drop something.
What to Look For in a Heat-Resistant Mat
Not all countertop mats are created equal. If you’re shopping for a heat-resistant mat specifically for use under your air fryer, here are a few features to consider:
- Heat-Resistance: Air fryers may be used on average around 400°F, but they can get much hotter and it’s ideal to have your mat be safe for use up to at least 450°F+.
- Material: Most heat-resistant mats are made of silicone, but not all of them are. No matter what it is made from, if it is for use in your kitchen, you want to be sure it is specifically food-safe and certified BPA-free.
- Size: You will want to be sure that the mat is larger than your air fryer but still fits well on your countertop.
When you’re shopping for a heat-resistant mat, consider how often you use your air fryer and whether you’ll be using your mat for any other purposes.
If you use your air fryer daily, the mat will probably stay in place under your air fryer at all times.
However, if you only bring out your air fryer a few times a month, you may also want to use your mat for other purposes, such as a tabletop heat protector, cutting mat, or even stove cover.
If you’re going to use your mat for other purposes, make sure you check the manufacturer’s recommendations before you buy to be certain it will suit all your needs.
9 Best Heat-Resistant Mats For Air Fryers
Now that you know what to look for in a heat-resistant mat, let’s take a closer look at the 9 best heat-resistant mats for air fryers.
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Smithcraft Lucky Plus Silicone Rubber Mat | Silicone, resistant up to 480°F |
| 2. | ZLR Silicone Heat Resistant Hot Pot Holder | Silicone, resistant up to 450°F |
| 3. | Gasare Silicone Kitchen Countertop Protector | Silicone, resistant up to 446°F |
| 4. | Larsic Stove Cover | Rubber, resistant up to 400°F |
| 5. | MicoYang Silicone Mat for Kitchen Counter | Silicone, resistant up to 450°F |
| 6. | Max2co Heat Resistant Silicone Placemat | Silicone, resistant up to 446°F |
| 7. | WD-KC Countertop Protector Mat | Rubber, steel, and non-stick aluminum |
| 8. | Supmat Heat Resistant Silicone Mat | Silicone, resistant up to 450°F |
| 9. | LinCan Silicone Mat Countertop Protector | Silicone, resistant up to 390°F |
Any of these options are certain to protect your countertops, but each has slightly different features that could make an important difference in your household.
1. Smithcraft Lucky Plus Silicone Rubber Mat
This mat is a great example of everything we look for in a heat-resistant mat. Most notably is the max temperature of 480°F or higher.
This is ideal, especially if you use your air fryer regularly.
The size is also very reasonable, especially because they come in a package of 2.
One mat will be large enough for smaller air fryers but you can also line up both mats underneath larger machines for better coverage.
It’s even available in a very impressive range of colors, from sunshine yellow to basic beige.
Key Features:
- Size: 9”x12” (2 pack)
- Resistant up to: 480°F
- Material: Silicone
Biggest Drawback:
Many heat-resistant mats have ribbing or ridges to help with airflow and heat dispersion, but the grooves in this mat are quite significant. Depending on how you’re using them, the mat might require regular cleaning.
2. ZLR Silicone Heat-Resistant Hot Pot Holder
This silicone mat is marketed as a dish drying rack, which it will also work well for, but given the convenient sizing and high resistance to heat, it also works very well as a mat for your air fryer.
Most of the mats on this list are very versatile, and the flexible nature of this mat is promising.
What sets this mat apart from many of the others is the range of neutral colors that it comes in, as well as the shallow wave grooves for easy air flow.
Key Features:
- Size: 16”x12” or 18”x16”
- Resistant up to: 450°F
- Material: Silicone
Biggest Drawback:
If the ridges from the previous mat were difficult to clean, the wavy lines in this mat are even more tricky.
Unfortunately, because it’s marketed for use under a dish rack, the water collection can create messy, even moldy counters.
If you’re using it under your air fryer, however, this shouldn’t be an issue, though we do recommend making sure it’s completely dry after you wash it before you place it back underneath your machine.
3. Gasare Silicone Kitchen Countertop Protector
These silicone mats are nice and thick and not ridged, which is very useful when it comes to cleaning your mat.
We also love that one of the many color options is transparent, which is appealing if the countertop you’re trying to protect is too beautiful to hide.
Key Features:
- Size: 25”x17” (2 pack)
- Resistant up to: 446°F
- Material: Silicone
Biggest Drawback:
It’s very difficult to smooth creases and bumps out of thin silicone, and these mats are a bit thinner than other mentions on this list.
4. Larsic Stove Cover
This mat is unique in that it’s designed to cover ceramic stovetops, giving you more space to work without risking the surface of your stove.
They have a heat-resistant bottom and top layer, for this reason, but they also work effectively underneath an air fryer.
This option might be useful if you plan on using your mat for multiple purposes, as it comes in many different sizes and colors.
Key Features:
- Size: Multiple
- Resistant up to: 400°F
- Material: Rubber
Biggest Drawback:
The maximum temperature for this heat-resistant mat is 400°F, which is lower than we usually like to see underneath an air fryer.
If you only use your air fryer infrequently, rather than every day, it will work well, if not quite as great as other options.
If your countertop is granite or concrete, you’ll be fine with this mat. If it’s laminate, however, you may want to opt for a mat with higher heat tolerance.
5. MicoYang Silicone Mat for Kitchen Counter
This is almost identical to the ZLR mats previously listed.
We appreciate both of them but, depending on the day you’re browsing Amazon, you may find a difference in availability or price, so having a backup or comparison is convenient if this is the style of mat you choose to purchase.
Key Features:
- Size: 16”x12” or 18”x16”
- Resistant up to: 450°F
- Material: Silicone
Biggest Drawback:
As with most silicone mats, this one takes a while to dry thoroughly, but you will want to make sure there is no water left on it before using it underneath your air fryer to prevent evaporation or condensation from forming from the heat.
6. Max2co Heat-Resistant Silicone Placemat
These mats are quite large and available in either singles or in 2-packs, in a variety of both bright and neutral colors.
They are thin, though effective up to nearly 450°F. They’re also smooth, rather than ridged, which makes them easy to clean and very space-efficient if you’re rolling them up to store.
Key Features:
- Size: 23.6”x15.7”
- Resistant up to: 446°F
- Material: Silicone
Biggest Drawback:
This is one of the thinnest mats on our list. For many people, that’s a perk, but for underneath your air fryer it can be concerning.
It is heat-resistant and will protect your countertops, but we’d recommend this one for occasional use rather than daily usage.
7. WD-KC Countertop Protector Mat
This one of two countertop protectors on our list that isn’t made of silicone. This one is steel coated with non-stick aluminum.
Aluminum heats and cools quickly whereas steel takes longer to heat up and cool down. The combination, along with the rubber base, serves well to protect your countertops from the heat exhausted from an air fryer.
Key Features:
- Size: 7”x7” (2-pack) or 20”x8.5”
- Resistant up to: not stated
- Material: Rubber base topped with aluminum-coated steel
Biggest Drawback:
There is no clear indication from the manufacturer as to the maximum temperature these mats can withstand. However, it is made mostly of high-heat-resistant metals and is designed to be used under an air fryer.
8. Supmat Heat-Resistant Silicone Mat
These mats are a good size, thicker than average, and non-textured so they’re very easy to clean.
There’s nothing else that makes them stand out, but sometimes that isn’t necessary. Being good at what they’re made for is the most important feature, and this mat certainly delivers.
Key Features:
- Size: 15.7”x23.6”
- Resistant up to: 450°F
- Material: Silicone
Biggest Drawback:
This mat is quite long, which can either be great or inconvenient, depending on the space you have in your kitchen. If you need to size it down, the good news is that it’s easy to trim!
9. LinCan Silicone Mat Countertop Protector
We truly appreciate the versatility of this mat. It is a clean white color but it comes in a variety of sizes that are as large as 31.5”x 23.6”.
This is large enough to fit under even a large air fryer, but it also increases the functionality of the mat, if you want to be able to use it for multiple purposes.
Key Features:
- Size: Multiple
- Resistant up to: 390°F
- Material: Silicone
Biggest Drawback:
This mat has the lowest heat-resistance of all the mats on our list, maxing out at 390°F.
Depending on what you cook in your air fryer, how often you use it, and what type of counters you have, this may be sufficient, but if you’re not sure, you might want to choose one of the previous options.
