Home » Blog » Kitchen Tips » Convection Oven vs. Air FryerConvection Oven vs. Air Fryer Published: Oct 15, 2022 by Andrea + Stef · This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for details. Learn the key differences between a convection oven and an air fryer. What is the difference between convection oven vs. air fryer?. We love convection cooking because it cooks food faster, more evenly and creates crispy skin on roasted chicken and turkey. But does it make sense to buy an air fryer when you already have a convection oven in your kitchen? This post will provide you with the most important details and major differences as well as pros and cons about convection ovens vs. air fryers. Even though both kitchen appliances are “related” there are some interesting distinctions between these two types of ovens. Table of Contents How Does A Convection Oven Work?Different Types of Convection Ovens Pros and Cons of a Convection Oven How To Convert A Recipe To Convection Oven Best Things To Cook In A Convection Oven How Does An Air Fryer Work?Different Types Of Air FryersRecommended Tools Pros and Cons of an Air Fryer Best Things To Cook In An Air Fryer Stef says….How To Use A Convection Oven As An Air Fryer?Amazing Air Fryer Recipes:Andrea says….Common Questions How Does A Convection Oven Work? A convection oven has 2-3 heating elements, one on the top, one on the bottom and some have an additional one in the back. A convection oven with 2 heating elements is often called a “traditional” or “American” convection oven. While a convection oven with a third heating element is known as a “true” or “European” convection oven. What makes a convection oven different from a traditional oven is the fan and exhaust system. Convection fans circulate the hot air throughout the cooking process and the exhaust valve vents moisture to keep a dry atmosphere within the oven cavity. Different Types of Convection Ovens There are many different kinds of convection appliances to choose from. If you already have a traditional built-in oven in your kitchen (conventional oven), you may want to buy a countertop convection oven. Otherwise you can choose from free standing convection ovens, built-in models as well as convection oven and range combinations. You can either pick a true convection oven or a 2-in-1 combination of a convection and regular oven. The latter has both, a regular oven as well as a convection setting. Pros and Cons of a Convection Oven PROS: Cooking Multiple Dishes At Once: The convection oven fan makes it possible to evenly cook multiple dishes on different racks at the same time.No Need To Rotate Baking Dishes: The air circulation cooks food evenly. So you can cook multiple dishes on different shelves at the same time. Creates Crispy Outside: The hot air sears the outside of meat, keeping juices on the inside and creating a crispy outside. Less Cooking Time: Convection ovens cook food about 25-30% faster than regular ovens.More Efficient: Lower temperature and shorter cooking times guarantee less use of energy. CONS: Preheating: While most air fryers start cooking instantly, convection ovens need to be preheated. Most Recipes Need Adjusting: The majority of recipes, especially family recipes that have been passed down from generations, need some adjusting to work properly. This mostly concerns baking temperature and length of cooking time. Overcrowding Reduces Functionality: Cooking too many dishes at once may cause longer baking times and uneven cooking.Works Best With Specific Bakeware: A lot of manufacturers recommend using rimless or low rim baking dishes. This special bakeware lets the hot air circulate better. Maintenance: With additional heating elements and fan(s) a convection oven has more parts that might break down and therefore might cause higher maintenance fees. How To Convert A Recipe To Convection Oven A traditional convection oven will have a shorter cook time and lower temperature than the instructions call for in a recipe created for a standard oven. The general rule of thumb is to cook your recipe at 25°F lower. If your recipe calls for cooking an item at 350°F in a standard oven, cook it at 325°F in a convection oven. Cook time is generally lower but you will need to keep an eye on your food to determine when it is done. Most people say cook time is about 25% faster in the convection oven. Best Things To Cook In A Convection Oven The hot air circulation works great for roasting meats and vegetables. Roasts and Poultry: Larger roasts, as well as whole chickens and turkeys only fit in a full size convection oven. The circulating hot air sears the outside of meat, therefore locking in the juices and creating a crispy outside with tender and juicy meat inside. Bakes and Casseroles: They bake more evenly.Potatoes and Vegetables: Similar to meat, vegetables become slightly crispy on the outside, while being soft and perfectly cooked in the middle. Baked Goods: They bake more evenly without the need to rotate the baking sheet. Convection baking yields similar results in a shorter amount of time. WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love crispy and delicious roast chicken, then you’ll love our amazing Convection Oven Roast Chicken. It’s juicy and flavorful, seasoned with a homemade spice rub and cooked to perfection in the convection oven. How Does An Air Fryer Work? Air fryers are countertop appliances that actually don’t do any frying at all. The heating element is a coil usually located at the top. A strong fan, that sits right below the heating element, then distributes the hot air. This means, that they are basically mini convection ovens that also cook food by circulating very hot air around it. They use little to no oil and create extra crispy results. Different Types Of Air Fryers There are three main types of countertop air fryers. The most common one is probably the BASKET AIR FRYER. Basket air fryers come with a removable air fryer basket in which the food is placed. The second type is the AIR FRYER OVEN. This countertop air fryer oven often comes as a toaster/air fryer oven combo, with racks and little baking sheets. Compared to the basket air fryer, you can usually also bake, broil, toast or cook rotisserie chickens in the air fryer oven. The third option would be a PADDLE AIR FRYER. It comes with a built in stirring paddle that moves food during cooking and ensures even results. However, the paddle takes up room in the air fryer and makes cooking larger foods impossible. Recommended Tools Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale. Air Fryer – This recipe requires an air fryer. We have both this Cosori air fryer, which is wonderful, and this Cuisinart Air Fryer, which we also love. The Cuisinart also has convection oven and toaster oven capacity. You can buy an air fryer with a basket with high sides that food goes into or a tray type of machine. The trays are shallow but are usually longer and can accomodate more food in a single layer. The style and type of air fryer that is best comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer the small size while others want a higher capacity. Some want a removable basket and others want trays. Pros and Cons of an Air Fryer PROS: Creates The Crispiest Food: Besides deep fryers, air fryers produce the crispiest food. Air fryers rotate hot air faster than convection ovens and therefore make food crispier. No hot oil required for crisp results.Healthy Meals: Even with little to no oil, food still comes out very crispy without being oily and fatty. It is therefore much healthier than deep frying. No Preheating Necessary: With most air fryers there is no need for preheating, which makes the cooking process faster.Cooks Even Faster Than A Convection Oven: The rapidly circulating air cooks food faster. More Efficient: No preheating and shorter cooking times guarantee less use of energy.No Unpleasant Smell: As air fryers don’t use oil, they also don’t fill up your kitchen with unwanted “frying odors”. Great for 1-2 people: Air fryers are great when you mostly cook for one or two people. No need to heat up a big convection or traditional oven. CONS: Smaller Than A Convection Oven: A lot of recipes have to be cooked in small batches. Air fry ovens are generally made to cook a few servings at a time.Overcrowding Reduces Functionality: Overcrowding the air fryer basket causes uneven cooking. When your food completely covers the perforated tray the air isn’t able to circulate as well.Takes Up Extra Counter/Storage Space: Another kitchen appliance that needs room on the counter or in a cabinet. Can Be Loud: Depending on your model, the fan that circulates the air can be quite noisy. Cost: Depending on the model you are looking at, good air fryers can easily cost a couple hundred dollars. Best Things To Cook In An Air Fryer Even though an air fryer works great for most foods, here are a few foods that turn out exceptionally well. Vegetables: Slightly crispy on the the outside and perfectly tender on the inside, air fried vegetables come out truly cooked to perfection. Potatoes: Crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside, air fryers create amazing potato sides. Chicken Parts: Juicy and tender meat with the most crispy skin. Although, most air fryers might be too small for a whole chicken. Leftovers: While the microwave turns lots of leftovers into a soggy mess, the air fryer brings it back to almost freshly cooked condition. Pre-made Frozen Food: Air fryers cook fries, tater tots, chicken nuggets, fish sticks or bagel bites, for example, quicker and crisper than an oven ever could. Stef says…. Did you know that you can even cook steak in the air fryer? This Air Fryer Filet Mignon recipe is going to be your go to when it comes to cooking the perfect steak! Not only is it a quick meal, but also restaurant quality and never dry! How To Use A Convection Oven As An Air Fryer? A lot of convection ovens have an additional air fry setting or mode. This means that you can also use your convection oven as an air fryer. For optimal results use a special convection oven air fryer tray or basket. They are usually dishwasher save and therefore guarantee easy cleanup. Some other big advantages of using your convection oven for air frying food are for example, that there is no more need for an extra appliance sitting on your counter. Additionally you can cook larger amounts of food at once, which means no more need for air frying in batches. WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: Air fryers even come in handy when you are making breakfast. These super yummy Egg Bites are moist and spongy mini omelettes that are packed with veggies and protein. They are the perfect hand held breakfast or snack. Amazing Air Fryer Recipes: We absolutely love cooking with the air fryer, since it makes healthier food in less time. Moreover it is incredibly versatile and you can make anything, from appetizer to dessert in this super handy appliance. Take a look at our favorite air fryer recipes. They are quick, easy to follow and amazingly delicious: APPETIZERS: Chipotle Chicken Stuffed PastaPasta ChipsTaco Stuffed Pasta ShellsPizza Bites VEGETABLES: BroccoliBrussels Sprouts with BaconAsparagusCarrots with Balsamic GlazeCauliflowerBeetsGreen BeansRoasted VegetablesZucchini Fries POTATOES: Baked PotatoesBaked Sweet PotatoesPotato WedgesHasselback PotatoesTater TotsFrozen French Fries MEAT AND FISH: Lemon ChickenChipotle Chicken WingsFried FishMeatballsHamburgersSalmon with garlic lemon rubRibsTilapia Fish Sticks DESSERTS: CookiesCookie for OnePineapple Andrea says…. The air fryer is a great way to cook a meal using less energy than an oven. It’s quicker, and many people say it produces a tastier result! There is no need to be intimidated, because air fryers are very simple appliances. But if you are a beginner, try some of these easy Air Fryer Recipes For Beginners and you will be confident in your air frying skills in no time. Convection Oven Turkey Convection Oven Baked Potatoes Convection Oven Roast Chicken The Difference Between Convection Oven vs. Conventional Oven Common Questions What does carry-over cooking mean? This means, even after you have taken your food out of the convection oven it will keep on cooking for a couple of minutes. This makes it especially important for meat, to let it rest for 5-10 minutes after taking it out of the oven. This way the juices have time to redistribute and therefore ensure extra juicy meat. Do I need to baste meat while cooking in a convection oven? No, generally there is no need to baste meat cooking in a convection oven. The circulating hot air sears the outside of the meat and therefore locking in all its juices. However, if you are using a special marinade or sauce, baste the meat during the last hour of roasting. Is it ok to use parchment paper in the air fryer? Yes, you can definitely use parchment paper in the air fryer, and for some recipes it is even better to do so. Parchment paper helps baked goods such as cookies or biscuits keep their shape, it also makes cleaning the air fryer basket a lot easier. Make sure to use proper parchment paper and not wax paper. Wax paper cannot be used in an air fryer, as it is not heat safe and is only meant to be used at room temperature. Can you make your own air fryer parchment paper? To make your own perforated parchment paper, make sure you cut the piece of parchment paper slightly smaller than your air fryer basket like store bought air fryer liners. This will allow for air circulation. Then use a small hole punch and punch a bunch of holes into the paper. Alternatively you can use a toothpick and punch a couple of holes into the cut paper that way. The free edges of the air fryer basket and the holes in the paper allow the hot air in your air fryer to circulate properly. Can I use aluminum foil in the air fryer? In general, it is ok to use foil in an air fryer. Check the manual of your appliance before you use foil to make sure you know how the air fryer works and it is approved by the manufacturer. You might also find a list of helpful instructions on how to use foil in your air fryer correctly within your manual. Read all about the best way to use aluminum foil in the air fryer. PinShareTweet