What’s the Difference Between a Convection Oven and an Air Fryer?

If you already own a great convection oven, it may not make much sense to you to spend money on an air dryer despite all the hype it has been getting in recent times.

In this article, we explore some of what differentiates the air fryer from the oven, but first, let’s start with the definition of the air fryer.

What Is an Air Fryer?

Air fryers are sort of like mini convection ovens, but there are some major differences. They both use a fan to circulate hot air, but the smaller size of the air fryer allows it to heat up faster and cook food quicker than a full-sized oven.

Also, air fryers often include a drip tray to collect any excess oil or moisture, severely reducing the amount of fat and calories you ultimately consume.

What Is a Convection Oven?

Regular ovens depend on natural convection, which occurs when hot air rises and cooler air sinks, creating a flow of hot air to cook food. However, this heat is not evenly distributed, resulting in uneven cooking as the food closer to the bottom heating elements will cook faster.

Convection ovens are normal ovens equipped with a fan, usually in the back, that circulates the hot air, cooking the food faster and more evenly compared to a regular oven. The fan also allows for more precise temperature control and better heat distribution.

The Verdict: An Air Fryer Or a Convection Oven?

There are a few things to consider before choosing.

First, what quantity of food are you cooking? If you're cooking for a group, the air fryer might not be the best idea as there may not be enough space. In such a case, using a full-sized convection oven makes more sense. If you must use the fryer, you can cook food in batches, but then you must keep the first batch warm while cooking the second batch.

However, if you only need to cook a small batch, just enough for one or two people, the smaller size of the air fryer heats up quickly and cooks the food a lot faster, saving you time.

Secondly, how much heat can your kitchen handle? Hot summer days get worse when you turn on the oven. But since air fryers are smaller and faster than regular ovens, they give off less heat and thus won't affect the temperature in your kitchen nearly as much.