Is there a difference between a convection oven and an air fryer? If so, can you utilize them in the same way?
Is there a difference between a convection oven and an air fryer? If so, can you utilize them in the same way? We understand you have concerns. Here’s the lowdown:
Since their introduction into households as futuristic orb-like machines offering healthier cooking options for our favorite cheat-day foods, air fryers have come a long way. According to Amazon data, the device debuted in 2005. Still, it didn’t become a piece of standard kitchen equipment until 2018, when it was designated the “it” present for Christmas. Air fryers were used to reheat meals on flights, but we quickly discovered that you could create more with an air fryer than fry chicken wings without using much oil. We now use this modern countertop appliance for baking, rehydrating, roasting, and re-crisping leftovers, just as we did with our convection ovens, which made us wonder. Is there a distinction between an air fryer and a convection oven?
Because an air fryer is essentially a miniature convection oven, the outcomes of dishes fried in one are equivalent to those of a convection oven.
What Exactly Is a Convection Oven?
Convection ovens employ a powerful fan to circulate hot air within the range, allowing cooks to reduce cooking times, regulate food quality consistency, and raise and decrease browning with a more uniform appearance. Before being modified for domestic usage, convection ovens were popular in commercial kitchens. Now, numerous home convection choices are available, ranging from traditional ovens with a convection capability to countertop ovens.
Convection ovens are excellent for roasting meats, baking pizzas, baking casseroles, roasting vegetables, and baking scones and crisp cookies. Because cooking time in a convection oven is faster than in a traditional range, you’ll need to convert recipes using this convection oven conversion guide unless you’re using a formula for a convection oven.
What Exactly Is an Air Fryer?
Air fryers, like convection ovens, use a fan to circulate hot air around the food. Only air fryers are often smaller, and their fans circulate air more quickly. These little fryers heat up quickly and use a fryer basket or perforated tray to spread the heat and reduce cooking time.
Air fryers are extremely easy to use and may produce golden French fries, crunchy fried pickles, or crispy kale chips with as little as a tablespoon of oil. Yet, many serious cooks dislike the small size. Because they were so limited in scope, I never considered countertop home air-fryer devices. I like to cook in my Gourmet multi-function countertop oven because cooking with hot fat on the stove is dangerous and adds too many calories.
Most convection ovens can air-fry. However, not all air fryers can do the same. The primary distinction between an air fryer and a convection oven is size, with a convection oven generally having more area for cooking larger amounts of food at once. The fan in an air fryer is at the top, which cooks food slightly faster than the fan in a convection oven located at the back of the oven. Yet, unlike an air fryer, a convection oven requires no additional equipment or accessories.
In Conclusion
The decision between an air fryer and a convection oven is purely subjective. Some people enjoy the tiny size of an air fryer. In contrast, others prefer a convection oven with all the cooking options and possibilities. For those who are still undecided, a combination could be the answer. I spent less than $150 on a Gourmet toaster oven air fryer to replace my toaster last year. It’s square and has a slightly larger capacity than a standard air fryer. It works similarly to a commercial convection oven and an air fryer. It’s simple to use and has a faster preheat time than a traditional home oven. It uses less energy because it takes less time to cook, and I like throwing in bread to toast, potatoes, or chicken sausages to roast when I don’t have much time.
How to Use a Convection Oven as an Air Fryer
Because air fryers and convection ovens cook meals around 20 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit lower than a normal range, many air fryer recipes work in a convection oven. The conversion is quite similar if there is enough airflow for air-frying, like a basket tray. A perforated tray or even a sizeable air-frying basket for a convection oven would aid in crisping meals in a convection oven to get the same air-fried results, particularly with these air-fryer egg rolls and air-fryer jalapeno poppers. Because many air-fryer recipes are for small batches, you can easily double the recipe for a convection oven; space food out on the tray— for air-fried Brussels sprouts, air-fried cauliflower, and air-fried chicken tenders—to ensure the air can touch all sides. Cooking times for recipes may be close in an air fryer and a convection oven. Remember that air fryers cook somewhat faster than convection ovens, so that some air-fryer recipes may take slightly longer. Check to see if the meal is at the time specified in the recipe, then check every two to three minutes to see if it needs extra time to brown.
Is Using an Air Fryer Healthier Than Using a Convection Oven?
Because air fryers and convection ovens pump air around your food, the difference is more about what you put in them. You must coat your meal with oil in a convection oven to ensure even distribution. Still, in an air fryer, you’ll need about two teaspoons (or less) of oil in the basket. Hence, if you trust the process and allow the air to do most of the work, the outcomes from an air fryer can be healthier.
Does a Convection Oven Crisp Food?
A convection oven crisps up your food more than a standard oven, especially if you cook it on an oven-safe cooling rack, which allows air to circulate across the entire meal surface.
What Exactly is the Distinction Between an Air Fryer and an Air Fryer Oven?
In a nutshell, size. A full-size oven with an air fry setting is known as an air fryer. A significant advantage of an air fryer oven over a countertop air fryer is that it can cook more food at once because it has a bigger capacity.