Air fryers and convection ovens are both using a fan to circulate hot air to cook food faster than traditional ovens.
Air Fryer vs Convection Oven
The difference between an air fryer and a convection oven is that air fryers are smaller and have a faster cooking time. Air fryers also don’t require a large heating appliance. Convection ovens are cheaper, comparatively, and their cleanup is easier than an average air fryer.
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It has a removable bucket with a handle, and a removable basket fits inside. The bucket, filled with food, is inserted into the device, turned on, and the cooking begins.
Because of the increased air circulation, a convection oven cooks food faster than a conventional non-fan oven, which solely depends on natural convection to circulate hot air.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of comparison | Air Fryer | Convection oven |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Air fryers are smaller and more compact | Convection ovens will take up counter space as they are bigger |
| Fan placement | Located at the back | Located at either the back, in the center or on the side |
| Fan size | Larger and faster fans | Smaller and slower fans |
| Heating | Air enters from the top | Air enters from the top and the bottom. |
| Cleaning | Cleanup is difficult | Cleanup is easier |
What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is an instrument that utilizes little to no oil to cook food quickly. The heating elements are usually found on top of the unit and are accompanied by a huge fan.
The frying chamber of an air fryer radiates heat from a heating element near the food, and hot air is circulated by a fan.
Their perforated racks also allow fat to drain into the drip pan, keeping your food from absorbing too much oil and making it crispier.
When compared to non-convection ovens, air fryer cooking times can be lowered by up to 20%.
What is a Convection Oven?
A convection oven functions similarly to an oven, with heating components on both the top and bottom.
Convection ovens circulate hot air within the oven using a strong fan, allowing cooks to reduce cooking times, maintain consistent food quality, and increase and decrease browning with a more uniform appearance.
Many perforated accessories are available for air fryers, allowing for quick and easy frying with no effort. Among the items are air fryer baskets, trays, racks, rotisserie spits, and kebab skewers.
The airflow is directed at the food, which is normally transported by a conveyor belt through the oven.
Main Differences Between an Air Fryer and a Convection Oven
- To help with heating, the air enters from the top in air fryers and from the top and bottom in convection ovens.
- In convection ovens, the cleaning is easier than in air fryers. In air fryers, you need to clean all the utensils included like the perforated tray, food basket, etc. In convection ovens, you only need to clean the pan.
- https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/402064
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2002.tb08740.x
- https://ifst.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-4549.2004.23075.x
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
