Oven to air fryer conversion calculator
An air fryer is a small oven with a very powerful fan. The air moves so fast that food cooks sooner and at a lower temperature, which is why an oven recipe followed to the letter in the air fryer comes out burnt outside and raw inside.
Enter the temperature and minutes from your oven recipe and you'll get the air fryer equivalent.
In the air fryer, set
375°F(190 °C)
24min
Start checking at 18 minutes. Adding two minutes is easy; rescuing something overcooked isn't.
- Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes: food sears instead of slowly drying out.
- Don't fill the basket more than two-thirds. If air can't flow, nothing gets crispy.
- Shake the basket halfway through: in an air fryer the heat comes mostly from above.
The 25-degree, 20-percent rule
The conversion that works for almost everything is to lower the temperature by about 25 °F (20 °C) and cut the time by around 20 %. A recipe at 400 °F for 30 minutes becomes 375 °F for 24 minutes.
It works because the air circulates much faster in an air fryer and transfers heat to the food far more efficiently. It's the same reason convection ovens are usually set about 25 °F lower than conventional ones.
It's a rule, not a law: start checking a few minutes before the math says. Every appliance has its quirks, and small baskets cook faster than large ones.
What changes besides the time
Quantity matters more than in the oven. On a sheet pan food can be crowded; in an air fryer, if air can't flow between the pieces, nothing browns. The practical rule is to fill the basket no more than two-thirds and cook in two batches rather than piling food up.
Shake the basket. In an oven the heat comes from all sides; in an air fryer it comes mostly from above, so move the food halfway through so it cooks evenly.
Batters need a pan. You can't pour a cake or a custard into the basket: use an oven-safe dish that fits, which reduces air flow and adds a little time.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert an oven recipe to the air fryer?
Lower the temperature by about 25 °F (20 °C) and cut the time by around 20 %. Check for doneness before the timer runs out: adding two minutes is much easier than rescuing something overcooked.
Why does an air fryer cook faster than an oven?
Because of the fan. It moves hot air around the food at high speed, which multiplies heat transfer. The chamber is also small, so it heats up in two minutes instead of fifteen.
Can I put any dish in the air fryer?
Any oven-safe dish that fits and leaves a couple of finger-widths around it for air to flow: metal, ceramic or tempered glass. Never plastic that isn't specifically rated for it, and no loose parchment without food on top, because the fan blows it into the heating element.
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