Air Fryer vs Oven: Top 6 Differences You Should Consider Before Your Next Purchase

The trusted oven has been a part of households for more than six decades. With the advancement of technology, the air fryer has emerged as a viable alternative that can cook smaller portions quicker and uses little to no oil for healthier cooking. Many think the two are interchangeable, that an air fryer can replace a microwave oven, or vice versa. But there are significant differences between an air fryer vs oven regarding the cooking methods, sizes, timing, and more. 

So, how is an air fryer different from an oven, and which one would be best for your next purchase? Let’s find out.

Air Fryer vs Oven: What is an Oven?

To understand the difference between oven and air fryer, let’s start with the basics. A regular oven is an appliance with heating elements on its sides. In the case of a convection oven, the healing elements are on the top and bottom. It usually has a fan at the back, which helps cook the food faster and more evenly. The fan can also be turned off for baking to mimic a traditional oven. 

Convection ovens come with various accessories to help with grilling, rotisserie, baking, or toasting. Some convection ovens provide an inbuilt air fryer to carry out its function and other OTG functions in one kitchen appliance. 

Air Fryer vs Oven: What is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is a smaller appliance with one main heating element at the top, which works with a powerful fan below the heating, making your cooking process very convenient. It cooks food in a basket with very little to absolutely no oil. The food is cooked faster as the heated air circulates in smaller spaces, making the food crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. 

An air fryer is used for cooking food that is meant to be crunchy. The main difference between air fryer and toaster oven is that a toaster oven, or an OTG, can carry out various cooking methods and can be used to instantly reheat food without preheating. At the same time, an air fryer needs to be preheated and can only perform a few of the functions that a convection oven can, at a smaller quantity. 

Key Difference Between Oven and Air Fryer

If you are confused between choosing an air fryer vs conventional oven, here are the top 6 differences to help you choose the most suitable option. 

Air Fryer vs Oven #1: Size 

The main distinction between oven vs air fryer is the size. An air fryer is a much smaller countertop appliance. An oven, be it a microwave, an OTG or a convection oven, can be found in various sizes, usually larger than an air fryer. 
An oven can cook more food. Multiple dishes can be made in it or reheated simultaneously. Since an air fryer is small, the food must be cooked in batches. 

Air Fryer vs Oven #2: Timing

Since an oven is larger, it takes longer to preheat, which means baking or grilling takes longer in an oven. However, a microwave makes it possible to reheat food within minutes, but the food might be soggy and not crunchy. 

Since air fryers are smaller, preheating takes less time when compared to an oven. Baking, grilling, and more can be done faster since the heating element is closer to the food. When reheating food, the air fryer must be preheated to make the food crunchy, which may take some time. 

Air Fryer vs Oven #3: Heating

Another main difference between oven and air fryer is that in an oven, there are multiple heating elements, usually 2, located on the side or top and bottom. Due to its size, an air fryer has just one heating element on the top. It helps concentrate the heating and cooks the food faster. 

Air Fryer vs Oven #4: Fan 

Another big difference between air fryer and oven is the fan size and its placement in the appliance. In an air fryer, the fan is much larger and more powerful. It is built below the heating element to help circulate the heated air faster and more evenly. The fan is used in all cooking modes.

In an oven, the fan is usually smaller and located at the back, either in the centre or side. It is only used in some cooking functions and also works as an exhaust system for the oven.

Air Fryer vs Oven #5: Cleaning

Air fryers must be cleaned after every use to maintain hygiene and prevent mixing smells and food particles between dishes. However, the air fryer parts are bulky and need careful cleaning.

The entire oven does not need to be cleaned after every use. However, cleaning the accessories after a couple of uses is hygienic. Wiping down the insides after a few days of use also helps postpone the major cleaning of the oven.

Air Fryer vs Oven #6: Out-of-the-Box Accessories

The air fryer has a basket with a perforated tray where the food is kept. The perforations help circulate the air properly, evenly cooking the food. A multi-purpose air fryer provides one other accessory, a frying pan for food. 

Since all cooking functions use the tray and the frying pan, an air fryer does not come with any other out-of-the-box accessories. Although, you can buy air fryer accessories separately, such as racks, spits, skewers, and so on. 

One major difference between toaster oven and air fryer is that an OTG comes with many out-of-the-box accessories. These include cooking trays, grill racks, rotisserie rod sets, and handles. Some oven sets come with microwavable accessories such as bowls, spatulas, etc. 

If a person lacks microwave-safe tools or cooking utensils, using an oven with included accessories can provide easy access to the necessary utensils.

Air Fryer vs Oven: Which One is Better?

After evaluating the main difference between air fryer and toaster oven, we can see that both appliances have their pros and cons. The final decision of settling on an air fryer vs oven depends on the user’s needs and budget. 

An air fryer cooks smaller quantities of food faster, healthier, and more evenly, perfect for crispy dishes such as chips, frozen food, etc. On the other hand, an oven can accommodate larger quantities of food and has multiple cooking modes such as baking, grilling, reheating, toasting, and more.

Conclusion

An air fryer is small but mighty, and an oven is large and multifunctional. When settling on one or buying both, it is always best to consider your kitchen space, habits, and desired cooking outcomes. The two kitchen appliances prepare delicious meals and perfectly complement any Indian kitchen. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I need an air fryer if I have an oven?

If you own an oven and the budget permits, an air fryer will be a great addition to your kitchen. An air fryer uses less oil and preserves the food's nutrients, so it will be a healthy alternative when you want to cook meals with little to no oil for one or two people. 

2. Do air fryers use a lot of electricity?

Air fryers use less electricity than ovens, ranging from 1000W to 1800W. On the other hand, an oven ranges from 2000W to 5000W, using more energy for cooking.

3. What is the biggest disadvantage of an air fryer and an oven?

An air fryer is smaller, so it is unsuitable for larger cooking. An oven uses more space on the kitchen counter if it is not already inbuilt in the kitchen.