What Can You Use If You Do Not Have an Air Fryer?

The closest alternative to an air fryer is a convection oven. The rapidly circulating hot air in an air fryer's small chamber creates a similar browning effect to a fan-assisted oven. A dish cooked in an air fryer at 180°C / 355°F for 12 minutes generally needs 200°C / 390°F for 18–20 minutes in an oven. The difference comes from the air fryer blowing hot air much closer to the food. Placing the oven tray near the top rack can reduce that distance and may shorten the cooking time slightly.

How Can a Convection Oven Stand In for an Air Fryer?

A convection oven circulates hot air over the whole tray, creating an effect similar to the rapid airflow inside an air fryer basket. Food arranged in a single layer with space between pieces gets much crispier than food piled on top of itself. Food placed on a wire rack is less likely to sit in oil or water collected on the bottom of a tray, making the result more like food cooked in an air fryer basket.

How to Adjust Temperature and Cooking Time

As a general rule, increase the air fryer temperature by 20°C / 36°F and extend the cooking time by about 50%. This is a useful starting point for many frying recipes. Check the food once halfway through and, if needed, extend the cooking time by a few minutes; for meat and chicken, confirm doneness with a thermometer, and the center of chicken should reach 74°C / 165°F. Thinly sliced foods adapt to this change more quickly, while thick pieces may need a longer extension.

Why Use More Oil in an Oven?

An air fryer's strong airflow quickly removes moisture from the food's surface and helps it brown with very little oil. A conventional oven's slower airflow may require a little more oil to achieve similar crispness. About one 4 ml measure of added oil can make a noticeable difference with foods such as potatoes. Brushing a thin layer of oil over the food distributes it more evenly than pouring it on.

Is Deep-Frying an Alternative to an Air Fryer?

Deep-frying can produce a similar, or even crispier, result in much less time than an air fryer, but the food absorbs considerably more oil. It is a quick option, although it does not meet the air fryer's goal of using little oil. Placing deep-fried food on paper towels afterward can absorb some excess oil and bring the texture a little closer to air-fried food. If the oil is not hot enough, the food absorbs too much oil before browning, so make sure it is thoroughly hot.

Which Foods Show the Smallest Difference?

Frozen prepared foods, such as french fries and chicken nuggets, can turn out similarly in an oven and an air fryer because they are already processed for frying. The difference is more noticeable with fresh, raw ingredients, especially meat such as chicken, which browns at a different rate on the outside. Thinly sliced vegetables also brown relatively quickly with both methods. The oven directions on the package are generally a more realistic reference than the air fryer cooking time.

If you do not have an air fryer, a convection oven is the closest alternative. Increasing the temperature by 20°C / 36°F and extending the cooking time by about half again can help create similar crispness. Using a little more oil and a wire rack can improve the result. Deep-frying is faster but produces a greasier result, while frozen prepared foods show very little difference.