Is an Air Fryer just a Convection Oven? Let's put it to the test.

[@EthanChlebowski]

What do you all think about air fryers? If you have used one, what's your favorite thing to do in them?

[@lordofnut3272]

not a big fan of em

[@EthanChlebowski]

@@lordofnut3272 Don't feel like dealing with an extra appliance or just wouldn't find much use for it?

[@lordofnut3272]

@@EthanChlebowski Don't like dealing with an extra appliance.

[@ClumsyCaTmeow]

I received one as a gift a couple years ago. It made awesome fries (from frozen) but it’s a bitch to clean and ultimately ended up in kitchen exile.

[@EthanChlebowski]

@@ClumsyCaTmeow That's probably how it would go for me if I was gifted one, I don't think I would get much use out of it.

[@StephanieLeighG]

Whoever decided to call tabletop convection ovens “air fryers” is a marketing genius.

[@dancooper3066]

Are they really exactly the same? I looked for a conventional toaster oven vs air fryer, but I couldn't find a video for it.

[@mrgoob76]

you could probably get a convection toaster oven and its the same trucking thing

[@fozziebear411]

Air fryer probably used a lot less energy just because it is a lot smaller

[@dancooper3066]

@@fozziebear411 vs. a toaster oven with convention setting?

[@dustinhartley8988]

Just get a nice convection oven. For toast and like small batches of biscuits or baked goods/ fish is amazing baked. If you are single the convection oven is your friend lol

[@carrielovesfashion]

Great video. 🙂 I am not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet but another pro of the air fryer is that when it's super hot outside in summer, it does not heat up your home like an oven does.

[@RPSchonherr]

You could also take it outside and cook not leaving any heat in your house :)

[@Magnulus76]

That seems the most obvious benefit. Oven cooking in the southern US is one of those things that doesn't really make good sense. No other culture near the tropics does that sort of thing. They all cook on stovetops. I live in Florida and that's one reason I ditched baking in favor of cuisine that doesn't use an oven. That's also why I'm interested in an air fryer (I have a counter-top convection oven, but it's only a marginal improvement).

[@Flippokid]

So that's a con in the winter...

[@ivanmadethis]

@@Flippokid Not if you live in a hot state... lol

[@RPSchonherr]

@@raminolta not sure what you are commenting on as I don't see anything that could possibly relate to what you just said here. My comment was that if your house is hot and you don't wish to add more heat by cooking in the kitchen, an air fryer is portable and can be taken outside to do your cooking thus not making it hotter inside your house.

[@jasonrooney1368]

Preheating should really be taken into account here. I never thought I’d use an air fryer. Thought it was a pointless waste of space. But it can turn out incredibly crispy chicken nuggets in 10 minutes, less time than it takes my oven to preheat to 400.

[@CicceroSanchez]

Yeah I have kids and its helps with quick lunch chicken nuggets

[@vincedibona4687]

Get a toaster oven.

[@123321negima]

@@vincedibona4687 Depends on the air fryer. In the video the air fryer isn't being used optimally. Using it the way he does is effectively using it like a toaster oven which you would be correct. No difference. BUT proper use of an air fryer can mean preheating takes less then a minute. A toaster oven just can't do this. With the one I have purchased, in the time I have placed the food on the rack, the air fryer is ready. Bacon takes 7 minutes TOTAL to cook including preheating, wings usually take around 19 minutes, and I consistently can shave off around 15% of cooking time for any premade food from the store. Some I have noticed I can do in half the time. Just like his deep frying videos, it matters how you use an air fryer to get the best results. Most air fryers are just rebranded toaster ovens though so research is important.

[@jamesfromacct]

I agree, preheating time should've been included in overall cooking times. And the preheat was far too long, if not entirely unnecessary for the air fryer.

[@LuvinLife72395]

@@123321negima what air fryer do you use

[@FITZFACTOR]

I'd say most people factor preheating into "time to cook." For me it's the difference of waiting 15 minutes for my oven, or 2 for my airfrier.

[@Fudgeey]

Or just not preheating at all in the air fryer. Usually I just chuck some food in and press the button, it comes out perfect because that tiny space doesn't take nearly as long to heat compared to a whole giant oven. That, plus the food is like 2 inches away from the heat source, so it's really broiling and convection cooking at the same time.

[@FITZFACTOR]

@@Fudgeey yeah good point. I've been doing the same lately. Plus (and this is small) the oven heats up my whole kitchen whereas the air fryer doesn't.

[@1bcordell]

I wonder how much money is saved on electricity over a years time when comparing preheat and cook times. I spend a lot of time waiting on my oven to preheat and I know she has to be chewing up some serious electricity doing so.

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

@@1bcordell Electric appliances use next to no electricity. For example even if you live where electricity is ridiculously overpriced like California, running an oven at full heat for 1 hour only costs 40 cents of electricity. Most of the world your electricity cost will be half of that. So lets say you use your oven a ridiculously high amount like 5 hours a day which only people who run a restaurant would ever get close to, you are only paying $60 in electricity per month.

[@1337Jogi]

So I have tested my oven and it takes around 8 minutes to reach 200C 400F and 10-12 to reach 250C 480F. I usually preheat for 5 minutes and then put the food in.

[@tishaher7]

I live in South Korea and most apartments here don’t have an oven already installed. So, I’m going to buy an air fryer bc my microwave can’t do what an air fryer can. Still enjoyed this video!~

[@OGMichaelC]

They also sell tabletop air convection ovens in Korea. Just read some reviews and buy the cheaper one

[@gandaruvu]

Yeah just like the other said. You can even get steam injection convection table top oven, if you want to be serious about your cooking

[@DiamondPugs]

Yup, the air fryer is like the missing half brother of the microwave.

[@TheGael128]

very smarter

[@Magnulus76]

Air fryer would probably be a better choice for Asian cuisine than a convection oven. I have a convection oven and it's really only a marginal improvement over a regular oven. It is more energy efficient and smaller, however.

[@yang8244]

air fryers are nice for reheating when you dont want to wait ages for a big oven to heat up for those two slices of pizza and you dont want that wet slimey texture you get in the microwave.

[@FirstnameLastname-xq4rp]

You can also reheat your pizza in a skillet on the stove; it gets nice and crispy.

[@saireece4585]

i microswave it then put on skillet just to get the crisp

[@FirstnameLastname-xq4rp]

@@saireece4585 Yeah, the microwave starts to melt the cheese and saves time.

[@LikeCakeIDo]

I use a toaster oven for that

[@marylandgirl9246]

@@LikeCakeIDo Same. It's good for reheating pizza and fries. Anything I want to stay crisp.

[@matthewrs7]

Air fryers are great for people with rental homes where the oven in the house provided by the landlord and is the cheapest, crappiest oven that you are stuck with.

[@stephentilley9675]

So are counter top convection toaster ovens.

[@matthewrs7]

@@stephentilley9675 yes. Mini ovens are the best. Bonus points for models that have an air fry setting

[@gamezahoy712]

@@matthewrs7 Its not called air fry. Its called a convection setting dont fall for that marketing ploy to spend extra cash.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@gamezahoy712 Not true.I don't know where you people get your information, but I've been using convection ovens for decades and it really isn't the same technology. My airfryer preheats in under 2 minutes, there's no way that my similarly sized convection oven would be ready to cook that quickly. They both use convection as the primary method of transferring heat to the food, but the fans that the air fryers use are significant. Typically, you can reduce the temperature by about 50F and the cooktime by about 20% on the airfryer to get similar results to what you'd get out of a convection oven. If it were really just a marketing ploy, those settings would be much closer. On top of that, by being able to operate at a lower temperature over a shorter period of time, you're likely to save the difference in purchase price over the time you own the appliance.

[@carpii]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade I guess you didn't watch the video, because none of what you're saying about faster or lower temp turned out to be true when he tested it

[@jasonhunter6125]

Engineer quick answer: an air fryer is a marketing term for a tabletop convection oven

[@Monochromicornicopia]

Incorrect. Air fryers do not use convection. This is the single most frustrating thing when I try to sell appliances.

[@WolfBangAlpha]

@@Monochromicornicopia "the movement caused within a fluid by the tendency of hotter and therefore less dense material to rise, and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat." Constantly circulating hot air with a fan is convection

[@Monochromicornicopia]

@@WolfBangAlpha You just proved yourself wrong by posting the definition of convection. Convection is moving air due to gravity. A fan spinning around pushing air is not movement due to gravity.

[@WolfBangAlpha]

@@Monochromicornicopia if a fan blows hot air up, the cooler air will fall due to gravity

[@Monochromicornicopia]

@@WolfBangAlpha And? You're missing the point. Convection is only due to gravity (you even posted the definition) not mechanically assisted.

[@justaguy6100]

It's a good comparison. I'd only say it depends on how much you typically cook. I have a friend who lives alone, she uses her air fryer virtually exclusively for her cooking. I have sons that live with me, so I need the capacity offered by a convection oven.

[@justinnguyen3906]

Can you tell me which model you have?

[@justaguy6100]

@@justinnguyen3906 Currently I have a Toshiba 1.5 cu ft capable of 425 F on the convection side. It's rated at 1000 watts, that's a tad light, but it's a combo micro/convection. I use it all the time, it's absolutely the best way to make garlic bread, warms meats well without the microwave drying out thing I hate. AND it does everything a micro needs to do as well. It's a replacement for the one I had that was 2 cu ft, 1400 watts, and totally awesome, but getting one that big and powerful is like $600 this one cost me around $200 on sale. it bakes very well, it cooks pizza exceptionally well, and on those occasions I need to "finish" something coming off of the grill, the ability to control the temperature to bring a hunk of meat to safe temps is a real boon. This has happened in the past where I have a thick chuck roast or big poultry quarters that are done on the outside but the inside temp isn't quite what I'm comfortable with, so I set the convection to around 200 and let it ride in there until I feel ok. My big oven could do this too, but it takes longer to heat up and because the heating elements are at the bottom then it can at times scorch the underside of whatever I'm trying to heat up. I haven't used it for actual "air frying" as of yet, but I've done regular and sweet potato fries in the past in my old one that came out fine, as well as roasted vegetables. Various brands have either racks or pans to do that type of thing on, I tend to use the rack and put a paper plate beneath it if it's meat that will drip. I *really* favor it for cooking ANY frozen item that you would otherwise fry, like battered fish, meat pies, pierogis, chimichangas, or chicken nuggets, it heats so evenly and quickly as well. Ok you got me talking about the damn thing sorry for the exposition here ;-)

[@Kaienhere]

Not a good comparison since he used an air fryer with an oven design, so of course the results are gonna be close

[@4745966]

Thank you, this was so helpful. I have been contemplating an air fryer but I have a convection oven. Your video has saved me a few bucks and reorganizing the storage cupboard above the fridge.

[@christinehaworth4924]

The one thing I love about my airfryer is the lack of having to preheat. It's convenient for putting foods in quickly to reheat them. I find that if you factor in the preheat time then they are much quicker to use. Of course they shouldn't take different amounts of time to actually cook the food, the temperature is the same. What he also didn't factor in is the cost saved not having to heat a big oven. I live alone and I find an airfryer great in that situation. You're not having to heat a big oven to cook a relatively small amount of food. Of course if you are cooking for probably more than two people, normal oven is better. I can do quick toasties and pitta bread pizzas easily. They're also great as an additional oven when cooking for an occasion such as Christmas when multiple things need oven cooking.

[@maryrose7842]

May I ask which brand you have. It’s confusing there’s so many different types on the market

[@d.f.rizaldi36]

He literally mentioned it at 6:24

[@Clubber-Slang]

@@d.f.rizaldi36 Mary Rose is literally asking Christine Haworth (OP), what brand SHE has?

[@ian1352]

You are supposed to preheat an air fryer. People seem to get away with not doing so, but perhaps that is on the smallest models.

[@ulogy]

The entire comment section: Bruh, that's Babish's royalty-free music.

[@ajayparthibha5702]

Eulogy they’re not wrong, but then again, pretty much nothing on his channel is original

[@ulogy]

@@ajayparthibha5702 You made me look and I just noticed his entire style is a mishmash of other food KZbinrs, haha.

[@The_Yukki]

@@ulogy As if food yt can be original :shrug:

[@TripleEightss]

Eulogy but honestly, i think thats why hes the best! he focuses more on the people who want the best food with the least amount of effort in the shortest amount of time. Babish and weissman just make cooking vids for entertainment like making ninja turtles pizza or making in n out better. none of that shit is actually going to apply to someones home cooking its just way too complicated and annoying to even consider making.

[@ulogy]

@@TripleEightss Might I recommend Adam Ragusea?

[@thestormlscoming]

This is the exact test I was looking for, every single aspect. Thank you!!!

[@coasttal123]

We have a Miele Speed Oven. It microwaves, bakes, broils, and does combinations of those. It is also convection. It cooks things anywhere from 50-75% of the stated time on a pizza, or most other baked items. It is a bit slower on the microwave, but considering all that it does, albeit expensive, we rarely use the big oven and it does an amazing job on fries, onion rings, etc.

[@lsuronak1992]

Want one of these and a steam combination oven! I think that’s the perfect pair

[@InhabitantOfOddworld]

I have one similar. Ninja Foodi 9 in 1. Doesn't have the microwave function but it's a pressure cooker (with associated functions like steaming) mixed with an air fryer (again with associated functions like grill and baking/roasting)

[@kellen987]

I love the air fryer for the energy savings and the fact I can use it on my porch on blistering hot days without air conditioning.

[@GlaciusDreams]

Yeah I got gifted one and am planning on putting it in my backyard kitchen. Will be making wings, and sippin beers in the great outdoors.

[@sigma_z]

It's not really energy saving if you consider air fryers are prone to self combust and burn (watch out for your house, there's a YT video out there where it was caught on camera) and essentially die leaving plastic and electrical waste which 1. costs money and the environment to make and 2. costs money and the environment to dispose. My gifted air fryer started smoking from the top and set off my fire alarm. I quickly unplugged the damn thing and it still kept burning for a few minutes, but by this time I had put on my oven mitts and took it outside. My opinion, stick with normal convection ovens if you can. They are safer, cooks better and from what I can see, better for the environment 💪🏼

[@gerilynne1955]

Excellent video for comparison. Very well put. I have an Omni, and do like it. I mostly wanted this to reduce the heat in the kitchen during summer months. I agree with everything you have said. Yes, I do have a large convection oven and the air fryer.

[@aleksandra...]

This was the main reason I just bought an air fryer - to reduce heat and to be able to bring it out on the balcony so I can leave an air condition on, and don't have to open windows to get rid of the cooking smells (which is generally difficult, due to all windows on one side of the building and wind mostly blowing parallel to them... )

[@kalliste01]

I recently bought an air fryer after everyone hyped them up so much. It definitely cooks things better than my oven and is significantly faster (even when not taking into consideration preheat time). Some things I use it for that I didn't consider before buying: garlic bread - mine is wrapped in foil. in my convection oven (called fan-forced here) it takes about 15 mins to preheat and then 10 - 15mins to cook. In my Air fryer it takes 5 mins to preheat and 8 - 10 mins to cook. So it's preheated and done before the convection oven has even finished preheating. It also produces a better result and it doesn't heat up my house. french toast - I will never cook french toast any other way! It cooks french toast exactly how I want it. crisp-ish eggy coating on the outside, soft squishy bread on the inside. fish and chips - I'm sure many people use an air fryer for this. I buy frozen battered fish and frozen chips and the air fryer does an awesome job. Not as good as deep fried, but definitely better than my oven, and again it's faster. Takes about 17 mins inc. preheat to get from off to done. I always preheat with mine. It has a preheat button and sets it's own preheat time based on the temp. The manual suggests using it for everything so I do and it always turns out well.

[@sabrinasoares2409]

Thanks for making this video, I really needed a air fryer - oven review, hope you still posting, and congrats for the good quality

[@EthanChlebowski]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thsgfbhstsbtrtsthstb]

“It took the convection over 12 minutes to beat from 0 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit” Must be real cold in your house.

[@Melissa-vj3nt]

😂

[@dylandonaghue6750]

You really don't need it to be a set temperature in order to beat a convection oven - all you need is brute strength and a baseball bat. Perhaps this guy used his fists instead of the bat.

[@secretsquirrel7300]

Took mine about 4 minutes.

[@tomcastle5675]

Or there is a gap somewhere around the opening. xD that's why mine started fo suck

[@jinxigrl]

Crying laughing... 1) at the joke itself 2) at the people that obviously missed the joke 3) the reply about beating the oven. 🤣

[@etigho2]

I like your scientific approach!!!

[@Twisted_Logic]

One nice thing about having both an air fryer and a convection oven is that you can roast two dishes at two different temperatures at the same time. No need to choose between getting extra crispy potatoes and not overcooking the chicken when you can do both.

[@lindirose2]

At 6 mins, I like how you tasted blind folded and then wrote your score with the blind fold on...HAAahhaa

[@Andrei-yv8fz]

I use a convection toaster oven for everything since I only cook for myself and don't like heating up my apartment. The standard oven functions as storage for pots and pans.

[@jvallas]

I thought I was the only one! And since I’m getting up in years, pans in and out of the countertop oven are just way easier than the stooping over, bending on my knees that an oven near the floor requires.

[@aletahart696]

I have a convection oven yet I blindly set it to bake based on the package directions for things like fries.... DUH! Thank you so much for this video! Can’t wait to try using the convection setting and a rack in my cookie sheet. Great info!

[@DavidPaulMorgan]

Thanks for this comparison. I've been thinking about this recently. I already have a small convection/microwave/grill and full size convection/grill oven(s) built in. It seems that the preparation, slight adjustment to cooking times and mesh-style bakeware seems to be the best option. so, if you already have a convection fan oven (especially a smaller one) then no need . However, if you're a single/couple household in a small bedsit/apartment then an air-fryer seems to be the thing to go for.

[@whitefeinberg2081]

I have both. I use my Ninja pot&airfryer, bake, and more just to cook small portions: one or two pieces of chicken, a few chicken wings, or a piece of meatloaf, also to warm up 2 or 3 pieces of the bread-oven set. I reheat leftovers from restaurants, homemade food, or pizza. It works very well and the food back to life wonderful. I use my convection oven for big or large meals, which works perfectly. I love and use both. HAPPY to have them.

[@nohox9444]

7:10 and then the ad for the avocado knife. Killed me. Great video!

[@themommysdiaries]

i was planning to purchase an air fryer but i was confused as i already have a panasonic convention oven thats is working wonderfully for me....now i know i dnt need to put my money on an air fryer. thank you for uploading this useful content. 👍👍

[@EthanChlebowski]

Glad I could help!

[@oldbear6813]

Most air fryers don't look like the one featured in this video and with our air fryer the times are less than what was shown here. We do have an convection setting on our oven but we opt for the air fryer nearly every time. The convenience of the air fryer and the quickness of it has all but made our microwave null and void 😂 Ours is also simple enough to be kid friendly and the kids will pick it over the microwave every time.

[@FakeJeep]

My tests were completely different from this. I have a convection oven and not only does it take 3-4x longer to heat up, but also goes through a "cooling cycle" at the end wasting more power for no reason. My air fryer uses less power and heats up in 3 minutes flat. Food in the air fryer cooks in 1/3rd to 1/4th the time compared to the convection oven, and things crisp up far far more than in the oven without using the broiler. I can literally cook food in my air fryer in most cases in a quarter of the time it takes to cook in the convection oven. Which also uses far less power. In most cases I can have a dinner cooked to my liking in about ten minutes in the air fryer, and sometimes that's too long, but in the oven it can take an hour or longer for the same results. Lot of factors here... wattage, efficiency, size...

[@FirstLast-tw1sx]

The best and most informative test I have ever heard. I am so glad I saw this before purchasing an air dryer.

[@TheRedArrowExpress]

I appreciate you answer the question in the first 10 seconds. It kept me and made me at least curious why they weren't the same.

[@rogiersmit]

As a matter of fact Ethan, I just baked your home made crispy French fries in an airfryer (brand: Philips) and they came out amazing and crispy AF. Your recipe was working out great. One advantage the airfryer has over a regular oven, is the frying basket. It makes it easy to toss around the fries to get them golden brown on all sides.

[@jvallas]

I have a wire basket from a pan my mom got me (I presume the pan is for conventional frying), so I’m planning to give it a try in the convection oven.

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

I agree. I have both and I prefer the air fryer for fries. Its basically a $100 basket

[@Arpin_Lusene]

One pro for me : It's small. If you live alone in a rented room and don't have something like small kitchen, this can help you to "fry" your food if you ever need to cook some food in that particular way.

[@al201103]

Thank you SO much for this excellent and expedient comparison. Had been considering an air-fryer. Already have a convection oven. I now know that I really don't need the second appliance and can start fixating on some other piece of equipment that I also probably don't need!!! Great process of comparison, excellent presentation of the findings, very personable presenting.

[@bobcarn]

I haven't been using my air fryer for much more than potatoes and chicken thighs and legs, but I do like it. My oven is a convection oven, but there's something to also consider beyond preheat time, and that's how much heat the oven generates. The chamber for even a large air fryer is much smaller than an oven. A lot of heat energy is built up into an oven that will eventually dissipate into your kitchen. With an air fryer, you're not pumping as much heat into your kitchen. In the winter, I don't mind running the oven, but in the summer? Anything that helps me not heat up the kitchen is a bonus!

[@justaguy6216]

Making smaller portions of food is a plus in my book. If I'm living alone I don't need to heat up and clean a large oven to make like 5 nuggets.

[@practicalguy973]

I'm sticking with my convection toaster oven that has a drip tray and flat walls to wipe and clean.

[@justaguy6216]

@@practicalguy973 Isn't that pretty much a air fryer? Either way a smaller cooking station is a plus.

[@MydahWasti]

This video was the one i was looking for in terms of whether to buy an air fryer or not. It was to the point precise and just perfect. Thank you for making this ❤️❤️

[@TheRandomLol]

Just realized he has natural Cheetos fingers

[@kostal3346]

Lol

[@lemonke3774]

@Gawky Ginger what’s that?

[@thomasr1051]

Could be eating lots of carrots. My dad turned orange when he was young and putting them in his smoothies all the time

[@jabari189684]

@@thomasr1051 the most logical answer. Not the google extreme response.

[@averysinclair1718]

Hot cheetos

[@christianholt408]

One big thing they missed here is that most air fryer recipes have significantly higher temps than their convection oven counterparts and therefore actually do cook quite a bit faster especially when factoring in preheating time which can be forever on older ovens. Honestly I use mine for almost everything.

[@Melissa.Simmons]

This would make sense. Explains why something I put in there cooked hard. Usually takes 25-30 mins in the oven. Cooked it for about 7-11 mins in the air fryer. It wasn’t burnt, but it was hard.

[@jonathanberry1111]

My oven has a max temp of 250c, but my airfryer 200c, so not the case always.

[@okiedouk]

Use your what? Which one?

[@crconway7926]

@@jonathanberry1111 true. My Maytag convection oven has an upper limit of 550F (287C).

[@kerrydaniels8460]

​@@Melissa.SimmonsYou need to adjust temps. Air Fryer is typically gonna run hotter than an oven so if it says 400°F on an oven try at least 10°F lower (at least) and definitely waaaaay less time. He is just flat out wrong on the times. Simple as that.

[@pheenix1976]

Love the ability to take notes with the blindfold on. 😂👍

[@careya]

I have a great Breville convection oven, but people love air fryers so much that I've been tempted lately. That's for the video.

[@TonyValdezCeballos]

If you have the Breville smart toaster oven you have it better tbh

[@-roxisasewingmachine5663]

I loved the clip of you making notes while still blindfolded. LOL 😂 Thank you for the unbiased experiment. This video answered a lot of my questions. Well done! 👍

[@fireinside1984]

Airfryer does not heat up your house like the oven does, helps in the hot summer months.

[@mechanicalmonk2020]

Also really really fast

[@Alexander-vm2ox]

@@mechanicalmonk2020 because I’d the fan!

[@leerman22]

Not in my experience, the baskets are so small I have to use >4 loads of fries and stuff to feed a family (5-7), 1500W for almost an hour. We started just running the thing outside. The oven is gas powered and much larger so it's cheaper to run.

[@kokofan50]

@@leerman22 well yeah, when you’re cooking for that many people, they’re too small.

[@anthonyfletcher8053]

@@leerman22 ehhh trying to make food for a family of 7 with an air fryer is.... well.. I think you know.

[@davidcooney196]

You had me at Maillard. 🙂

[@madasahatter4489]

Ethan - just stumbled upon this vid while researching our convection toaster oven. Excellent analysis ! For us, we concluded there's no good reason to buy another appliance when we already have one that will do the same job. Thank you Thank you Thank you for your thorough analysis and demonstrable facts. UPDATE: Today we used our convection toaster oven to "air fry" sliced potatoes. Sliced raw potato 1/4 inch, sprinkled with kosher salt, set on a metal grid (a re-purposed steamer insert) and convection baked at 400 F for about 18 minutes, flipping half way through. Result ? Crispy, crunchy deliciousness. Garnished with Kewpie mayo.

[@JewishJuice]

A blindfolded test, where I also write notes at 6:05

[@Marpurrsa]

i mean, its not difficult writing down numbers blindfolded

[@Potatinized]

c'mon.. he's using a tie to blindfold. Everybody knows you can take a peek with that.

[@shorttimer874]

Now you can add a third choice: a combi oven. I've gotten the new Anova Precision Oven, which cooks by radiant heat, convection, and steam. It can air fry, slow cook, proof bread, and using wet bulb technology, which determines the temperature at the surface of the food, it can cook sous vide. Not to mention the advantages of being able to apply steam. Maybe not the best at any one method, but that's going to be true with any multi-use device. Though If I had it to do again I'd wait a while for the early bugs to get worked out.

[@Brajodan]

That my friend is one dope blind fold.

[@Model_BT-7274]

It's a tie

[@David_T]

Another option is to spend ~$250 for a Breville Smart toaster oven that is a small convection oven that is top rated by America's Test Kitchen. It does so much more than an air fryer.

[@peterthomas5792]

The biggest advantage of the air fryer is that it's a second oven that can be set to a different temperature. If you want to cook some things low & slow, and others higher & faster, that's where it's a godsend. And of course on occasions where you're cooking of one or two, it's faster & less energy.

[@TheHeadincharge]

I have a double oven but neither of them are convection, so the air fryer is amazing for quick meals or for items that I want to get pretty crispy. If I had a convection I might not bother with it but it’s great if you jus that’s a regular oven.

[@onioncontrol]

Copped an $8 airfryer at goodwill. Love that thing.

[@hostage67]

Air fryers are great. They are not a replacement for your oven, though they can do many of the same things as your oven. I'm not going to heat up my oven to cook a couple of burrito's, but I have no problem tossing some frozen burrito's into my air fryer for a nice crispy burrito. One of my favorite things to cook in the air fryer are actually Cookies. They get a slightly crispier exterior while still having a nice soft center. For me its a noticeable improvement in my cookies, but its certainly not like oven baked cookies are bad or anything. Using an air fryer vs a convection oven is often about convenience and size. If you need something like a whole chicken your air fryer is most likely not big enough and you should use your oven. But if doing something small like a couple of burrito's, or some fries, etc... the air fryer is a much faster (preheat) and convenient option without having to heat up a giant oven just to cook a small amount of food. I love my air fryer and I wouldn't trade it in for anything, I have a convection oven as well. I use both, I just use them for different things and different scenario's. Also if you have ever cook hot dogs or sausages you will love an air fryer, no more constantly babysitting the food, they will come out perfectly cooked/browned without having to turn them once.

[@NeeezDutzz]

You can get normal convection ovens with smaller form factor, that have a higher usable area ratio, so if both are the same size you can make MORE in the oven. The only benefit is pre heat time.

[@m4gician]

Thank you! I have a deep fryer and a convection/toaster oven as well as gas oven with convection. Thank you for the explanation. Great video production too.

[@RPSchonherr]

As I watch this, I am dehydrating and making beef jerky in my Chefman air fryer.

[@RPSchonherr]

PS since getting the air fryer I have not used the deep fryer at all. As many of us do not have convection ovens and to get one would be a major and expensive construction job, an air fryer is a less expensive option.

[@ScottJPowers]

An air fryer is technically an impingement oven. I just bought one for $40. Much cheaper and easier to "install" than a convection oven. And, unlike most ovens, air fryers have a timer and turn off when done. Most ovens do not. The low cost and ease of use are the main advantages of an air fryer. Not to mention that I don't need a gallon of oil to cook chicken wings or onion wings or fries. An oven is gonna take at least 20 to 30 minutes for anything and pan or deep frying requires you to stand over it and at least keep an eye on it to see when it's done if not having you constantly move to food around to keep it from burning. With an air fryer, i can now have onion rings, chicken wings, fries, roasted veggies and other food like that with almost no work at all. Convenience is the main advantage of an air fryer and, unlike a microwave, an air fryer can actually cook food, anything an oven can, in less than half the time.

[@FakeMaker]

Exactly! The convenience is amazing. My air fryer can be controlled through an app, so I can just put the food in there, select a "recipe" in the app, which sets the time, temperature, etc. for you, press start and just wait for the food to finish. Some recipes are programmed to pause at a certain time and remind you to shake or turn the food over. We truly live in the 21st century haha.

[@vyfhankham]

I have a toaster oven that can air fry, broiler, toast and do a lot of other stuff to

[@cardinalbeast24]

Congrats dude

[@divusgaiusjuliuscaesar4657]

I’m sorry bro- **too

[@vyfhankham]

@@divusgaiusjuliuscaesar4657 what do you mean

[@divusgaiusjuliuscaesar4657]

FoxVechai you said to not too

[@eduardochavacano]

but you cant bake a cheese cake or gellato with those.

[@coraromero3454]

We have been using a toaster convection oven for years and yes I agree with you that since we have a convection oven, there is no need to buy an air fryer, however since we are empty nesters now, we find that with the latest model of air fryer, convection oven and toaster, it is so handy cooking just for the two of us on a daily basis, and we have our convection oven for family gatherings.

[@Meggs23]

I would have liked this compared to a countertop oven that has convection, not just the big oven. Alot of the advantage to the time, energy savings and less heat in the kitchen is solved by a countertop oven with convection. I've been shopping ones with added 'air fryer' capabilities but this makes me think that is just another word for convection? Thank you for that clarification. :)

[@jenbp1214]

This is great, thank you for doing this video! I just got an air fryer cookbook for my birthday, but I don't have an air fryer, lol! I have a convection oven, though, and tried one of the air fryer recipes and it turned out great. I was also able to finish it in the broiler (they were chicken thighs), which I felt added better flavor.

[@larry3847]

please stop the babish music, its confusing my brain

[@scottyhaines4226]

It's doing the same thing to me

[@jonjohnson102]

Babish music?

[@spa7us]

Ik it’s kinda sad find ur own style

[@FffffffffffffffffffffffffffffL]

Its probably just some stock music

[@felixmadison5736]

Hey! Watch in buddy! That is the music Trump loves listening to!!

[@writeonpublishing]

Excellent review. Now I know I don't really need one since I have a convection oven. Thank you.

[@pavy415]

I went from a regular oven you can buy in the stores to an XL air fryer and I never looked back at the oven ever again I love my fryer faster and easier clean up but much more expensive than on oven that's for sure

[@aljdark89]

When i'd make low carb breading for pork chops they'd get soggy in the oven but I made some the other day with an air fryer and no sogginess at all. Also it saves time imo I hate having to preheat the oven for 15 minutes and then put left over pizza in there for 10 more minutes vs just popping it in the air fryer for 7-8 minutes getting it to the crispiness that I like. Same with making bacon. I'm going to try chicken wing flats soon and see how that turns out. Other than that I liked the air fryer we had (getting a new one).

[@MyForkingLife]

You did an amazing job with this video! Loved it!

[@jasminlapan7925]

I tested it. My Baumann air fryer cooked a whole chicken faster than my Brikk convection oven. It's crispier too. I don't know if it is with the quality of the Brikk convection I bought. It was a totally waste of electricity. More than 30 minutes in the convection and it is as pale and stiff as a scared person who saw a ghost.

[@marinchiestella5342]

Thank you! Very helpful. Looked at and considered many air fryers, viewed a lot of comparison video reviews. Getting one, for sure, this convinced me, as I am replacing a toaster oven, not adding an appliance. Now which one???? Back to square one :-)

[@barryschwarz]

From my experience with an air fryer, it is a truism that you need less oil to get the same results. I have a regular oven (no convection), and so the air fryer roasts veggies (for example) in half the time, with half the oil, a third of the energy, and only needs 3 minutes to preheat. Downsides are too small a volume to make big meals, and... well, that's about it. Cleaning, as you mentioned, is much easier with the air fryer.

[@ingridvazquez892]

Actually, I think energy cost is more with the air fryer. Gas is way cheaper than electricity. I worked for a power provider and customers with electric water heaters, all electric kitchens had ridiculously high electric bills. Electric space heaters would spike power bills in the winter. If you heat a cup of water with gas and one with an electric hot plate the cost is way more for the electric method. We can all afford the cost but it is a con for the air fryer. At least in my humble opinion. Great video.

[@DJmiczet]

Gas isn't cheaper than electricity everywhere

[@Kikker861]

@@DJmiczet One person's perspective taken with a grain of salt.

[@satwinderdhariwal]

Gas is cheaper but has ovens done cook the food evenly as they down circulate the air very well like fan based electric ovens

[@juelisa77]

One of the best comparisons I've heard in a long time. You basically confirmed what I was thinking since, I already have an oven with air fryer and convection capabilities.

[@kerrydaniels8460]

HW was wrong with the times for sure. It takes at minimum around 15 minutes longer than an air fryer from preheating alone as real air fryers don't require preheating at all like ovens.

[@BizzmarkBajimbus]

I wasn't expecting so much thought to be put into this its appreciated haha

[@JWPSmith21]

Too many people are dumping all over air fryers, when if many people need a decent tabletop convection oven, they can get one with an air fryer. You can also get one with a toaster oven with a convection setting, but it's noticably harder to find a good one. To add to that, air fryer baskets can be fairly large, often allowing larger foods than you can often get from a toaster oven. Not because of a toaster ovens size, but it's shape is often very limiting. It's not that toaster ovens can't beat air fryers, but that most models are kind of crap. While even a crappy air fryer is usually decent. I've personally used a crappy and good air fryer, and crappy and good toaster oven. A crappy air fryer will beat a crappy toaster oven, but a good toaster oven beats everything.

[@vickiesdaughter]

I have an air fryer and it definitely cooks faster than my oven. If I cook fries in the oven it takes 10 min to warm up and 18 to 25 min to cook and my air fryer requires no heating up and 8 minutes they are done. Mine doesn't look like yours though. It has basket

[@jeffneria]

I LOVE my OXO Avocado slicer. As a product designer myself, I tend to be critical of every product or service that I come into contact with. This is one of the few products that I deem virtually flawless, it does what it is intended very well. In fact, I just recently moved and must have stuck it in a rando non kitchen box that won't be unpacked for a while. Having to go back to a knife and spoon sure makes me appreciate it. I dare you to try one.

[@MartinCHorowitz]

I have a full size convection oven and an Air fryer, The Air fryer is done before my oven would warm up. The Air fryer does better on some items especially with a little spray oil, and my air fryer has a non stick bin which goes in the dish washer. I can also cook appetizers in the air fryer while using the regular oven at a different temperature.

[@VincentvanFlow]

As someone who lives in an apartment without a convection oven, my air fryer is a godsend.

[@muhilan8540]

I would say that you should have tested a toaster oven with a convection setting but that's what your air fryer basically is. Most of ours don't look anything like that. I wish you'd have used a normal air fryer

[@ren.67]

That's a normal air fryer. Your country just has a different type of air frier

[@Death_Bliss]

@@ren.67 Then it is just not the "normal' air fryer for them. What logic...

[@muhilan8540]

@@ren.67 I live in the same country as him lmao (the United States). They all have one large basket that you pull out not multiple small trays like an oven.

[@overnightclassic2]

@@muhilan8540 Depends on the air fryer you buy. The basket ones are just cheaper air fryers.

[@sophiefilo16]

To be fair, it didn't seem like he had a cheap oven either, so... :T

[@cametientaucoeur]

I have a large non stick Caphalon pizza pan. It has lots of perforations to crisp crust. I put frozen fish filets & sweet potato fries on it, cooked a 425 degrees, flipped everything in 15 min. Total time 25 -28 min. Not our usual fare, but everything came out nicely done. Close enough for us. Jeanne

[@mrshoney2624]

Thank you for that comparison. So they are both convection ovens except air fryer is "electric" but oven can be "gas" or electric. It would be good to see the running cost of Electric VS Gas

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

Sort of, they both use convection to heat the food, it's just that since an air fryer uses a powerful fan to aid the air currents caused by convection, the air next to the food is closer to the target range. The result is that there's no need to heat the entire unit to get a stable temperature and increased energy efficiency. Additionally, because the air currents are stronger, the surface of the food gets a different finish than you'd get with just a convection oven.

[@scottbeesley894]

Our air fryer is one of our most used appliances. We even put the toaster down into a cabinet and give the air fryer the coveted spot of being left on the bench in the corner near a power outlet.

[@kmolnardaniel]

I don’t really understand this whole debate. Where I’m from, a convection oven is really expensive(600$), and the airfryer is not(90$). (It is hard to imagine that the price range of airfryers and ovens are exactly the same.) I have a shitty oven, and because of the small place, I can’t even change it to a better one (it has a really slim body, and I have almost 0 options for buying better one). I bought an airfryer, and absolutely happy with it. Not to mention energy efficiency. So basically, I’m not from the US with unlimited space, top of the line kitchen equipments, and unlimited money.

[@esalenchik]

kmdan Great points.

[@lilly_koii]

I'm from the US and still like the air fryer for the same reasons lol

[@kmolnardaniel]

venusloaf Lol, sorry. I was generalizing, that US means the poeple with big ass kitchens, and all the stuff the nobody in my street combined has 😀

[@jvallas]

kmdan Yeah, you may be basing that on what you see on TV. I know I’m not the only person in the U.S. with a cramped and tiny kitchen. I think just about all of New York apartments have no space. But I get it about our “conspicuous consumption.”

[@Joricano]

i'm glad i watched this video. I almost bought an "air fryer" because i didn't know that my convection oven was a bigger version of it

[@Ok-kh5qq]

Have you tried it ? Results ?

[@Joricano]

@@Ok-kh5qq No not yet. But i will try it this christmas

[@trinitywalter1943]

ey, that sounds like BWB's music

[@gibz8263]

I love bwb but he just uses the same blue Wednesday song in most videos lol. Love blue Wednesday too but it is funny

[@gibz8263]

Or something else from the chillhop playlist. It's good music to talk over so I can't really blame him

[@blueicer101]

Yeah dont think he owns it. He just uses it a lot and is more popular.

[@PrateekDahal]

"Juparo" by Broke for Free

[@mr.w1129]

It’s just random royalty free music

[@kuddleluv]

Exactly why I never purchased one. Finally someone who agrees with me! I have been so so annoyed with family members who are following the Air Fryer trend. If you don't have a convection oven then ok, buy an air fryer or countertop convection oven but if you own a convection oven already then don't waste your money!

[@ghost_cities]

Convection ovens release a lot of heat that sits for hours on end. Air fryers release minimal amounts of heat the disappear in a few minutes. Plus, if you are cooking small amounts of food, you don’t want to be cleaning an entire oven because of it.

[@denagustafson6070]

I actually use both, but strongly prefer my air fryer. Food tastes incredible and the crunch is unbelievable!

[@Supbrozki]

And they compare with an expensive oven. I have a piece of shit oven in my rental apartment, takes an hour to cook frozen chicken breasts and even then it's like 50/50 if its even done. The air fryer cooks them in 35 min and much tastier.

[@Lisagkitty]

Even though we just purchased a professional KUCT stove with convection, my teen daughter insists that we need an air fryer. Up to now, I have said no, we already have a convection oven. Also, I looked at air fryers and do not like the size look and do not want that on my new white countertops…lol…However, she didn’t believe me. I will pass this video along to her, thanks Ethan!!

[@solarmus923]

It'd be interesting to compare a convection toaster oven to an air fryer (as it'd be an intermediate step in terms of power consumption and most people keep a toaster in their kitchen)

[@mohammadhussein3923]

Presentation, research, stats, and information make this video a benchmark ♥ thanks for an amazing thorough research!

[@deanowarrior]

Its waiting for the oven to get to temp for me.Thats the whole advantage which is not really highlighted enough here.

[@andrewmcmillan229]

Exactly, if I want a crispy snack I can be eating it out of an air fryer at the same time I’m putting it into the oven.

[@ghotiemama]

Thanks, this saved me $200 as I was planning on replacing my table top oven.

[@callmeJimmy]

Ngl I fell for the gimmick but boy do I love mine Everything comes out crispy and I barely add any oil if I do at all

[@johnlever6696]

I love mine too. I was very surprised of the results of this video. Starting to think maybe my oven is just really bad so my air seems really good.

[@cinemaocd1752]

We recently got a firmware upgrade for our stove and we now have an air fryer mode. We still have the convection mode. The difference is that the the air fryer doesn't need to pre-heat and works instantly like the broiler. It does go faster and crisp better than the convection setting on my stove. I think the fan is stronger in air fryer mode than in convection mode. The only issue I have is it is easier to go too far and burn things with the air fryer.

[@samdeen95]

Doesn't pre-heating take time? 5min? So doesn't the Airfryer save 5 min on each cook? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong

[@suren123a]

If it’s an electric table top air fryer or convection oven, I think it’ll be the same heat up time. If the convection oven was gas then it would definitely take longer

[@peterthomas5792]

@@suren123a Nope. My air fryer heats up 10 times faster that my (electric) convection oven.

[@bobowon5450]

i love the air fryer because as one person it feels like a huge waste to cook a single potato in my full sized oven. plus it cost me 100 dollars for a decent air fryer but it would cost me nearly 10 times that to replace my old oven with a convection oven

[@Dragnmastralex]

one more pro of a air fryer is that they are easier to use than most ovens so older kids and teens can use them to make chicken nuggets, pizza rolls, and other snacks for themselves

[@jvallas]

I seriously don’t see the difference between heating, prepping ingredients, putting pan in appliance, hitting “go” for an air fryer or an oven. And while an oven is a bigger thing to clean, you’re only cleaning the pan, & I’ve seen people complain that cleaning air fryers is a little more cumbersome.

[@TessaAvonlea]

Is it though? What makes it more difficult to switch on an oven and put something in compared to an air fryer?

[@BonFShaw]

Whereas a large convection oven takes longer to preheat, the over the range convection microwave oven is much smaller and preheats rapidly in comparison. The best of three worlds: Oven, convection oven, and microwave. It doesn't heat up the kitchen as much as a large oven and requires no counter space. Being at eye-level is an added bonus for both cooking and cleaning.

[@deprofundis3293]

The kind of air fryer used in this video isn't the typical one, btw. If looking at your more standard air fryer, they actually do perform better because of the smaller size and more powerful fans (in most cases at least). I have a convection toaster oven AND an air fryer, and the air fryer is significantly better (faster, crisper results). I use it much more often as a result, and I've done multiple side by side tests. Honestly, I feel like which is better comes down to how many people you feed on a regular basis. The air fryer is better (and again, I'm speaking about the regular size, not the giant size like he used here) IF you aren't bothered by the smaller capacity. It is more efficient and crisps/browns better BECAUSE of the concentrated energy at close range to the food. But that efficiency won't matter if you need to feed more than a couple of people regularly. Bottom line, though, is that a STANDARD air fryer does perform better and faster than a standard convection toaster oven. What people don't realize is that they DON'T need to buy a fancy new one. I got mine used - it's a basic model with a single knob, but it works beautifully and is plenty powerful. Just get one free or cheap from a neighbor! Better for the environment that way, too. :)

[@mikitta47]

Nice comparison! I like my air fryer because I don't have a convection oven in my apartment. In fact, when I started using an air fryer, I lived in an apartment with one of those crappy half-sized hot point almost ovens. That thing couldn't even cook a party pizza right. Half of it was burned, the other half was still frozen, and that's even with rotating it during cooking. My AF and my IP let me prepare edible meals. Where I live now, the oven is decent, but it doesn't have a convection function. Also, it's just me and my daughter, so saving money on electricity to cook is a plus. The really great thing about the AF is that is portable. If I find myself in a situation with a crappy stove once again, I can still cook. I'm not restricted to the failings of large appliances included with the new digs. In addition, if I find I must travel for an extended period, I can take my IP and AF with me to cook in a hotel room, thus saving money over restaurant take-out.

[@iamironman2963]

This feels like a science fair project but in video form based on the way he talks

[@jasonperryman3331]

So in conclusion a air fryer is a convection oven, with a new name to sell a old product as a new one...

[@goldenrules5697]

Fan inside 💠

[@Mor2gain_760]

Jason Perryman I am so sorry, but I just have to correct your English... an air, an old.... add N to soften two vowel sounds when used with A... Use an N when you have an A, E, I, O, or U sound... An hour, an eye, an ant , an eagle , an 🍊 orange, an apple 🍎 🍏... an eight...

[@MrDreamingsol]

@@Mor2gain_760 Thanks, but it’s still a convection oven with a trendy name to sell junk to people that can spell lol 😝

[@Monochromicornicopia]

No, it's not. Convection does not and cannot involve a fan. All that is needed for convection is air and gravity.

[@lepidoptery]

is a pan the same as a pot just because the material and technology used are the same when the form is different?