An air fryer is a small convection oven: a powerful fan moves hot air around the food, so it browns and cooks faster than a conventional oven. Air fryers vary, so treat the result as a starting point and check early – especially the first time you cook a dish.
How to use the Air Fryer Calculator
- Temperature unit
- Oven recipe temperature
- Oven cooking time
- Food is frozen?
- Recipe is for a fan (convection) oven?
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Choose °F or °C, enter the oven temperature and time from the recipe, and say whether the food is frozen.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Temperature unit | Choose one: °F, °C |
| Oven recipe temperature | A number |
| Oven cooking time | Units: min, h, s |
| Food is frozen? | Choose one: No, Yes |
| Recipe is for a fan (convection) oven? | Choose one: No, Yes |
Example values
How the main result changes when Oven recipe temperature changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Oven recipe temperature | Air fryer temperature |
|---|---|
| 200 | 175 |
| 300 | 275 |
| 400 | 375 |
| 500 | 475 |
| 600 | 575 |
| 800 | 775 |
Formula
Air fryer temperature = oven temperature − 25 °F (− 15 °C)
Air fryer time = oven time × 0.8
First check ≈ air fryer time × 0.75
Worked example
Inputs — Temperature unit: °F; Oven recipe temperature: 400; Oven cooking time: 20 min; Food is frozen?: No; Recipe is for a fan (convection) oven?: No.
Results — Air fryer temperature = 375; Air fryer cooking time = 16 min; Start checking at = 12 min; Air fryer temperature in the other unit = 191; Shake or flip = Shake the basket or flip the food halfway through.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert oven time to air fryer time?
Lower the temperature by 25 °F (15 °C) and cut the time by about 20%.
Do I need to preheat an air fryer?
3–5 minutes of preheating gives crisper results for most foods.
Can I use foil or parchment in an air fryer?
Yes, but don't cover the whole basket – air needs to circulate.