Are you looking for the best tool that you can use to get crispy healthy snacks without frying?
It would be best if you had either an air fryer or a convection oven. These are perfect alternatives to the traditional frying you are used to, unhealthy and sometimes messy. These kitchen appliances have been trendy on the market for a while now, and they give you almost the same result as frying but without all that calories and unhealthy fat.
Whether you roast, dehydrate, grill, bake, or toast, these kitchen appliances are very useful and will come in handy, but if you run on a tight budget or you have a limited kitchen space, you will need just one of these.
So, here we have given a detailed comparison between these two appliances, which will help you make the right choice based on your need, budget, and kitchen space.
Overview Of An Air Fryer And A Convection Oven
Between an air fryer and a convection oven, which of them is more effective, versatile, and produces better foods? You might have asked this question a couple of times before now. You will find answers in this overview.
An Air Fryer
An air fryer is a compact version of a convection oven that uses less power to function properly. An air fryer is a kitchen tool that utilizes hot air to cook your foods instead of oil. It needs little or no oil for your food to get crispy. This appliance works with electricity and spreads heated air around the food within the inner chamber.
A quality air fryer will circuit the air rapidly and evenly. It speeds up your food prep time and process. Air fryers are easy to store in a cupboard or shelf and take up small countertop space. The compact size of an air fryer makes it a wrong option for baking bigger sizes of cakes and other larger foods.
An air fryer is suited for frozen foods, fries, jerky, chicken wings, and chips. It provides you with healthy crunchy deep-fried foods sans oil.
A Convection Oven
A convection oven uses an inbuilt fan to circulate hot air from a heat source within the inner chamber and across the food spread out on the shelves. It uses either electric or gas to generate heat. The hot air starts spreading slowly and accumulates until you get the desired temp.
It utilizes convection heating that evenly distributes hot air around the food. A convection oven takes more countertop space and cannot be stored in a cupboard, except it is built-in.
A convection oven is well suited for bulky food that requires multiple baking and others such as pizza, cakes, roasted veggies, baked foods. This is a more versatile appliance than an air fryer. It offers you with a baked texture, crispy outside and juicy or moist inside.
Air Fryer Vs Convection Oven
Although an air fryer and a convection oven are similar in some ways, they differ in construction, design, and several other aspects.
Similarities
These are ideal kitchen tools for those trying to cut down their calories. They use little or no oil to get you almost the same result as frying with oil. Both utilize a fan built either at the top or rear that circulates heat within the inner chamber.
The heat source, coupled with the convection fan, ensures the heated air gets circulated rapidly, and your foods are evenly cooked within a short period, unlike the traditional cooking method.
They both produce the best food depending on what you are cooking and your preference. Some foods come out better when you use an air fryer, and others are well suited for a convection oven.
Differences
An air fryer heats faster than a convection oven because of its compact size. An air fryer’s heating element is placed at the top, which helps to focus the hot air on the food. The convection oven’s heat source is located at the base and top, while the fan is fixed at the rear. The heat is not as centralized as that of an air fryer. Unlike the air fryer, the convection oven needs to be preheated before use.
The noise level of an air fryer is as loud as a blender. It generates more than 60 decibels. Convection ovens produce less noise and are extremely quiet when in use.
The capacity of both kitchen appliances differs. An air fryer is mostly round shaped like a cylinder, and a convection oven is shaped like a square or rectangle. A convection oven has ample interior space and takes a larger amount of food in one batch than an air fryer. It is best for those with enough kitchen space and large family use or cooking in large quantities. Air fryers are suited for those with limited kitchen space and small families, except you won’t mind cooking your foods in multiple batches.
An air fryer features extra accessories and settings, which enhances precision and helps you achieve better results. It does not get as hot as an oven on the interior, making it safe to open and close without fear of getting burnt.
The cooking time differs; an air fryer takes less time, while a convection oven requires more cooking time. One of the significant differences between the food cooked in an air fryer and the one in a convection oven is that one still has a moisture texture despite bringing crispy outside.
Most parts of an air fryer are dishwasher safe, which makes clean up swift. An oven must be manually cleaned except for some shelves that are safe for the dishwasher.
Cooking with a convection oven will require close monitoring, unlike an air fryer that allows you to set and forget. The settings are easy to operate and regulate. It often comes with safety features that prevent overheating and overcooking.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an efficient way of cooking with less time and effort, you can invest in either an air fryer or a convection oven. The choice of you getting either of them is dependent on your cooking style, kitchen size, and preference.
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