What is the difference between an air fryer and an oven?

There are significant differences between air fryers and ovens in terms of cooking principles, capacity, cooking types, target audience, and functions, each with unique advantages, and their practicality varies from person to person.

1. Cooking principles
Air fryer: Using a rapid heating device, a high-power fan creates a rapidly circulating heat flow inside the frying basket, replacing the hot oil in the frying pan with air to cook the food. At the same time, hot air can also blow away the moisture on the surface of food, achieving a similar frying effect, but without the need for a large amount of oil.
Oven: uses the radiant heat emitted by electric heating elements such as heating wires and heating tubes to bake food. Some modern ovens have also added a hot air circulation function to make food heated more evenly.

2. Capacity
Air fryer: The capacity is generally 3-6 liters, equivalent to the size of an electric rice cooker, with a small footprint and easy to move and store.
Oven: usually has a capacity of 18-30 liters, requires a large footprint, and is not easy to move.

3. Cooking types
Air fryer: It focuses more on deep fried foods with a certain amount of oil in the ingredients themselves, such as fried chicken wings, grilled lamb chops, etc. At the same time, some baked goods can also be made, but the variety is relatively limited.
Oven: capable of producing a variety of foods including baked goods (such as cakes, bread, etc.), and can also bake various ingredients such as meat and vegetables, achieving a versatile cooking effect with one machine.

4. Applicable population
Air fryer: Suitable for health conscious individuals in fast-paced lifestyles, especially small families or those living alone. Its cooking efficiency is high, the required time is short, and it is easy to clean and operate.
Oven: Suitable for perfectionists who love baking and pursue the texture and taste of food, as well as families with many members or those who often need to make a large amount of food.

5. Functional richness and experience
Air fryer: Some models support dishwasher cleaning, saving time and effort. However, as a sealed container, the cooking process cannot be observed and cannot be adjusted midway, which may result in uneven heating or undercooking of the food.
Oven: Accurate temperature control, uniform heating, capable of meeting various baking needs. At the same time, the oven has a longer cooking time, but it can retain the juice of the food, making the inside of the food moist and juicy, and the outside crispy.

6. Comparison of practicality
Air fryer: With its healthy, convenient, and efficient characteristics, it has become an indispensable cooking tool in modern home kitchens. Especially suitable for people who need fast cooking and pursue low-fat and healthy diets.
Oven: It holds an irreplaceable position in the baking industry and is an essential tool for pursuing high-quality baking results. Meanwhile, the multifunctionality and large capacity of the oven make it more suitable for households with a large number of members or those that need to prepare a large amount of food.