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Difference between an air fryer and an oven

Luuk4 FEBRUARY 2026
A person puts food into a black air fryer with tongs, while another uses a laptop in a kitchen with fruit and wood accents.

Do you want an air fryer as well as an oven? On this page we show what the advantages of an air fryer are and demonstrate that the air fryer is a great addition to your kitchen. We’ll also explain what you can use this kitchen appliance for.

What do you use an oven for?

A partially open oven door shows the oven's interior, which is lit. The oven is set into a wood-grained wall.

The possibilities for preparing food in an oven are endless. Think of meat, fish, vegetables, oven dishes and bakes, such as cakes and bread. With the right baking tin or oven dish you can go in any direction. And don’t forget pizzas and homemade lasagne. An oven is often already built into your kitchen and is actually considered indispensable.

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Why buy an air fryer?

Golden fries fill a black air fryer basket. A white air fryer sits to the left on a dark gray countertop.

An air fryer is a great addition to your kitchen. Not only does it make a deep fryer redundant, but it also lets you prepare your meal in a healthy way. Besides fries and party snacks, you can also make chicken, macaroni or small cakes in the air fryer. The possibilities with an air fryer are very extensive. Moreover, you don’t have to deal with frying odours that linger in your home, and an air fryer is easy to clean.

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Differences between an air fryer and an oven

A black air fryer sits on a wooden surface next to bowls of french fries and a spice jar, in a kitchen setting.

Both an air fryer and an oven prepare food by circulating hot air. However, an oven needs more heating-up time. An air fryer is usually ready for use within 0 to 3 minutes, depending on the model. You can easily prepare small meals in an air fryer. Do you want to prepare larger meals, such as oven dishes, large cakes and meat that needs to cook slowly? Then an oven is very suitable. If you want crispy fries, it’s better to prepare them in an air fryer. In an oven, the moisture remains, which then soaks into the fries. An air fryer also has a system for draining fat.

Advice about air fryers
Advice about ovens
Property nameOvenAir fryer
Preparation

Convection

Convection

Heating-up time

From 5 to 15 minutes

From 0 to 5 minutes

Preparation options

Baking, slow cooking and roasting

Frying, baking, grilling and roasting

Content size

Big

Smaller than an oven

What suits you: an air fryer or an oven?

Crispy chicken pieces sit near an open orange air fryer with fries. Two yellow peppers lie below on a brown surface.

In most cases, you already have an oven in your kitchen. An air fryer is a great addition if you like to deep-fry or want to prepare small meals quickly. Thanks to the short heating-up time, you can get started with an air fryer straight away. Do you want to prepare fries? Use an air fryer if you want a crispy crust. Are you in doubt between an air fryer and a classic deep fryer? We have also looked into the differences between these appliances.

Differences between an air fryer and a deep fryer

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