How it works: How the converter works out air fryer settings
The converter follows a few simple rules. Here they are in full, so you can see where every number comes from and adjust for your own air fryer.
Temperature
An air fryer blows hot air hard and close to the food, so it browns faster than an oven at the same setting. The converter lowers the temperature to make up for it:
- Conventional oven or gas mark: 20 °C lower (25 °F).
- Fan oven: 15 °C lower (20 °F), because fan temperatures are already lower.
Gas marks are first turned into their usual conventional oven temperature (gas mark 6 is 200 °C), as listed in the conversion chart. Celsius results are rounded to the nearest 5 °C, the steps most air fryer dials use, and kept between 80 and 230 °C.
Cooking time
A small, fast-heating cavity cooks quicker too. The converter starts by taking 25% off the oven time, then adjusts that for what you tell it:
Food
| Chips | 2% more off (cooks faster) |
|---|---|
| Breaded chicken | No change |
| Sausages | 1% more off (cooks faster) |
| Frozen pies | 3% less off (needs longer) |
| Fish | 2% more off (cooks faster) |
| Roast potatoes & veg | 3% more off (cooks faster) |
| Pastry | 2% less off (needs longer) |
Basket load
| Light basket (one layer) | 5% more off (cooks faster) |
|---|---|
| Medium basket | No change |
| Heavy basket (piled up) | 5% less off (needs longer) |
Fryer size
| Small fryer (3–4 L) | 2% more off (cooks faster) |
|---|---|
| Medium fryer (5–6 L) | No change |
| Large fryer (7+ L) | 2% less off (needs longer) |
However the adjustments add up, the cut stays between 10% and 50%. The result is rounded to the nearest 30 seconds and is never under 1 minute, so a very short oven time can come out almost unchanged.
Shaking and checking
The air comes from above, so the converter adds a reminder to shake or turn the food halfway through, and a second one 75% of the way through for a heavy basket. The steps also tell you to start checking at 90% of the time.
These are rules of thumb, not lab measurements. Air fryers vary in power and basket shape, so use the result as a starting point. If food is regularly done early or late in yours, adjust the time next time.
Food safety
The converter gives estimates, not guarantees. Air fryers differ in power and basket size, and the same food can vary from packet to packet, so treat the result as a starting point. A shorter time is only right if the food is cooked through. Before serving, check that it is steaming hot all the way through. Meat should have no pink in the thickest part, and the juices should run clear. With a food thermometer, the Food Standards Agency advises the centre reaching 70 °C for 2 minutes, or 75 °C for 30 seconds.
Read the Food Standards Agency's guide, Cooking your food. If a packet says the product is not suitable for air frying or must be cooked from defrosted, follow the packet.
Privacy and cookies
The converter runs in your browser. It keeps your last conversion, your theme and your cookie choice in your browser's local storage so they are there next time, and none of it is sent anywhere.
If you accept analytics cookies, the site uses Google Analytics to count visits and see which features get used. That covers the pages you open (with the converter settings in the page address), the food, oven type, units and basket load when you first convert, the timer length and food when you start one, and whether you share a result, along with general details such as your device type and rough location. Nothing identifies you by name. Google processes this data for us under its privacy policy, and Google Analytics sets cookies named _ga and _ga_<id>.
If you reject them, or never choose, Google Analytics does not load and sets no cookies.
Who makes this
Oven to Air Fryer is made by Tom Metcalfe. It is free, with no ads or sign-up, and works offline once it has loaded, so you can install it on your phone and use it in the kitchen.