A convection oven cooks food using convection heating, which involves a heating element working with a fan to surround your food with hot air, cooking it more quickly and evenly. A convection oven is usually a rectangular box with a door in the front, making it similar to a conventional oven. Convection ovens can be the size of regular ovens, or they can be smaller and sit on your kitchen countertop. 

Convection ovens bake food faster and more evenly than a traditional oven because of the strength of convection heating. A convection oven is used to cook the same things that a traditional oven does like pastries, [cookies](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/butter-cookie-recipe), roasted veggies, casseroles, rotisseries, and [roasted chicken](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/roasted-chicken-recipe-by-chef-wolfgang-puck). It can also preheat frozen foods. Many smart ovens will have a convection setting, allowing you to choose between convection baking or regular baking. 

An air fryer is used to cook food in the same way that a convection oven does. Convection cooking uses a fan, an exhaust system to control airflow, and a heating element that work together to heat your food. An air fryer is a small, cylindrical countertop home appliance that has a vented heating basket that evenly filters in hot air. The appliance is similar in size to a coffee maker. 

Convection heating applies lots of heat to the surface of your food, making it crispy, which is why air frying appears to "air fry" your food. Despite its name, an air fryer doesn't fry your food: it bakes it using convection heating. Because of the way it simulates the crispiness of fried food, air fryers are great for cooking things like french fries and chicken wings. Air frying your food uses a fraction of the amount of oil that you’d use to deep fry your food.  

Air fryers and convection ovens both use convection heating to cook food evenly and quickly. However, they have a few distinct differences. Here are some of the main differences between an air fryer and a convection oven. 

- __Appearance__: A convection oven is a rectangular box with a door in front, typically with a glass panel so that you can see inside. An air fryer is a cylindrical kitchen appliance with a removable cooking basket, and you cannot see inside of it. 
- __Size__: Convection ovens come in different sizes, from a standard home oven size to a countertop convection toaster oven. All air fryers are always small enough to fit on a countertop, making them ideal for cooking small meals and saving on counter space.
- __Frying capabilities__: Because air fryers are smaller, the food is closer to the convection fan, meaning that the crisping effect is closer to that of deep frying. Convection ovens have more space, and therefore do not duplicate the crispiness of a deep fryer.

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Both air fryers and convection ovens use convection cooking, or heated air, to evenly cook your food, but they differ in size, appearance, and frying capability. Learn more about the differences between air fryers and convection ovens. 


Both air fryers and convection ovens use convection cooking, or heated air, to evenly cook your food, but they differ in size, appearance, and frying capability. Learn more about the differences between air fryers and convection ovens. 


The Differences Between Air Fryers vs. Convection Ovens

A convection oven cooks food using convection heating, which involves a heating element working with a fan to surround your food with hot air, cooking it more quickly and evenly. A convection oven is usually a rectangular box with a door in the front, making it similar to a conventional oven. Convection ovens can be the size of regular ovens, or they can be smaller and sit on your kitchen countertop. Convection ovens bake food faster and more evenly than a traditional oven because of the strength of convection heating. A convection oven is used to cook the same things that a traditional oven does like pastries, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/butter-cookie-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/butter-cookie-recipe","linkCopy":"cookies","category":null}'>cookies</a>, roasted veggies, casseroles, rotisseries, and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/roasted-chicken-recipe-by-chef-wolfgang-puck' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/roasted-chicken-recipe-by-chef-wolfgang-puck","linkCopy":"roasted chicken","category":null}'>roasted chicken</a>. It can also preheat frozen foods. Many smart ovens will have a convection setting, allowing you to choose between convection baking or regular baking.

What Is a Convection Oven?

An air fryer is used to cook food in the same way that a convection oven does. Convection cooking uses a fan, an exhaust system to control airflow, and a heating element that work together to heat your food. An air fryer is a small, cylindrical countertop home appliance that has a vented heating basket that evenly filters in hot air. The appliance is similar in size to a coffee maker. Convection heating applies lots of heat to the surface of your food, making it crispy, which is why air frying appears to &quot;air fry&quot; your food. Despite its name, an air fryer doesn&#39;t fry your food: it bakes it using convection heating. Because of the way it simulates the crispiness of fried food, air fryers are great for cooking things like french fries and chicken wings. Air frying your food uses a fraction of the amount of oil that you’d use to deep fry your food.

What Is an Air Fryer?

Air fryers and convection ovens both use convection heating to cook food evenly and quickly. However, they have a few distinct differences. Here are some of the main differences between an air fryer and a convection oven. <ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Appearance: A convection oven is a rectangular box with a door in front, typically with a glass panel so that you can see inside. An air fryer is a cylindrical kitchen appliance with a removable cooking basket, and you cannot see inside of it. </li><li class="">Size: Convection ovens come in different sizes, from a standard home oven size to a countertop convection toaster oven. All air fryers are always small enough to fit on a countertop, making them ideal for cooking small meals and saving on counter space. </li><li class="">Frying capabilities: Because air fryers are smaller, the food is closer to the convection fan, meaning that the crisping effect is closer to that of deep frying. Convection ovens have more space, and therefore do not duplicate the crispiness of a deep fryer. </li></ul>

Air Fryer vs. Convection Oven: How Are They Different?

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Both air fryers and convection ovens use convection cooking, or heated air, to evenly cook your food, but they differ in size, appearance, and frying capability. Learn more about the differences between air fryers and convection ovens.