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Recently, my sister told me she wanted to upgrade to a bigger air fryer and asked for a recommendation.
“Well, I can definitely recommend a few,” I said. “But you already have a giant air fryer.”
As expected, she was confused—that is, until I explained that an air fryer is simply a combination of high heat and fast-moving air. And because most modern ranges (like hers) have built-in convection fans, they can function as air fryers too.
“But don’t I need a special basket?” she asked.
Again, the answer was simple and easy. Yes, she needed a basket, sometimes called a crisper tray, and she could get one for about $25.
I sent a link to a two-piece crisper tray that included an elevated basket and a flat tray to catch crumbs. Then I realized I should probably try it myself before making such a confident recommendation to anyone outside my immediate family, so I ordered one for myself too.
As a big fan of super-versatile small appliances, I’m of the opinion that if you’re going to have an air fryer, it might as well be an air fryer oven that you can use for toasting, broiling, and maybe even more. So to compare a countertop air fryer to a full-size convection oven, I put my beloved Breville Joule Air Fryer Oven up against my equally beloved Bertazzoni induction range, which has a convection fan.
But first, I hit the freezer aisle for pizza rolls, mini corn dogs, dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, and sweet potato fritters that were also shaped like prehistoric creatures. (Yes, my kids were thrilled.)
For each item, I followed the air-fryer instructions on the packaging (ignoring any toaster/convection/conventional oven directions) and used the higher end of the suggested air-fry cook times. The results were nearly identical, and both devices made my frozen foods perfectly crispy. But the foods I cooked in my full-size oven consistently had less charring around the edges—likely because the items weren’t as close to the heating elements.
It turned out my full-size convection oven was actually a better air fryer than my air fryer oven. And all I needed was a crisper basket.
Tips for how to use a convection oven like an air fryer
I had great results air-frying in my full-size convection oven, and while some of that credit may go to my high-quality range, I also did two things to ensure perfectly crispy food.
The crisper basket I used in my full-size convection oven is set up to allow some airflow under the food, but to get even more air moving around it, I placed my oven racks in adjacent positions and put the included crumb tray on the lower rack. If you’re worried about not perfectly aligning the parts and getting crumbs on the floor of your oven—which can burn and smoke the next time you cook—you could get more coverage by placing a sheet pan on the lower rack. (This is what I do when I cook a frozen pizza directly on my oven rack too.) You can also get a bigger basket if you opt for one without the crumb rack.
When I want to air-fry in my Breville Joule Air Fryer Pro Oven, I always preheat the air-frying rack/basket, so I did the same with the basket I used in my convection oven. This helps to crisp the parts of the food making contact with the basket.
What are the drawbacks of air-frying in a convection oven?
If you don’t have the counterspace for an air fryer—or if getting one might mean giving up another beloved small appliance—using the convection feature on your full-size oven is a no-brainer. But if space isn’t a concern, or if expediency is a concern, there are a few things to consider.
Full-size convection ovens may cook more slowly than some compact, basket-style air fryers, but I didn’t experience that with my countertop air fryer oven; I got the same results in the same exact amount of time with both. Still, full size ovens can take up to twice as long, if not longer, to reach 400ºF (a standard air-fry temp) than a countertop air fryer oven and many basket-style air fryers don’t require any preheating.
Full-size ranges—especially those with convection fans—require more power than a countertop multi-oven or basket-style air fryer. A recent Nasdaq report suggests that operating an electric oven costs about 50 cents an hour, while using an air-fryer is half the cost.
All of that said, if you’ve been on the fence about an air fryer and your oven has a built-in convection fan, a crisper basket could save you a square foot or two of counter space and at least a hundred bucks. And at the very least, it’s a fun way to start experimenting with air frying at home.
