What the Air Fryer Conversion Calculator does
This calculator converts an oven recipe to an air fryer: enter the oven temperature and time, and it suggests a lower temperature, a shorter time, when to shake or turn the food and when to start checking. The usual rule of thumb is about 20 °C (roughly 35 °F) cooler than a conventional oven and about 20% less time, so 200 °C for 30 minutes becomes about 180 °C for 24 minutes.
It is a starting point, not a guarantee. Air fryers differ in power and basket size, and how full the basket is matters as much as the dial. The page handles conventional, fan and gas-mark recipes, in Celsius or Fahrenheit, adjusts for the kind of food, and has a printable conversion chart for the kitchen wall.
How to use it
- Choose the oven type the recipe was written for: conventional, fan (convection) or gas mark. Fan temperatures are already about 20 °C lower than conventional ones, and the calculator allows for that.
- Enter the temperature in °C or °F, or pick the gas mark, and the oven cooking time in minutes.
- Pick what you are cooking. Frozen food and vegetables get a slightly bigger time cut and more shaking; cakes and bread a slightly lower temperature so the outside does not set before the middle.
- Use the result as your first setting: preheat, cook in a single layer, shake or turn at the halfway time, and start checking at the time shown. Under Adjust the rule you can change the reduction if your air fryer runs hot or cool.
Reading the results
The big figure is the suggested air-fryer setting and time. The "usual range" under it is the spread you will find in appliance guides and recipes, 15-25 °C below a conventional oven; if food browns too fast, use the lower end.
"Start checking at" is three quarters of the suggested time. Small pieces can be done well before the timer, especially in a powerful air fryer or with a half-empty basket.
For meat, poultry, fish and leftovers the page shows safe inside temperatures. Colour and juices are not reliable signs; a thermometer in the thickest part is.
If the converted temperature is above 200 °C (400 °F), many air fryers cannot reach it. Use your maximum setting and allow a few more minutes.
Worked example: chicken thighs: 200 °C conventional oven, 35 minutes
The rule lowers the temperature by 20 °C: 200 − 20 = 180 °C, which is 356 °F, so set 355 °F on a Fahrenheit dial. The usual range is 175-185 °C.
The time is cut by 20%: 35 × 0.8 = 28 minutes. Turn the thighs at about 14 minutes and start checking from 21 minutes (three quarters of 28).
They are done when the thickest part reaches 74 °C (165 °F) on a thermometer, the USDA minimum for poultry - in some air fryers that is at 24 minutes, in others at 30.
Formulas and scoring rules
- Air fryer temperature
air fryer °C = conventional °C − 20Range 15-25 °C. Rounded to the nearest 5 degrees, the step on most dials. Cakes and bread use 25 °C.- From a fan oven
conventional °C = fan °C + 20The standard convention in UK and EU recipes; the air fryer rule is then applied.- From gas mark
Gas 1 = 140 °C, 2 = 150, 3 = 170, 4 = 180, 5 = 190, 6 = 200, 7 = 220, 8 = 230, 9 = 240- Air fryer time
air fryer minutes = oven minutes × 0.80.75 for frozen food and vegetables, 0.85 for whole chickens and joints. Rounded to the nearest minute.- Fahrenheit
°F = °C × 9/5 + 32
Why an air fryer needs a lower temperature
An air fryer is a compact fan oven. A powerful fan pushes hot air quickly over food that sits close to the heating element, so heat transfers faster than in a large oven where the air moves slowly. The surface browns sooner, which is why the temperature comes down - otherwise the outside burns before the inside is cooked - and why the time comes down too.
The saving is biggest for small, thin or crumbed foods with plenty of surface: chips, wings, nuggets, sliced vegetables. It is smallest for large, dense items such as a whole chicken or a deep cake, where heat still has to travel to the centre, so those keep more of their oven time.
Limitations: what the result does not prove
- The conversion is a widely used rule of thumb and a2z.tools' own food-type adjustments, not a laboratory-tested recipe. Your appliance's manual and the food packet take priority.
- It assumes a single layer of food. A crowded basket cooks unevenly and needs longer; cook in batches instead.
- Doneness is not guaranteed by time. Check meat, poultry, fish and reheated food with a thermometer.
- Wet batters, sauces and dishes that need a deep tin or slow, long cooking often do not suit an air fryer at all.
Privacy: where your data goes
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Standards and sources
- USDA FSIS - Safe minimum internal temperature chart
- UK Food Standards Agency - Cooking your food (70 °C for 2 minutes)
- USDA FSIS - Air fryers and food safety
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert oven time and temperature to an air fryer?
Lower the temperature by about 20 °C (around 35 °F) and cut the time by about 20%, then check early. 200 °C for 30 minutes becomes roughly 180 °C for 24 minutes. Shake or turn the food halfway through.
What is 180 °C in an air fryer?
If a conventional-oven recipe says 180 °C, set the air fryer to about 160 °C. If 180 °C is a fan-oven temperature, it is the same recipe as 200 °C conventional, so set about 180 °C. The oven type in the recipe makes the difference.
Do I need to convert a fan oven recipe for an air fryer?
Less than a conventional one. Fan-oven recipes are already written about 20 °C lower, so the air fryer temperature is close to the fan temperature. The time still comes down by about a fifth because the air fryer is smaller and more intense.
How long do oven chips take in an air fryer?
Roughly three quarters of the oven time on the packet, at about 20 °C below the conventional-oven temperature. Chips that need 20 minutes at 220 °C usually take 14-16 minutes at 200 °C, shaken every few minutes in a single layer.
Should I preheat my air fryer?
It is usually worth preheating for 3-5 minutes, especially for crisp results and short cooking times, because the timings assume the air is already hot. Some models do not need it - check your manual.
How do I know chicken is cooked in an air fryer?
Use a food thermometer in the thickest part: 74 °C (165 °F) is the USDA safe minimum for poultry, and UK guidance is 70 °C held for 2 minutes. Cutting it open to check colour is not reliable, and air-fryer times vary a lot between models.
Can I bake a cake in an air fryer?
Yes, in a tin that fits with space around it. Use a slightly bigger temperature cut, about 25 °C below the conventional oven, and check with a skewer near the end. Cover the top loosely with foil if it browns before the middle sets.
Last reviewed by the A2Z.Tools team against the sources listed above.
