Air Fryer Calculator

Turn any oven recipe into air fryer settings. Enter the oven temperature and cooking time and the calculator suggests an air fryer temperature about 25 °F lower and a time about 20% shorter, with a check-point so nothing overcooks.

How to convert an oven recipe for the air fryer

An air fryer is a small, powerful convection oven: a fan blows hot air around the food in a compact basket, so heat transfers faster than in a conventional oven. The widely used rule is to lower the temperature by about 25 °F (roughly 15 °C) and reduce the cooking time by about 20%. If the recipe was written for a convection or fan oven, it has usually been adjusted already, so keep the temperature and shorten the time slightly. The calculator applies these rules, rounds the time, and suggests when to shake the basket and when to start checking.

Worked example

A recipe says to roast potato wedges at 425 °F for 35 minutes in a conventional oven. In the air fryer that becomes 400 °F for about 28 minutes — and since most air fryers max out around 400 °F, that is also the limit. Shake the basket at around 14 minutes and start checking at 22. If the basket is piled high rather than in a single layer, add a few minutes and shake more often.

Why food cooks differently in an air fryer

• Airflow: the fan removes the cool, moist layer of air around food, which is why the outside browns and crisps quickly.
• Small space: less air to heat means faster preheating and cooking.
• Proximity to the element: food near the top can brown faster than food underneath, so shaking or flipping helps.
• Crowding matters: a packed basket blocks airflow and steams food instead of crisping it.

Safe internal temperatures

Timing guides are only estimates — thickness, starting temperature and your particular air fryer all change the result. For meat, poultry and fish, use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part. The US Department of Agriculture's safe minimum internal temperatures include:

Tips for better air fryer results

• Preheat for 3–5 minutes if your model does not preheat automatically; it helps crisping.
• Pat food dry and use a light spray or toss of oil — a teaspoon or two is often enough.
• Cook in batches rather than overfilling; the second batch cooks faster because the air fryer is hot.
• Shake fries and vegetables every 5 minutes; flip larger items halfway through.
• Use a thermometer for meat instead of relying on colour.
• For breaded foods, spray the coating lightly with oil so it browns evenly.
• Line with perforated parchment for sticky foods, but never preheat with loose parchment inside — it can blow into the heating element.

Converting baking recipes

Cakes, muffins and breads can be baked in an air fryer in small pans that fit the basket, but they brown on top quickly. Lower the temperature by 25–30 °F, check early, and cover the top loosely with foil if it browns before the middle is done. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean. Batters rise better in lighter-coloured pans; dark pans brown the bottom faster.

Frozen foods

Frozen convenience foods often have air-fryer instructions on the package; use them when provided. If not, start from the package's oven temperature minus 25 °F and about two-thirds to three-quarters of the oven time, shaking regularly. Frozen foods do not need thawing, but spread them in a single layer so ice crystals melt and evaporate rather than steaming the food.

Cleaning and safety

Grease that collects in the drawer can smoke at high temperatures, so empty and wash the basket and drawer after cooking fatty foods. Keep the air fryer on a heat-resistant surface with space around the vents, never cover the air outlet, and unplug it when cleaning. Non-stick baskets last longer if you avoid metal utensils and abrasive scourers.