The differences between an airfryer and an oven

Written by Joey

Edited on

1 October 2025

·

10:02

The differences between an airfryer and an oven

You're not sure whether you want to buy an airfryer or an oven. The biggest difference is that an airfryer provides a different baking result than an oven. Fries and snacks come out crispier from the airfryer than from an oven. An oven is also larger than an airfryer, so you can prepare multiple ingredients in one go. In this article, we'll explain the differences.

Comparison airfryer and oven

AirfryerFan oven
Preheating0-2 minutes5-10 minutes
Baking resultCrispy and crunchyLess crispy
Dish sizeMedium-sized dishesLarge dishes
Fat drainage systemYesNo
Freestanding or built-inFreestanding onlyFreestanding or built-in

Preheating

Airfryer: short preheating

Airfryer: short preheating

An airfryer reaches a 180°C temperature in 2 minutes. Some airfryers don't require preheating. This allows you to quickly make a sandwich or cook a piece of meat or fish in no time. This way, you can use the airfryer during the week when you have little time. With Philips Airfryer Connected, you can switch on the airfryer from your phone. That's useful, because you can set the correct settings in advance.

View all airfryers
Fan oven: long preheating

Fan oven: long preheating

A convection oven takes about 5 to 10 minutes to preheat. This means you can't quickly prepare a pizza or different snack. You have to add this extra time when you want to prepare things ingredients in the oven.

Baking result

Airfryer: crispy fries and snacks

Airfryer: crispy fries and snacks

In an airfryer, you can prepare fries and snacks so they come out crispy and crunchy. The fat and juices they release are drained to the bottom of the airfryer. This allows you to prepare food responsibly, but it also prevents soggy fries.

Fan oven: soggy fries and snacks

Fan oven: soggy fries and snacks

Just like with an airfryer, you prepare ingredients in an oven with a hot air flow. An oven doesn't have a drainage system that allows you to remove fat or juices. This means that some of the moisture doesn't evaporate and gets absorbed by the ingredients. The result is weak fries and soft snacks.

Size and capacity

Airfryer: small capacity

Airfryer: small capacity

Airfryers come in different sizes. There are also XXL models, but these models aren't as large as an oven. This means that you have less space for an oven dish in your airfryer, for example. You also can't bake a large cake in an airfryer.

Fan oven: large capacity

Fan oven: large capacity

With an oven, you can prepare large quantities or elongated dishes in one go. You can prepare baguettes or casseroles, for example. You can also easily bake multiple buns. This is useful if you have a large household or if you often have company over.

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Article by Joey

Airfryer Expert.

Joey