Air Fryer vs Toaster Oven seems to have the same functionalities, but are they the same? In this post, we will explore the differences between Air Fryer and Toaster Oven.
What is an Air Fryer?
Air fryers use hot air from an electric fan to cook food quickly so you can get your favorite recipes hot and ready for consumption in minutes. An air fryer (sometimes known as an air circulator or convection oven) is not just for frying, baking, and roasting. You can use it for cooking almost any food – even raw foods like vegetables! They vary in size and price.
What is a Toaster Oven?
A toaster oven is a small appliance used to cook food. It is usually used in small kitchens or dorm rooms, but some models are designed to be portable. A toaster oven is similar to a regular oven but uses less space and has fewer controls. Toaster ovens come in various sizes, ranging from 6 inches in diameter up to 24 inches. The size of the appliance you choose depends on how much space you have available for it and how often you plan on using it. Most toaster ovens are available in either black and white models; some are stainless steel or wood-fired. Some models have removable racks for baking cookies. In contrast, others offer convection baking technology that allows you to cook multiple dishes at once by circulating hot air around them, so they cook evenly regardless of their size or shape. In contrast, an air fryer is a kitchen tool that cooks food like an oven but with less fat and more space. It’s a healthy alternative to frying, baking, and roasting.
In summary, air fryers and toaster ovens are two kitchen appliances with similar functions and features. But, they employ different cooking methods to achieve similar results. Here is a closer look at the differences between these appliances so you can decide which one is right for your needs.
Size
The size of an air fryer and similar models is usually more significant than that of a traditional toaster oven. This is because of their conventional technology, which uses circulating hot air inside the unit instead of direct heating with conduction elements like those in conventional models. The result is faster cooking times with less oil required for frying foods than traditional models. You can achieve up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit without oil or butter in the air fryer while using only 5% or less fat content in the flour coating on breaded foods cooked using a traditional model.[1] On the other hand, some models may have dimensions but not include all of the features associated with conventional cooking technology.
Features
An air fryer doesn’t have many extra features compared to a toaster oven; they’re mostly just different sizes with similar heating capacities. The only feature that might be unique is digital technology; some air fryers have buttons for adjusting temperature instead of knobs for adjusting time and temperature settings on a dial or digital display screen like traditional ovens do. But these controls are more essential than those found in authentic convection ovens.
Temperature Setting
Most air fryers have at least five settings for temperature control, but some models only have one or two. Toaster ovens typically have at least seven temperature settings, but some models have just three or four. Most home cooks will find that their favorite temperature setting is at least an eighth of a degree higher than the lowest setting on their air fryer or toaster oven.
Holding Capacity
Another difference between the two appliances is that an air fryer has a larger capacity than a conventional oven. An air fryer can hold up to 3 liters of oil, whereas most conventional ovens only hold about 2 liters. This makes it much easier for you to bake multiple items at once in your air fryer rather than bake each item separately in your conventional oven.
Space
Air fryers take up less space than traditional ovens because they don’t require as much space on your countertop. When shopping for an air fryer, make sure that it takes up less space on your countertop than the competition does so that you have room for other appliances in your kitchen.
Cooking Methods
Air fryers offer more control over how you want your food cooked than most conventional ovens, which rely on predetermined temperatures and cooking times for different foods. Air fryers allow you to adjust the temperature at which you cook your food, from 350 to 450 °F. This gives you greater control over how long it takes for certain foods to cook compared to conventional ovens that limit your options regarding temperature settings (and, therefore, time). Other air fryer features include automatic shutoff after 30 minutes of nonuse, a delay timer feature for unattended cooking or warming up leftovers.
Shape
The shape of the air fryer and the toaster oven is similar, but they have different features. The air fryer is a round cooking chamber with a support tube that holds the rotisserie in place. Air fryers can be used for baking or roasting foods.
The air fryer has a flat bottom and is made of only one piece of material. This allows it to be used on any surface with a flat, even surface for cooking. The toaster oven has a round base, which makes it easier to keep warm and cook food evenly.
Price
The price difference between an air fryer and a toaster oven is quite significant. Toaster ovens are generally cheaper than air fryers because they don’t require electricity. On the other hand, air fryers come with a price tag almost double the price of a regular toaster oven.
Timer
Many air fryers include digital timers for preheating, cooking, and other functions. Toaster ovens don’t have timers, but some models do have “browning” modes for browning foods before cooking them to ensure they get done evenly and thoroughly.
Cooking Time
Cooking times differ depending on what you’re making and how hot your stove is. It can take up to 10 minutes for an air fryer to reach 200 °F while it takes about 8 minutes for a toaster oven to reach 400 °F. For example, if you’re making fries at home, the air fryer would take about 10 minutes (if your stovetop is on medium). Meanwhile, it would take about 8 minutes for the same fries in a traditional oven (if your stovetop is on a high). This is because the temperature inside an air fryer isn’t as high as that of a traditional oven.
Wrapping Up
When looking for a food appliance, the first thing to do is figure out what you need the appliance for. Air fryers and toaster ovens have pros and cons, but they can’t replace each other because they are built to perform certain functions. You have to choose which will give you the best experience while making sure you are making a sound investment.
