Basket air fryer vs oven air fryer

Size difference

Air fryers are countertop appliances, making them smaller than even the dinkiest of conventional ovens.

Even the smallest of dedicated air fryers can take up a fair bit of space though, eating into precious kitchen worktop real estate. While ovens are obviously much larger, they tend to be built into kitchens, making them a sleeker, space-saving option.

If you’ve got a decently sized kitchen then space won’t be too much of an issue, but if you’re rocking one on the smaller end of the scale then the additional space taken up by an air fryer might be something worth thinking about. You can always pop them away in a cupboard after use, mind, so it might be a non-issue.

What can you cook?

Air fryers can cook practically anything, though there are some limits. While you can cook entire chickens with delicious, juicy results, their smaller overall size can be problematic if, for example, you wanted to cook up a giant platter of crispy wings.

That’s because items ideally need to be spread across the bottom of the basket in a single layer for even results. Due to their smaller footprint compared to ovens, this means wings and other items need to be cooked in batches, which might be inconvenient depending on how many hungry mouths you have to feed.

Which one is healthier?

While air fryers are definitely healthier than deep fat fryers, they’re not necessarily any healthier than conventional ovens. While they only need a little oil though, it can drip off through perforations in the basket, which means food isn’t swimming around in oil or self-produced fat. Whack food on a grill with a drip tray on the bottom shelf in an oven though, and you’ve got a similar effect, so it’s about even.

Reheating food

While you can reheat food in both ovens and air fryers, air fryers win this round hands down. Not only do air fryers reheat food quicker than a conventional oven, but the results are evenly heated and deliciously crispy, breathing new life back into soggy pizza, fries, and a whole lot more.

Which one is better?

Both air fryers and ovens have proven to be invaluable culinary tools in the home, with pros and cons for both.

Air fryers produce a more intense heat, letting you cook and reheat food faster than conventional ovens. They’re great where you want really crispy results, such as for chips or even frozen foods. Their biggest downside is that cooking for large groups of people will likely have to be done in batches, and many recipes require frequent basket shaking for best results.

Ovens have far larger capacities and, generally, more cooking modes. When you’re cooking for lots of people or you just need more room, say for cooking bread, cakes or Yorkshire puddings, an oven is best.

Having said that, there’s definitely a place for both if you’ve got the budget and space, providing you with all sorts of flexibility to start enjoying more food than ever.

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Is there a difference between air fryer and air fryer oven?

An air fryer is a small countertop version of a convection oven. Air Fryers come in two models, either an air fryer basket or an air fryer oven. Both generally operate the same; the only difference is that the parts are in different places. Both will cook (air fry) your food the same.

What's the difference between basket air fryer and convection oven?

The main difference between these two appliances is size. A convection oven can cook larger amounts of food at one time than an air fryer, which can only handle smaller portions and often requires cooking in batches when it comes to larger amounts of food.

Does an air fryer oven need an air fryer basket?

Summary – Yes, you can use an air fryer without the basket. However, you need to recognize that your air fryer will not work efficiently, nor cook your food consistently. Your food will also take much longer to cook. The reason for this is the need for unobscured air flow within you air fryer for it to work properly.