Air fryers cook hotter and faster than conventional ovens because the fan circulates air right around the food. Enter your oven recipe's settings to get an air fryer starting point.
Because an air fryer is essentially a small, powerful convection oven, food cooks faster at a given temperature than it would in a full-size conventional oven. The common industry rule of thumb is to lower the temperature by about 25°F (roughly 15°C) and cut the cooking time by about 20%, then check for doneness and adjust.
Source: Based on the widely used air fryer conversion rule (~25°F/≈15°C temperature reduction and ~20% time reduction) published by appliance makers including Ninja and COSORI.
An air fryer's compact chamber and powerful fan circulate hot air much more efficiently than a full-size oven, so food effectively experiences a higher real cooking temperature than the dial number even after it's lowered.
It's a reliable starting point for most oven recipes — especially breaded, roasted, and reheated foods — but thick or dense items like a whole roast may need less of a time cut. Always verify with a food thermometer.
Most air fryers benefit from a 3–5 minute preheat, similar to an oven, especially for foods that need a crisp exterior like fries or breaded cutlets.
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