Air Fryer Conversion Calculator

Turn any oven recipe into air fryer time and temperature, the easy way.

Almost every recipe is written for a conventional oven, but an air fryer is a smaller, fan-driven box that runs hotter and cooks faster. Use the oven settings as written and you will overcook the outside before the middle is ready. The fix is a simple rule: drop the temperature a little and shorten the time. Enter your oven settings below and we will do the maths, or use the quick table and cooking chart further down.

Oven to air fryer calculator

Air fryer temp 180°C
Air fryer time 20 min

The rule: lower the temperature by about 20°C (25°F) and cut the time by roughly 20%. Check the food the first time and add a minute or two if needed.

Quick oven to air fryer temperature table

The most common oven temperatures and their air fryer equivalents, with UK gas marks for reference.

Oven °COven °FGas markAir fryer °CAir fryer °F
1603253140285
1703403-4150300
1803504160320
1903755170340
2004006180360
2204257200390
2304508210410

Got a fan (convection) oven? The gap is smaller, so you can drop by 10 to 15°C instead, since a fan oven already moves the air around.

How to convert any recipe in three steps

  1. Lower the temperature. Take about 20°C (25°F) off the oven setting. So 200°C becomes roughly 180°C.
  2. Cut the time. Knock off around 20 percent. A 25 minute oven bake becomes about 20 minutes.
  3. Check and adjust. Cook in a single layer, shake or turn halfway, and look at the food a few minutes early the first time. You can always give it another minute or two.

Air fryer cooking chart for common foods

Tested starting points for cooking from raw. Cook in a single layer, shake or turn halfway, and check doneness, every air fryer is a little different.

FoodTemperatureTimeTip
Chicken breast (boneless)180°C / 360°F15-18 minTurn halfway; 74°C inside
Chicken thighs (bone-in)200°C / 400°F20-22 minSkin-side up to finish
Chicken wings200°C / 400°F20-25 minShake halfway
Salmon fillet180°C / 360°F8-10 min63°C inside
Pork sausages180°C / 360°F12-15 minTurn halfway
Bacon200°C / 400°F8-10 minSingle layer
Steak (2cm)200°C / 400°F8-12 minTo your liking; rest after
Meatballs180°C / 360°F10-12 minShake halfway
Homemade chips200°C / 400°F15-20 minSoak, dry, shake often
Frozen chips200°C / 400°F12-16 minNo oil needed; shake
Roast vegetables180-200°C / 360-400°F12-15 minToss in a little oil
A note on accuracy: air fryers vary by model, wattage and basket size, so no chart is exact. Use these as a starting point and a food thermometer where you can: poultry 74°C (165°F), minced meat 71°C (160°F), whole cuts of beef, pork and fish 63°C (145°F).

Going the other way: air fryer to oven

Found an air fryer recipe but only have an oven? Run the rule in reverse. Raise the temperature by about 20°C (25°F) and add roughly 20 percent to the time. So 180°C for 20 minutes in an air fryer becomes about 200°C for 25 minutes in a conventional oven, spread out on a tray so the heat can reach every side.

Five tips for the best air fryer results

  • Do not overcrowd. Air needs to move around the food. A single layer with a little space crisps far better than a packed basket.
  • Shake or turn. Halfway through, shake the basket or flip larger pieces so everything browns evenly.
  • Dry food first. Pat chips, chicken and vegetables dry, and toss fresh chips in a teaspoon of oil. Surface moisture steams instead of crisps.
  • Preheat for crisp things. Two or three minutes of preheat helps chips and frozen food, though delicate fish does not need it.
  • Check early the first time. Air fryers run hot, so look a few minutes before the suggested time until you know your machine.

Put it to use

Find a recipe you fancy and convert it with the calculator above. Browse all our recipes, our cook with what you have finder, or pair this with our kitchen conversion charts for cups, grams and oven temperatures.

Frequently asked questions

Lower the temperature by about 20 degrees Celsius (25 degrees Fahrenheit) and reduce the cooking time by roughly 20 percent. For example, 200C for 25 minutes in the oven becomes about 180C for 20 minutes in an air fryer. Always check the food is cooked through, as air fryers vary.

Around 160C. Fan ovens already circulate air, so the gap is smaller than with a conventional oven, but dropping by about 20C and shaving 20 percent off the time is still a safe starting point. Check a few minutes early the first time.

About 180C, with the time cut by roughly a fifth. So a tray of vegetables at 200C for 25 minutes in the oven becomes around 180C for 20 minutes in the air fryer.

An air fryer is a small chamber with a powerful fan, so hot air circulates quickly and close to the food. That means food browns and cooks faster than in a larger conventional oven, which is why the temperature and time both come down.

For most foods a 2 to 3 minute preheat helps with crisping, especially for chips, frozen foods and anything you want golden. Delicate foods like fish are forgiving and do not really need it. If a recipe is written for an air fryer, follow its preheat advice.

Far less than for frying or roasting. A light spray or a teaspoon tossed through helps fresh chips and vegetables crisp and brown, but frozen foods and fatty cuts like sausages and bacon usually need none at all.

Yes, in moderation. Use a small piece that does not cover the whole base or block the airflow, and weigh it down with food so it cannot lift into the element. Perforated air fryer liners are made for this and are the safest option.

Work the rule in reverse: raise the temperature by about 20C (25F) and add roughly 20 percent to the time. So 180C for 20 minutes in an air fryer becomes about 200C for 25 minutes in a conventional oven.

No, and any tool that claims to be is overselling it. Results depend on your air fryer model, its wattage and how full the basket is. Treat the numbers here as a reliable starting point, check the food the first time you try a recipe, and add a minute or two if needed.

Use a food thermometer where you can. Poultry should reach 74C (165F), minced or ground meat 71C (160F), and whole cuts of beef, pork and fish 63C (145F). Air fryers cook unevenly if overloaded, so cook in a single layer and shake or turn halfway.