Convection ovens and air fryers are very similar appliances. They both work by using a fan to circulate hot air, giving foods a more even, often crispier finish. The main distinction is one of size. Because air fryers are smaller, they heat up to a higher temperature faster.
Use an air fryer if you’re cooking for one or two people or don’t mind cooking in batches. However, if you’re cooking for a large group, a convection oven is easier and more convenient.
Regular microwaves, according to science, emit waves that bounce around until they come into contact with food, causing water molecules to excite and generate heat, which then cooks or heats the food.
Convection oven technology, on the other hand, uses a fan to force air movement and heat the entire interior of the microwave to cook food from the inside out.
Now, this blog is about how a convection microwave is different from an air fryer, the pros and cons, and many more, so keep on reading.
What Is A Convection Microwave?
A hybrid appliance is a convection oven. It can function similarly to a traditional microwave oven, heating your food using the power of microwaves. It does, however, include a heating coil and a fan. Together, these enable convection microwaves to bake, brown, crisp, and roast foods.
How Does It Work?
Convection microwaves can be able to cook food in two ways at the same time. Their strength comes from the combination of microwave and convection cooking.
When you set your convection microwave to simply microwave something, it acts like a regular microwave.
When you use the convection settings on your convection microwave, it functions more like an oven. The microwave’s heating element converts energy to heat. The fan, which blows hot air at the food to cook it faster, is a clever trick with convection cooking.
A convection microwave, on the other hand, has an additional heating element and a fan that circulates hot air around the cavity, allowing you to bake and roast food with home-cooked results. Certain items will cook faster because the convection element and microwave cook simultaneously, and convection microwaves come with racks that allow you to microwave multiple dishes at once.
What Is An Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a cooking appliance that uses little to no oil to cook food quickly. Its heating elements are usually located on top of the unit and are accompanied by a large fan.
It heats up quickly and begins cooking food immediately. Food is placed on a perforated tray, which is usually placed inside an air fryer basket to promote more air circulation.
How Does It Work?
Air fryers work similarly to convection ovens in that they circulate hot air around your food and are powered by a small fan, but in a smaller space. These countertop appliances are ideal for small kitchens and preheat quickly.
The perforated tray or basket in which your food is placed can be easily removed without using an oven mitt, and it even helps circulate the air faster, reducing cooking time. Because the air fryer is smaller, you must ensure that your food is not overcrowded in the basket so that air can flow freely and your food cooks properly, evenly, and quickly.
Can I Use My Convection Microwave As An Air Fryer?
Not really. Whether you want to bake something, heat your favorite prepared frozen foods, or even reheat leftovers, the air fryer can do it all.
Air fryers have grown in popularity because they are small but mighty and take up little space in your kitchen. If you’re not cooking for a large group and only need to make small batches of food, an air fryer is a way to go.
Is There A Difference Between Convection And Air Fryer?
Size
Convection settings are built into full-sized ovens and toaster ovens, whereas air fryers are countertop appliances. Because of the countertop size, air fryers and convection toaster ovens can heat up quickly. It also brings the food closer to the heating elements, causing it to cook faster.
Some convection ovens and toaster ovens, as well as some pressure cookers and microwaves, now have an air fry setting.
Fan Placement
The fan is located directly below the heating element on the top of an air fryer. It is located in the back of a convection oven, either in the center or on the side.
Heating
In an air fryer, the heat comes from the top, whereas in a convection oven, it comes from the top and bottom. The top-down method concentrates the heat and cooks the food faster.
Accessories
Many perforated accessories are available for air fryers, allowing for quick and even cooking with little flipping or tossing. They include air fryer baskets, trays, racks, rotisserie spits, and kebab skewers.
If desired, small baking pans or tin cans can be placed on racks.
Fan Speed And Size
Air fryer fans are larger and run faster than convection fans. One manufacturer confirmed that the fan on their air fryer setting is 30% faster than the fan on their convection setting.
Frying Abilities
Air fryers are smaller, which puts the food closer to the convection fan, resulting in a crispier effect similar to deep frying. Although convection ovens have more space, they cannot replicate the crispiness of a deep fryer.
Which is superior, the air fryer or the convection microwave?
Both the air fryer and the convection microwave cook food using air circulation to provide a healthy and calorie-free cooking experience; in the case of the air fryer, no oil is required to cook.
Convection microwaves have two functions: one is a microwave, and the other is convection, which allows you to roast food while also heating it. It is very dependable and versatile, making it an excellent choice for kitchens.
When compared to convection microwaves, air fryers have fewer cooking options. It does not allow you to prepare food for a large family.
Is it possible to use an air fryer as a convection microwave?
The primary distinction between a convection microwave and an air fryer is their size and capacity.
Although both the convection microwave and the air fryer use a fan to circulate hot air around the food, the convection microwave has the capacity and space to cook a large amount of food at once. As a result, an air fryer can do less than a convection microwave.
Despite this, an air fryer can cook food faster due to its small chamber and rapid air circulation.
What Can You Cook In A Convection Microwave?
There are plenty of things that you can cook in a convection microwave. Some of them are:
- You can always root for a roasted chicken.
- Bake a cake for dessert.
- You can also put up some green bean casserole while your turkey is being roasted in the main oven.
- Crisp and brown, a yummy pizza on the rack.
- Using the automatic convection cooking mode, you can cook a beef roast.
- You can also bake cookies on the convectional cycle.
- It boils, reheats, and defrosts.
Can You Place Metal In A Convection Microwave?
Metals such as aluminum foil and baking sheets can be handled by most convection microwaves, but only when the microwave is in convection mode.
Whirlpool brand convection microwaves include a convection cooking rack and baking tray to make the most of microwave baking or roasting. When making bakery items like biscuits or cookies, the rack allows air to circulate the food for an even bake, while the baking tray fits perfectly in the microwave.
Does Convection Microwave Take Up A lot Of Space?
If you want to buy a convection microwave, you should think about how much space you have in your kitchen.
A convection microwave requires more ventilation than a standard microwave, so consider how much space you have on the bench or in a cavity.
Pros And Cons Of Convection Microwave
Convection microwaves can’t do everything, but they can do a lot of things. They’re ideal for any space where an oven isn’t practical.
They’re one of the few appliances that appear to be a one-stop shop. Everyone from college students to retirees on vacation could benefit from a convection microwave.
These are the multi-tool of cooking methods due to their convenient, compact design, nearly universal functionality, and ease of use.
Let’s look into some of the pros and cons of having a convection microwave:
| Pros | Cons |
| The ability for small kitchens to contain an oven and a microwave at the same time saves space. | Convection microwaves, like traditional microwaves, are small. You probably won’t be able to cook more than one dish at a time in these. |
| Many convection microwaves have specialized programs that allow you to balance convection and microwave functions with a single button press. | There is a learning curve, so if you are unfamiliar with convection microwaves, you may have to experiment to get the best results. |
| When everything you need to cook is in one device, you always know what to use because simple instructions are provided. | Convection microwaves are more expensive than traditional microwaves, despite being less costly than standard ovens. |
Final Thoughts
- Air fryers cook faster than convection microwaves and eliminate the need to heat a large appliance, such as your full-sized oven.
- Their perforated racks also allow fat to drip onto the drip pan, preventing your food from absorbing excess oil and becoming crispier as it becomes drier.
- The disadvantage of air fryers is that they cannot cook as much food as an oven can. Food cooks faster in an air fryer if it is cooked in a single layer.
- Some foods, such as French fries, can be stacked but should be tossed at least once before stacking. Air fryers can also be noisy, though many manufacturers take this into account when designing them.