Air frying in a convection oven or combi microwave: what changes

Plenty of kitchens don’t have a basket air fryer but do have a convection oven, a combination microwave, or an oven with an air fry mode. The principle is the same: hot circulating air crisps the outside. But the cavity is bigger and built differently, so following basket recipes exactly can leave food undercooked or less crisp.

The values at the top of each recipe on this site are for a standard basket air fryer. Use the rules below as a starting point, and for foods I’ve tested myself, check the “Oven-style results” box on the recipe.

Why it’s different

The cavity is bigger. Basket air fryers hold about 4–6 L (4–6 qt); ovens are often 20–40 L. The air takes longer to heat, and the airflow reaching the food tends to be weaker.
The fan is farther away. In a basket air fryer, the heater and fan sit right above the food. In an oven, the air comes from the back or top, farther away.
There’s no basket to shake. You can’t toss the food, so the underside crisps less easily.

Finding a starting point

Exact values vary by machine, so the first time, start like this and adjust:

Preheat. Even when a basket recipe says “no preheat,” oven-style machines give steadier results if you let them reach temperature first. Use the “preheat done” beep if your oven has one.
Expect longer, and check before the end. Start from the basket time, but open the door a few minutes before it’s up to check the color. Add a few minutes at a time if needed.
Adjust time before temperature. Raising the heat first tends to burn the outside before the inside is done.

Racks and trays

Use a rack over a tray. Air needs to pass under the food too, or the bottom won’t crisp. Use your oven’s air fry rack or tray if it came with one.
Follow the rack position in your manual. Too close to the heater and only the outside cooks.
Spread food out. The extra space is the oven’s big advantage.

Flip instead of shaking

Where a basket recipe says “shake the basket,” flip the food with tongs instead. For small items like fries, a quick stir with a spatula works.

Using it safely

Hot air rushes out when you open an oven door. Keep your face back.
Metal and foil can spark in microwave modes. In a combination microwave, be extra careful when switching modes.
Settings differ by machine, so follow your own manual first.

My machine: SK Magic EON-B450M (convection microwave oven)

Here is what the maker’s cookbook says for the SK Magic EON-B450M I use. If you have the same model, this may help.

51 auto-cook menus in five groups: oven/grill (#1–15), home baking (#16–25), speed cook (#26–30), healthy fry (#31–45) and proofing/drying (#46–51). The closest to air frying is healthy fry, which includes frozen fries (#44, 400°F/210°C, 20 min) and frozen nuggets (#45, 450°F/230°C, 12 min).
Auto-cook menus run without preheating. The cookbook suggests shortening the time if you cook back-to-back or the oven is already hot.
Manual convection goes from 140 to 230°C (about 285–450°F). To preheat, set only the temperature and press start; when it beeps, put the food in, set the time and start.
The accessories are an oven pan, a low rack and a high rack. Most roasting and frying menus use the oven pan set on the high rack. The low rack gives paler browning.
Microwave and defrost go on the turntable with no accessories.
Never use foil or metal containers in speed-cook or microwave modes, because they can spark.
Don’t run it with only the accessories inside.
For healthy fry, the cookbook suggests flipping food once during cooking, and mixing a little oil into breadcrumbs for a more golden finish.

When a recipe on this site matches one of these auto-cook menus, the “Oven-style results” box lists the menu number, the cookbook temperature and time, and the accessories to use.

The “Oven-style results” box

For foods I’ve cooked myself, each recipe lists the measured temperature, time, preheat and accessories I used. For foods I haven’t tested yet, start with the rules in this guide.

Updated 2026-10-16