Convection oven

In an oven without a fan, natural convection circulates hot air unevenly, so that it will be cooler at the bottom and hotter at the top than in the middle.

[6] In 2006, Groupe SEB introduced the world's first air fryer, under the Actifry brand of convection ovens in the French market.

[7][8][9][10] In 2010, Philips introduced the Airfryer brand of convection oven at the IFA Berlin consumer electronics fair.

[18][19] One effect of the fan is to reduce the thickness of the stationary thermal boundary layer of cooler air that naturally forms around the food.

The boundary layer acts as an insulator and slows the rate at which heat is transferred to the food.

To prevent overcooking before the middle is cooked, the temperature is usually reduced by about 20 °C (36 °F) below the setting used for a non-fan oven.

This comparison will vary, depending on factors including, for example, how much food is being cooked at once or if airflow is being restricted, for example by an oversized baking tray.

Impingement ovens are designed to be used in restaurants, where speed is essential and power consumption and cost are less of a concern.

[24][25][26] A combi steamer is an oven that combines convection functionality with superheated steam to cook foods even faster and retain more nutrients and moisture[citation needed].

An air fryer is a small countertop convection oven that is said to simulate deep frying without submerging the food in oil.

[31][13] Traditional frying methods induce the Maillard reaction at temperatures of 140 to 165 °C (284 to 329 °F) by completely submerging foods in hot oil, well above the boiling point of water.

This is more convenient for the user because other types of air fryers require manual stirring throughout to ensure that all sides are fully cooked.

They are more versatile than single function type because they have multiple features like baking, rotisserie, grilling, frying, broiling, and toasting.