Air Fryer vs Oven: The Ultimate Cooking Time Showdown

Welcome to the sizzling skirmish between your air fryer and the good ol' oven. If you're like me—part impatient, part crispy-obsessed—you want food that’s fast, golden, and glorious. Whether you're in your kitchen at home or heating up hash browns in your campervan Vanilla, this blog post is your ultimate cheat sheet.

Below is a comprehensive, alphabetically sorted guide that includes both fresh and frozen foods, covering cooking times, temperature comparisons, and helpful tips to ensure your air-fried creations come out better, faster, and tastier than ever.

🍝 Air Fryer vs Oven Cooking Time Chart (Including Frozen Foods)

Food Item	Oven Temp & Time	Air Fryer Temp & Time	Time Saved	Notes
Apple slices (crisps)	120°C, 2 hours	130°C, 20 mins	~100 mins	Sprinkle with cinnamon
Bacon	200°C, 15 mins	180°C, 8–10 mins	~7 mins	Check halfway
Breaded fish fillets (frozen)	200°C, 20–25 mins	180°C, 12–15 mins	~10 mins	No need to flip
Chicken breasts	200°C, 25 mins	180°C, 15–18 mins	~10 mins	Oil helps crisping
Chicken wings	200°C, 40–45 mins	190°C, 20–25 mins	~20 mins	Best when marinated
Croissants (from dough)	200°C, 18–20 mins	180°C, 10–12 mins	~8 mins	Light & flaky
Fish fingers (frozen)	200°C, 20 mins	190°C, 10–12 mins	~8 mins	Perfectly crunchy
Frozen chips	220°C, 25–30 mins	200°C, 15–20 mins	~10 mins	Shake halfway
Frozen samosas	200°C, 20–25 mins	180°C, 10–12 mins	~12 mins	Turn once
Garlic bread slices (frozen)	200°C, 10–12 mins	180°C, 5–7 mins	~5 mins	Garlicky greatness
Hash browns (frozen)	200°C, 20–25 mins	200°C, 10–15 mins	~10 mins	Crisps up beautifully
Jacket potato (medium)	200°C, 60–70 mins	200°C, 35–40 mins	~30 mins	Prick with fork
Mini pies (frozen or fresh)	180°C, 25 mins	160°C, 15 mins	~10 mins	Watch pastry browning
Mozzarella sticks (frozen)	200°C, 12 mins	180°C, 6–8 mins	~6 mins	Don’t overload basket
Pizza (small, frozen or fresh)	220°C, 12–15 mins	200°C, 6–8 mins	~6 mins	Base crisps up nicely
Reheat Chinese spring rolls	200°C, 15 mins	180°C, 6–7 mins	~8 mins	Less soggy than oven
Reheat pasty	180°C, 25 mins	160°C, 10–12 mins	~13 mins	Great for Greggs leftovers
Reheat roast potatoes	200°C, 25 mins	190°C, 8–10 mins	~15 mins	Revives the crunch!
Reheat steak pie	180°C, 30 mins	160°C, 12–15 mins	~15 mins	Tent with foil if browning too fast
Reheat takeaway pizza	200°C, 10 mins	160°C, 4–5 mins	~5 mins	Brings back the crunch
Roast veg (chunked)	200°C, 35–40 mins	190°C, 18–20 mins	~20 mins	Even size is key
Sausages	200°C, 25–30 mins	180°C, 12–15 mins	~15 mins	Shake or turn
Scotch egg (pre-cooked)	180°C, 20 mins	160°C, 8–10 mins	~10 mins	Outer crisped nicely
Spring rolls (mini, frozen)	200°C, 18 mins	180°C, 8–10 mins	~8–10 mins	Crispy without oil
Toasted sandwich	200°C, 10 mins	180°C, 6–8 mins	~4 mins	Butter for crunch
Veggie burgers (frozen)	200°C, 25 mins	180°C, 12–15 mins	~10 mins	Check centre heat

💡 Quick Tips for Air Fryer Success

• Rule of Thumb: Reduce oven time by about 30% and temp by 10–20°C.

• Preheat your air fryer for 2–3 mins unless it does it automatically.

• Don’t overcrowd the basket. Airflow is the crispy secret.

• Give food a shake halfway through if you’re unsure. The air fryer loves a good jiggle.

If you found this chart helpful, why not print it, laminate it, or tattoo it on your forearm? OK maybe not the last one. Want it as a PDF or as a magnetic fridge label for Vanilla? Let me know and I’ll whip one up faster than your Ninja can crisp a hash brown!

Stay crispy,

John Nickolls aka Nix

Powered by oats, curiosity, and unnecessarily fancy kitchen tech.