Convection oven

Appliance that heats food

A tabletop convection oven cooking pork. For slower cooking, the gridiron here has been reversed to place the meat low and far from the main heat source (at the top of the pot), although near the heat of the glass pot's bottom. Flipping the gridiron would raise the meat closer to the main heat source.

A convection oven (also known as a fan-assisted oven, turbo broiler or simply a fan oven or turbo) is an oven that has fans to circulate air around food[1] to create an evenly heated environment. 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.[2] Fan ovens cook food faster, and are also used in non-food, industrial applications. Small countertop convection ovens for household use are often marketed as air fryers.

When cooking using a fan-assisted oven, the temperature is usually set lower than for a non-fan oven, often by 20 °C (36 °F), to avoid overcooking the outside of the food.

## Principle of operation

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Convection ovens distribute heat evenly around the food, removing the blanket of cooler air that surrounds food when it is first placed in an oven and allowing food to cook more evenly in less time and at a lower temperature than in a conventional oven.[3]

## History

[edit]

The first oven with a fan to circulate air was invented in 1914 but it was never launched commercially.[4]

The first convection oven in wide use was the Maxson Whirlwind Oven, introduced in 1945.[5]

Convection ovens have been in wide use since 1945.[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.[11][12][13] By 2018, the term "air fryer" was starting to be used generically.[14]

In the United States convection ovens experienced a surge in popularity in the late 2010s and early 2020s with a reported 36% of U.S. households having one in 2020 and an estimated 60% of U.S. households having one in 2023. Food manufacturers have responded by adding air frying instructions on a number of products and pre air-fried products also coming to market.[15][16]

In the UK, air fryers have surged in popularity since the early 2020s, with a 2024 study claiming that 1 in 5 Britons surveyed said that air fryers are their most commonly used cooking device. [17]

## Design

[edit]

A convection oven has a fan with a heating element around it. A small fan circulates the air in the cooking chamber.[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. By moving the cool air (convecting it) away from the food the layer is thinned, and cooking is faster. 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. In a non-fan oven the temperature varies significantly in different places; a fan distributes hot air evenly for a uniform temperature.

Convection ovens may include additional radiant heat sources at the top and bottom of the oven, which provide immediate heat without the warmup time of a (natural or fan-assisted) convection oven.

## Effectiveness

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A convection oven allows a reduction in cooking temperature compared to a conventional 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.[citation needed] This difference in cooking temperature is offset as the circulating air transfers heat more quickly than still air of the same temperature. In order to transfer the same amount of heat in the same time, the temperature must be lowered to reduce the rate of heat transfer in order to compensate.[citation needed]

## Industrial convection ovens

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An industrial convection oven used in the aircraft manufacturing industry

Hot air ovens are convection ovens used to sterilize medical equipment.

## Variants

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Another form of convection oven has hot air directed at a high flow rate from above and below food that passes through the oven on a conveyor belt; it is called an impingement oven.[20][21][22] This cooks, for example, breaded products such as chicken nuggets or breaded chicken portions faster than a fan oven, and yields a crisp surface texture. Impinged air also prevents "shadowing" which occurs with infrared radiant heat sources. Impingement ovens can achieve a much higher heat transfer than a conventional oven.

Fully enclosed models can also use dual magnetrons,[23] as used by microwave ovens. The most notable manufacturer of this type of oven is TurboChef. The differences between an impingement oven with magnetrons and a convection microwave oven are claimed to be cost, power consumption, and speed. Impingement ovens are designed to be used in restaurants, where speed is essential and power consumption and cost are less of a concern.

There are also convection microwave ovens which combine a convection oven with a microwave oven to cook food with the speed of a microwave oven and the browning ability of a convection oven.[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].

## Air fryer

[edit]

An air fryer

An air fryer is a small countertop convection oven that is said to simulate deep frying without submerging the food in oil.[27][28] A fan circulates hot air[27] at a high speed, producing a crisp layer via browning reactions such as the Maillard reaction. Some product reviewers find that regular convection ovens or convection toaster ovens produce better results;[27] others say that air frying is essentially the same as convection baking,[29] while still others praise the devices for cooking faster, being easier to clean, and making it easier to produce crispy results than full size convection ovens.[30] The original Philips Air fryer used radiant heat from a heating element just above the food and convection heat from a strong air stream flowing upwards through the open bottom of the food chamber, delivering heat from all sides, with a small volume of hot air forced to pass from the heater surface and over the food, with no idle air circulating as in a convection oven. A shaped guide directed the airflow over the bottom of the food. The technique was patented as Rapid Air technology.[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. The air fryer works by circulating air at up to 200 °C (392 °F) to apply sufficient heat to food coated with a thin layer of oil, causing the reaction.[32] Most air fryers have temperature and timer adjustments that allow precise cooking. Food is typically cooked in a basket that sits on a drip tray. For best results the basket must be periodically agitated, either manually or by the fryer mechanism. Convection ovens and air fryers are similar in the way they cook food, but air fryers are smaller and give off less heat to the room.[28] There are several types of household air fryer:

Paddle
In this type, a paddle machine moves throughout the heating chamber to move the air around more evenly. 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. [33]
Cylindrical basket
A cylindrical basket is a small, single function air fryer that includes a drawer with a removable basket. A fan circulates from the top, and the food is cooked through holes in the basket. It can accommodate 2.8 litres (3.0 US quarts) of food or less on average. Because of its compact size, it preheats faster than other types of air fryers.[34]
Countertop convection oven
Countertop convection ovens come with an air frying feature that work the same way as basket type air fryers. They usually have multiple trays or racks, so multiple things can be cooked at the same time. It holds 24 litres (25 US quarts) of food on average. They are more versatile than single function type because they have multiple features like baking, rotisserie, grilling, frying, broiling, and toasting.[34]
Halogen
This type of air fryer cooks food with a halogen radiant heat source from above. The heat is spread evenly with a fan like other types of air fryers. This type is usually a large glass bowl with a hinged lid.[35]
Oil-less turkey fryer
This is a large, barrel-shaped air fryer used to cook whole turkeys and other large pieces of meat. It circulates air around the drum to cook the meat evenly.[36]

### History

[edit]

Dutch engineer Fred van der Weij invented the air fryer in 2006, so that he could cook crispy food with little oil.[37] Four years later, van der Weij took his invention to Philips, who launched the Airfryer in 2010.[38] Philips gave the name Rapid Air technology to the RUSH (Radiant and UpStream Heating) technology developed by APDS Development during the development of the Airfryer.[39]

## References

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1. ^ "Definition of CONVECTION OVEN". www.merriam-webster.com. 7 July 2023.
2. ^ Martin, Jonny (23 August 2024). "Gas Cookers vs Electric Cookers > Gas cooker cons > Less-even heat distribution in the oven". Which?.
3. ^ Ojakangas, Beatrice (2009). Cooking with Convection: Everything You Need to Know to Get the Most from Your Convection Oven.
4. ^ "Adding Pressure to Heat in Cooking". Technical World Magazine. May 1914. p. 403.
5. ^ "Everything You Need to Know about Convection Ovens & Air Fryers". Air & Water. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
6. ^ "Everything You Need to Know about Convection Ovens & Air Fryers". Air & Water. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
7. ^ lsa-conso .fr/produits/friteuse-actifry-seb,133832
8. ^ lesechos.fr/2008/07/seb-defie-la-conjoncture-avec-linnovation-493611
9. ^ federactive.com/histoire-du-groupe-seb.html
10. ^ journaldunet. com/economie/industrie/1169062-actifry-smart-seb/1169706-8-millions-d-actifry-vendues-dans-le-monde
11. ^ "Philips debuts the Airfryer – crispy fries without the fat". New Atlas. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
12. ^ Morales, Christina (25 January 2022). "How the Air Fryer Crisped Its Way Into America's Heart". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
13. ^ a b "History of the Air Fryer". exnovate.org. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
14. ^ "Has airfryer become a generic trademark?". genericides.org. Archived from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
15. ^ Lucas, Amelia (5 March 2023). "Nestle, Tyson and other food giants bet on air fryer boom to grow sales". CNBC. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
16. ^ Morales, Christina (25 January 2022). "How the Air Fryer Crisped Its Way Into America's Heart". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
17. ^ "Great British Kitchen Culture Index". AO.com. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
18. ^ "What's the difference between fan and convection ovens?". SMEG.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
19. ^ "Ovens Advice Centre". Hoover Advice Centre. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
20. ^ "US5934178A — Air impingement oven" - via Google Patents.
21. ^ "Commercial Ovens".
22. ^ "The Science of Impingement: How it can speed up your cook time". Marlen. 2022.
23. ^ "Speed cooking oven".
24. ^ "Heating cooker, cooking system, arithmetic device, and cooking support method".
25. ^ "Here, GE should stand for "General Excellence."".
26. ^ Carrillo, Jaime (10 June 2021). "Breville Combi Wave 3-in-1 takes versatility to a whole new level". The Daily Dot.
27. ^ a b c "Are air fryers worth it?". Wired. 10 May 2018. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
28. ^ a b Clark, Melissa (1 April 2019). "6 Tips for Using Your Air Fryer". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
29. ^ Sullivan, Michael (22 March 2022). "The Best Air Fryer". Wirecutter. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
30. ^ "Air Fryer vs. Convection Oven: What's the Difference?". Good Housekeeping. 29 April 2024.
31. ^ "What is Rapid Air Technology?". APDS. 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
32. ^ McGee, Harold (2004). "The Maillard Reaction; Caramelization". On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Scribners. pp. 656–57, 778–79\. ISBN 978-0-68480001-1.
33. ^ D’Costa, Roja (11 March 2021). "What Is An Air Fryer? - Types Of Air Fryer - All Kitchen Reviews". allkitchenreviews.com. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
34. ^ a b "4 Types of Air Fryers". Kitchen Infinity. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
35. ^ Cynthia Lawrence (26 November 2022). "Air fryer vs halogen oven — which is cheaper?". Tom's Guide. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
36. ^ D'Costa, Roja (11 March 2021). "What Is an Air Fryer? - Types of Air Fryer". All Kitchen Reviews. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
37. ^ "BBC World Service - Witness History, How the air fryer was invented, 'My dad invented the air fryer'". web.archive.org. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
38. ^ "The company that launched the air fryer | Business Leader". web.archive.org. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
39. ^ "What is Rapid Air Technology? - APDS". web.archive.org. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2025.

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