>>21466185
This is a terminology problem, and it's why everyone gets so fucking confused. American ovens do not circulate air. They just don't, the little fan in them is for temperature regulation, and it only runs when required. They poop out hot air to drop the temp. There is no air circulation in a convection oven. The heat rises yes, but that is VASTLY different from what an air fryer does.
An air fryer is a broiler heating element and a fan that circulates hot air VERY fast, for the entire duration of the cook. Unless the oven was built with this feature in - and you'd hear it blast a loud ass fan doing it nonstop - your oven will not perform the drying feature that air frying does. The combination of air circulation and hot air works like an amped up food dehydrator, and it dries the surface of the food quickly. This provides the crisping effect.
Toaster ovens with a fan can do this, or if they contain an air fry mode. BUT if they do not have a fan and use "convection" aka radiant heat, they will not crisp the items being cooked, except as what you get from the oven-food temp differential.
/cook/lets take advantage of this terminology problem and dunk on air fryers, despite them being a useful tech. Especially since they use FAR less power and have much less waste heat in the kitchen.
I don't recommend the cheap plastic ones, it's better to get a combo device that does multiple things. Saves counter space and ensures it doesn't get put up and forgotten.
