I asked professional chefs how to convert oven to air fryer cooking times – here's how the two-thirds rule can help

Getting to grips with cooking in a new appliance can be tricky, no more so than with a shiny new air fryer. As these small countertop ovens work so fast, dinner can sometimes end up being more charred than succulent in one of the best air fryers.

That's why I've employed the help of several professional chefs to tell me their golden rules for getting used to cooking with air fryers. If you're looking for an easy conversion rule to work out your timings the next time around, then you're in the right place.

Rules for air fryer conversion times

Christopher Davey, private chef and owner of The Cotswold Guy farm shop and restaurant, has an easy-to-remember rule of two-thirds when it comes to air fryer cooking.

'My rule of thumb is to reduce the cooking time to about two-thirds of what the recipe says for the oven', says Christopher, who was previously David Beckham's private chef. 'So if something takes 30 minutes in the oven, start checking at 20 minutes in the air fryer. Air fryers circulate hot air way more efficiently so you’re saving about a third of the time. It’s always better to check early and add a minute or two if needed than to overcook.'

This cautious approach to air fryer conversions is shared by Thomas Frake, MasterChef champion and professional chef, who uses a similar arithmetic.

'If in doubt, start at half the usual cooking time, check on it, and go from there,' says Thomas. And if in doubt, 'Look on the box! Many supermarkets now include air fryer timings.'

But if that expert advice still isn't enough for you when you're getting to grips with your air fryer, what other tips do these professional chefs recommend? Well, according to Thomas Frake, less might be more.

'Unless you're using your airfryer to 'fry' things like chips, turn the temperature down a bit from where you'd usually have it, or use lower power settings like the 'bake' function if your airfryer has one,' says Thomas. 'You're less likely to dry out or burn your food.'

In essence, keeping a keen eye on your air fryer while you're getting used to how fast it works is the trick. 'Air fryers can go from perfect to overdone in just a couple of minutes' says Christopher Davey, 'so those mid-cook checks really make all the difference. Once you’ve cooked a few things you’ll get a feel for the timing.'

Foods to avoid

So now you should have the basics down. But there are some foods these renowned chefs recommend against cooking in your air fryer at all.

'Ironically, I rarely use an air fryer for 'frying' anything that would benefit from a frying in oil,' says Thomas Frake. 'For example french fries, sweet potato fries, battered food, etc. as they tend to go brown and dry.'

He goes onto say 'Air fryers work much better when used as a compact, powerful oven or grill. It's great for meat, fish, sautéed vegetables, and even reheating food.'

For Christopher Davey, the 'don'ts' are even more specific. 'I wouldn’t recommend cooking a whole chicken in an air fryer,' he says. 'While it’s technically possible it takes a long time and you don’t really get the benefits that make air fryers so great: the speed and convenience. You’re better off using your oven for that.'

On the flip side, there's certain things that Christopher is always reliant on his air fryer for, so much so that he's even swapped out his microwave for his air fryer at times. 'Air fryers are amazing for reheating food,' he says. 'They bring things back to life with that crispy texture you can’t get in the microwave so I use mine for leftovers all the time.'

If you think that sounds good and you're on the hunt for an air fryer to help you cut down on cooking times, below are a few of my favourite air fryers for everyday use.

There you have it then, those are the professional opinions on converting cooking times in your air fryer. Do you have any go-to rules you swear by for cooking in these appliances at home?