Temperature Converter Tool

Converting Celsius to Fahrenheit requires the formula: °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32, or more simply, multiply the Celsius temperature by 1.8 and add 32. For example, a recipe calling for 180°C converts to (180 × 1.8) + 32 = 324 + 32 = 356°F. However, when converting for air fryer use specifically, you must also account for the appliance adjustment—air fryers cook more efficiently than conventional ovens, so you should reduce the converted temperature by 25°F. So that 180°C oven recipe becomes 356°F in conventional oven terms, but 330-335°F for air fryer cooking.

Our converter handles both conversions simultaneously—the scale conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit and the appliance adjustment from oven to air fryer—eliminating the need for multiple calculation steps. This dual conversion prevents a common mistake where people convert the temperature scale correctly but forget to adjust for the air fryer's efficiency, resulting in overcooked, dried-out food. The most frequently converted cooking temperatures are: 160°C = 320°F (air fryer: 295-300°F), 180°C = 356°F (air fryer: 330-335°F), 200°C = 392°F (air fryer: 365-370°F), and 220°C = 428°F (air fryer: 400-405°F).

For quick mental estimation when a converter isn't available, remember that every 10°C equals approximately 18°F. So 180°C is roughly 18°F per 10 degrees × 18 increments = 324°F, plus the 32°F offset = about 356°F. This gets you close enough for most cooking applications where precision within 5-10 degrees isn't critical. However, for baking where precision matters more, always use exact calculations or a reliable converter like ours to ensure your delicate cakes, breads, and pastries turn out correctly.

Your air fryer genuinely cooks as if it's 25-50°F hotter than the displayed temperature due to dramatically more efficient heat transfer through forced convection. While both your oven and air fryer might be set to 350°F, the air fryer's high-velocity circulating air (moving at 15-30 mph) transfers heat to food surfaces 3-4 times faster than the relatively still air in a conventional oven. This creates a "cooking intensity" that feels like much higher temperature even though the actual air temperature is the same.

The phenomenon relates to how heat transfer works. In your oven, a boundary layer of slower-moving, slightly cooler air forms around food, acting as insulation that slows heat penetration. Your air fryer's powerful fan constantly disrupts this boundary layer, maintaining aggressive contact between hot air molecules and food surfaces throughout the cooking process. It's similar to how 40°F air feels much colder when accompanied by 20 mph wind—the moving air removes the thin insulating layer of warmer air your body generates, making the cold more intense. The same principle applies in reverse with hot air cooking.

Additionally, air fryers maintain more consistent temperatures than ovens. Conventional ovens typically fluctuate 15-25°F above and below the set temperature as the heating element cycles on and off. They may also have hot spots near heating elements and cooler zones away from them. Air fryers, with their compact chambers and continuous air circulation, maintain temperatures within 5-10°F of the setting with minimal hot spots. This consistency means food experiences the full set temperature throughout cooking, rather than averaging across a range of temperatures like in an oven.

This intensity difference is why you should always reduce temperatures by 25°F when converting oven recipes to air fryer, and why you might notice food cooking faster and browning more aggressively than expected if you use oven temperatures directly. Understanding this characteristic prevents the common mistake of setting your air fryer to the same temperature as an oven recipe and wondering why everything comes out overdone. The appliances aren't equivalent even at identical temperature settings—adjust for the difference and your results will dramatically improve.

Optimal air fryer temperatures vary significantly by food category, with proteins generally requiring 350-375°F, vegetables performing best at 375-400°F, frozen foods benefiting from 380-400°F, and baked goods needing gentler 300-325°F. However, these are starting points that require adjustment based on specific foods, desired outcomes, and your particular air fryer's characteristics.

For proteins, chicken breast and pork chops cook well at 360-375°F, providing enough heat to brown exteriors while giving interiors time to reach safe temperatures (165°F for chicken, 145°F for pork) without drying out. Fattier proteins like chicken thighs, salmon, or bacon can handle 375-390°F because their fat content prevents dryness and they benefit from higher heat to crisp the skin or exterior. Ground meats in burger or meatball form work well at 370-380°F, hot enough to develop good crust while cooking through. Fish fillets are delicate and need gentler 340-360°F to prevent the exterior from overcooking before the center reaches 145°F.

Vegetables generally love high heat for caramelization and crisping. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus achieve excellent results at 380-400°F, with the intense heat driving off surface moisture and creating charred, caramelized edges while maintaining some crunch in the interior. Root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots benefit from 375-390°F—hot enough to caramelize their sugars but not so hot that exteriors burn before interiors soften. Delicate vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers need moderate 360-375°F to prevent them from turning mushy before developing any browning.

Frozen convenience foods (fries, nuggets, fish sticks, pizza rolls) are formulated for high-heat cooking and perform best at 380-400°F. These items are often pre-cooked and just need reheating and crisping, so the high temperature accomplishes this quickly without risking raw centers. Baked goods require lower temperatures (300-330°F) to allow interiors to cook through while preventing over-browning of crusts and surfaces. Start at the lower end of recommended ranges, check progress at 70% of estimated cooking time, and adjust temperature upward if food isn't browning adequately or downward if it's cooking too aggressively. Your specific air fryer may run hotter or cooler than average, so treat these as starting points requiring calibration to your equipment.

Yes, preheating your air fryer for 3-5 minutes at your cooking temperature is crucial for achieving consistent results and accurate cooking times, especially when working with converted temperatures from recipes. Preheating ensures the entire cooking chamber—the basket, walls, and air itself—reaches your target temperature before food enters. Without preheating, food sits in gradually increasing heat, spending several minutes in lower temperature zones that affect texture and extend cooking time unpredictably. This temperature inconsistency makes following recipes challenging because timing becomes unreliable.

Preheating matters even more when working with temperature conversions because recipe times assume starting at full temperature. If a recipe says "cook at 350°F for 15 minutes," that timing is calibrated assuming food enters a fully heated 350°F environment. Without preheating, your food might experience something like: 250°F for the first 2 minutes, 300°F for the next 2 minutes, finally reaching 350°F at minute 4. Those initial cool minutes affect browning, moisture retention, and internal cooking progression in ways the recipe didn't account for. Your results will deviate from expectations, making you think the conversion was wrong when actually the temperature wasn't truly as specified.

The preheating process itself provides a helpful calibration opportunity. Set your air fryer to your intended cooking temperature and run it empty for 3-5 minutes. This not only prepares for cooking but also lets you verify temperature accuracy using an oven thermometer if you have concerns about whether your air fryer maintains accurate temperatures. Some air fryers run 10-20°F hotter or cooler than the dial indicates—knowing this offset lets you compensate by adjusting the temperature setting up or down to achieve your true target temperature.

Exceptions to preheating exist for specific scenarios: when cooking from frozen (where gradual temperature increase helps prevent exterior overcooking before interiors thaw), for very delicate baked goods that benefit from gentle heat ramping, or when reheating leftovers where aggressive initial heat isn't necessary. For these cases, cold-start cooking actually improves results. However, for 90% of air fryer cooking—fresh proteins, vegetables, homemade foods—preheating at the correct temperature is a non-negotiable step for professional-quality results. The 3-5 minute investment pays off in dramatically better texture, appearance, and consistency.

Altitude significantly affects air fryer cooking because air pressure decreases as elevation increases, altering how heat transfers and how water evaporates from food. At elevations above 3,000 feet, you may need to increase cooking temperatures by 15-25°F and extend cooking times by 10-20% compared to sea-level recipes. This counterintuitive adjustment—cooking hotter and longer at altitude—compensates for water boiling at lower temperatures and less dense air providing reduced heat transfer efficiency.

At sea level, water boils at 212°F, but at 5,000 feet elevation (like Denver), water boils at approximately 203°F. This lower boiling point means moisture evaporates from food more readily during cooking, potentially drying out proteins and baked goods before they fully cook through. The solution is slightly higher temperatures to cook food more quickly before excessive moisture loss occurs, and sometimes adding extra liquid to recipes to compensate for increased evaporation. High-altitude air fryer users often find success adding 20-25°F to converted temperatures and checking food 2-3 minutes before expected doneness.

Humidity levels also impact cooking, though less dramatically than altitude. In very humid environments (>70% relative humidity), surface moisture on food takes longer to evaporate, potentially extending browning time and affecting crispiness. You might increase temperature by 5-10°F or extend cooking time slightly to achieve proper browning in humid conditions. Conversely, in very dry climates (<30% humidity), moisture evaporates more quickly, risking dried-out results. Reduce temperature slightly (5-10°F) or decrease cooking time to prevent overdrying. These humidity adjustments are subtle compared to altitude effects but still worth considering for optimal results.

Seasonal variations combine altitude and humidity effects. Summer in humid regions may require higher temperatures or longer times, while winter in the same location (with indoor heating reducing humidity) might need standard settings. High-altitude cooks in dry climates face compounded challenges—both factors increase moisture loss, requiring significant recipe adjustment through temperature management, timing changes, and increased liquid in recipes. If you live at elevation or in extreme humidity conditions, expect a learning period where you calibrate standard recipes to your specific environment. Keep notes on adjustments that work, building a personalized reference for your unique cooking conditions.

While convection ovens and air fryers both use circulating hot air, air fryers cook more intensely due to smaller chambers, more powerful fans (proportionally), and better-designed airflow patterns. A convection oven setting can produce good results and is certainly better than standard baking mode, but it won't fully replicate air fryer performance. The temperature and timing conversions differ—convection ovens typically need just 25°F reduction from standard oven temps and 20% time reduction, while air fryers may need 40-50°F reduction and 25-30% time reduction from standard ovens due to their greater intensity.

The key difference lies in air velocity and cooking chamber size. Convection ovens circulate air at relatively low speeds (under 10 mph typically) through large cavities (4-6 cubic feet), while air fryers blast air at 15-30 mph through tiny chambers (0.2-0.5 cubic feet). This difference creates dramatically different heat transfer rates. Think of it like the difference between a gentle breeze and a strong wind—both move air, but the intensity and effect differ substantially. Air fryers' aggressive air movement and concentrated heat deliver the signature crispy textures and rapid cooking that convection ovens can only partially achieve.

For specific applications, convection ovens work well when you need large capacity (cooking for 8+ people, multiple sheet pans of cookies) where an air fryer's small basket becomes limiting. For everyday cooking of 2-4 servings focused on crispy textures—french fries, chicken wings, roasted vegetables, reheating pizza—air fryers deliver superior results due to their intensity. The convection oven represents a middle ground between standard baking and true air frying, offering improved results over basic ovens but not matching dedicated air fryer performance.

If using convection oven as an air fryer substitute, adjust temperatures and times appropriately: reduce standard oven temperature by 25-30°F (not the full 40-50°F for true air fryers), reduce cooking time by 15-20% (not the 25-30% for air fryers), and plan for slightly less crispy results requiring perhaps an extra 2-3 minutes at the end specifically for crisping. Use the oven's highest rack position to maximize heat intensity, avoid overcrowding (leave 2 inches between items for airflow), and expect to flip or rotate food halfway through for even results. These adjustments help bridge the performance gap, though you'll find air fryers still outperform for small-batch cooking where their intensity truly shines.

Temperature ranges (like "cook at 350-375°F") acknowledge that cooking is more forgiving and flexible than many people realize, and that optimal temperature varies based on equipment variations, personal preferences, and specific desired outcomes. Most foods cook successfully across a 25-50°F range, not at a single precise temperature. Ranges empower cooks to adjust for their specific circumstances rather than suggesting there's one "correct" temperature that must be hit exactly or failure will result.

Equipment variation makes ranges practical and necessary. Your air fryer might run 15°F hotter than your neighbor's due to manufacturing tolerances, age, or design differences. A recipe specifying exactly 365°F would fail in one fryer and succeed in another. By providing a range like 350-375°F, the recipe accommodates these equipment differences—someone with a hot-running fryer uses 350°F, someone with a cool-running model uses 375°F, and both achieve similar results. Ranges build in tolerance that makes recipes more universally successful across different equipment brands and models.

Personal preference also drives range recommendations. Some people prefer gentler cooking at lower temperatures with slightly longer times, valuing moisture retention and tender textures. Others prefer aggressive high-heat cooking for maximum browning and crispy exteriors, accepting slightly drier interiors as a worthwhile tradeoff. A recipe providing a temperature range lets each cook optimize for their preferences—use the lower end if you prioritize moistness and gentle cooking, the upper end if you want faster cooking and more browning. This flexibility respects that "perfect" is subjective and varies by individual taste.

Strategic range selection helps you optimize for your goals in specific cooking sessions. Need dinner ready quickly? Use the high end of the temperature range for faster cooking. Cooking something delicate or uncertain about timing? Use the low end for more margin and easier timing control. Batch cooking multiple items? Find temperature overlaps where different foods all cook well, allowing you to prepare complete meals without temperature changes. Want maximum browning? High end. Worried about drying out lean proteins? Low end. Ranges give you this strategic flexibility rather than treating temperature as a rigid, inflexible parameter. Understanding how to use ranges intentionally rather than randomly elevates your cooking from recipe-following to intelligent adaptation.