425°F Oven to Air Fryer: Use 400°F
Drop the temperature by 25°F and cut the time by 20% as a starting point.
Published by the RecipeAirFryer editorial team · How we source times · Updated
Times and temperatures come from our reviewed cooking database. Explanatory text on each page is generated from that entry so the numbers stay consistent.
If a recipe says 425°F, set a typical basket air fryer to 400°F (204°C / 400°F) and plan on about 80% of the oven time. At this oven setting people usually cook puff pastry, pizza, extra-crisp roasting. The 20% rule is a starting point; Check at 8 minutes. Pastry goes from gold to bitter quickly in a small chamber.
How to convert 425°F to an air fryer
- 1Read the oven recipe: it calls for 425°F (218°C / 425°F).
- 2Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C / 400°F), not 425°F.
- 3Multiply the oven minutes by 0.8. Example: puff pastry tarts that bake 15 minutes at 425°F becomes about 12 minutes at 400°F.
- 4Cook in a single layer and check early. Check at 8 minutes. Pastry goes from gold to bitter quickly in a small chamber.
Conversion chart
| Oven time at 425°F | Air fryer time at 400°F |
|---|---|
| 10 min | 8 min |
| 15 min | 12 min |
| 20 min | 16 min |
| 25 min | 20 min |
| 30 min | 24 min |
| 40 min | 32 min |
| 45 min | 36 min |
| 60 min | 48 min |
What 425°F is usually used for
In a conventional oven, 425°F is the setting for puff pastry, pizza, extra-crisp roasting. Converting that heat without thinking about the food is why people burn cookies or undercook a joint.
Worked example: puff pastry tarts that bake 15 minutes at 425°F. In the air fryer that is about 12 minutes at 400°F.
Why the temperature drops
An oven heats mostly by radiation from its elements and by slow convection. An air fryer is a small chamber with a fan driving air across the food at speed, so heat transfers into the surface much faster at the same dial setting.
That is why 425°F in an air fryer would over-brown the outside before the middle caught up. Setting it to 400°F instead gives you the same finish in less time.
What to watch at 400°F
Check at 8 minutes. Pastry goes from gold to bitter quickly in a small chamber.
Dense items such as a whole chicken may need close to the original oven time because heat still has to travel to the centre. Go by internal temperature, not only the converted clock.
Gas mark 7 in an air fryer
425°F is roughly gas mark 7. If your recipe is written in gas marks, convert to 218°C / 425°F first, then apply the same drop to get 204°C / 400°F in the air fryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 425°F in an air fryer?
400°F, which is 204°C / 400°F. Reduce the cooking time by about 20% as well, then check early.
What foods are usually cooked at 425°F?
puff pastry, pizza, extra-crisp roasting. Example conversion: puff pastry tarts that bake 15 minutes at 425°F becomes about 12 minutes at 400°F in the air fryer.
Why not just use 425°F in the air fryer?
You can, but the outside will brown or burn before the inside is cooked. The fan transfers heat into the food far faster than an oven does, so the lower setting gives a more even result.
Do I need to preheat the air fryer?
A 2-3 minute preheat helps for anything breaded, frozen or that you want crisp. For longer cooks it makes little difference.