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Efficiency Meets Versatility

Discover Miele‘s ovens with AirFry function

Air fryers have become a kitchen favourite - celebrated for their speed, convenience and crispy results. This article compares traditional ovens and air fryers, explores how Miele’s ovens with integrated AirFry mode deliver both versatility and efficiency, and shows why it could be the one oven that does it all.

A plate of fries with sauce on the side

Traditional ovens heat food using top and bottom elements. Most modern models, including Miele’s, also feature a fan—what we call Fan Plus—which circulates hot air evenly for faster, more consistent cooking. Air fryers use a more compact cavity and faster fan speeds to create crisp textures with minimal oil. Miele’s AirFry function—available in selected models—adds a unique twist by combining Fan Plus with top heat. This creates ideal conditions for air-fried results inside a full-sized oven, with no need for additional appliances.

Food placed on a tray

Air fryers have surged in popularity thanks to their versatility and convenience—ideal for everything from crispy vegetables and chicken wings to reheating leftovers or baking frozen favourites. Their appeal lies not only in speed, but in the ability to prepare a wide range of meals with minimal oil and easy cleanup. Convection ovens operate on a similar principle, and Miele enhances this with a powerful fan and integrated heating systems. The AirFry mode, available on selected models, replicates the results of a standalone air fryer—without the need for extra countertop appliances.

A tray with food coming out of the oven

Air frying uses little to no oil and encourages crisp textures through the Maillard reaction - a natural browning process that enhances flavour, creating golden finishes and rich aromas without deep frying.  It’s the same reaction that gives seared meat its savoury crust, toasted bread its golden surface and baked goods their tempting colour and depth of flavour.  The result is lower-fat meals that taste delicious.

Evaluating cooking performance and results

Cooking techniques – How do they differ?

While traditional ovens are excellent for bakes, batch roasting and delicate desserts, they rely on broader heat distribution. By contrast, countertop air fryers deliver high-velocity hot air to a smaller space, targeting crisp finishes and fast results. Miele’s AirFry mode blends both techniques - using top and ring heating elements alongside a fan system to achieve golden textures and even cooking. Whether you're crisping chips, or roasting vegetables it’s fast and consistent.

Kitchen setting with a tray of food on the counter

Achieving crispy texture and consistency

The magic lies in airflow and design. Miele’s perforated AirFry tray allows hot air to circulate from every angle, ensuring even crisping without the need to flip halfway. Whether it’s hand-cut potato wedges or breaded chicken, you get a uniform golden crunch every time.

A board of fried chicken nuggets with some lemon slices on the side

Comparing cooking times and temperature controls

Miele’s AirFry mode offers a convenient way to achieve crisp, golden results—perfect for a wide variety of everyday meals. Like all Miele operating modes, it delivers precise, reliable temperature control to support consistent outcomes across different dish types.

Whether you’re roasting vegetables or baking breaded favourites, the dedicated AirFry function adds extra versatility without requiring a separate appliance. And with the full suite of conventional oven settings at your fingertips, you can move effortlessly to more traditional cooking—all in one appliance, and all with the control you expect from Miele.

Pizza on a tray

Energy consumption comparisons

Countertop air fryers may use less power for short cooking times, but they have limited capacity. That might mean having to prepare meals in batches, which can be time-consuming and inefficient. In contrast, Miele’s integrated AirFry mode allows you to cook larger meals with different ingredients in one go, with the even results of a convection oven and the crispiness of an air fryer. It saves worktop space and energy by combining multiple functions in one efficient appliance.

Miele’s convection ovens optimise energy use with precision temperature control and rapid heat distribution. In fact, external studies show that after roughly 30 minutes of use, a convection oven becomes more efficient than a countertop air fryer when you account for warm-up time.

Circuitboard

Cost effectiveness of investing in one appliance

Choosing a Miele oven with AirFry mode means no extra appliance, no clutter, and no duplicated energy use. More than that, it offers true flexibility, allowing you to switch effortlessly between fast weeknight crisping, weekend roasts and slow Sunday bakes — all in one appliance. Whether you’re preparing a full tray of roasted vegetables or crispy fish fingers for dinner, you’ll achieve delicious results with one smart, A-rated solution – saving time, space and long-term running costs. 

And because Miele appliances are tested for the equivalent of 20 years’ use¹, your investment is built to last — reducing the need for replacements and supporting more sustainable choices.

Fries coming out of the oven

Why choose a Miele oven with AirFry mode

Miele ovens with AirFry mode combine advanced cooking technology with thoughtful design and a range of additional features: 

 

  • AirFry mode delivers authentic crispiness using targeted fan circulation and a perforated tray 
  • EasyControl Plus display offers effortless navigation thanks to an intuitive rotary dial and text guidance
  • Pyrolytic self-cleaning2 makes cleaning fast and easy as burnt-on residue is turned into ash at high temperatures
  • Miele app lets you monitor and control cooking from anywhere via WiFi3
  • Automatic programmes, optimised for fish, roasts, sponges, pizza, lasagne and more help ensure perfect results every time 
  • Rapid heat-up, reaching cooking temperatures in around five minutes, makes pre-heating unnecessary, saving energy and supporting spontaneous cooking 
  • SoftOpen and SoftClose2 doors ensure smooth movement that protects both appliance and kitchen 
  • FlexiClip runners add stability and effortless glide when handling trays 
  • PerfectClean accessories, including trays, the Gourmet backing and AirFry tray, prevent sticking and simplify cleaning 
  • Touchcool front and safety locks protect surfaces and secure the oven during pyrolytic cleaning 
A Miele oven being opened

Using Miele’s AirFry mode couldn’t be easier. Select the AirFry function on the control panel, choose temperature and duration, optimally place the ingredients on the AirFry tray, insert into the oven and press start - it’s simple and intuitive.

Chocolate-chip cookies being transferred from a tray to a plate
Conclusion

Making the right choice: Oven or Air Fryer?

A plate of roasted cod with crust and salad

Considerations for passionate cooks 

You know the value of precision, consistency and creative freedom in the kitchen. With Miele’s AirFry oven, you don’t have to compromise. Whether you’re roasting vegetables, baking pastries or craving the satisfying crunch of golden chips, this is an oven that delivers across every cooking technique - beautifully and reliably.  It’s smart, powerful and designed to enhance every dish, not just one style of cooking.

Person walking in front of the oven with a roasted chicken

Factors for homemakers

Your kitchen works hard and so should your appliances. Instead of adding another gadget to the worktop, Miele’s AirFry mode builds that functionality into the heart of your kitchen. It reduces clutter, simplifies your routine and brings effortless control through the Miele app. From family meals to weekend entertaining, one connected oven does it all - elegantly and efficiently.

Detail of an oven interior with the fan and grill on

Final recommendation

If you’re upgrading your oven, don’t settle for one-dimensional cooking. A Miele oven with AirFry mode offers so much more; crisp air-frying, precision roasting and baking, pyrolytic cleaning, smart connectivity and that unmistakable Miele build quality and reliability.  It’s a single, integrated solution that replaces multiple appliances and brings lasting value to your kitchen. For those who care about how they cook - and how they live - this is the smart choice. 

Experience Miele

View of a kitchen wall with integrated appliances

Miele ovens are tested for the equivalent of 20 years' use¹, ensuring dependable, precise performance day after day. Unlike many countertop air fryers, which are often disposed of when performance drops, Miele designs for longevity. Spare parts are available for over a 15 years, and many issues can be resolved through repair - not replacement. Choosing an A-rated Miele oven means investing in an appliance that is built to last, reducing waste and promoting a more sustainable kitchen.  Standalone air fryers are currently non energy rated.

Detail of a Miele logo in one of our Experience Centers

Still unsure which AirFry oven is right for you? Visit your local Miele Experience Centre to explore the range up close and receive expert guidance tailored to your needs. You can also book a Miele Discovery Course - a relaxed, hands-on session where our culinary experts will prepare a delicious three-course lunch and walk you through the appliances in action.  They will answer your questions, and help you make confident, informed choices. It’s the perfect way to see how Miele performance and design could transform your everyday cooking.

FAQs Ovens vs Air Fryers

Which is better, air fryer or oven?

Each has its place, but if you're investing in a new appliance, a convection oven with AirFry mode delivers the best of both. You get the crisp, quick results of an air fryer, combined with the full versatility of a conventional oven - all in one beautifully integrated appliance.

Can an air fryer replace an oven?

No. Air fryers are excellent for small, quick meals, but they lack the capacity and flexibility of a full oven. It would be very difficult to make a cake in an air fryer! Miele’s ovens with AirFry mode offer both, giving complete flexibility.

Is air frying healthier than oven baking?

Both methods use less oil than traditional frying, but air frying can achieve crispier results with even less fat. Miele’s AirFry mode replicates this using circulating hot air, helping you enjoy golden textures with lower oil content.

Can I use my oven as an air fryer?

With Miele, yes. Some models include a dedicated AirFry function designed for that purpose - using specific airflow, heating patterns in combination with a perforated tray to deliver authentic air-fried results.  If the oven does not have an AirFry mode, it can be simulated by using Fan Plus and Crisp function for similar results (selected models).

Is it cheaper to run an air fryer than an oven?

For short, single-batch cooking, countertop air fryers may use less energy. But for larger quantities or longer cooking times, Miele’s A-rated convection ovens with AirFry mode are designed for energy efficiency, helping you save in the long run.