Thread by @LesDaChef

Fascinating to see how old tech toaster ovens and convection ovens have been reimagined and changed to "airfryers" and given sleek designs.
Must be one of the greatest marketing transitions ever.

The tech hasn't changed, its decades old, its just how it's presented now.

My mom was big on the Weigh-Less programme in the 90's. She had to get all the gadgets recommended by it and one of them was a convection oven.
Remember these? They're the same tech as what people call "airfryers" these days. A convection oven. #LesFoodFacts

How does a normal, standard oven work? By heat radiation from elements in the top and bottom of the oven. In professional kitchens our ovens also have fans which circulate the heated air, this allows for a more even heat distribution. #LesFoodFacts

So what manufacturers did was realise how much better the professional ovens were but also how bloody expensive they were, so they started designing smaller versions of them. A convection oven has a fan near a superheated element in the oven & it circulates the heat #LesFoodFacts

That's it. As simple as that. In the 90's they were simply called "toaster ovens" and the name was probably too boring for some. Also, 'toaster oven' doesn't explain exactly what you can do with the ovens. Enter the term "airfryer". #LesFoodFacts

Then they started reimagining the way they looked. All a convection toaster oven was is a small metal box with a superheated element which has a fan attached to push & circulate the hot air around inside. Get rid of the shape and make it look space age and...

In America the newer, sleeker ones have pushed the sales of airfryers up by 40%. Recipe books, bloggers, Youtubers etc have also helped drive the excitement. It's really fascinating to watch.
Decades-old tech chefs have used for years being sold as something new. #LesFoodFacts

P.s. Don't confuse convection oven with convention oven.

Convection oven = Heat circulated by a fan and heated element.
Conventional oven = Standard oven that doesn't use a fan.

Do you need one? Most quality modern ovens these days come with the convection option. @BoschHomeSA has "4D Hot Air" on their ovens as a function. It's the exact same thing as an airfryer...just bigger. You can switch it on and off if you want a standard oven.