Every cut from shoestring to steak fries — and why the bag's oven time steers you wrong.
| Cut | Temp | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Shoestring / matchstick | 400° (205°) | 10–12 min |
| Regular / thin cut | 400° (205°) | 12–15 min |
| Crinkle cut | 400° (205°) | 15–18 min |
| Steak fries / thick wedges | 400° (205°) | 16–19 min |
| Waffle fries | 400° (205°) | 12–14 min |
| Curly fries | 400° (205°) | 10–12 min |
| Sweet potato fries (frozen) | 390° (200°) | 14–16 min |
| Tater tots | 400° (205°) | 12–15 min |
⏱ The bag's time is for a conventional oven. An air fryer's fan means roughly the same temperature but 25–40% less time — check 3 minutes before the bag says.
Fries are the food people most overload. Fill the basket no more than half full — a mounded basket steams the middle layer soggy while the top burns. Two half-batches take barely longer than one overstuffed one, and both come out crisp. Give the first batch a 90-second re-crisp at the end if it's cooled.
Bagged fries are par-fried — they already carry oil, which is why they crisp with nothing added. The exceptions: bargain brands that look matte and dry out of the bag, and sweet potato fries, which benefit from the lightest mist. If you're adding seasoning, a quick mist first is the glue that makes it stick.
The air fryer's best magic trick: 390 °F (200 °C) for 3–5 minutes turns fridge-dead takeout fries back into fries. Better than the day before, no exaggeration.
Cooking fries three nights a week? The Air Fryer Essentials Kit's magnetic 90-food chart lives on the fridge so you stop googling times mid-cook — plus 2 reusable liners and a seasoning-mist oil sprayer.
Get the kit — $34.99 →The full 90-food times chart · Chicken breast · Chicken wings · Salmon · Bacon