The 3 Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens of 2023

Dec 16, 2023

For all the popularity of pod-shaped air fryers, we've always felt convection toaster ovens (which use the same technology) can cook a wider variety of foods more evenly, if a little slower. But now, more companies are offering the best of both worlds: amped-up convection toaster ovens—sold as “air fryer toaster ovens”—with extra-powerful fans that produce crispy results in shorter times. After testing dozens of models, we think the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the only one that’s both an excellent air fryer and an excellent toaster oven—but it’s pricey.

Air fryer toaster ovens tend to have more powerful fans than your average convection models. This means crispier food, faster.

Toaster ovens with an air fryer function (or with convection) typically cost more than conventional toaster ovens.

We looked for models that let you adjust the convection fan’s strength or turn it off completely, for more control when you cook.

Air fryer toaster ovens can fit more than most pod-shaped air fryers—everything from whole chickens to 9-inch cakes.

If you want to save counter space, spend less, or cook smaller portions of food at a time, you may still want to consider getting a pod-shaped air fryer. And if you’re looking for a regular toaster oven without a dedicated air fryer setting, we have a guide to those too. If you need extra help deciding what to buy, we walk you through more pros and cons of each machine.

Unlike most models, this pricey oven performs just as well as an air fryer as it does a toaster oven. It also has settings for bread proofing, slow cooking, and dehydrating.

If you’re looking for a combination appliance that can air fry as well as toast bread, bake treats, or roast larger quantities of food, we recommend the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. Of all the air fryers and toaster ovens we’ve tested, it’s one of the only products that effectively combines the best of both machines. In comparison, most pod-shaped air fryers have large fans that can blast powerful streams of hot air, producing crispy food quickly. But their convection fans can’t be turned off or adjusted, so they’re not great for more delicate tasks such as baking. Convection toaster ovens, meanwhile, are larger and more versatile, but often aren’t powerful enough to achieve the same level of crispiness, and certainly not as quickly.

What makes the Breville such a unique appliance is that it has the power to crisp up food more quickly than other toaster ovens in this category. It also has a large, two-rack oven capacity (big enough to fit a 6-quart Dutch oven without the lid or a 5.5-quart one with the lid), and it can toggle between two convection-fan speeds for more control. It also comes with a few additional settings: proof, reheat, cookies, slow cook, and dehydrate. However, if speed isn’t a big priority, or if you don’t think you’d take advantage of these added features, you’ll probably be just as happy with our runner-up pick, the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1, which costs significantly less and delivers similar results with just a little extra time.

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The Cuisinart shares many of the same features as our main pick, but its convection fan isn’t quite as powerful. We recommend saving some cash and getting this model if speed isn’t a big priority.

The Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1 was the top pick in our very first air fryer guide (yes, we picked a convection toaster oven over any of the pods), and we still think it does a pretty good job air frying, even if it’s not advertised as an air fryer. It can deliver similar results to the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, but its fan is a bit less powerful, so it takes slightly longer to achieve the same level of crispiness. It also doesn’t have a dedicated “air fry” setting or an air frying basket, but as long as you know that speed convection equals air frying, you don’t really need those things to make an air fryer recipe. For over $100 less than the Breville, this model is a great buy. It has two oven racks and two convection-fan speeds, and it can do everything from roasting a beautifully golden-brown chicken to baking even cake layers. On its speed-convection setting, it also does an excellent (albeit slower) job of crisping up frozen snacks like fish sticks or chicken fingers. The accessories are useful, too: It’s the only model we’ve ever tested to include a ceramic pizza stone instead of a flimsy pan. While it can still fit a 6-quart Dutch oven (without the lid), the Cuisinart’s capacity is slightly smaller than the Breville’s. This oven also lacks some of the tiny details (like rack-position markings on the door) and settings (like proof) that make using our top pick feel extra convenient, and even a little luxe.

The Cosori shares many features of models that cost double the price. It doesn’t cook quite as evenly as our other picks, but the results were still decent, especially considering its relatively low price.

Though still expensive compared with regular toaster ovens, the Cosori Original Air Fryer Toaster Oven was the best-performing air fryer toaster oven we tested under $225. In our tests it didn’t cook as evenly as the Breville or the Cuisinart, but we found the results perfectly acceptable considering its lower price. Like our other picks, the Cosori has lots of useful settings beyond baking, toasting, and air frying, such as cookies, dehydrate, and ferment. Although its rotisserie setting didn’t produce an evenly cooked chicken (no rotisserie feature we’ve tested has), our pan-roasted chicken turned out evenly golden brown, about as good as those we cooked in our other picks. The Cosori has two convection-fan speeds (like our other picks) and can fit a 5.5-quart Dutch oven (without the lid). It comes with only one oven rack, though its roasting pan can act as a second rack. The Cosori also includes a recipe booklet, which is nice if you’re looking for some guidance when cooking with convection technology.

Unlike most models, this pricey oven performs just as well as an air fryer as it does a toaster oven. It also has settings for bread proofing, slow cooking, and dehydrating.

The Cuisinart shares many of the same features as our main pick, but its convection fan isn’t quite as powerful. We recommend saving some cash and getting this model if speed isn’t a big priority.

The Cosori shares many features of models that cost double the price. It doesn’t cook quite as evenly as our other picks, but the results were still decent, especially considering its relatively low price.

As a senior staff writer at Wirecutter, I’ve researched, tested, and reviewed toasters, toaster ovens, pod-shaped air fryers, and deep fryers, among other kitchen gear and gadgets, since 2016. In that time, I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten more fish sticks and french fries than the Gorton’s Fisherman and Ronald McDonald combined.

In researching this guide, we spoke to Chichi Uguru, creator of the Air Fryer Yum blog (Uguru has an affiliate partnership with Cosori, the maker of our budget pick, but she told us she began using its products before their partnership began). We also interviewed Cathy Yoder, host and creator of many popular air fryer YouTube videos and author of the cookbook 150+ Yummy Air Fryer Recipes (Yoder previously had a sponsorship with Cosori but doesn’t at the time of this writing).

Additionally, we used an AI-powered analysis tool to scan 6,500-plus customer reviews of 12 air fryer toaster ovens to identify what made some models better or worse than others. We also took informal polls on Twitter and Instagram to find out more about what people like to cook in their pod-shaped air fryers and air fryer toaster ovens.

Overall, we think air fryer toaster ovens are far more versatile than pod-shaped air fryers—especially if you have a larger household. Chichi Uguru, creator of the Air Fryer Yum blog, told us, “If you have a large family, you’re better off using an air fryer toaster oven because it can cook more food at once.” Not only can these ovens air fry food, but they can also bake 12- or 13-inch pizzas (depending on the model), 9-inch cakes, pies, and more. The models we recommend can roast a whole 5- to 6-pound chicken, and even squeeze in a 5.5- or 6-quart Dutch oven (with or without the lid, depending on the size), which makes them more akin to a full-size oven. Since they take only a few minutes to preheat, they’re ideal for cooking in warmer months and don’t use as much energy as a full-size oven. Air fryer toaster ovens also allow you to turn off the convection fan, which is ideal when baking. The main drawbacks: They’re often bigger and more expensive than most pod-shaped models, they require a brief preheating period, and they take a bit longer to cook food.

If you don’t have room for a large air fryer toaster oven and prefer something more compact, a pod-shaped air fryer may make more sense for you. This is especially true if you have a smaller household, or if you don’t plan to do a lot of baking and just want something for cooking smaller portions of food. Uguru told us the pod-shaped air fryers are best for elderly people, especially if they live alone. The air fryer basket may also be easier for some people who have issues with hand strength. Cathy Yoder, author of the cookbook 150+ Yummy Air Fryer Recipes, has young kids, and said she prefers the pod-shaped models because they stay cooler on the outside and there’s less risk of burning oneself. A pod-shaped air fryer also cooks a bit faster than a toaster oven air fryer, which is more convenient, especially when reheating leftovers. Their compact size may also be better suited for small spaces such as dorm rooms, retirement homes, or rentals. The drawbacks: They’re more limited in size and function, their nonstick coatings limit their lifespan, and they have powerful fans that can’t be turned off, which isn’t always great for baking.

Air frying is just convection baking, smartly rebranded (and with the power amped up a bit). So any oven with convection works the same way as an air fryer: A fan circulates hot air around the food, crisping the outside in a way that mimics deep frying (though the results tend to be dryer and a little less flavorful than traditional deep frying).

Modern air frying uses more powerful fans, but a good convection toaster oven (like the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1, which is also a top pick in our guide to toaster ovens), can deliver similar results. Generally, if you opt for a convection toaster oven over an air fryer toaster oven, you’ll pay a little less, and you’ll need to cook your food a little bit longer to get comparably crispy results. You also won’t get features like a specific “air fry” setting or basket, but those aren’t necessary to get extra-crispy results.

If air frying isn’t a top priority but a smaller footprint or lower price is, you might just want a small, regular toaster oven (without convection). We’d recommend the Panasonic FlashXpress (a top pick in our guide to toaster ovens). It won’t blast food with hot air, but it can still bake relatively quickly and provide crispy results due to its small oven cavity, which is similar in size to a pod-shaped air fryer.

We’ve been testing toaster ovens since 2013 and have two favorites: the compact Panasonic FlashXpress and the large Cuisinart Chef's Convection Toaster Oven.

Many home ovens now have convection technology, or even special “air fry” settings. We’ve tested a full-size convection oven against a pod-shaped air fryer and a convection toaster oven, and found you can get similar “air fried” results. But because a full-size oven is so much larger than a toaster oven or a pod-shaped air fryer, it can take longer to preheat and to cook food. Some manufacturers (like GE) have even started offering “no-preheat” air fry settings, though we have yet to test those against our air fryer or air fryer toaster oven picks. If you’re considering getting an air fryer toaster oven specifically because you want to air fry food, we’d recommend testing out the convection setting on your full-size oven first to see if you’re happy with the results. You may find you don’t need a separate appliance. However, you may still want an air fryer toaster oven for smaller cooking tasks. A toaster oven also uses less energy and generally won’t heat up your kitchen as much.

Since air fryer toaster ovens are combination appliances, they should be able to air fry as well as they bake or make toast. With that in mind, we combined our criteria for both toaster ovens and pod-shaped air fryers:

Ease of operation: A good air fryer toaster oven should be intuitive to use, with clearly labeled controls and an easy-to-read display. Ideally, you should be able to operate the oven without feeling like you need to consult the user manual every time.

Even heating: Several factors play a role in how evenly food cooks in an air fryer toaster oven: how far the food is from the heating elements, the number of elements used, the placement of the elements inside the oven, and the size and strength of the convection fan. The best models allow you to control the convection-fan speed or turn it off altogether—a key benefit the pod-shaped versions lack. Turning off the powerful fan will often yield better results when you need more gentle, even heat, such as when baking a cake. All of our air fryer toaster oven picks have adjustable fan speeds.

Reasonable size: We looked at a range of toaster oven air fryers in various sizes, but most are fairly large. Their larger size means they take up more counter space, but they can cook a 12- or 13-inch pizza, roast a whole chicken, or bake a 9-inch cake. We eliminated any models that were too squat to fit a whole chicken, like the Calphalon Performance Air Fryer Convection Oven. Just know that these large ovens can be pretty heavy and a pain to move around your kitchen, so they’ll likely need a permanent spot on your counter.

Useful accessories: Like regular toaster ovens, most air fryer toaster ovens come with the same basic accessories: a crumb tray, an oven rack, and a baking pan. More expensive models usually offer multiple oven racks and additional pans, such as broiling and pizza pans. They usually come with air fryer baskets, too, though we don’t think these are necessary (you can still get great results using a baking pan to air fry food). Since these ovens tend to be so large, much of your standard bakeware will likely fit inside the oven, including pie plates, loaf pans, and, in the case of the Breville and the Cuisinart, even 9-by-13-inch baking pans. We also checked to make sure all of our recommendations could fit our Dutch oven picks (though the Cosori and the Cuisinart can’t fit any lids, so you’ll have to use aluminum foil instead). If you need to purchase extra oven racks or baking pans, most manufacturers sell these separately online.

Extra features: A reliable timer and an oven light aren’t necessary, but they’re nice features that all of our picks have. Other features, like automatic cooking modes and racks that pull out when you open the door, are also helpful but nonessential. We also appreciate models that have instructions on the oven door for where to place the racks for each cooking mode, which saves you from having to refer to the user manual. Most air fryer toaster ovens offer standard cooking functions for toasting bread, baking, roasting, broiling, and making pizza. More and more models now offer additional cooking options, such as preprogrammed settings for proofing bread or dehydrating fruit, but many people may never use those (and we recommend getting a dedicated dehydrator if you want to make more than a handful of dried food at a time).

Sufficient warranties: Unfortunately, most manufacturers aren’t able to repair your toaster oven air fryer if something goes wrong—in most cases they’ll just send you a new toaster oven, as long as it’s still under warranty. (This means a good warranty is valuable, if a little rare). Our runner-up pick, the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1, was the only model we tested that came with an impressive three-year warranty. Our main pick, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, and our budget pick, the Cosori Original Air Fryer Toaster Oven, both offer two-year warranties.

We’ve been testing pod-shaped air fryers since 2017, and we started testing air fryer toaster ovens in 2019. Ideally, toaster oven air fryers should be able to do everything a pod-shaped air fryer can do, plus everything a regular toaster oven can do. With that in mind, we began our tests by filling each model with as many slices of white sandwich bread as they would allow, using the toasted results as a heat map: Uneven browning alerted us to any hot spots in each oven. We also made batches of frozen french fries and tasted them to see whether any pieces ended up under- or overcooked; in addition, we baked frozen breaded chicken tenders and fish sticks to see whether they browned evenly or ended up with soggy bottoms. We also baked pizza Bagel Bites, cookies, and brussels sprouts.

After eliminating several models, we baked a yellow cake (from a box mix for consistency) and roasted whole chickens in the finalists. We also conducted all of the same tests in our previous pod-shaped air fryer pick, the Philips Premium Airfryer HD9741/96 (the current pick, the Philips Premium Airfryer HD9741/56, is nearly identical), so that we could compare the results.

We also stuck an air probe thermometer inside the ovens to see how well each model maintained a set temperature. We used all of the controls to see how easy they were to navigate. Additionally, we compared the cooking capacity of each model, and we took note of any egregiously noisy fans or annoying beeps. After testing, we washed all of the air fryer toaster oven components by hand to see how easy they were to clean.

Unlike most models, this pricey oven performs just as well as an air fryer as it does a toaster oven. It also has settings for bread proofing, slow cooking, and dehydrating.

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the best air fryer toaster oven we’ve tested (it’s also our upgrade pick in our guide to the best toaster ovens). Some air fryer toaster ovens perform better as an air fryer or as a toaster oven, but the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the perfect marriage of those two appliances. Its convection fan is strong enough to crisp up food quickly, but since you can reduce its speed or turn it off, you can really fine-tune the settings for what you’re cooking. It was also remarkably good at maintaining a set temperature, and toasted almost as evenly as our runner-up pick, the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1. It produced crispy fries with creamy interiors and fish sticks that were crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. It also made a beautifully golden-brown roasted chicken and evenly baked cookies.

We like the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro’s sleek design and easy-to-navigate interface. It offers several preset functions that our runner-up pick doesn’t. One of those is a dedicated air fry setting, but the presets also include proof, cookies, slow cook, and dehydrate. If you’re serious about dehydrating, we’d recommend getting a separate machine, since the Breville can’t hold much food in its dehydrating basket (though you could buy more baskets separately if you wanted). But the other features could be useful. Like our runner-up, the Breville Pro also has settings for toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, reheat, and pizza, as well as two fan speeds: “convection” and “super convection,” which gives you more control over how intensely you want to blast your food with hot air.

The Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro has a number of useful design elements and other features that set it apart from the competition. It held a set temperature better than any other model we tested due to its PID controller, a more-accurate controller than the simple on/off temperature controllers found in most other toaster ovens. When set to 350 °F, the oven’s internal temperature measured just 5 degrees off, according to our air probe thermometer. The Breville also has an oven light that you can turn on or off manually, or it can automatically turn on when you open the door or when the timer nears the end of its countdown (this is especially helpful if you aren’t able to hear the timer beeps). If the bulb burns out, it can be replaced with a 25-watt, 120-volt, G9 oven bulb (when the oven is cool and unplugged, of course). You can also switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius by pushing the “temperature conversion” button—if you hold it down for three seconds, you can even adjust the buzzer volume (our Cuisinart pick lets you do this, too).

This oven also has a “phase cook” feature, which allows you to program two cooking cycles back to back (the Cuisinart also has this feature). Let’s say you’re baking a pumpkin pie. Using the phase-cook mode, you could, for instance, bake the pie at 425 °F for 15 minutes, then program the oven to automatically reduce the temperature to 350 °F for the remaining 30 to 40 minutes.

The Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro’s large oven cavity can fit a 5.5-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven with a lid (though if yours has a plastic knob, we recommend using aluminum foil instead) or a 6-quart Lodge Dutch oven without one. It also fits a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (without handles), and it can just squeeze in a 12-cup muffin tin (ours measured 14 by 10.75 inches), so it really acts as a secondary oven in your kitchen. If you use a quarter-sheet tray on each of its two racks, that’s equal to the cooking surface of a standard half sheet you’d use in a full-size oven. You may even be inclined to use this oven more than your full-size oven in the warmer months, since it will likely keep your kitchen cooler. This model also comes with an air frying basket, a baking pan, a 9-by-13-inch enamel broiling rack, a roasting pan and rack, a crumb tray, and a 13-inch nonstick steel pizza pan.

Magnets on the door of the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro attach to the oven rack so it glides out when opening the door (the Cuisinart TOB-260N1 has a similar feature that uses hooks), so you don’t have to reach your hands deep into the oven to retrieve your food. We also like that when you open the door, the timer automatically pauses until you close it again. The printed directions on the oven door are handy for determining the rack placement for each setting, so you don’t have to refer to the user manual. We also preferred the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro’s nonstick interior, which makes it easier to wipe clean than our other picks (we’ll keep an eye on how well the nonstick coating holds up over the coming year and update this guide accordingly).

The oven also comes with a two-year warranty. Breville doesn’t sell replacement parts for any of the oven’s internal components. However, according to the Breville representative we spoke to, the company will pay for shipping to and from its service center if your oven breaks under warranty (if the warranty has expired, it will still cover shipping costs, but you’ll have to pay a service fee). If the oven can’t be repaired, Breville will send you an entirely new unit.

This oven is significantly more expensive than our runner-up pick, and we realize the cost may be prohibitive for some people. Here’s our advice: If you have high demands for this appliance to be both your air fryer and a great toaster oven, and if you can afford it, we think you’ll be happiest with the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. But if you plan to air fry only every so often, or if you want to spend less money, we think the Cuisinart TOB-260N1’s turbo fan speed achieves similar results for far less money. It just may take a bit longer to get your fries extra crispy.

Also, on the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro’s “super convection” fan speed, the fan is noticeably louder than on the slower setting, but it’s still quieter than a hair dryer, and it’s not as noisy as some models we tested, like the Ninja DT201 Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fryer Toaster Oven. If you think the noise might bother you, we’d recommend getting our runner-up pick, the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1, which is very quiet on both its high and low settings.

The Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro didn’t toast bread quite as evenly as our runner-up pick, but it excelled at cooking just about everything else we prepared in it. We also prefer the Cuisinart TOB-260N1’s ceramic pizza stone over the Breville’s nonstick pizza pan, since the coating will wear down over time (though Breville does sell a separate pizza stone for around $30).

One final thing to note: The Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro was one of the heaviest models we tested, so if you have the space, we recommend keeping it in one place in your kitchen—it’s not something you’ll want to pick up and move often.

The Cuisinart shares many of the same features as our main pick, but its convection fan isn’t quite as powerful. We recommend saving some cash and getting this model if speed isn’t a big priority.

If you want to spend less than our main pick, we’d recommend getting the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1 (the top pick in our guide to the best toaster ovens). This model has many of the same features as the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, and it can handle cooking a 13-inch pizza, roasting a whole chicken, or toasting up to nine slices of bread at once. The main difference is that this model is slightly more squat (unlike our top pick, it can’t fit the lid of a 5.5-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven—though aluminum foil would suffice), and its convection fan isn’t quite as powerful, so it takes a little longer than the Breville to achieve the same level of crispiness. It also doesn’t have air-fryer-specific features, like a fryer basket or an air fry setting. That said, the TOB-260N1 toasted bread more evenly than any other toaster oven or air fryer toaster oven at this price level. It also has a better warranty, more accessories, and one of the shortest preheating times of all the models we tested (just over three minutes).

The TOB-260N1 comes with a number of accessories, including two racks, a baking pan, and a broiling tray. It’s also the only model we’ve ever tested to include a ceramic pizza stone (which is great for baking bread and pies, too). Most of the other toasters come with only a single rack and a flimsy metal pizza pan, so the extras feel like a step up.

The oven cavity isn’t quite as large as the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro’s, but it can still fit a 5.5-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven or 6-quart Lodge Dutch oven (with aluminum foil in lieu of the lid), a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (without handles), a standard quarter-sheet tray, or a 12-cup muffin tin (ours measured 14 by 10.75 inches). The TOB-260N1 has four slots for the racks, with metal hooks that pull out the middle rack when you open the door (similar in function to the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro’s magnetic mechanism).

If you want to use this oven as an air fryer (because, as we’ve explained, air fryers are simply powerful convection ovens), the TOB-260N1 also has two convection speeds: regular and high. We’ve found that the high setting works better for air frying, since it cooks food a little faster. But it’s not as powerful as the fan in the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, which will get food crispy even faster. The TOB-260N1 also has a “dual cook” setting that’s similar to Breville’s “phase cook” feature. It allows you to program two cooking modes back-to-back. However, it lacks some of the cooking functions of the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, such as proof, air fry, cookies, slow cook, and dehydrate.

The TOB-260N1 has a three-year limited warranty, whereas the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro has a two-year warranty. But while Breville will take your toaster oven back for repairs, Cuisinart will only replace models under warranty, even if the issue is technically fixable (like a burned-out light bulb). And before you can get the replacement, you have to send proof that you cut the cord on the original model.

To read more about the Cuisinart and how it’s held up over years of long-term testing, check out our guide to the best toaster ovens.

We’ve been testing toaster ovens since 2013 and have two favorites: the compact Panasonic FlashXpress and the large Cuisinart Chef's Convection Toaster Oven.

The Cosori shares many features of models that cost double the price. It doesn’t cook quite as evenly as our other picks, but the results were still decent, especially considering its relatively low price.

The Cosori Original Air Fryer Toaster Oven was the best-performing model we tried under $225. This oven consistently did well in our tests, in some cases performing as well as models costing double the price. It shares many of the same features as some of the more expensive models we tested, too. It’s also considerably lighter than our other picks, so it’s easier to pick up and move if you plan to store it in a cupboard. However, if you can afford to spend a bit more, we’d still recommend getting our runner-up pick, the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1, which performed better overall.

The Cosori oven has several cooking functions, including toast, bagel, pizza, bake, air fry, broil, cookies, rotisserie, dehydrate, ferment, and warm. It toasted bread very evenly, about on par with our other picks. Frozen fries were crispy and evenly browned, with creamy centers that weren’t overcooked or dehydrated. The fish sticks we air fried weren’t quite as crispy as ones from the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, but they were perfectly adequate. The Cosori oven also baked even cake layers that were nicely golden brown. The rotisserie function couldn’t rotate the spit attachments in a fluid motion, which produced a pale, unevenly-roasted chicken (most toaster ovens and toaster oven air fryers don’t work well as rotisserie ovens, so we don’t think this is a dealbreaker). But the oven yielded far better results when we roasted a whole chicken on a pan instead—it was evenly golden brown, with a crispy skin. This method is also less of a hassle, since it doesn’t require you to truss the bird or insert rotisserie spikes, which can be unwieldy and annoying to clean.

The Cosori oven’s digital interface isn’t quite as intuitive as those of our other picks, and it isn’t as bright or easy to read, so it may take a couple of attempts to get the hang of it. Unlike with our other picks, you have to manually hit the start button once the oven is preheated—the timer doesn’t start counting down before then, which some people may actually prefer. When the oven is preheated, the digital screen flashes “pre” and the start button flashes red (this is helpful, especially if you don’t happen to hear the beeps). One thing to know: When we set the Cosori to 350 °F, the oven said it was preheated in about four minutes, but it actually took another two minutes for the oven to reach that temperature, according to our air probe thermometer.

The Cosori oven includes one rack, a tray, an air frying basket, and a rotisserie shaft and handle. It also comes with a recipe booklet (which includes over 100 recipes) and a two-year warranty.

Before you use your air fryer toaster oven for the first time, you’ll need to run it on its highest temperature setting for 20 to 30 minutes. This burns off the industrial residues that are applied to the oven to prevent corrosion during shipping and storage. Do this in a ventilated space, if possible; depending on the oven, the fumes can be intense—and you may need to do this more than once to get rid of the odor. While you wait, take the time to wash the rack and accessories in warm, soapy water.

When it comes time to clean your oven, be sure to unplug it first. Never clean it while it’s still hot. And always allow it to dry completely before plugging it back in.

To clean the interior and exterior of the oven: Place a small amount of dish soap on a damp paper towel or non-abrasive sponge (never apply any cleaners directly to the oven). Wipe down the surface of the oven, being careful not to get any cleaning solution near the control panel or the heating elements. Rinse the sponge with warm water and wipe down the oven again to remove any soapy residue. Never use abrasive scouring pads or harsh cleaners (such as oven cleaner), which could permanently mar the oven’s surface.

To clean the oven door: Apply glass cleaner to a paper towel and wipe down the exterior of the door. For the interior, apply a small amount of dish soap to a damp, non-abrasive sponge and gently scrub off any baked-on grease. Wipe it again with a damp cloth to remove any soapy residue.

To clean the digital controls: Wipe down the control panel with a damp cloth or paper towel. If there’s a buildup of grease on the digital screen, you can spray a small amount of glass cleaner on a paper towel and wipe it down. Never apply spray directly to the screen, and avoid getting it near the digital controls.

To clean the heating elements: Use a damp non-abrasive sponge to carefully clean the heating elements, then wipe them dry with a paper towel or a soft cloth. Never attempt to do this while they are still hot.

To clean the crumb tray: Whenever there’s a buildup of crumbs on the tray, remove it and empty them into the trash. If the tray is covered with baked-on grease, you’ll need to scrub it with a scouring pad and baking soda (Bar Keepers Friend also works), along with plenty of hot water (just know this may permanently scratch the surface of the tray). Dry the tray completely before reinserting it in the oven.

To clean accessories: We recommend washing all accessories, including the oven racks, by hand, using a non-abrasive sponge, dish soap, and hot water. A dishwasher will break down certain coatings, especially those that are nonstick.

If you want a smart oven that connects to a recipe app: The Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro is the same size and offers most of the same features as the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, except it’s Wi-Fi enabled, compatible with Alexa, and can pair with your phone using the Breville Joule Oven app. The app contains a limited number of recipes (more are added on a weekly basis), and each recipe step has a corresponding video to help guide you through the cooking process. Beginner cooks or those who are visual learners may find this feature helpful, but if you’re more experienced, the videos may feel unnecessary. You can’t rewind or fast-forward them, so if you miss a step, you have to wait for the video to start over again.

The oven syncs with a recipe via the Breville Joule app, and its autopilot feature takes it from there. We tested this function by preparing a recipe for crescent rolls. The oven automatically set the temperature for proofing the dough, preheated the oven once it was time to bake, and adjusted the convection-fan speed during baking. While that’s nice, we don’t think doing any of those things manually with other ovens is a major inconvenience. You still have to do the harder task of preparing the recipe. That said, people with certain disabilities may find the reduction of manual steps helpful. We also like that the Breville Joule tells you on the digital screen where to place the oven rack for each recipe, which saves you from having to memorize the placement or constantly refer to the instruction manual.

As with other smart ovens, such as the June Oven, there are a limited number of recipes in this oven’s corresponding app, with just a few new ones added every week. Many of the recipes are sourced from editorial publications, including NYT Cooking (with whom Breville has a content licensing agreement), as well as Serious Eats and America’s Test Kitchen. Featuring tested recipes developed by professional cooks is a clear advantage over similar smart ovens that have recipes from more questionable origins. But they can still be fussy or challenging for beginners, and there aren’t enough of them to justify the oven’s premium price.

We contacted a representative at Breville to learn more about how personal information is being used and protected while operating the Breville Joule. The oven requires a login via the app, but it doesn’t require two-factor authentication. According to Breville, they will never sell a user’s information. The representative we emailed told us, “If a user pairs their oven with their phone, the serial number will register in Breville’s system and…Breville is able to see the activity of the oven based on the serial number. Breville limits its access to user data and will not use the serial number to look up a user’s email address unless it’s necessary to provide service for the user, for example, in troubleshooting.” Breville confirmed that its customer data—including what’s collected by both the app and the oven—is encrypted end-to-end, which technically means the company has no way of gaining a customer’s personal information beyond how the oven is functioning. While security updates are performed regularly, Breville doesn’t have a set schedule for when they occur. You can read its privacy policy here.

The Café Couture Oven with Air Fry looks snazzy, and aside from its subpar baking results, it did well in our tests. Unfortunately, the printed labels on the buttons started to wear off after only a few uses. We expected more from such a costly oven, so we dismissed it.

The Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp (31243) Toaster Oven with Air Fry runs too cool and can’t maintain its internal temperature well. Annoyingly, the timer on this model begins counting down while the oven is still preheating, rather than waiting until it’s finished preheating to begin. It toasted unevenly and produced soggy, undercooked french fries. Even after an additional 10 minutes, the fries were still underdone, so we dismissed it.

The GE Digital Air Fry 8-in-1 Toaster Oven G9OAAASSPSS acts more like an air fryer than a toaster oven. Its flimsy pan warped after a couple of uses and couldn’t hold the weight of a whole chicken, causing the pan to slip out of the slots along the oven walls.

The Ninja DT201 Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Toaster Oven has a surprisingly noisy convection fan that can’t be turned off, making this model more strictly an air fryer than a toaster oven. It also did a poor job maintaining a set temperature.

The Calphalon Performance Air Fryer Convection Oven looks nice and baked delicious cookies, but it functions more like a convection toaster oven than an air fryer. Its fan isn’t quite powerful enough to deliver extra-crispy results—the chicken fingers we air fried were soggy and lacked color. It also has a very narrow oven cavity that can’t fit a 6-pound chicken without it touching the heating elements.

The Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven browned toast unevenly and produced tough, dehydrated fries in our tests. In theory, the rotisserie basket (which rotates food automatically while the unit is cooking) is a good idea, but in practice it can hold only a couple handfuls of fries at a time, and you can’t sample a fry for doneness without removing the entire basket from the oven. In our tests the rotisserie spit worked well and produced a nicely-roasted chicken, but you have to know how to truss a bird in order for it to cook evenly, and afterward we had to soak the spit overnight to get the gunk off. The cake we baked was too dark and rose unevenly because the lip on the oven rack tilted the pan. The cake also came out rippled on top, apparently from the force of the fan, which was especially loud while running.

The Instant Omni Plus 10-in-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo runs very hot, which causes cookies to burn on the bottom before they’re fully baked. This model didn’t toast as evenly as our picks, and it overbaked fish sticks and chicken fingers. Nearly everything we prepared was overcooked and dry.

The Cuisinart TOA-60 AirFryer Toaster Oven (which is now discontinued and being replaced by the TOA-70 model) cooked fries quickly without drying them out, though some were slightly dark. But the chicken fingers and fish sticks we cooked were pale all over and had soggy undersides. The toast we made in the TOA-60 was also unevenly browned.

Like the larger TOA-60 model, the Cuisinart AFR-25 Compact AirFryer was good at cooking fries quickly. Its chicken fingers and fish sticks, however, had somewhat soggy undersides. Plus, the narrow interior can’t fit a whole chicken.

The rotisserie spit in the Emeril Lagasse Power AirFryer 360 struggled to make a full rotation while roasting a chicken. This model also had difficulty regulating its internal temperature, fluctuating between 330 °F and 371 °F when set to 400 °F. Needless to say, most food took longer to cook because the oven’s temperature was wildly off.

We had difficulty tossing fries in the Black+Decker Crisp ’N Bake Air Fry Toaster Oven’s shallow basket without spilling them, and ultimately, the fries came out predominantly undercooked with burned tips. Fish sticks and chicken fingers were pale and soggy on the bottom after baking.

The NuWave Bravo XL Air Fryer Smart Oven has an overwhelming amount of buttons, which are confusing and overly complicated. One of the biggest issues with this model: the preprogrammed settings, which are egregiously wrong. For instance, the roast, toast, and bagel settings are all programmed to 310 °F, which is far too low—it took over 12 minutes for us to get any color on the toast we made. Also, the probe thermometer doesn’t indicate the internal temperature of meat on the oven’s digital interface while it’s cooking; it beeps only once when the set temperature is reached, so if you miss it, you’re out of luck.

This article was edited by Marilyn Ong and Marguerite Preston.

Michelle No, I Tried The Airfryer Kitchen Gadget That’s All Over The Internet, BuzzFeed, March 1, 2017

Rachel Hunnicutt, Corporate Fare, Frozen: A Donald Deskey Associates’ Cafeteria Concept, Cooper Hewitt, August 31, 2018

Chichi Uguru, creator of Air Fryer Yum, phone interview, September 26, 2022

Cathy Yoder, author of 150+ Yummy Air Fryer Recipes, phone interview, September 27, 2022

Michael Sullivan

Michael Sullivan has been a staff writer on the kitchen team at Wirecutter since 2016. Previously, he was an editor at the International Culinary Center in New York. He has worked in various facets of the food and restaurant industry for over a decade.

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