What Is An Air Fryer Toaster Oven And How Does It Work
An air fryer toaster oven is a relatively newer household appliance designed to replace conventional toaster ovens and air fryers. However, it combines the functionality of both a toaster and air fryer into one unit, allowing owners the flexibility of dehydrating food while frying foods at the same time.
The air fryer toaster uses hot air circulation technology similar to that used in air fryers in order to circulate heated air throughout the cooking chamber for faster drying times. These units have an opening typically found on air fryers which circulates air around residues after each use in order to remove the odor caused by food residue.
Are air fryers better than toasters oven? Ill air fryers vs. toaster oven airfryer air-fryer air fryers air frying stovetop convection oven vertical air fryer 2 in 1 air fried pizza air frying recipes air fried chicken.
Best Splurge: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
For home cooks looking to upgrade their kitchens, the Smart Oven Air Fryer from Breville is a worthwhile choice. Its Element iQ system does all the work to determine the perfect time and temperature for baking, roasting, toasting, and more. Plus, it has a two-speed convection fan for greater control and accelerated cook times.
Other thoughtful design features include an easy-to-read LCD display and an integrated oven light that automatically turns on at the end of the cooking cycle. It’s also worth mentioning that Breville’s ovens come in a variety of stylish colors, including Royal Champagne and Damson Blue. On Williams Sonoma, one reviewer raved, “We previously had the same Breville toaster oven but without the air fryer option. We are SO pleased with our decision to upgrade… the air fryer is awesome, crispy delicious fries without the oil!”
Buy it: $349.95 williams-sonoma.com
What Is The Best Toaster Oven Air Fryer On The Market
Air fryer toaster ovens have become super popular in the last few years, and there are many great ones out there our list of the best air fryer toaster ovens of 2021 includes 13 products! What might sound like a niche appliance couldnt be more versatile, and these all-in-one machines are taking the market by storm.
When buying an air fryer toaster oven, think about what you plan on using it for, as many come with multiple functions beyond air frying and toasting. For instance, this model by Iconites is great for dehydrating fruits and vegetables, while home bakers might appreciate the extra width of this one by Black+Decker. Some come with lots of useful accessories, like this Yedi Total Package Air Fryer , and if youre cooking for a crowd, youll want to invest in a larger unit, like this 32-quart-capacity behemoth!
There are also great options for limited spaces and budgets, so if youre not looking to prepare meals for many people, a smaller and/or more affordable air fryer toaster oven might be best for you. This Hamilton Beach model has rave reviews and costs less than 100 dollars, while this compact device from Cuisinart wont take up too much precious space on your counter.
Also Check: Countertop Convection Oven With Air Fryer
Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven Compact
This Cuisinart compact air fryer toaster oven can hold 4 slices of toast, bake a 3-pound chicken, or air fry up to 2.5 pounds of foods at once. It is designed with a compact footprint, featuring a door with a handle and a large glass viewing window. The control panel has four turning knobs to set up the cooking program easily step by step.
The first turn-style control knob is used for choosing between cooking functions. It offers functions such as warm, convection broil, convection bake, bagel, toast, and air fry. The temperature knob allows you to control the oven temperature between warm settings and 450 Fahnreheit degrees. When using the oven for longer programs, you can time it for up to 60 minutes, as well.
This modern toaster oven can also toast bread in different shades, according to your preference. You get to choose between light, medium, and dark shade options on the dedicated toast timer. The convection settings work with the help of circulated heated air to make crispy foods. You can read customer reviews on the Amazon button below.
Without taking up too much precious countertop space, you will get to prepare healthier versions of traditionally fried foods. Without using a lot of oil, you can enjoy air fried wings, French fries, nuggets, and more. The unit is 13.5 inches long, 18.5 inches wide, and 15 inches tall.
Pros
Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens Of 2021
These top-tested combo ovens can pretty much do it all.
This article was updated in October 2021 to update winners and replace any sold out or discontinued picks, including our previous Best Value pick. We also added new-comers including the Ninja Foodie Smart XL Air Fry Oven, Power XL Air Fryer Grill, June Premium Oven and the Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven. Our picks are still based on most recent tests led by Nicole Papantoniou, deputy director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab.
Air fryer toaster ovens are truly multifunctional, combining the best of air fryers and toaster ovens most can typically bake, roast and broil in addition to air frying to make food super crispy with less oil than traditional frying methods. These do-it-all appliances offer a large cooking space on one or more racks for air frying in a single layer , and some even come with rotisserie attachment for whole chickens and other roasts. That means fresh-made chicken wings in about 20 minutes and crispy, air-fried doughnuts in less than ten.
Here are the best air fryer toaster ovens you can buy in 2021, including picks from testing and brands we trust:
- Pricey
Dials: Toaster ovens can have digital or mechanical controls. We recommend digital for more precise cooking control when it comes to setting the temperature and timer. If you don’t mind guessing, or keeping an additional timer close by, mechanical dials will save you money.
Don’t Miss: Cheese Sticks In Air Fryer
Are Air Fryers Better Than Toaster Ovens
Lets start with a common question. Is an air fryer really any better than a toaster oven?
Heres the thing, these are two different appliances overall.
A toaster oven is designed to work just like a regular oven but it fits on your counter. It will operate similarly to your oven and will typically take about the same amount of time to cook anything as a traditional oven might. However, it may not be able to get as hot as your oven.
An air fryer is designed to cook much faster, using air and an extra-powerful fan to get the job done. Air fryers typically cook in approximately half the time that an oven or a toaster oven might cook.
Toaster ovens tend to be able to hold more in them. Even large air fryers have fairly limited cooking space in them so you may find yourself cooking in sections if youre cooking for a large family at one time.
Toaster ovens are still limited in capacity , but not quite as limited as air fryers.
This is where an air fryer toaster oven could take the world by storm its the best of both worlds.
Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven With Rotisserie
Amazon
From the makers of the Instant Pot, this oven really is the best of both worlds, condensing all the greatest parts of their air fryers into a stellar convection oven.
With seven built-in smart programs, you can make multiple meals at once with the baking, broiling and rotisserie settings. It has a whopping 10-quart capacity, which allows you to cook on both trays at once, but might not be great if counter space is a concern.
But thats a small price to pay for cook time: with little to no preheating necessary, Instant Pot boasts you can whip up dinner in half the time of a conventional oven. It even comes with a pretty nifty rotating rotisserie basket that you can use to tumble-fry or roast meat 360 degrees.
The brightly-lit touchscreen is sleek and modern, offering 14 simple touch controls. The Instant Vortex also includes Overheat Protection, which reduces the risk of you burning the dinner you just worked so hard to make. The Instant Vortex Plus proves that anything your average air fryer can do, this oven can do better.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Air Fryer Rotisserie
Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven
Amazon
The Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven is a meal-making machine in a compact package, taking up nearly half the space in your kitchen compared to other models .
Speaking of other models: because of its flat surface area, the Foodi Digital Oven claims to have a 45% larger usable cooking space vs. Cuisinarts TOA-65 pan. You can fit up to nine slices of toast, or a full-sized pizza, and its larger capacity work great for family meals like sheet pan dinners you would normally cook in an oven.
Though it does need to preheat, its a super fast 60 seconds, and you can air fry, roast, bake, dehydrate and more in as little as 20 minutes. In terms of ease-of-use, this oven has clean-up in mind. It features a removable crumb tray, and an easily accessible back panel for deep cleaning.
If youre looking for storage without sacrificing precious cooking space, look no further than the Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven.
Amazon
The smartest oven on our list, the June Oven knows that sometimes more is more.
Like if Jeff Bezos designed a convection oven , June uses a built-in HD camera to intelligently recognize whats cooking in under 200 ms from steaks, to even number of bacon slices and adjusts the time and temperature accordingly. Connect the oven to your smartphone over WIFI to adjust temperature and time, and control the convection fan. Keep an eye on those progress of those crispy wings with live video, and get smart alerts that tell you your mealtime ETA.
Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven Buying Tips
It is time for some expert buying tips. These tips are sure to help you make a more informed decision when in the market for a new air fryer toaster oven.
Ease of Use
Do you remember those old-school kitchen appliances with the mechanical dials and ring-ring noises? Well, it is high time you ditched those. We recommend only opting for air fryer toaster ovens that have easy-to-use digital controls with preset options that offer you the luxury to set timers and temperatures with just a few taps.
Racks & Accessories
The best air fryer toaster ovens, like the ones on our list, come with additional racks and accessories like baking/broiling pan and rotisserie attachments. These extra goodies will make your kitchens more functional. Moreover, we also recommend that you only opt for appliances whose accessories are dishwasher safe, for no one likes having extra dishes to wash, right?
Recommended Reading: Cosori Air Fryer Max Xl 5.8
Even Our Reporters Who Test Air Fryers Don’t Really Like Them
Our job is to tell you what to buy, and in some instances, we’re assigned to review products we ourselves would never buy. We still consider, test, and review these products with every bit of the respect we give all products and services. At the end of the day, you’re going to buy what you’re going to buy and that’s that. We respect your choice.
But the kindest thing our reporters, Jen Gushue and James Brains, who have tested dozens of the things, have to say about air fryers is this: “The results are more like oven roasting at a high heat still a delicious end result, but you won’t fool anyone into thinking you just pulled those chicken wings out of a deep fryer.”
Popular Reviews
Essentially, an air fryer is a convection toaster that doesn’t toast, which is absurd in my book.
Best Rated: Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven
As the name suggests, the Ninja Foodi Digital Fry serves as a multifunctional appliance. It incorporates a convection oven, a toaster oven, and a dehydrator in an air fryer.
The most distinguishing feature is that it can quickly flip on its back to facilitate convenient storage.
Cooking Options
In addition to air fry, it can air roast, broil, bake, keep warm, toast, dehydrate with separate bagel functions.
It provides 60 percent faster output than the regular convection toaster ovens.
Dimensions
The convection oven weighs around 17.72 pounds with total dimensions of 19.7 x 7.6 x 15 inches.
Coming to its interior space, it can easily fit nine slices of bread or 13 inches pizza.
Digital Crisp Control Technology
You can easily control the temperature, time, heat, and airflow to cook your favorite meals according to your customized settings.
Pros
- Cant fit tall items
Don’t Miss: Gourmia Air Fryer 6 Qt Accessories
Best Combo Small Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Chefman Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Fries Food With Air This small air fryer toaster oven can hold up to 6 bread slices at once inside a 26-quart oven. It allows you to fry foods with air instead of oil. Baking is faster with the high-speed fans that allow you to enjoy your favorite crispy snacks without having to worry about calories.
Adjustable Programs This toaster oven is versatile, offering you 7 different functions. The timer knob allows you to set up a timer for up to 60 minutes for worry-free cooking. The second control knob is easy to turn to set up the cooking temperature between 200 and 450°F. The third knob is used for selecting a cooking function, and the fourth for selecting toast shades.
Versatile Options The 60-minute timer features an automatic shut off to prevent burning and overheating. You can use the toaster oven with auto shut off to toast, keep food warm, broil, bake, air fry, and also convection bake, and convection broil. The toaster oven allows you to choose between light, medium, and dark toast shades.
98% Less Oil You can enjoy crispy yet healthier snacks and uses about 98% less oil compared to conventional fryers. Besides bread, this toaster oven broiler can fit even a 5.5-pound chicken, allowing you to make food for the entire family. The crumb and baking trays are dishwasher safe, along with the wire rack and the air fry basket.
Short Description:
The 11 Best Air Fryer Ovens In 2021
- Best for one person:Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp Air Fryer Toaster Oven
- Best high end:Brava
Air fryers are trendy kitchen appliances that cook and crisp a variety of foods with little or no oil and hence without the extra calories and fat normally associated with fried foods.
A specific type called an air fryer oven typically offers a larger capacity than traditional air fryers while taking up less counter space. These multifunctional appliances offer baking, broiling, toasting, dehydrating, and rotisserie options in addition to air frying.
Healthline rated the best air fryer ovens based on the following criteria:
- Capacity. How much food can it cook?
- Features. Does it have any other functionality besides air frying?
- Accessories. What accessories does it come with?
- Reviews. Does it have high customer ratings?
Here are the 11 best air fryer ovens of 2021.
Price: $$$$
This air fryer oven from high end kitchen appliance brand Breville is widely recommended in online spaces.
While its expensive, reviewers note you get what you pay for as it works well and offers several additional functions, including toast, pizza, proof, cookies, and slow cook.
It also fits a decent amount of food as theres room for four racks, a 14-pound turkey or a 9 × 13 inch casserole dish.
Plus, the smart oven features sensors to direct heating and prevent uneven cooking.
Read Also: Easy Recipes For Air Fryer
Cuisinart Airfryer Convection Toaster Oven
- With the Cuisinart Airfryer, Convection Toaster Oven, you dont have to worry about a stuffy kitchen on hot summer days. This oven has an easy-to-use interface and streamlined design that allow for convenient meal prep with virtually no cleanup required! Read more features in the full product description below!
- Create deliciously crispy chicken wings without oil or grease using our innovative air frying technology. Toast lettuce here lettuce crisps up perfectly for tacos and sandwiches without any fuss. Bake a 12 pizza or roast a 4 lb whole chicken-our convection cooking modes make it so you have total control over healthy cooking options at your fingertips.
- Cuisinart has everything you need with the Cuisinart Airfryer Toaster Oven. With 1800 watts of power and 7 functions, this 15.2 x 16.01 x 14.00-inch oven light will provide versatility for years to come with its 0.6 cubic foot non-stick interior capacity adjustable thermostat and 60-minute timer/auto-shutoff features.
Cut A Small Nonstick Baking Mat To Fit Your Broil/baking Tray
I recently cut a small, inexpensive baking mat I had lying around to fit the interior dimensions of my baking/broil tray. This allows me to save on cleanup by using a high temp liner whenever I roast or broil something using the tray. Im all about saving time on clean up and this has definitely saved a ton, moreover, it keeps the pan itself free from built-up carbon which extends the life of the machine.
Also Check: Air Fryers At Macy’s
What Are The Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens
Size: When youre thinking strategically about countertop space, youll have to weigh the pros and cons of oven sizes. Bigger air fryer toaster ovens can fit a whole chicken, and its worth the lack of space if youre essentially using it as a second oven. But smaller models are easier to store, and are sufficient for toasting and small-batch air frying.
Controls: Some of the fryer ovens on our list have mechanical dials, like an old-school toaster oven. Most now come with digital controls too, including presets for specific dishes like chicken or fish, and unique air frying settings. Bottom line, if you want more control when it comes to temperature and timing, go for digital.
Accessories: While extra add-ons like rotisserie tools for roasting chicken, tongs and smaller spatulas are great, youre looking for functionality over form here. Make sure your fryer oven has the essentials: a baking pan, a rack, and an air frying basket or rack.
Ease of Use: For an appliance thats so versatile, youll want to know youre getting the most out of it. All the automatic presets may be great, but you dont want to the instructional manual or settings to be so complicated you wont want to cook anything. Clean-up is also important too, so your removable baskets and racks should be dishwasher-safe.
