Why Buy A Countertop Oven
If youre left thinking, I already have an ovena microwaveother applianceswhy do I need another? were here to tell you this: dont think of a countertop oven as just another appliance. Because its not. A countertop oven is a total game-changer. At least, the ovens on our list are.
Heres the thing: most of the best countertop ovens arent just one-trick ponys. They bake, broil, dehydrate, air fry, make pizza, proof dough, and more. They cook faster, have smarter features, and in the case of the Brava Oven, they even help make your meals healthier.
So, yes, we think every kitchen should have a countertop oven, especially for home cooks who want an easy and efficient means to get a meal on the table. Bonus: theyre easier to clean, too.
Should You Get An Air Fryer Toaster Oven Or Something Else
Overall, we think air fryer toaster ovens are far more versatile than pod-shaped air fryersespecially if you have a larger household. Chichi Uguru, creator of the Air Fryer Yum blog, told us, If you have a large family, youre 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 , 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 , which makes them more akin to a full-size oven. Since they take only a few minutes to preheat, theyre ideal for cooking in warmer months and dont 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: Theyre 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.
Budget Pick: Cosori Pro Air Fryer
*At the time of publishing, the price was $85.
The Cosori Pro Air Fryer was the best pod-shaped model we tested for under $100. Although the Cosoris 3.7-quart capacity is slightly larger than that of the Philips Premium Airfryer HD9741/96, it doesnt cook as evenly, but considering its relatively low price, we think its results were good enough. The Cosoris many preprogrammed settings werent as accurate as those of the Philips, eitherwe preferred using the manual controls for selecting the time and temperature instead. Like the Philips, the Cosori has a square-shaped basket that fits more food than the round baskets in other models. The Cosori also comes with a recipe booklet, which is helpful if youre new to cooking with convection technology.
Like the Philips, the Cosori has a removable basket to hold your food while it cooks. We prefer this design to the removable trays of a lot of newer models, because trays tend to fall out when you flip the bucket upside down to transfer food to a platethis was the case with the Ninja AF101 Air Fryer we testedand when the tray comes flying out, it could potentially cause burns. We also like that the Cosori has a plastic guard that covers the baskets release button , which prevents you from inadvertently pressing it while shaking your food. Without the guard, its easier to accidentally press the button, which would release the bucket and send it crashing onto the floor.
Don’t Miss: Qvc Toaster Oven Air Fryer
Tips For Using This Air Fryer Convection Oven
If You Have A Convection Oven You Essentially Have An Air Fryer
Air fryers have come a long way since they first arrived in homes as futuristic orb-like appliances offering healthier cooking options for our favorite cheat-day snacks. The appliance was introduced in 2010, but it didnt become a commonly seen kitchen tool until 2018, when it was declared the it gift for Christmas, according to . Air fryers were originally used to reheat food on airplanes, but we soon learned you can do so much more at home with an air fryer than fry chicken wings or donut holes without loads of added oil. We now use this trendy countertop device to bake, rehydrate, roast, and re-crisp leftovers the same way we used our convection ovens, which got us thinking is there really a difference between an air fryer and a convection oven?
The short answer? No.
The results for foods cooked in an air fryer are comparable to a convection oven, says Dawn Sieber, chef instructor at Purdue Universitys Hospitality and Tourism Management at Marriott Hall, and thats because an air fryer is basically just a miniature convection oven.
You May Like: Qvc Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Can An Air Fryer Toaster Oven Replace A Microwave
Possibly, depending on what you use your microwave for. If you mostly use your microwave for reheating leftovers, air fryer toaster ovens are an excellent replacement. Those who use their microwave to warm up coffee, steam frozen bags of vegetables, make popcorn, etc., should consider having both appliances.
How To Choose The Bestnespresso Coffee Machine For You
First, Nespresso coffee machines are divided into two categories: Original and Vertuo. The Original line only makes espresso-based drinks, but their variety expands with the complexity and price of the machine. The Vertuo line can make a wider range of drink sizes, including espressos, double espressos and lungos , in addition to regular cups of drip-style coffee in both eight-ounce and 12-ounce sizes.
Where you’d like to buy capsules also makes a difference. The Original line is compatible with Nespresso-brand capsules, plus other lines like Williams Sonoma and illy. The Vertuo series machines are only compatible with Nespresso-brand capsules. All capsules are recyclable through Nespresso.
Don’t Miss: How To Choose The Best Air Fryer
Nuwave Bravo Xl Convection Oven
Price: $$
Although it has room for only one rack at a time, the Nuwave Bravo XL boasts a fairly large capacity.
Plus, the oven comes with a built-in temperature probe to help ensure that your food is fully cooked.
The Bravo XL also has a variety of functions, including a yogurt-making setting. My colleague, Laura Flynn Endres of Get Fit Done, says that the Nuwave Bravo has earned its counter space in her kitchen because of all the different functions it offers in addition to air frying.
Pros And Cons Of Air Fryers Compared To Toaster Ovens
When it comes to the air fryer vs convection toaster oven debate, both appliances have some advantages and limitations. Here are some significant pros and cons to assist you in making an informed decision.
- Air fryers do not have a viewing window to check the doneness of your food. Whereas convection ovens let you watch the food when it is cooking.
- In comparison to a convection oven, air fryers are loud and may reach up to 65 decibels in sound. This sound is similar to a vacuum cleaner.
- Air fryers are expensive when compared to convection ovens.
- You will need less counter space to store an air fryer. On the other hand, a convection oven will need the whole countertop or a cupboard.
- Depending upon what you cook, the crumbs inside the air fryer may get tricky to clean. Other than that, it has a no-mess nonstick basket that does not have residual food. When cleaning a convection oven, you just need to clean the pans.
- You can quickly preheat the air fryers, while the convection oven may take more time due to its large size. Even if you invest in a large air fryer, it will heat quickly as it has insulation.
- You may use a convection oven instead of toaster ovens as they come with a crisper tray.
- Air fryers come with accessories such as additional racks, rotisserie spits, and skewers.
- There are specific recipes that can be cooked in air fryers and may not work in conventional ovens.
Don’t Miss: Ninja 4 Quart Air Fryer Af100 Reviews
Using Convection Oven As Air Fryer
A countertop convection oven is equipped with a fan that blows hot air around. Since its wide, it enables the food to be spread out on the rack instead of piled in layers. This is important because layering food can disturb the hot airflow. Placing the food in one layer enables it to cook more evenly.
You May Like: Best Large Air Fryers 2020
Which Appliance Is Good For Cooking Specific Food Items
You can cook multiple recipes in both an air fryer and convection oven. All you need is to reduce the temperature by 20°F to 25°F from a conventional oven recipe. Besides, your air fryer will come in a recipe book to customize different food items for specific recipes. An air fryer cooks frozen food the best and gives it a crispy outer texture.
You will be surprised with the versatile use of the air fryer as it can cook healthy vegetables. You can master making air-fryer beans or jalapeno peppers. Besides, you may use it to make chicken kebabs, egg rolls, and cauliflower wings. There will be a uniform crunchy texture on all sides of the food for you to enjoy it even more.
Just remember to evenly space the food in the tray or the basket. Overcrowding the food may lead to uneven cooking. The air fryer cooks faster, so you can cook in batches in the same amount of time instead of adding too many ingredients at once.
Another thing to note while using the air fryer is the cooking time. The fryer will cook for food faster, so you may need to check the food early for its doneness. On the other hand, you may have to keep the food a little longer in the convection oven.
Keep a check on the food as per the time in the recipe and remove it immediately to prevent it from drying out. You can enjoy cooking casseroles, granola, roasted meat, and vegetables in the convection oven.
Don’t Miss: Power Air Fryer Oven Accessories
What To Look Forward To
Were conducting a new round of testing to expand our coverage of pod-shaped air fryers. In addition to new models, were also testing a wider range of sizes, and special features like dual baskets and smart app connectivity. Were trying out larger air fryers, like the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Basket Air Fryer and the Ninja Foodi DZ201 Dual Basket Air Fryer, and more models from popular brands, including the Dash Deluxe Electric Air Fryer, the Ultrean Air Fryer AF01, and the new Cosori Air Fryer. While well be looking at more versatile and accessible features this time around, our foundational criteria for a great air fryer remain the same: an intuitive user experience, even cooking, and consistent temperatures.
To Our Valued Customers
We regret that due to technical challenges caused by new regulations in Europe, we can for the time being no longer accept orders from the European Union. If you reside in the UK you can continue to order from our UK websites or shop from our locations and partners. Visit West Elm at www.westelm.co.uk and Pottery Barn Kids at www.potterybarnkids.co.uk.
Matters of consumer privacy and rights are paramount to our brands and we will continue to work diligently to make our products available to you. The pace of global regulations is hard to predict, but we have the ultimate goal of being able to offer our products everywhere.
We share your disappointment and greatly appreciate your understanding. Thank you for your patronage.
Also Check: Blackstone Griddle With Air Fryer For Sale
What To Look For In A Hybrid Toaster And Air Fryer Oven
Since you’re potentially going all-in on one machine, there are a few functions you want it to perform and perform well. For the purposes of this list, I took four main cooking functions into account: Air fry, broil, bake and toast. These, along with roast, are the oven duties the average home cook will rely on most. While some of these cookers sport dehydrate, proof, pizza and other niche cooking functions, most didn’t, so I stuck to testing functions that were possible across all the hybrid ovens.
Air frying: This trendy term has nothing to do with frying but rather mimics the results of deep-frying using super hot, fast-moving convection air for food that’s crispy outside and moist inside. Having an air fry function was the baseline criteria for consideration on this list. You can air fry lots of things, but chicken wings and french fries are two popular options, so I employed them for testing.
Broiling: I’m a big broiler person, especially for fish but also for things like mac and cheese, certain chicken recipes and anything else I want a crispy crust on top of. I find that ovens differ wildly in broiling ability so I wanted to see which of these ovens did it best.
Baking: Baking can mean a lot of things but when it comes to, let’s say cookies and cupcakes, consistency is key. The sign of an oven that bakes well is simple: Will it hit the temperature you set it to and then stay there consistently throughout the bake?
Most Cooking Functions: Breville Air Convection And Air Fry Countertop Oven
Prices taken at time of publishing.
This toaster oven harnesses 1,800 watts of power and 13 preset functions to cook foods from air-fried wings to slow-cooked chicken, plus a smart system that uses sensors to prevent cold spots.
Courtesy Amazon
Has a large capacity that fits up to nine slices of bread or a 14-pound turkey Includes an interior oven light that automatically turns on when you check your food Features the Element IQ System, which eliminates cold spots
Has the highest price tag out of the models in this review Heavy to move at close to 40 pounds
Recommended Reading: Air Fryer Pros And Cons
Countertop & Convection Smart Toaster Ovens
Master many cooking techniques in one oven. From mini and compact toaster oven designs to larger countertop ovens that perfectly roast a 14lb turkey, Breville smart ovens and air fryer ovens are ideal for small or large gatherings with friends and family.Our food specialists and chefs have spent thousands of hours in research and testing to ensure the Smart Oven range offers incredible versatility and precision, giving you greater control at home.
How To Choose The Best Toaster Oven For You
Toaster ovens vary in size, capacity, functionality, and price. The most expensive ones can do a lot more than toast and reheat they can also air fry, roast, bake and pretty much serve as a second oven. However, they will also take up a lot more of your precious counter space compared to the best air fryers.
Here are the five things to consider when shopping for a toaster oven:
Size Be sure to measure the space on your countertop where you plan to keep your toaster oven before making a purchase. Dont forget to check if your over-head cabinets will get in the way, and make sure the toaster oven will have space around it to vent as well.
Capacity Start by considering what you cook regularly and plan to cook in your toaster oven. Models come with a wide range of capacities. The most compact ones can toast four to six slices of bread at once, while the largest can toast nine slices. In a smaller oven, you can reheat frozen foods, but may not be able to fit a 12-inch pizza. Most of the newer ovens on the market are able to roast a chicken and some can even cook two birds at once, or a small turkey. However, if you dont cook for more than one or two people and your repertoire doesnt include roasting, you may not want an oven with a large capacity monopolizing your countertop space.
Don’t Miss: Emeril Lagasse Air Fryer Price
Who Should Buy The Cuisinart Toa
I would never have considered buying the Cuisinart TOA-65 Air Fryer Toaster Oven, but I’ve changed my mind after testing it. I have a small son and quickly cooking a quesadilla for his dinner or baking a couple of cookies was made infinitely easier by this appliance. I’ve found lots of reasons not to turn on the oven or stovetop. Plus, I can air fry and dehydrate!
If you’re into kitchen gadgets but want to streamline and downsize, then the TOA-65 is perfect for you. If you wish you had a second oven or dont have one at all then it’s also your best bet. Its smart, compact and a workhorse. It will earn its place on the countertop.
Related Links:
