Best Overall: Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Airfryer
Cuisinart already makes some of our favorite air fryers and toasters, so its no surprise its toaster oven air fryer is at the top of our list. Designed with an adjustable thermostat that reaches 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the Convection Toaster Oven Airfryer has heating elements on both top and bottom for a lightning-quick warm-up. In addition to crisping up to three pounds of food with little to no oil, the device can bake a 12-inch pizza, broil burgers, and toast as many as six slices of bread. It also comes with an oven rack, a baking pan, and an air fryer basket.
Thousands of Amazon shoppers swear its the ideal multitasker, with hundreds raving about how it has replaced several other devices in their kitchens. We already have quite a few appliances on our counters, one wrote. It took some convincing to talk my wife into getting this air fryer. If you ask her nowshe loves it!! Toaster? Gone. Deep fryer? Gone! Toaster oven? Gone! One simple, multi-function, attractive, high quality appliance to rule them all!
Buy it: $199.95
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.
Differences In Working: Convection Toaster Oven Vs Air Fryer
To put it simply, air fryers are like portable convection ovens. They do not really fry your food instead, they use the convection baking method to cook the food. Besides, the right amount of oil on your food gives uniform crispiness to the outer layer. In comparison to the hot air effect of a convection oven, the food has a lighter texture with crispiness when cooked in the fryer.
To learn about the differences, you may need to know how they work in comparison to traditional ways of cooking. Both the appliances cook food quicker than the normal oven as they have a fan to keep the hot air circulating. However, the air fryer wins here as it cooks even faster due to its smaller area and higher insulation.
The heating element of the fryer heats the insides and starts cooking right away. Besides, the basket of the air fryer is perforated to allow the hot air to pass through and promote quicker cooking. Similarly, a convection oven heats with the top and bottom elements to cook along with the fan.
You do not get perforated accessories to promote even and quicker cooking in a convection oven. However, you may invest in these accessories if you wish to use them similar to the fryer. Now, lets look at some more differences between the two.
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Air Fryer Toaster Ovens
Toaster ovens with air fryers are one of the most versatile and hard-working appliances in todays busy kitchen. This multipurpose workhorse is a fast and easy alternative to traditional ovens and toasters. Not to mention, it only takes up a fraction of the kitchen space. With an air fryer toaster oven, you open up a world of culinary possibilities. You can cook pizzas, bake cookies, toast bread, and air-fry chicken wings within mintues. Be sure to shop Kohls to pick one up for yourself or gift it for someone else!
Are There Benefits To Air Frying Food
Even though your food doesnt taste deep-fried, air frying can still be fun, quick, and delicious. Below are a few of the reasons you might want to try it.
The Food Is Ready Faster. Some things are ready in half the time it would take in a traditional oven.
Theres Less Mess. Air frying is definitely easier, cleaner, and requires less attention than deep-frying with a big pot of hot oil.
Potential Health Benefits. People really like to tout air frying as healthier because youre using less oil. But the less oil aspect is more nuanced.
Yes, you are definitely going to use less than deep-frying. But you still need to toss your broccoli and Brussels sprouts with some oil otherwise youll turn them into a dry jerky.
Most frozen foods dont need extra oil. But the oil savings are not that significant for foods youd normally bake or roast in a traditional oven.
More Evenly Cooked Food. We touched on this earlier but cooking with convection results in crispy, tender, uniformly cooked food that tastes great.
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Toaster Ovens : Air Fryers
Enjoy your favorite fried food when you have an Air fryer at home. An Air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks by circulating hot air around food. They do a fantastic job cooking up frozen foods that are meant to taste deep-fried. You can air fry french fries, crispy chicken wings, mozzarella sticks and more. Air frying gives you the crunchy texture of fried foods without the extra grease and fat. Most fryers are easy to clean, have dishwasher-safe containers and occupy less space than convection ovens. An Air fryer can function like convection ovens, deep-fat fryers, and multi-cookers they combine benefits of multiple appliances. At Target we have a wide range of Airfryers with different functions and styles. You can choose a fryer that has features to fit your needs. Whether it is a toaster-oven, convection oven or a traditional pot style cooker, you can find one at Target. In the range, you can find cookers that can be pre-programmed if you are someone who is always on the move. We also have different brands to choose from like Chefman, Cusinart, Ninja Foodi, Philips and more. Pick an Air fryer from our superb range and switch to oil-free, oil-less and quick frying.
Other Air Fryer Toaster Ovens We Reviewed
You pay top dollar for the handsome brushed stainless steel Breville Smart Oven Air but you get a state-of-the-art toaster oven in addition to an excellent air fryer, which consistently cooks up French fries and chicken nuggets that taste fried. Although its large even by toaster oven standards, it can truly replace your oven. Breville claims it can even roast a 14-pound turkey. Plus, it can proof bread, dehydrate and slow cook.
The digital controls are intuitive to program and theres a bright oven light. I do have one major quibble with this product.
The manual doesnt contain any recommendations for what, how much, or how long to cook various foods. This may not be a problem for baking or roasting, but if youre new to air frying, youre on your own as youre getting started. Also, keep in mind all of the parts require hand washing.
Pros
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It’s an air fryer, toaster, and countertop oven
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Has digital controls
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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.
The Term Air Fryer Is Just A Marketing Ploy For Technology That Has Existed For Decades
This is a plea, not in condescension, not out of derision or scorn, but for the sake of all things honest and decent in the worldwide web of consumerism. Don’t fall for marketing ploys that clutter your kitchen.
Convection cooking has been around since the early 1900s, and in home kitchens since at least 1945 in the form of your trusty ol’ toaster oven.
With the addition of a wire tray and a metal sheet pan, any decent convection toaster oven will achieve what an air “fryer” can and more. It can bake, roast, and broil, and it can eventoast! Oh, the novelty! Further, thanks to the internal fan that prevents hot and cold spots, a convection toaster oven arguably works better than the regular oven.
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Buying Guides For A Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer
When it comes to choosing the best convection toaster oven air fryer, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
1. The size of the unit
First, consider the size of the unit. If you have a small kitchen, then you’ll want to choose a smaller unit. However, if you have a large kitchen, then you may want to consider a larger unit.
2. How often do you plan on using the unit.
Second, think about how often you plan on using the unit. If you only plan on using it occasionally, then you may want to choose a less expensive model. However, if you plan on using it frequently, then you’ll want to choose a more expensive model.
3. The features
Third, consider the features that are important to you. Some people prefer a unit with a lot of features, while others prefer a unit that is simple and straightforward. Fourth, think about the price. You can find convection toaster oven air fryers for a wide range of prices, so be sure to shop around before making your final decision.
4. Read the reviews
Finally, make sure you read the reviews for the unit you’re considering. This will help you see what other people think of the unit and whether or not it’s worth the price. With these tips in mind, you should be able to find the best convection toaster oven air fryer for your needs.
An Air Fryer Doesnt Actually Fry Food
Lets get one thing straight right off the bat: Air frying isnt the same thing as deep frying. Air fryers are really mini convection ovens that use a fan to rapidly circulate hot air, cooking food faster and more evenly than a conventional oven would. Convection has been around for more than a century. The first commercially sold convection ovens were developed by the W.L. Maxson Corp. in the 1940s as a way to reheat frozen food for airplanes. And they worked much the same as todays air fryers and convection toaster ovens do: A small fan inside the oven circulates hot air around the food to cook it, crisping the outside in a way that mimics deep frying. But your tastebuds will tell you that the flavor and texture of air-fried food arent anything like those produced by traditionally deep-fried food. .
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What Is An Air Fryer
Air fryers are basically small countertop convection ovens. They use a high-powered fan to circulate heated air around food in a perforated basket.
This super-heated situation results in food with crispy browned exteriors, tender juicy interiors, and cooked in less time than a traditional oven.
Most manufacturers promise that air-fried food will have the same taste and texture as your favorite fried foods but without the mess and grease of deep-frying.
What Is An Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Air fryer toaster ovens are essentially two products rolled into one, giving you lots of cooking options. Toaster ovens circulate hot air and actually cook your favorite foods faster than a regular oven while the best air fryers can produce crispy and delicious meals without the added calories, fat, and mess of hot oil. They may even have faster cook-times than toaster ovens, due to the size of their internal fans. From morning breakfast foods to afternoon snacks, reheating leftovers to full-course meals, the easy convenience and quick results of these hardworking kitchen appliances can’t be overstated.
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How To Air Fry Crispy Soy Curls In A Convection Toaster Oven:
1. Preheat the toaster oven to 350°F on the BAKE setting with the convection fan on.
2. Soak 3/4 cup Butler Soy Curls in warm water for 8 to 10 minutes. Then drain in a colander. *For the crispiest curls, press them down into the colander and squeeze out any excess liquid.
3. Add the curls to a bowl and spray with oil. Charlie uses canola oil and we had success with olive oil spray too.
4. Toss with 1½ teaspoons umami sauce , some Trader Joes 21 Seasoning Salute , and a dusting of nutritional yeast .
5. Spread the curls in a single layer on a lightly oiled air fryer screen .
6. Cook until dry and crispy outside and chewy inside, about 15 minutes. .
The curls are seriously snackable and delicious. They taste great on their own but Charlie did mention that the flavor could be enhanced with taco or hot sauce so we tried them with Cholula, Sriracha, and Franks Buffalo Sauce which ended up being our favorite.
Have you tried cooking air fryer recipes in your convection toaster oven? Let us know how it went in the comments!
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.”
Essentially, an air fryer is a convection toaster that doesn’t toast, which is absurd in my book.
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What About Using A Full
For the record, you can get similar air-fried results when cooking food in a full-size oven with convection. But because a full-size oven is so much larger than a toaster oven or an air fryer, it takes much longer to preheat and can take longer to cook food. The Cuisinart TOB-260N1 toaster oven preheats almost immediately, making it the better choice if speed is part of what appeals to you about an air fryer.
When To Replace Your Toaster Oven
Toaster ovens have an average lifespan of five years, but there are reports of models lasting as long as 20 years. Most come with a one year warranty, although some brands can offer up to three year policies. To keep your toaster oven in good working condition, you must keep it clean especially on the inside. Dirty elements can catch fire or break easily. Another common problem is a handle or door that breaks off. Try to avoid pulling on your toaster ovens handle with excess force or letting the door bang shut to prevent damaging it. There are also things you should never put in an air fryer, which you will want to avoid.
If your machine stops heating and is no longer under warranty, your best bet is to buy a new one. If you do get a repair estimate, and its more than half the price of a new toaster oven, we recommend buying a replacement.
When you shop for a new toaster oven, youll find the latest models are made of stainless steel and will look good on display in your kitchen. They now come with a host of new features to expand their versatility, including air frying, multi-rack cooking, and even slow cooking. While in general more features are found on bigger ovens, even smaller models can now air fry.
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