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If there’s one thing nearly everyone can agree on, it’s that there are not enough hours in the day. From wrangling children to meeting work demands, it’s a truth universally acknowledged that we are all strapped for time and often feel like we’re running on fumes. Investing in an air fryer oven to reduce preheating and cooking time is one way to save time and still have high-quality, delicious meals.
When looking for the best air fryers, these ovens are smaller than the traditional ones and provide a crispy, healthy way to whip up food without requiring much oil. There is a wide range of air fryers out there, but I was lucky enough to test these out with a variety of different at-home chefs, from overworked parents to those living solo with limited counter space.
What to look for when buying an air fryer toaster oven:
I first spoke with Chef Claude Booker, the president of Soul Food Starters, for his advice on selecting the best air fryer for your needs. Here, he provided some shopping tips to narrow down your search:
Consider your needs
Are you someone who makes large portions at once or do you cook each night while keeping it simple? Are you looking for a basic air fryer or do you want multiple cooking options? While Booker recommends sticking to the basics for your first purchase, air fryers come in many shapes, sizes and price ranges, so it’s important to determine how you’ll use it before you buy it.
Amount of space
Booker says it’s vital to consider your counter space as this appliance may live on your countertop for an extended time. “A smaller and compact countertop air fryer will achieve the main purpose of creating golden brown and crisp foods,” he says.
Range of features
Lastly, Booker urges shoppers to review the maker's website and learn the various recipes and items you can cook with the model you want to purchase. This will help you better understand the capabilities.
Our top air fryer toaster oven picks:
Best splurge air fryer toaster oven: Breville The Joule® Oven Air Fryer Pro
Breville’s The Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro is definitely a splurge-worthy item ,but it’s also the most impressive with multi-function capabilities for multitasking. In other words, you can create precisely cooked meals without much effort at all.
To test the air fryer, we made squash. From the start, we were impressed by how much we could fit on the air-frying tray while still leaving plenty of space for proper air circulation. There are a ton of settings on this air fryer, and the controls on the face were surprisingly easy to use.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 21.5 inches x 17.3 inches x 12.8 inches
- Functions: 13 different functions like toasting, aking, air-frying, broiling, roasting, proofing, reheating, and more
- Capacity: 9-slice toaster, 13 inch pizza, 9 inch x 13 inch baking pan, 12-cup muffin tray, 14-lb turkey
- Temperature max: 480°F
- Price at publication: $499.95
What we like:
- Versatile
- Roomy
- Recipes through the Breville+ app with features like Autopilot which will automatically switch cooking modes throughout the process
- Easy to use
- Breville+ also features tailored recipes to the oven from acclaimed test kitchens such as New York Times Cooking, Serious Eats, and America's Test Kitchen
What we don’t like:
- Large countertop footprint
- No self-cleaning function
- Bulky door handle that sticks out
The bottom line:
Oversized, versatile, splurge-worthy oven that provides bells and whistles.
the Joule® Oven Air Fryer Pro
Most versatile air fryer toaster oven: Breville The Smart Oven® Air Fryer Pro
While this pick from Breville is on the pricier side, it comes with many benefits like smart algorithms that replicate the ideal cooking environment for air frying, as well as ten cooking techniques. The marriage of high temperatures and super convection speeds reveals the kind of crisp bite that we all salivate over. Plus, it uses 35% less power compared to a traditional oven, saving on electricity costs.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 18.9 inches x 15.9 inches x 10.9 inches
- Functions: A variety including toast, bake, roast, broil, reheat, warm, slow cook, and more
- Capacity: 0.8 cu ft. 6-slice toaster, 13 inch pizza, roast a whole chicken, 9 cup muffin tray
- Temperature max: 480°F
- Price at publication: $379.95
What we like:
- Multi-function appliance
- Free access to tailored recipes through Breville+ app
- Easy to set-up
- Sleek design
What we don’t like:
- Learning curve to learn all settings/functions
- Difficult to clean
- No drip pan
The bottom line:
This multi-function appliance is easy to set-up and simple to use with a sleek design, and reliable cooking time.
Breville The Smart Oven® Air Fryer Pro
Most stylish air fryer toaster oven: Dreo ChefMaker
If you’ve ever wondered what type of air fryer a professional uses, this is it. The Dreo ChefMaker took inspiration from celebrity chefs, food scientists, and an algorithm of AI experts when creating this appliance. The end result provides every day at-home cooks (and aspiring chefs) to practice upgraded cooking techniques like sous-vide and pressure cooking.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 10.59 inches x 14.65 inches x 15.67 inches
- Functions: Intelligent Cooking System with ChefMaker's precise cook probe, water atomization, and super convection heating systems in addition to the Combicook multi-stage cooking technology
- Capacity: 6 Quart
- Temperature max: 450°F
- Price at publication: $359.99
What we like:
- Smart touch-screen menu
- Modern design
- Temperature probe monitors temp of food during cooking
What we don’t like:
- Takes up over a foot of countertop space
- Not suitable for larger families, best for cooking for 1-2 people at a time
- Limited recipes available in app
The bottom line:
This smart, versatile air fryer oven allows you to do nearly everything you need to do in the kitchen, all with a sleek, modern design.
Dreo ChefMaker Combi Fryer
Best basic air fryer toaster oven: Instant® Vortex® Slim 6-quart Air Fryer
At just over $100, this air fryer toaster oven from Instant provides tons of functionality without a high cost. From built-in smart technology and customizable programming, to the super-slim design ideal for smaller kitchens, it’s a worthwhile investment.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 12.01 inches x 15.31 inches x 12.72 inches
- Functions: 5-in-1 features with options to air fry, roast, bake, boil and reheat
- Capacity: 6 quarts
- Temperature max: 400°F
- Price at publication: $119.99
What we like:
- Great for heating up food
- Straightforward to use
- Sleek look
- Dishwasher-safe
What we don’t like:
- Strong burning smell with first few uses
- Plastic taste in food
- Could use more instructions for first use
The bottom line:
This budget-friendly, sleek air fryer is great for reheating leftovers and adding crispiness to your favorite foods.
Instant® Vortex® Slim 6-quart Air Fryer
Best dual compartment air fryer toaster oven: Midea 11-QT Two-Zone Air Fryer Oven
What happens when you want to cook vegetables and meat at the same time, but they require different temperatures and settings? You pull out this two-zone air fryer oven that helps you multitask like a professional. The top portion is an air fryer basket, and the bottom is a traditional oven. You can even use a “Sync Finish” feature to automatically align the cooking times of both zones, so all food is finished at the same time. Talk about a way to get through meal prep without a headache.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 14.1 inches x 18.2 inches x 17.7 inches
- Functions: Options to air fry, bake, grill, roast, broil, dehydrate, toast, reheat, and keep warm
- Capacity: 11QT (Air Fryer Basket – 6QT, Oven – 5QT)
- Temperature Max: 450°F
- Price at publication: $99.99
What we like:
- Touch screen
- Great recipe selection on app
- Doesn’t require preheating time
What we don’t like:
- Tall unit, takes up storage space
- Learning curve to use sync finish function
- Not suitable for larger families
The bottom line:
This touchscreen dual-compartment air fryer allows you to cook two different aspects of your meal at once, without requiring preheating time.
Midea 11-QT Two-Zone Air Fryer Oven
Most chic air fryer toaster oven: Fritaire Self-Cleaning Glass Bowl Air Fryer
If you care about both cooking and aesthetics, this $200 Fritarie Air Fryer offers a smart solution for whipping up delicious meals quickly and is designed with style in mind. It comes complete with three cooking accessories: A rotisserie, a French tumbler, and the air fryer basket. You can choose from six one-touch cooking functions and utilize many features.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 12.3 inches, 13.9 inches, 10.8 inches
- Functions: Its has 6 different 1-touch cooking functions to cook steak, chicken, seafood, french fries, bake, toast, and dehydrate
- Capacity: 5 qt. and serves 3-5 people
- Temperature max: 400°F
- Price at publication: $199
What we like:
- Compact
- Self-cleaning
- Cute, colorful design
What we don’t like:
- Rotisserie motor difficult to install
- Smaller capacity
- Assembly can be time-consuming
The bottom line:
This compact, self-cleaning air fryer comes with an unexpectedly stylish design and many functions—including a rotisserie.
Fritaire Self-Cleaning Glass Bowl Air Fryer
Best compact air fryer toaster oven: CHEFMAN Toast-Air Touch Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo
If you don’t want to purchase four appliances, but want to air fry, cook, toast and dehydrate your meals and snacks—this combo machine from CHEFMAN will check all of your boxes. It’s not just attractive on the countertop, but it is highly recommended and reviewed as a reliable, space-saving device.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 15.8 inches x 16.6 inches x 14.1 inches
- Functions: Options to air fry, oven cook, toast, and dehydrate
- Capacity: 21 quarts
- Temperature max: 450°F
- Price at publication: $169
What we like:
- Easy to store
- Simple assembly
- Versatile
What we don’t like:
- Learning curve with all of the settings
- Very quiet beep sound to signal cooking is done that can be hard to hear
- Difficult to clean top interior
The bottom line:
This basic, yet reliable, air fryer is versatile, simple to use, and easy to store without much fuss.
Chefman Toast-Air Touch Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo, 4-In-1 Black Convection Oven Countertop, Cook a 10-In Pizza, 4 Slices of Toast, Air Fry, Bake, Air Broil, Dehydrate, 21 Qt
How we selected the best air fryer toaster ovens
To test out the air fryer ovens, we sent them to various households in the country. Our testers included families of four, couples and single dwellers. We asked them to review every aspect of their experience, including unboxing, setting up and cooking. We asked each tester to test out a variety of recipes and functions to be able to provide a thorough review of the product itself. To land at the best-of-the-best, we considered many factors, including set-up and use, reliability, cooking features, flavor, expectations, and budget.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How do air fryers work?
Booker says an air fryer can be your best friend if you follow these three easy steps:
Preheat your air fryer
Starting from cold can cause the item not to crisp up. Instead, the air fryer works like an oven but with top-down radiant heat applied. The same principles of baking apply to the air fryer. Can you fry it without preheating it? Yes, you can— but the tip of preheating provides that fried-in-oil experience. While some machines do offer no preheating time, Booker still recommends giving the machine time to warm up before placing food inside.
Space out the items you are cooking in the air fryer
Booker explains by spreading out the items, the air circulates properly and causes a better air fry. If the items are touching, they typically stay a bit moist.
Consider foil use
If you are looking to bake and at the same time get the extracted juice and deglaze, rendering aluminum foil under the product is a good option. If you want to reduce clean up, aluminum foil placed under the vented tray can prevent juices from sticking to the bottom. However, if you’re going for a super crispy finish, then foil is not needed.
What is the difference between a regular air fryer and a toaster oven air fryer?
“In the past, it would have been very easy to answer this question because a toaster oven provides radiant heat only, it operated like an oven,” Booker says. “The radiant heat with convection and top and below heat. I have both in my home kitchen, and they all have a place.”
What can an air fryer toaster oven do?
What is an air fryer and what can it do? The better question is, what can’t it do? Even small air fryers that fit easily between your choice of best coffee makers or best espresso machines on your counter, are a great addition to your kitchen. Here, Booker shares his top recommendations for foods to try in the air fryer toaster oven:
Bagels:
Simply load the bagel and you get a perfectly toasted bagel in two minutes. The crumbs and burnt residue that typically come from a toaster is a thing of the past when you toast in the air fryer.
Leftover fried items:
These are brought back to life when using an air fryer. It will crisp up in minutes! Any leftover takeout items like egg rolls, fried fish or fried chicken. This is better than a microwave since a microwave only heats and doesn’t crisp.
Leftover pizza:
Air fryers have top-down radiant heat combined with the air, so it heats the cheese and the bottom crust in just a few minutes. Unfortunately, the oven is a little too slow and does not combine the top-down heat that the compact air fryer gives you, Booker adds.
Hand-cut French fries:
Booker says with a light spray of your favorite oil, hand-cut French fries will taste like you deep-fried them
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