The Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven sizzled the competition.
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Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Air fryers have become one of the most ubiquitous kitchen appliances in the past few years. Before the air fryer, toaster ovens were the common convection-style appliance. Now, combination air fryer toaster ovens feature the best of both worlds; there’s almost nothing they can’t take on. Crispy fries, perfectly reheated pizza — even fried chicken is possible in one of these appliances.
Since the rise in popularity of versatile and convenient appliances, it seems like new models are coming onto the market every day. With so many choices, it can be hard to know which are the best. We put the fan favorites through side-by-side testing — toasting bread, making chocolate chip cookies, and preparing frozen fries. Our favorite, the Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven, outperformed the others (and even has a rotisserie feature). That said, we loved others for various reasons, so read on to find out which made our list.
Pros: This model is easy to use and performs exceptionally well, and we love the extra add-ons.
Cons: The larger size can make it harder to store.
This model is the full package with its user-friendly specs and endless coveted features. Every part of the design increases its functionality, from the easy-to-read controls and the additional attachments to its dishwasher-safe elements. It comes with a rotisserie lift and spit, air fryer basket, oven rack, and enamel baking sheet.
Our testers appreciated its consistent cooking, and they noted the bread came out evenly toasted, the cookies baked all the way through, and the fries crispy. “The performance, in my opinion, was great,” said one tester. “The temperature was accurate, and the toasting feature was spot on. The baking is awesome when following instructions and the air fryer operated great.” We couldn’t really find any negatives with this model, but it is on the larger side, so it may be difficult to fit into cabinets or other storage areas.
Price at time of publish: $250
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Pros: This oven works well as an air fryer and broiler, is very easy to clean, and comes at a great price.
Cons: The analog controls are sometimes confusing and challenging to use.
For an air fryer that can do more than the standard model for a pair-down price, this pick from Hamilton Beach is for you. During our tests, this oven performed exceptionally well on our air fry and broil tests, and our testers noted that it got very hot very quickly.
That said, they had some trouble navigating the controls. Since the dials are analog, it can be hard to tell exactly what you’re setting the knob to. In addition, the print on the panel is small, which could be challenging to read for some. When it came time to clean up, a quick wipe down with a soapy rag followed by a dry wipe was all it took. The convenient crumb tray keeps debris from littering the interior, so all you have to do is dump it out.
Price at time of publish: $119
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Pros: This oven has many helpful features and added accessories.
Cons: We noticed some uneven cooking when the oven was full.
Not only are there 11 specialized settings in our splurge pick, but there’s also a “frozen foods” button that auto-adjusts the time and temperature to account for the drop in temperature. Plus, this oven has tons of extra accessories like a pizza pan, pizza stone, and a specialty broiling pan.
During our toast test, we fit six slices into the oven, and while we noticed the ones in the middle were toasted perfectly, the slices on the ends didn’t get toasty enough to be considered consistent. When we toasted just one slice, though, our testers said, “The bread toasted lovely and very evenly. It was golden in color on both sides.” Our testers also loved that the front window has a diagram that tells you which rack to cook certain foods on.
Price at time of publish: $350
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Pros: This oven has consistent and even heat, along with easy-to-understand instructions that make it simple to use.
Cons: We noticed this oven struggled with maintaining a precise temperature.
This large-capacity option from favorite brand Calphalon is an excellent stepping stone for those looking to add an air fryer toaster oven to their small appliance lineup. Our testers loved the easy-to-use control panel on this model: The display is clear and shows the time and temperature settings with no ambiguity. In our toast tests, we noticed the upper and lower heating led to even toasting on both sides. During the cookie test, we found the heat was even and consistent across the entirety of the oven; there were no hot or cold spots. It can fit a 12-inch pizza and has an easy-to-clean interior and removable crumb tray, making cleanup fast and efficient.
Unfortunately, while we monitored the temperature readout in the settings, we noticed it was as much as 70 degrees off at some points.
Price at time of publish: $300
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Pros: We loved this oven for its powerful heating and convenient flip-away design.
Cons: The exterior of this oven gets extremely hot. It may not be suitable for a house with children.
One of the best features of this compact oven is its unique ability to flip up and away, giving you a family-sized oven without taking up a family-sized amount of counter space. The oven rotates and sits on its smallest edge, reducing its footprint by 50 percent. When it came to testing, our testers were impressed with how powerful this oven is. The heating element speeds up the cook times and makes for a highly effective broiler. We love that the tray is removable for easy crumb pickup and has an accessible back panel when it’s time to give it a deeper clean. The downside of such a powerful oven is that the glass on the exterior gets extremely hot. Our testers warned that "the home cook should exercise a lot of caution, especially if they have children in the house."
Price at time of publish: $196
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Pros: This oven is incredibly versatile, easy to use, and may be a great asset to spaces outside of just home kitchens.
Cons: It toasted unevenly in our tests.
This model from Toshiba features 13 different uses all in one appliance, and we have to say, we really loved its versatility. This is the perfect choice if you’re looking for something to replace multiple small appliances or make the most of a space without a full traditional kitchen. In addition to home kitchens, our testers noted it would also be great for dorm rooms or break rooms.
The touch screen made this model incredibly easy to use, and the inside has helpful three-layer racks. During our toast tests, we noticed some uneven cooking: The top was nicely toasted, but the bottom became over-browned and edged on burnt along the edges.
Price at time of publish: $230
Food & Wine / Will Dickey
Our favorite air fryer toaster oven, the Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven, performed the best overall and was the easiest to use. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, our Best Splurge pick, is an excellent choice for those looking for high-quality and variety in a handy appliance.
Our testers performed rigorous side-by-side testing, putting each model through various challenges. We toasted singles and multiple slices of bread, baked chocolate chip cookies, melted cheese on toast, and air-fried frozen fries. Through these tests, we were able to assess how the heating elements perform through heating consistency and evenness, as well as the oven’s ability to perform air frying and toaster oven tasks. After the tests, our testers rated each model on features, ease of use, performance, and value.
Size is an essential factor to consider — both in capacity and footprint. For kitchens with minimal counter or cabinet space, a model with a smaller footprint is ideal. If space is not an issue, any size will do. If you’re cooking for one or two, a larger capacity oven will be unnecessary. That said, a larger oven is a better investment if you have a large family or anticipate cooking for a crowd.
Some models have a stand knob-style dial to dictate time or temperature. These can provide an excellent visual range, but it can sometimes be challenging to get a precise temperature. Others have buttons or digital dials that give a clear readout of the time or temperature but can involve a lot more button pushing to get to the desired setting. Which one you choose depends on what is most important to you.
Air fryer toaster ovens are popular for their many cooking capabilities, making functions an obvious factor to consider. While most air fryer toaster ovens will bake, toast, and, of course, air fry, some models are equipped with countless other features. Are you looking to slow cook in your oven? Defrost? If these features aren’t important to you, consider a simpler model like our value pick, the Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp Air Fry Toaster Oven.
Similar to added functions, while some ovens are pretty straightforward, others come with accessories for things like dehydrating or even a rotisserie. Knowing whether or not these accessories will be worth it for you depends on what you like to cook and how you plan to use your oven. If you know you’ll likely be a casual user, like mainly reheating leftovers or making a bag of frozen fries, then extra accessories probably aren’t a priority. But for others, accessories like pizza pans or fry baskets are items that will come in handy every day.
Put simply, yes. An air fryer toaster oven cuts down on the need for multiple small appliances and can perform more tasks than just an air fryer or toaster oven alone. It can even streamline everyday cooking tasks for which one might usually use the regular oven.
Katie Briggs, chef and founder of West Philly Bunny Hop, a mutual aid group providing free food to the community of West Philly, even favors their air fryer toaster oven over their traditional oven. “I disconnected my gas stove because it was more expensive to run, and now I do everything in my toaster oven,” says Briggs. “I boil water in it. I toast, I reheat, I bake.” Air fryer toaster ovens are usually larger with more baking area, making it a snap to get crispy skin on a few chicken thighs or even roast veggies, but in way less time than a traditional oven. And anything that saves space and time is worth it for us.
The main difference between an air fryer toaster oven and a regular air fryer is right there in the name: the added toaster oven capabilities. Air fryers perform best at well, frying. They’re great for many things but excel at frozen fries and getting that extra crispy exterior. On the other hand, toaster ovens are more similar to a traditional oven, but their heating method and size allow them to heat faster, majorly reducing cook time. Not only can this combo air fry with the best of them, but things like baking, broiling, roasting, and more are possible right on the counter without turning your oven on. They also tend to be larger than standard air fryers and, therefore, can accommodate more food.
Both air fryers and toaster ovens are types of convection ovens. Convection works by a fan circulating the heated air very quickly. The hot air combined with the movement cooks food faster and increases surface evaporation allowing the surface of foods to get much crisper than in a traditional or conventional oven. Additionally, the movement of the air combined with the slotted bases usually found in air fryers and toaster ovens means that the underside of the food also gets well-cooked and crispy.
Cuisinart Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven TOA-65 ($290 at Amazon)
While our testers appreciated its clear and concise instructions and felt the fries turned out perfectly crispy, the cookies did not bake evenly, and the bread was not toasted effectively.
GE Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven ($218 at Amazon)
We liked the different baskets for air frying that were included and felt this oven was effective at baking; however, we noticed the temperature was a bit inconsistent, even fluctuating at high heat.
Toshiba Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo ($145 at Amazon)
While extremely effective at air frying fries, this oven only toasted our bread evenly on one side and did not prove to be particularly reliable when used for baking.
Cuisinart 6-Slice Toaster Oven and Air Fryer ($195 at Amazon)
During our tests, this model over-toasted our bread and cookies with ample time left on the timer, leaving us with burnt toast as well as burnt cookies.
Nick DeSimone wrote and compiled this list. They have nearly a decade of professional cooking experience and have spent many years of hands-on experience with nearly every appliance imaginable. Our professional product testers are dedicated culinarians with an eye for function and detail. They prioritize unbiased and rigorous testing to give the most precise and thorough results.
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