The 6 Best Air Fryer Toasters, According to Our Test Kitchen
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Sure, the latest toaster ovens can brown bread brilliantly, but they can also air-fry and perform a host of other culinary tasks. Meet the standouts in our quest for the best air fryer toaster ovens.
EatingWell / Alli Waataja
Reviewed by Dietitian Brierley Horton, M.S., RD
LABOR DAY DEALS! Two of our favorite air fryer toaster ovens are on sale this weekend. Grab the Instant Omni Plus or the Cuisinart and save $50.
Trust us when we say that an air fryer toaster oven is a true workhorse and a kitchen counter space saver. These countertop appliances do way more than just reheat leftover pizza (bye-bye microwave oven) and make toast crispy. Many of these nifty devices can also cook a whole chicken, broil vegetables and even bake cookies.
Truth be told: You might prefer this appliance over an air fryer. "The combo air fryer toaster units are perfect for reheating leftovers or preparing frozen foods, as they come out much crispier using the air fryer function," says Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, author of the Healthy Air Fryer Cookbook and the Healthy Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook. "Plus, having the 2-in-1 toaster air fryer is great to help save counter space," she says.
To help you find the right machine for your needs, we tested 25 different models, gauging ease of use, size and function, performance, design, features and value. Below are the six best air fryer toaster ovens that made the ultimate cut.
Best Overall: Instant Omni Plus 18-Liter Air Fryer Toaster Oven
What we like: The Omni is large enough to cook multiple foods simultaneously, and it does so perfectly, racking up major performance points, especially when toasting bread, crisping up fries and melting cheese.
What to know: The appliance is a little large, so it may not fit in a cabinet or work for people with limited counter space.
The large-capacity Instant Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven is quite the over-achiever in cooking projects. In addition to making chicken fingers extra crispy, you can also broil mac and cheese, roast chicken and dehydrate veggies. From the get-go, the manual is very clear and detailed, thanks to step-by-step instructions on how to test-drive your first recipe. The dials and controls are easy to read, and the digital display makes it easy to see the numbers and settings. Plus, this mini oven comes with a cooking pan, a rotisserie lift, and a rotisserie spit, along with an air fryer basket.
When we tested the Instant Omni Plus, we noticed that the oven took just under 7 minutes to reach the highest temperature setting, which is 450°, and the air fryer toaster was exceptional at cooking and baking all the foods we tested against. It took about 6 minutes to toast bread to golden-brown perfection, and you can fit six slices of toast in this oven. It took just 2 minutes to melt cheese on the toast, and we didn't notice any areas where the cheese started to brown. As for dessert, you can fit nine blobs of cookie dough in this oven, and after 12 to 13 minutes, we had freshly baked chocolate chip cookies—although you might want to reduce the baking time just a bit as our cookies turned out a little dark. All the while, the toaster oven is very quiet while operating and boasts a bright light that lets you keep your eye on your dinner, which is a nice touch. Plus, it cools off very fast, which lessens the chance of getting burned.
We also found that this toaster and its components were very easy to clean. The manufacturer recommends lining the cooking pan with parchment paper or spraying it with cooking spray for easier cleaning. All the accessories are dishwasher-safe, but if you don't have a dishwasher, you can use a bristle brush on the air fryer basket and soap and water for the oven rack.
Our one quibble? Whenever you open the Omni Plus, you have to reset it completely. Having to select the appropriate function and adjust the temperature because you wanted to check on your food is quite annoying.
Still, we feel this appliance by Instant Pot is a great value and can easily be used instead of your oven when you're cooking up smaller things.
Dimensions: 16.5" W x 13'' D x 14’’ H | Capacity: 18 quarts | Functions: Air fry, broil, bake, roast, dehydrate, reheat, rotisserie, toast, warm, convection | Maximum temperature: 450°F
Also Great: GreenPan Bistro Noir 6-in-1 Air Fry Toaster Oven
What we like: The instructions are clear and easy to understand, making setting up and using this machine quick and easy.
What to know: The Bistro Noir lacks an interior light, which can make it difficult to keep an eye on your food while it's cooking.
After putting the GreenPan Bistro Noir 6-in-1 Air Fry Toaster to the test, we were thoroughly impressed. It's a compact little machine, making it an excellent fit for most countertops without taking up too much precious kitchen real estate. Despite its relatively modest footprint, it has a generous capacity—we could fit 16 muffins on one tray, and there’s plenty of room for a 12-inch pizza or a whole chicken.
Switching between the Bistro Noir’s six distinct cooking functions is easy, thanks in part to the handy pull-out card that illustrates the ins and outs of using this air fry toaster. You can toggle between functions using the user-friendly dial controls, and it comes with a stainless steel rack, baking pan, air-fry basket and a crumb tray. The interior and accessories (minus the steel rack) are coated with a PFAS- and PFOA-free ceramic nonstick coating, which makes it easy to wipe clean.
When we tested this machine’s toasting capabilities, we were impressed with how evenly the Bistro Noir toasted our bagels. It also produced the meltiest cheese (no burnt spots here!), and our salmon filets had a nice crispness while cooking uniformly. The muffins fared similarly well; we had to add a couple of extra minutes on to the cook time, but considering how tightly we packed them in, this was not surprising. We will note that our sweet potato fries were a bit limp, but in fairness, this starchy side proved a challenge for most of the air fryer toast ovens we tested. Overall, we feel the GreenPan Bistro Noir is an excellent runner-up to our tried-and-true favorite.
Dimensions: 16.9" W x 15.4" D x 13" H | Capacity: 16.9 quarts | Functions: Air-fry, bake, toast, broil, roast and warm | Maximum temperature: 450°F
Best Splurge: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
What we like: The Breville performed very well in all of our food-specific tests; plus, it goes beyond the functions of a traditional oven and can easily replace the need for several other small appliances.
What to know: The oven shuts off shortly after the timer goes off, so you may have to wait for it to preheat again if you plan to use multiple settings (like air-fry followed by reheat).
This toaster oven can handle a 13-inch pizza, 9-cup muffin tin or even a whole chicken. It air-fries, roasts, slow cooks and bakes (yes, even cookies) for a total of 11 functions. Even with all these options, the control panel is very clear and easy to use, the settings are straightforward and the display has large letters to help with readability. When we tested this Breville air fryer toaster, we especially took note of how evenly it toasted a slice of bread in just under 3 minutes, and it's actually large enough to fit nine slices of toast. This mini oven also air-fried fries to a satisfying golden color, and the large basket could fit almost a full bag. Another thing we loved: The oven is very effective at baking. Our chocolate chip cookies came out pretty close to perfect, which left us looking forward to experimenting with more baked goods with this Breville machine. The no-fuss cleanup was also a major plus: The oven boasts a handy crumb drawer on the bottom, which you can easily pull out and brush the crumbs into the trash (or run the tray under water for a more thorough clean). Plus, we found the oven to be very quiet in its functioning, something we can't say about traditional air fryers.
While the oven performed very well in our food-specific tests, some minor inconsistencies are worth mentioning. When testing with an oven thermometer, we noticed the oven did not heat up at the same temperature as the oven was displaying, and once the oven reached the set temp, it fell several degrees. However, this didn't seem to affect the overall cooking results. You'll also want to set the timer on the oven for the time you plan to cook your food—or for a few additional minutes. We figured out pretty quickly that once the timer goes off, the machine shuts down shortly afterward. So, for example, if you're using the air fryer setting, you'll have to wait for the oven to reheat if you choose the "reheat" setting after air-frying. While this may feel frustrating, it serves as a smart safety feature.
All in all, this machine would be great for a single person or a small family that doesn't do a ton of cooking. It's simple to use and could easily sit on a countertop, and you can rely on it to cook a variety of foods perfectly, which may justify its higher price tag.
Dimensions: 18.9" W x 15.9" D x 10.9" H | Capacity: 23.9 quarts | Functions: Toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, cookies, air-fry, reheat, warm, and slow cook | Maximum temperature: 450°F
Best Budget Pick: Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp Air Fry Toaster Oven
What we like: It's about half the price of other air fryer toasters on the market, and it can make really good fries.
What to know: Baking isn't this machine's strong suit, and it toasted somewhat unevenly. If your aim is delicate baked goods, this model may not be for you.
Don't let the word budget steer you away from this air fryer oven: This machine can toast five slices of bread at a time, bake a 12-inch frozen pizza or air-fry a batch of fries (excuse the carb overload—important research going on here!). And FYI, it comes with an air fryer basket, baking/broiling pan, oven rack and pull-out crumb tray for easy cleanup.
This mini oven is good at toasting in a reasonable amount of time, but you'll want to keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn't burn. When we tested this model with bread, we noticed that the oven fit five slices (not six, like the manufacturer claims), and the underside of the bread came out way darker than the top. That said, the dial wasn't as precise as we would've liked it to be. There isn't a discernible toast level, so you have to guess where you should turn the dial to reach your desired doneness.
If you want to top your toast with a slice of Swiss, you can count on the oven to melt it nicely, as the cheese didn't brown or start to bubble and pop in our tests. Craving a side of fries with that? This oven air-fries french fries in 12 minutes at 400° to a crispy, golden doneness, but you can leave them in a little longer if you like a crunchier fry. When cooking up the spuds, though, we were a little frustrated by how shallow the fry basket was, which resulted in some of the fries falling out.
Baking is a science, and Hamilton Beach couldn't seem to get it right. In our tests, the chocolate chip cookies baked unevenly, with the bottoms being very burnt and the centers remaining soft (but not raw). While we followed the manufacturer's instructions to place the oven rack in the lowest position, it seems like this caused the bottom of the cookies to burn and the top to remain undone—a trend we noticed with the toasted bread as well. These inconveniences all boil down to temperature accuracy: The oven's max temp reads 450°, but our oven thermometers read 468°, so this oven does run slightly hot. If you're not looking to spend more than $100 on an air fryer toaster, this pick may be a good companion to your oven but not a replacement.
Dimensions: 9" H x 18" W x 14" D | Capacity: 6.3 quarts | Functions: Toast, bake, broil and air-fry | Maximum temperature: 450°F
Best Compact: Ninja Digital Air Fry Countertop Oven
What we like: All of the Ninja’s settings, from air-fry to bagel, performed equally well during our testing, and the oven can be flipped upright to free up counter space.
What to know: This oven has a very powerful heating element, and you'll quickly notice that the suggested cook times (particularly for toasting) are slightly too long. The front window gets very hot, so be careful when handling it.
Lack of kitchen space doesn't mean you have to forgo owning an air fryer. The compact Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fryer Oven can save you space by replacing multiple small appliances in your household, thanks to its eight functions, including air-frying, baking, broiling, roasting, dehydrating and warming (plus, it has toast and bagel settings). And when you're done meal prepping (and once the oven has cooled), you can flip the oven up and out of the way to free up some kitchen counter space. In this position, the crumb tray folds out for easy cleanup, and there's also an accessible back door for when it's finally time to deep clean the oven.
Before putting this air fryer to the test, we noticed that the manual is very clear, helpfully divides the instructions by the setting you're using and includes a graphic that labels each part of the oven and what it's used for. The dials and controls are easy to read, and because the interior lights up in the dark, it would be easy to use this in low-light settings. If you're hankering for a grilled cheese, this oven can toast a slice of bread in about 3 minutes and melt cheese in 90 seconds. But the toast browned unevenly in our tests, with the bottoms getting significantly darker. If cookies are your thing, you'll be glad to know we were impressed with this oven's baking capabilities. Our chocolate chip cookies came out evenly baked and boasted a consistent, moist texture on the inside after just 13 minutes at 350°.
It's worth noting that navigating the control panel isn't super intuitive, but spending just a minute with the manual clears up any confusion. Rest assured, this oven is easy to use once you've read a bit about how the dial works and what displays when it's done preheating. Finally, a small safety disclosure: The front glass door on this oven gets very hot, so exercise a lot of caution when handling it, especially if you have children or pets in the house.
Dimensions: 7.56" D x 19.72" W x 14.96" H | Capacity: Up to 4 pounds | Functions: Air-fry, bake, broil, roast, dehydrate, warm, toast setting, bagel setting | Maximum temperature: 450°F
Best for Large Batches: Cuisinart Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven
What we like: The Cuisinart is compact yet holds enough to feed a family and boasts a sleek design that looks nice on the kitchen counter.
What to know: This unit performed well in the toast, cheese toast, and french fry test; however, its cookie recipe needs adjusting.
If you're feeding a family or meal prepping for yourself for the week, you want a machine that can handle big batches. This oven can air-fry up to 3 pounds of food, toast six bagel halves, roast a 4-pound chicken, or bake a 12-inch pizza. If you're into baking your own bread, it can even proof your dinner rolls to complement the feast.
From the start, we appreciated the clear but concise instructions. The buttons are very easy to read, and the unit has a backlit screen controlled by a dial knob that allows you to select your cooking function, making it easy to use in low light. This toaster oven boasts smart features, so it doesn't have a timer dial you set; instead, you select a function, and a countdown timer will pop up. When the countdown timer reaches 0:00, the oven will beep three times, and the heaters will turn off. During our food tests, the bread was toasted to a lovely shade of brown across every surface with zero burning, with the toast setting at four (range is one to seven). The toaster says five to six slices at level four will take 2:55 seconds to toast, which was very accurate. What's more, the fries were very easy to cook and came out perfectly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and cooked through at the correct time. Sadly, the cookies weren't as successful. Pre-cut cookie squares baked quickly on the outside, leaving the interior raw.
When you're done making your meal, cleanup will be fuss-free. The crumb tray pulls out separately from outside the unit, which makes debris easy to dump. (Just make sure the machine has thoroughly cooled off before cleaning it, so you don't burn your fingers.) And some of the accessories, such as the baking/drip pan and air fryer basket, are dishwasher-safe.
Dimensions: 17" D x 21.73" W x 15.75" H | Capacity: Up to 4 pounds | Functions: Bake, broil, pizza, roast, toast, bagel, reheat, warm, dual cook, low temperature, dehydrate and proof | Maximum temperature: 450°F
The Bottom Line: The Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven
The Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer Toaster Oven (view at Amazon) continues to maintain its top spot thanks to its large capacity that allows it to cook multiple foods simultaneously and to perfection to boot. However, we also found the GreenPan Bistro Noir 6-in-1 Air Fry Toaster Oven to be a viable contender in our latest round of testing for its impressive capacity and easy-to-clean nonstick interior.
EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
Choosing an Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Size and Function
The main thing you need to consider when looking at air fryer toaster ovens is what you will make with it and how much. Size and function matter here—these little ovens come in various shapes, sizes, and capacities.
"Standard-size units can easily prepare one to two servings of food at a time," White says. There are larger models, but they can take up a lot of space, so make sure to check the dimensions before you buy. "Think about what you plan to cook in it most and align your size selection," White says.
For example, if you're cooking for several people, you'll want to choose an air fryer toaster that accommodates multiple servings simultaneously. And if you don't have much kitchen or counter space, you'll probably want to consider a smaller air fryer toaster or one that will fit in your cabinet when it's not in use.
EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
Ease of Use and Cleaning
If you're investing in an air fryer toaster oven, chances are, you're planning to use it regularly—and that's where ease of use comes in. User-friendly features to look out for include a legible control panel and clear displays without an overwhelming amount of settings and functions. You'll want an appliance that's intuitive and easy to clean.
If dishes are your least favorite part of making dinner, make sure the oven you pick has features like a crumb tray to ease the burden of cleaning. "Removable trays and baskets that can be washed in the dishwasher are ideal for prep and for cleanup," White says. “While you can use liners or line food surfaces with foil, this interferes with the oven's airflow and is not ideal,” White says.
Design and Details
Features and accessories will maximize the use of your air fryer, so make sure to really think about what you'll be using the appliance for most.
For instance, if you think you're only going to air-fry frozen snacks like pizza rolls, you might consider the size of the air fry basket. If chicken is in heavy rotation on your weekly menu, perhaps having a larger oven with a rotisserie function would be helpful to you. If your dog likes jerky made out of liver (or if you want it yourself), having an oven with a dehydrator preset is a feature that you and your pup will love.
White also recommends looking for removable tray baskets that make serving easier—they especially come in handy when making french fries and veggies like green beans and asparagus, she says.
EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
Value is Key
You want to get the most for your money regarding cooking efficiency and convenience. And when it comes to value, finding the size and capacity that best fits your cooking style and kitchen size is key, White says.
Usually, the larger the unit, the higher the price point. "Do you really need the largest unit to make whole roasted chickens? If the answer is yes, great! But if you plan to make mostly pizza bagels (which are amazing in the air fryer), then a smaller, more affordable unit may be just fine," White says.
Our Air Fryer Toaster Oven Tests
EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
Our Test Kitchen tested a total of 25 air fryer toaster ovens, gauging ease of use and cleaning, performance (including preheat time, noise, appearance, texture and flavor of resulting food), design, features and value. To ensure the appliance can stand up to a variety of different culinary tasks, we performed tests on different types of foods, including:
Fresh bread (to see how effective they were at toasting)
Cookies (to see how well they baked chocolate chip cookies)
Cheese (to see how well the broil function worked at melting)
French fries (to see how they handled air-frying frozen food)
As part of our review process, we also periodically conduct new tests using both past winners and new contenders. Our latest test included:
Bagels (to see how effective they were at toasting)
Muffins (to see how well each air fryer toaster oven's baking function worked)
Bagels with cheese (to see how well the broil function worked at melting)
Sweet potato fries (to see how they handled air-frying frozen food)
Salmon (to determine how well these machines handled meat)
We also disassembled, cleaned per the manufacturer's instructions, and reassembled each appliance.
Finally, we spoke to a registered dietitian and author of multiple air fryer cookbooks about what to look for when shopping for an air fryer toaster oven.
We Also Considered
Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Digital Air Fry Toaster Oven ($99 at Walmart): This air fryer toaster oven is versatile and comes in several sophisticated colors. However, the toasting rack is flimsy and tips easily, which was a big drawback for us.
GE Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven ($219 at Amazon): While easy to use, this oven does not have a super accurate thermometer and produced variable results during our testing.
Calphalon Air Fryer Oven ($270 at Amazon): You can use the Calphalon for everything from toasting and baking to air-frying, but the air fryer will need a little tweaking to get your recipes right (we had to cook the fries 50% longer than the directions stated on the bag).
Cuisinart 6-Slice Toaster Oven and Air Fryer ($230 at Amazon): This is best used as an air fryer, as the other functions didn't perform nearly as well. At this price, we would have liked to have seen a more effective variety of settings.
Common Questions
How do air fryer toaster ovens work?
Both toasters and air fryers are convection ovens, so they heat food in the same way—with a fan that produces hot air to crisp up food. "An air fryer is essentially a down-sized convection oven, except the fan is located over the food—not behind it," White says.
The air fryer/toaster oven combo units save counter space and offer dual functionality, where you can just use the heating element (for toasting) or the heating element and fan (for air-frying). "This countertop appliance uses a powerful fan to circulate hot air around the food, so it's much faster than a conventional oven and allows for food to cook quickly and evenly," White says.
Are air-fried foods healthy?
The appeal of air fryers mostly comes from the appliance's ability to make healthier versions of fried faves like chicken wings and french fries. After all, the high heat and powerful fan allow foods to get extra crispy with little to no oil. But while premade frozen foods like chicken nuggets or mozzarella sticks are quickly cooked to crispy perfection in the air fryer, they aren't any healthier than if you prepared them in the oven.
So it really all depends on what you make in the air fryer. Less nutrient-dense foods such as nuggets and mozzarella sticks won't magically become healthy if you cook them in the air fryer. But you can most definitely air-fry nutritious foods such as veggies and lean proteins to make them tastier and more appealing.
How do you clean an air fryer toaster oven?
For best results, White recommends cleaning your air fryer toaster oven after every use. Check the manufacturer’s instructions, as cleaning may vary, but typically, the baskets or trays can be removed and washed in the sink or dishwasher. "Some soap and warm water is all you need," White says. "Be sure to brush out crumbs and small food particles from the bottom of the chamber and edges of the basket/cooking surface to prevent them from building up and burning."
EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
Our Trusted Expertise
April Benshosan has been reporting on nutrition, health, and expert-recommended products from the start of her journalism career. To write this roundup, she drew on our Test Kitchen's results after testing 25 popular air fryer toaster models, taking into account size and functions, ease of use and cleaning, design and features and value. She also interviewed Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, a registered dietitian and author of the Healthy Air Fryer Cookbook and the Healthy Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook.
This article was edited by Katie Tuttle, a food editor and contributor to publications such as Food & Wine and The Spruce Eats, and reviewed by Brierley Horton, M.S., RD, a senior commerce editor with over 15 years of experience writing about nutrition, health and food.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
