Is There Actually a Difference Between Air Fryers and Toaster Ovens?

When you’re strolling down the kitchen appliance aisle, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the choices. With tons of different air fryers, air fryer toaster ovens, and microwaves blanketing the shelves (or virtual shelves, if you’re shopping online), the decision fatigue can get real. Are any of these appliances worth having in addition to an oven? We think so, and that means a lot because we don’t just hop on any cooking trend bandwagon.

To back up our bold claims, we’ve tested air fryers, toaster ovens, air fryer toaster ovens, and microwaves to see how they stack up in terms of practicality and user-friendliness. We fried batches of wings in air fryers, crisped fries in air fryer toaster ovens, baked frozen pizzas in toaster ovens, and heated a ridiculous amount of frozen mac and cheese in microwaves. Suffice it to say, we took our tests seriously. There’s a lot to cover here, but you’ll get the scoop on our top picks in each appliance category, and we’ll help you decide which ones should take up space in your kitchen. 

The Winners, at Glance

Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer

$140 $100 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma

Breville Smart Oven Pro

$270 at Amazon

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

$400 at Amazon $400 at Williams Sonoma

Toshiba Microwave

$140 $126 at Amazon

Things to Consider

What Is an Air Fryer Best For? 

An air fryer excels at crisping up food traditionally made by deep frying, like fries and chicken wings. Some have dual-temperature zones, allowing you to cook a protein and a side simultaneously at varying heat settings. The smallish footprint of these appliances makes it easy to store them snugly in the corner or hide them away in a cabinet. 

What Is a Toaster Oven Best For?

A toaster oven is a versatile appliance that can bake, broil, roast, toast, and, in some cases, even air-fry. After testing 23 models, we found top picks that cook foods like pot pies and frozen pizza quickly and evenly. A toaster oven can also serve as a backup oven for your daily cooking needs. It’s a good option for hot weather when you don’t want to raise the ambient temperature in your kitchen.

What Is an Air Fryer Toaster Oven Best For?

You can set precise temperatures for roasting, baking, and air frying in an air fryer toaster oven. The best models function as an air fryer in addition to a toaster oven—and they can make toast, a task air fryers aren’t great at. Despite being larger, these appliances are beneficial when preparing a substantial batch of food without requiring multiple cooking rounds. With fans at the top or sides of the unit, they work similarly to convection ovens, but on a smaller scale.

What Is a Microwave Best For? 

We tested over 20 different microwaves and revealed top-performing models that can handle a diverse range of tasks, from toasting marshmallows to cooking frozen meals. While microwaves are not suitable for crisping or browning food, they are ideal for simple kitchen tasks, such as making popcorn, melting butter, and reheating leftovers.

Can You Use Air Fryers, Toaster Ovens, and Air Fryer Toaster Ovens Interchangeably?

Air fryers, toaster ovens, and air fryer toaster ovens all have user-friendly controls and plentiful cooking functions. However, the appliances have their differences, and some are more versatile than others:

• Air fryers: These appliances can air-fry (surprise!), toast (though not as well as toaster ovens), bake, preheat, and keep food warm. In our tests, they cooked food to a well-browned finish quicker than other appliances. They typically have a wide, square basket that can handle large amounts of fries and wings without overcrowding.
• Air fryer toaster ovens: The main functions of the models we tested were toast, bake, roast, and air fry, but all offered other features like proof, slow cook, and dehydrate. Their spacious chambers were ideal for circulating hot air around food, producing very crispy, very delicious results.
• Toaster ovens: Toaster ovens can bake, broil, roast, and toast. In our tests, they heated food quickly and evenly and were great for leftovers. Toaster ovens are typically more petite than air fryer toaster ovens, making them a good fit for small kitchens.

Can Any of These Appliances Replace a Convection Oven?

A toaster oven or air fryer toaster oven comes the closest to replacing a traditional oven. Their versatility allows for frying, baking, and roasting, making them a top choice for those with limited kitchen space. Keep in mind: All types of toaster ovens have a smaller capacity than a traditional oven, although some, like the Breville, can still handle large-scale jobs, like roasting a whole turkey.

The Criteria: What to Look for in an Air Fryer

When selecting an air fryer, search for a model with a large basket, handles that remain cool during cooking, the ability to create well-browned, crispy food, and intuitive controls. 

Our Favorite Air Fryers

The Best Air Fryer

Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 Air Fryer

$140 $100 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma

What we liked: This air fryer sets itself apart with its user-friendly touchscreen interface, allowing you to control temperature settings in 5-degree increments. Its wide square basket can hold lots of food and allows for airflow in the cooking chamber. The comfortable handles make it easy to tilt, shake, and remove the perforated insert. It outperformed all other models in our tests.

What we didn’t like: The preheat setting takes four minutes, so if you’re rushing to make crispy tots or mozzarella sticks, you will need to wait. This model is also a bit noisy.

Key Specs

• Stated capacity: 6 quarts
• Dimensions: 12.4 x 14.9 x 12.8 inches
• Temperature range: 95ºF to 400ºF
• Time range: 1 to 60 minutes
• Presets: Air-fry, roast, broil, bake, reheat, dehydrate
• Type: Basket-style

Another Great Air Fryer

Cosori Pro II 5.8-Quart Air Fryer Oven Combo

$130 at Amazon

What we liked: This air fryer has a responsive touchscreen. It comes with an extra-long power cord, providing flexibility in positioning it in your kitchen. It has a wide basket and a cover on the release button to prevent spills.

What we didn’t like: The control panel is cluttered and initially overwhelming to navigate. Adjusting the temperature settings is limited to 10-degree increments and it's slightly noisy.

Key Specs

• Stated capacity: 5.8 quarts
• Dimensions: 11.78 x 13.87 x 12 inches
• Temperature range: 170ºF to 400ºF
• Time range: 1 to 60 minutes
• Presets: Air-fry, steak, chicken, seafood, shrimp, bacon, frozen foods, french fries, vegetables, toast, bake, preheat, keep warm
• Type: Basket-style

The Best Air Fryer for One

Cosori CAF-LI211 Lite 2.1-Quart Mini Air Fryer

$60 $50 at Amazon

What we liked: This air fryer is great if you are cooking for one. It has four settings displayed on a digital screen and adjusts the temperature in 5-degree increments. It is priced at about $50, making it one of the more affordable models we have tested. Since it's small, it fits in tight corners or cabinets.

What we didn’t like: Since this air fryer is smaller, it limits your ability to cook for larger crowds.

Key Specs

• Stated capacity: 2.1 quarts
• Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.3 x 10.5 inches
• Temperature range: 170ºF to 400ºF
• Time range: 1 to 60 minutes
• Presets: Air-fry, bake, roast, preheat
• Type: Basket-style

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Toaster Oven

At a minimum, your appliance should be able to bake and toast foods evenly. Newer models have extra features, like the ability to roast or air-fry. Choose a toaster oven with user-friendly controls and the ability to set timers for your cooking needs. Consider how often you plan on using this appliance—is it just for toast? If so, you might want to settle for a simpler toaster. 

Our Favorite Toaster Ovens

The Best Toaster Oven

Breville Smart Oven Pro

$270 at Amazon

What we liked: Comparable to a traditional oven, this toaster oven excels at baking, broiling, and toasting. In our tests, it delivered evenly toasted bread in just four minutes (pretty speedy for a toaster oven!) and heated a pot pie thoroughly with a piping hot center. We were impressed with its heat distribution and recommend it for everyday cooking.

What we didn’t like: This toaster oven takes up a lot of space, so keep that in mind if you have a small kitchen.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 18.9 x 15.9 x 10.9 inches
• Interface: Digital display
• Functions: Toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, cookies, reheat, warm, slow cook
• What’s included: One oven rack, 12 x 12-inch enamel baking pan, 12 x 12-inch enamel broiling rack, 13-inch non-stick pizza pan, removable crumb tray

The Best Small Toaster Oven

Breville the Smart Oven Compact Convection

$200 at Amazon

What we liked: This toaster oven offers all the characteristics we love about the Smart Oven Pro in a “fun-size” package. So, even if you have limited counter space, the Smart Oven Compact could still fit. Based on our tests, you can toast up to four pieces of bread at once, and the pot pies come out piping hot without burnt crusts. It’s equipped with intuitive controls and evenly heats food without the fuss.

What we didn’t like: This toaster oven has glass doors with exposed edges that can become hot to the touch.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 16.5 x 15.5 x 10.2 inches
• Interface: Digital display
• Functions: Toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, cookies, reheat
• What’s included: 10 x 10-inch enamel baking pan, 10 x 10-inch enamel broiling rack

The Criteria: What to Look for in an Air Fryer Toaster Oven

We recommend focusing on a few specific characteristics when investing in an air fry toaster oven. A roomy chamber accommodates racks, trays, and fry baskets. Doors should close smoothly to prevent steam leakage. Heating units should minimize hot spots. A user-friendly interface is, of course, preferable. Our top picks can compete with air fryers in delivering “just like fried” food.

Our Favorite Air Fryer Toaster Ovens

The Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

$400 at Amazon $400 at Williams Sonoma

What we liked: This air fryer toaster oven has a sleek design and an easy-to-use interface. It immediately begins cooking after you press the preheat button, which we appreciate because some models make you press start again. (A small quibble, but still.) It's super similar to the Breville Smart Oven Pro, save for its air-frying abilities.

What we didn’t like: It takes a bit longer to toast bread than a toaster, but that’s just the fate of all toaster ovens.

Key Specs

• Weight: 23 pounds
• Dimensions: 21.5 x 17.5 x 12.7 inches
• Type and dimensions of air fry basket: Standalone wire basket, 12 x 15 inches
• Interface type: Manual, with three dials and six push-buttons total, including super convection
• Functions: Toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, proof, air-fry, reheat, cookies, slow cook, and dehydrate
• Minimum temperature: 80°F
• Maximum temperature: 480°F
• Warranty: 2-year limited

The Best Small Air Fryer Toaster Oven

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer

$350 at Amazon $350 at Williams Sonoma

What we liked: This air fryer toaster oven is smaller than any of the models we’ve tested, but it performed exceptionally well. It has a high-contrast LCD screen with a user-friendly interface. The spacious basket helps with airflow. It’s versatile, with functions for keeping food warm, dehydrating, and slow cooking.

What we didn’t like: The cleanup is more complicated with this model since you have to hand-wash the wire fry basket. Although it’s small and speedy, its performance didn’t measure up to other models.

Key Specs

• Weight: 28 lbs, 12 ounces
• Dimensions: 18.5 x 15.75 x 11 inches
• Type and dimensions of air fry basket: Standalone wire basket; 11 x 12.75 inches
• Interface type: Manual, with 3 dials and 5 push-buttons, including turbo convection
• Functions: Air-fry, bagel, bake, broil, cookies, dehydrate, reheat, roast, slow cook, toast, and warm
• Minimum temperature: 120°F
• Maximum temperature: 450°F
• Warranty: 2-year limited

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Microwave

A good microwave is easy to use, efficient, and cooks food evenly, without hot spots. Choose a microwave with a straightforward interface and intuitive navigation, avoiding unnecessary settings. You’ll want one with a reliable heat sensor that thaws frozen foods uniformly.

Our Favorite Microwaves

The Best Microwave

Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Microwave Oven

$140 $126 at Amazon

What we liked: This microwave offered impressive performance at half the cost of other models. Thanks to its efficient heat sensors, it minimized unpopped kernels during our popcorn tests. We recommend this appliance for everyday kitchen use, such as reheating leftovers and frozen meals.

What we didn’t like: When we tested this microwave at 50% power, it had difficulty melting chocolate chips.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 19.44 x 23.88 x 14 inches
• Weight: 36.8 pounds
• Capacity: 2.2 cubic feet
• Warranty: 1 year

The Best Budget Microwave

Magic Chef 1.1 Microwave

$120 at Amazon

What we liked: This microwave had a user-friendly interface, so typical tasks were as easy as pressing one button. In our tests, it toasted marshmallows perfectly.

What we didn’t like: It was challenging to melt chocolate at the 50% power setting. It performed poorly in popping kernels, leaving many unpopped.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 12.1 x 20.x x 15.7 inches
• Weight: 30.1 pounds
• Capacity: 1.1 cubic feet
• Warranty: 1 year

FAQs

Can you bake cookies in an air fryer?

Air fryers often have a cookie setting. Use air fryer liners to prevent sticking and keep a watchful eye on the cookies, as baking times may differ from a standard oven. Toaster ovens are generally better at handling baking projects.

Do air fryer toaster ovens take up a lot of space?

Traditional toaster ovens have a compact design, but air fryer toaster ovens have larger chambers and take up more space. The larger cooking chamber is essential for airflow, so don’t skimp on size if you plan on using the air fryer function often.

Is an air fryer better than an oven?

Many people gravitate toward air fryers because of their smaller size, minimal preheating time, and easy cleanup. Their compact chambers concentrate heat, and their perforated baskets promote better air circulation: This adds up to food that tastes like it’s been deep-fried. On the other hand, traditional ovens are better suited for cooking larger portions of food and roasting dishes like a whole chicken.

Isn't an air fryer just a convection oven?

Well... you've got us there. An air fryer is indeed a smaller version of a convection oven. Both appliances use a fan to efficiently circulate heat around the cooking chamber, which results in food that cooks quicker and more evenly. The difference is in the size of the cooking chamber. (And potentially fuel source, if your home oven is fueled with gas.)

Why We’re the Experts

• Ashia Aubourg is a writer with experience researching cooking appliances and working in kitchens (and farms!).
• Her work with Serious Eats spans gift guides, educational pieces, and product reviews. She recently compared every blender we’ve ever tested to find the best ones for smoothies. 
• For this story, Ashia combed through our numerous air fryer, toaster oven, and microwave reviews, comparing winning models in every category.