Best Toaster Ovens and Air Fryers for 2025: Your Comprehensive Guide to Modern, Space-Saving Cooking

To make the most of your kitchen space, transitioning to multi-functional appliances is a smart and highly effective solution. Toaster ovens integrated with air fryers are a prime example, as they not only save space but also offer versatile cooking capabilities on your countertop, capable of preparing delicious meals and even baking delightful desserts. To ensure you make the best choice, culinary experts have conducted extensive tests on toaster oven and air fryer models from leading brands such as Breville, Ninja, and Cuisinart. These results have helped us identify the best air fryers available, guaranteeing you perfectly crispy chicken wings and ideal golden-brown toast.

Best Options Available in the Market:

• Ninja Foodi: Best overall countertop oven and air fryer.
  Pros: Powerful air fryer function, precise and even cooking, and foldable for space-saving on the countertop.
  Cons: Short interior, which might make cooking large foods difficult, and oven sides get dirtier faster than larger models.
  The Ninja Foodi is the preferred model due to its superior performance in final ratings, securing first or second place in almost all tests, combining immense power, consistency, and control. It also heats up the fastest (by a significant margin) and maintains consistent temperature throughout.
• KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven: Best for elegant design and stable performance.
  Pros: Excellent temperature stability, compact size, and sleek, attractive design.
  Cons: Air fryer function is less powerful compared to some other models, and relatively expensive for its size.
  It offers a good air fryer function (though not the most powerful), exceptional temperature stability, and a stylish, intuitive control panel. Its size is ideal for most modern kitchens, and its contemporary design was a favorite among many.
• Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro: The ideal choice as a replacement for your large traditional oven.
  Pros: Spacious interior allows cooking almost anything, many special features and diverse cooking settings, and a luxurious appearance.
  Cons: Expensive, and takes up a lot of counter space.
  This is the only model on this list that can almost entirely replace your full-sized oven, thanks to its consistent and precise heat and impressive air fryer function. It comes with many preset features such as proofing dough, dehydrating, and pizza making.
• Cuisinart Compact Airfryer Toaster: Best economical air fryer and toaster.
  Pros: Powerful air fryer function, budget-friendly, and offers excellent value.
  Cons: Relatively bulky design, and may not always cook perfectly evenly.
  This powerful air fryer oven is often available for about $100, making it the best choice in terms of economic value and good performance.
• Calphalon: Multi-functional oven with Quartz Heat Technology.
  Pros: Offers 11 or 12 cooking functions in one appliance, features Quartz Heat Technology for fast and even heating, and a Super Convection setting for crispy results.
  Cons: Some models may experience issues with the digital dial (according to user reviews).
  Calphalon ovens are known for their ability to deliver even cooking and good toasting performance, with reviews praising the inclusion of a dedicated air frying basket that allows for optimal airflow. Source: Serious Eats, Source: TechGearLab

What to Consider When Choosing a Toaster Oven with Air Fryer?

When investing in a single multi-functional appliance, it's crucial to ensure that it performs all its functions efficiently. Key functions to pay attention to are: air frying, broiling, baking, and toasting. Some appliances also offer additional functions such as dehydrating, proofing dough, and pizza making.

• Air Frying: Mimics deep-frying results using super-heated, rapidly circulating air, for food that is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.
• Broiling: Important for achieving a golden, crispy crust on dishes like fish or macaroni and cheese.
• Baking: Consistency in reaching and maintaining the set temperature steadily is essential for perfect baking results.
• Toasting: The oven's efficiency is measured by the accuracy of its preset settings and the speed at which it toasts bread or bagels evenly.
• Size and Capacity: Imagine the type and quantity of food you'll be cooking in your air fryer oven to help you determine the appropriate size. Larger models like Breville can accommodate a whole chicken, while smaller ones like KitchenAid are perfectly suited for cooking meals for two or three people. Also, consider the counter space the appliance will occupy, as the Ninja Foodi model is the most efficient in this regard, folding flat against the wall when not in use, saving valuable space.
• Cost and Value: More expensive models may offer special features and a sleek interface, but this doesn't necessarily mean they provide better cooking results. Luxury models like the Breville Smart Oven Air at $380 are enjoyable to use, but Ninja and Cuisinart delivered equally delicious chicken wings, fries, and toast for roughly half the price, highlighting the importance of value for money.

How Were Toaster Ovens and Air Fryers Tested?

To ensure a comprehensive and fair evaluation, a series of standardized tests were conducted on the appliances:

• Air-Fried Chicken Wings: Three frozen chicken wings were cooked in air fry mode at 450°F for 30 minutes, flipping them every 10 minutes. The goal was to achieve a crispy exterior and tender interior. The Ninja Foodi oven won for delivering the crispiest and juiciest wings.
• Air-Fried French Fries: A batch of frozen French fries (McDonald's style) was placed in air fry mode at 450°F to measure speed and even cooking. Breville won this test, delivering perfectly golden fries in six minutes.
• Broiled Salmon: A seasoned salmon fillet was broiled for four minutes to test each oven's ability to create a caramelized crust. Ninja and Breville showed the best results in this test.
• Regular Toast: A single slice of bread was placed in each toaster on a "medium" setting to test the accuracy of preset settings and toasting speed. Ninja and Calphalon produced the best and most appealing toast.
• Baked Biscuits: Biscuits were baked to test the accuracy and consistency of each oven's temperature. Ninja and Breville tied in this test, delivering nearly perfect results.
• Preheating Test: Each oven was timed to see how quickly it reached 350°F. The Ninja Foodi significantly outperformed others, reaching 350°F in just 50 seconds.
• Temperature Accuracy and Consistency: Thermocouples were used to read the oven's internal temperature while baking for 10 minutes at 350°F. KitchenAid won this test with an average reading of exactly 350°F and very minimal fluctuations.
• Cleaning and Care: All ovens come with removable, dishwasher-safe crumb trays. The Ninja oven features a clever design allowing the bottom to fold up for easier cleaning, although its compact size makes it more prone to stains.

Frequently Asked Questions About Toaster Ovens and Air Fryers:

• Should you get a toaster with an air fryer function? If you already own a toaster you prefer, there's no need to replace it. Instead, you can purchase a separate air fryer starting from $50. However, if you need a new toaster or are replacing your current appliance, look for one with an air fryer function to maximize space and multi-functional benefits.
• Do you need an air fryer basket? Most of these ovens come standard with a baking pan, wire racks, and a mesh basket specifically designed for air frying. An air frying basket is essential because it allows hot air to circulate around the food from all angles, ensuring even cooking and saving you the hassle of constant flipping for the best crispy results.