When you live in a small space like an apartment, or you’ve started accumulating new kitchen supplies after a year of quarantine, your kitchen counter is a prime space. So you’ll want to get gadgets that are compact but can do two things at once, and 2-in-1 toaster ovens are among the best countertop appliances.
So why choose a model that can do both? Toaster ovens circulate hot air and cook your favorite foods faster than a regular oven. But the best air fryers can get a better crispness on batches of fries and chicken wings without using oil. They can even have a faster cooking time than toaster ovens, because of the size of their internal fans.
The best air fryers and toasters, however, are the dream team: all-in-one kitchen appliances that can quickly prepare entire meals (for example, a whole roast chicken). As you consider your options, you’ll want a model that offers multiple cooking/frying settings, is easy to clean, and can make meals big enough to feed everyone.
Here’s everything you need to consider when buying an air fryer, including some of our top picks.
What are the best air fryer toaster ovens?
Size: When thinking strategically about counter space, you need to weigh the pros and cons of oven size. The largest air fryer toaster ovens can hold an entire chicken, and the lack of space is worth it if you are essentially using it as a second oven. But smaller models are easier to store and suffice for grilling and frying small amounts.
Controls: Some of the fryer ovens on our list have mechanical dials, like an old-school toaster oven. Most now have digital controls, including presets for specific dishes like chicken or fish, and unique settings for air frying. In short, if you want more control over temperature and cooking time, go digital.
Accessories: While additional accessories such as chicken roasting tools, tongs and small spatulas are great, you’re looking for functionality over form here. Make sure they equipped your fryer with the essentials: a griddle, a grill and a frying basket or rack.
Ease of use: For such a versatile appliance, you want to make sure you get the most out of it. All the automatic presets can be great, but you don’t want the instructions or settings to be so complicated that you won’t want to cook anything. Cleaning is also important, so the removable baskets and racks should be dishwasher safe.
1. Cuisinart TOA-65
You can use this Cuisinart appliance to prepare anything from perfectly fried chicken wings to roasted vegetables, and the results remain remarkably consistent, no matter what dish you’re making. Set the time, temperature and functions using the dials. They programmed the oven with over 10 settings, including 5 presets for air frying.
The oven is large enough to toast a whole frozen pizza, and the 1800-watt fan provides even heating. The fryer basket holds up to 3 pounds of fries, which is enough for a tailgate party. It also has a unique low temperature range, so you can turn it into a slow cooker, ideal for braising meats like brisket.
One of the best features of the TOA-65 is the basket above the broiler pan, which keeps grease from dripping and makes cleanup easy. For its multi-functionality alone, the Cuisinart TOA-65 deserves a place in your kitchen.
2. Instant Vortex Plus Deep Fryer Oven
With seven built-in smart programs, you can cook multiple meals at once with this Instant Vortex oven’s baking, broiling and roasting settings. It has a whopping 10-quart capacity, so you can cook on both trays at once, but that may not be ideal if counter space is an issue.
But that’s a small price to pay for cooking time: with little to no preheating required, the Instant Pot boasts it can cook dinner in half the time of a traditional oven. It even has a nifty rotating roasting basket you can use to sauté or roast meat at 360 degrees.
The bright touchscreen display is sleek and modern and offers 14 simple touch controls.
The Instant Vortex also includes overheat protection, which reduces the risk of burning the dinner you just worked so hard to prepare (but not that hard).
The Instant Vortex Plus proves that whatever your average air fryer can do, this oven can well.
Buy: Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer
3. COSORI Smart Air Fryer
This oven lets you choose from 11 presentations manually, or connect the oven to your smartphone to set the temperature and time, and control the convection fan. It’s also compatible with voice commands, so you can start meals or monitor the progress of those crispy wings with an Alexa or Google Assistant enabled device.
Its 32-quart size is no joke either, fitting a variety of large dishes (like pizza and roast chicken). A “Keep Warm” feature also makes it a savior for family events and holiday cooking. Not sure what to make for dinner tonight? Access 100 original chefs’ recipes in the VeSync app.
The oven itself is made of durable stainless steel, with a non-stick interior that will allow you to clean up less residue later. The accompanying accessories are all very useful, including a fryer basket and rack, as well as roasting tools. With a plethora of simple controls and smart features, the COSORI Smart Toaster Fryer Oven cannot be beat.
Buy: COSORI Smart Air Toaster Oven
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