The Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens, According to Our Tests

Our Favorite Air Fryer Toaster Oven

Our vote for the best air fryer toaster oven overall easily goes to the Instant Pot Omni Plus, which offers even cooking, plenty of power, and lots of interior space and functionality at a moderate price. It's easy to clean and use and can do everything an air fryer or toaster can and then some.

How We Tested Air Fryer Toaster Ovens

We've done multiple rounds of testing over the years — of air fryers and toaster ovens separately — and more than a dozen air fryer toaster oven models. For this latest round, we chose six top performers from past tests to put head-to-head in a series of challenges designed to assess their abilities as air fryers and toaster ovens. In addition to the tests below, we evaluated general design aspects, size, and ease of use, looking for features that made their models stand out positively or negatively.

• Toast tests: We challenged the machines' abilities to make toast in several ways. First, we toasted a single slice of bread at the medium-dark setting (or at 450°F for 5 minutes if there was no toast setting), and examined its color and evenness of cooking. Next, we melted a slice of cheese atop a slice of bread using the broil setting. We noted how long it took for the cheese to melt and brown, and whether the exposed parts of bread began to burn at the same time. Finally, we toasted six slices of bread (or as many as would fit) at once, checking to see if there were any hot or cool spots that made the toast color uneven.
• French fries test: We used the machines' air fry setting to cook 8 ounces of frozen French fries at 400°F for 12 minutes, noting how evenly they cooked and whether they wound up browned and crisp or limp and beige. If the fries were undercooked after 12 minutes, we continued cooking them in 5-minute increments until properly crisp and brown, when possible.
• Cookie test: Using the cookie setting if available (and the bake setting if not), we prepared a batch of break-and-bake cookies at 350°F. We placed the dough with the recommended 3 inches separating each piece and noted how many cookies would fit. After cooking, we looked at how evenly the cookies browned, looked for any burning on the bottoms, and noted whether they cooked fully on the inside.
  

• Chicken and pizza tests: For air fryer toaster ovens that claim to fit a whole chicken or frozen pizza, we roasted a whole chicken or baked a frozen pizza following the manufacturer's instructions. (The Instant Omni Plus is the only oven we tested with a rotisserie function, which we used for its chicken test.) We evaluated the outcomes for even cooking, proper browning, and general deliciousness.
  
• Cleaning: Between tests, we cleaned out each machine following the user manual. We rated the ease of use of pull-out crumb trays and other removable parts, and washed everything by hand or in the dishwasher as applicable. We noted any special difficulties we encountered, as well as design aspects that made things especially simple.

What We Learned While Testing Air Fryer Toaster Ovens

• Consider your kitchen and crowd when choosing a size. Size is an essential factor to consider — both in capacity and footprint. A model with a smaller footprint is ideal for kitchens with minimal counter or cabinet space. If space is not an issue, any size will do, but if you mostly cook for one or two, a large toaster oven will be unnecessary. A larger oven is a better investment if you have a large family or anticipate cooking for a crowd often. 
• We prefer digital controls. Some models have a knob-style dial to dictate time or temperature, which lets you set only an imprecise range. A digital display that shows you the exact numbers and settings you're choosing is almost always better. Of course, digital machines are generally more expensive, and some have small screens and buttons that can be tough to use. If you have visual or motor issues, you should pay closer attention to this.

• We like the extra functions, but consider which ones you will actually use. 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, they're not worth paying for. Consider a simpler model like our value pick, the Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp Air Fry Toaster Oven.
• The same goes for racks and accessories. Some ovens are pretty straightforward, others come with extensive accessories for things like dehydrating or even rotisserie roasting. Whether or not these accessories will be worth it for you depends on whether you'll actually use them. If you know you’ll likely be a casual user, like mainly reheating leftovers or toasting toast, 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.
  

Other Air Fryer Toaster Ovens We Tested

Strong Contenders 

Cuisinart Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven TOA-65 ($300 at Amazon)

While we 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. For an above-average price, this Cuisinart delivered pretty good results.

GE Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven ($219 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, fluctuating quite a bit at high heat. If you're going to go with a GE, we say to trade up and splurge on the Profile instead.

Ninja Digital Air Fry Toaster Oven ($220 at Amazon)

This air fryer toaster oven is already compact, and it has the additional ability to flip up on its side to tuck into a corner or cabinet. It's a clever space-saving feature, but it doesn't take away from this Ninja's power. The machine heated fast and did especially well with broiling, but we didn't like that the exterior got quite hot, and we don't love this price for a fairly small capacity.

What Didn't Make the List

The air fryer toaster ovens that wound up at the bottom of the rankings all had trouble with heat control. One toasted bread only on one side while leaving the other merely warmed. Another ran far too hot, overcooking bread and cookies while there was still ample time on the timer. We found the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Digital Air Fry Toaster Oven model did well as a toaster but not so much as an air fryer, leaving both burnt and soggy fries in the same basket.

Our Expertise

• Nick DeSimone wrote and compiled this list. A Food & Wine staff writer, Nick has nearly a decade of professional cooking experience and has spent many years of hands-on experience with nearly every appliance imaginable. For this piece, they used insights from our internal product testing. We prioritize unbiased and rigorous testing to give the most precise and thorough results.
• Dana Fouchia updated this piece with new testing insights. She is Food & Wine's senior commerce editor and has over 8 years of experience writing for publications like the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Allrecipes, and more.