Air Fryer vs. Convection Toaster Oven: Which Should You Buy?
By Wirecutter Staff
By now, most people are probably familiar with pod-shaped air fryers or larger convection-style toaster ovens, whether they’ve seen them piled high at big box stores or on TikTok. But with so many appliances labeled as air fryers, it can be confusing to decide which to buy. After years of testing, we have strong opinions on the pros and cons of each style.
For those not familiar, air frying is just convection baking, smartly rebranded (and with the power amped up a bit). So any oven with convection works the same way as an air fryer: A fan circulates hot air around the food, crisping the outside in a way that mimics deep-frying (though the results tend to be drier and less flavorful than deep-frying with oil).
Compared with pod-shaped air fryers, air fryer toaster ovens and convection toaster ovens are far more versatile—they can tackle everything from toast to cakes (both of which the pods tend to dry out), and make larger batches of things like crispy air-fried wings. But depending on your lifestyle and needs, you may prefer a pod-shaped air fryer or even a regular old-school toaster oven without convection. Here’s what these machines can do, at a glance:
If you’re still not sure which appliance is right for you, read our more detailed breakdown below.
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SKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe research
Pod-shaped air fryer: Compact, speedy, and inexpensive
Our pick
This no frills air fryer heats fast and crisps quickly and evenly, with a simple interface and a great sub-$150 price.
Buying Options
Get this if:
- You’re low on counter space or storage space.
- You’re okay with cooking in smaller batches, and you don’t need this appliance to prepare large portions of food, like a 12- or 13-inch pizza or roast chicken.
- You don’t plan to bake a lot in the appliance. (Its powerful fan can’t be adjusted or turned off, which can dry out or warp tender baked goods like cake layers—and you usually have to purchase smaller baking pans to fit inside its tiny oven cavity.)
- You don’t plan to make toast in it. (It can only toast one piece of bread at a time, and its powerful fan gives the toast a wonky shape and dries it out.)
- You have issues with hand strength or motor control and want something you can safely operate one-handed (video).
- You want an appliance that stays cooler on the outside, either to prevent burns if young kids are around or simply to keep your kitchen cool.
- You want something that cooks and preheats a bit faster than a toaster oven or air fryer toaster oven.
Air fryer toaster oven: Roomier and more versatile, but pricier
Upgrade pick
This convection toaster oven has a slightly more powerful fan for air frying than the Cuisinart, plus convenient markings on the door and the easiest-to-clean interior. It also has additional settings for proofing bread, slow cooking, and dehydrating.
Get this if:
- You have ample space in your kitchen and want to prepare things like 12- or 13-inch pizzas, a 5- to 6-pound chicken, 9-inch cakes or pies, and more.
- You plan to bake a lot, so you want control over the fan (including turning it off) for a gentler bake.
- You want to use the bakeware you already own, such as pie plates and cake and loaf pans. Some models can even fit a 5.5- or 6-quart Dutch oven (though some can’t fit the lid on top).
- You want an alternative to using your full-size oven for cooking in warmer months, or you want to use less energy.
- You don’t mind waiting a few minutes more than with a pod-shaped air fryer for the air fryer toaster oven to preheat and cook your food.
- You’re willing to spend more money.
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SKIP ADVERTISEMENTConvection toaster oven: A cheaper air fryer toaster oven
Our pick
This Cuisinart model provides impressively even cooking, a whopping nine-slice toast capacity, a three-year warranty, and some useful accessories.
Get this if:
- You want to do everything you can do with an air fryer toaster oven, but:
- You don’t mind waiting a little longer for your food to get crispy.
- You want to spend a little less.
- You don’t mind adjusting some recipes due to the lack of an air fryer setting on your machine.
Regular toaster oven (without convection): For toast and snacks
Our pick
This compact toaster oven was among the best at evenly toasting bread, baking cookies, and bringing frozen foods to life. It performed as well as or better than competitors that cost significantly more.
Get this if:
- You mostly want to make toast (or other carbs like bagels or frozen waffles), but you also want the option to make small portions of frozen snacks or to reheat leftovers.
- You’re not interested in air frying or baking with convection.
- You want a smaller appliance, at a lower price than most convection toaster ovens.
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SKIP ADVERTISEMENTWhat if my main oven has a convection setting?
Many home ovens now have convection technology or air fry settings. We’ve tested a full-size convection oven against a pod-shaped air fryer and a convection toaster oven, and we found you can get similar “air fried” results. But because a full-size oven is so much larger than a toaster oven or a pod-shaped air fryer, it can take much longer to preheat and to cook food. (Some manufacturers have even started offering no-preheat air fry settings, though we have yet to test those against our air fryer or air fryer toaster oven picks.)
If you’re considering getting a separate appliance specifically because you want to air fry food, we’d recommend testing out the convection setting on your full-size oven first to see if you’re happy with the results. You may find you don’t need another appliance.
However, you may still want a pod-shaped air fryer or a toaster oven for smaller cooking tasks. Both use less energy and don’t heat up your kitchen as much.
This article was edited by Marilyn Ong and Christine Cyr Clisset.
Sources
Chichi Uguru, creator of Air Fryer Yum, phone interview, September 26, 2022
Cathy Yoder, author of 150+ Yummy Air Fryer Recipes, phone interview, September 27, 2022
Further reading
The Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven
by Michael Sullivan
If you want an appliance that’s more versatile than a pod-shaped air fryer, we recommend the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro.
The Best Toaster Oven
by Michael Sullivan
We’ve been testing toaster ovens since 2013 and have two favorites: the compact Panasonic FlashXpress Toaster Oven and the large Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven.
The Best Air Fryer
by Mace Dent Johnson, Caira Blackwell, and Michael Sullivan
After testing dozens of air fryers over the years, we like the Philips 3000 Series Airfryer L HD9200/91, which crisps food quickly and costs less than $150.
Don’t Let the Super-Cute Wonder Oven Fool You (It’s Not Worth It)
by Michael Sullivan
We tested the Our Place Wonder Oven, but we weren’t wowed by its performance.
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