Air frying has become an extremely popular cooking method in recent years. Air fryers use rapid air circulation technology to cook food with little to no oil, resulting in meals that are crispy and delicious while being healthier than deep frying. Many oven manufacturers have started integrating air fry technology into their models to capitalize on this trend. One such manufacturer is Breville with their line of smart ovens that have a built-in air fry setting.
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Overview
Breville currently offers three smart oven models with air fry capabilities: the Smart Oven Air, the Smart Oven Air Fryer, and the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. All three models have a sleek, modern design with an easy-to-use LCD display and come in a few different colors. They range in price from $250-$400. Here is a quick overview of each model:
- Smart Oven Air – The base model in Breville’s air fry smart oven line. It has 10 cooking functions including air fry, toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, reheat, warm, and slow cook. Comes with a non-stick pizza pan, broil rack, and baking pan. Available in brushed stainless steel or black sesame colorways. MSRP $249.95.
- Smart Oven Air Fryer – Very similar to the Smart Oven Air but with a few added features. Comes with an air fry basket and has an “A Bit More” button to add additional time when air frying. Available in brushed stainless steel, black stainless steel or black sesame. MSRP $399.95.
- Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro – The largest capacity model. Features an extra-large 1 cubic foot interior and has convection baking and roasting functions. Comes with a pizza pan, two cooking racks, an enameled baking pan, air fry mesh basket, and broil rack. Available in brushed stainless steel only. MSRP $399.95.
All three ovens can air fry up to 2.5 pounds of food at a time. They have adjustable temperature settings from 120°F to 450°F along with smart algorithms to determine optimal cooking times and temperatures. The models vary slightly in their exact dimensions but are all countertop sized.
How Well Does The Breville Smart Oven Air Fry?
Based on professional appliance tests and hundreds of customer reviews, the overall consensus is that the Breville smart ovens do in fact air fry quite well. Here are some of the pros and cons of using a Breville smart oven for air frying:
Pros
- Produces crispy, crunchy “fried” texture – Breville’s Element iQ system and smart algorithms are excellent for air frying. The food comes out with a satisfying crispness on the outside very similar to deep frying.
- Large capacity – With up to 2.5 lbs of food capacity, Breville’s smart ovens can handle family-sized portions.
- Versatility – Having up to 10 or 11 cooking functions means you can use the smart oven for way more than just air frying. From dehydrating jerky to roasting vegetables, the ovens are versatile kitchen tools.
- Faster than separate air fryer – The Breville ovens pre-heat faster than standalone air fryers so you can start cooking quicker.
- Even cooking – The internal fans circulate hot air evenly throughout the oven cavity for crispy, delicious results every time.
Cons
- Messier than basket air fryers – Without an exterior oil catch like basket air fryers have, food drippings can get messier in the Breville oven cavity.
- Potential plastic smell at first – Some users note an initial plastic-like smell from the interior during first few uses. This goes away after a burn-in period.
- Recipe adjustments needed – You may need to adjust traditional air fryer recipes slightly for the Breville oven.
- No shaking or tossing food mid-cook – Since food cooks in the cavity, you can’t shake or toss like you can with basket air fryers.
How It Compares To Other Air Fryers
Compared to standalone basket style air fryers, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer performs very similarly in terms of achieving crispy “fried” results with little to no oil. Many tests and customer reviews even preferred the taste and texture of food from the Breville over leading basket air fry brands like Phillips, Ninja and Cosori.
The biggest differences are that you don’t get the ability to shake or toss food during cooking like you can with basket air fryers. Breville’s ovens also take up more counter space than the compact basket models. However, their larger capacity enables you to cook bigger portions. The table below compares some key specs:
| Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer | Phillips Airfryer XXL | Ninja Foodi | Cosori Air Fryer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 lbs food capacity | 3.5 lbs food capacity | 3 lbs food capacity | 5 qt / 5.8 lbs food capacity |
| 10-11 functions | Air Fry only | 10+ functions | Air Fry only |
| 1800 watts | 1700 watts | 1750 watts | 1700 watts |
| Countertop oven size | Bulky, but counter space friendly | Takes up counter space | Compact size |
When comparing to other countertop convection ovens and toaster ovens with air fry settings, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer comes out ahead for its combination of air frying performance, capacity, and versatility. Brands like Cuisinart, Black + Decker, and Oster lag behind in terms of features and heating technology.
Temperature And Time Selection
Breville’s smart ovens make air frying pretty simple and user friendly, especially compared to most other ovens. Here are some tips on selecting temperatures and cook times:
- Default air fry setting is 390°F, which works great for fries, chicken wings, nuggets etc. Adjust between 350°-400°F as needed.
- Breville includes preset timings for common air fried foods like fries and fish which you can select via the LCD menu.
- For fish, nuggets, and other more delicate items, use lower temps between 300-350°F.
- For frozen foods like fries and nuggets, add 3-5 minutes to stated cook time.
- Be prepared to experiment and adjust times up or down depending on your specific model and quantity of food.
- Use the oven light and clear window to periodically check food doneness.
Breville includes a handy reference chart in their instruction manuals with recommended temperatures and times for air frying various foods. After getting familiar with your particular oven, you will get a feel for any necessary adjustments.
Tips For Best Results
Through extensive testing and customer reviews, people have unlocked some top tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Breville smart oven air fryer:
Preheat Properly
Always preheat your model for a minimum 5-10 minutes before air frying. This allows the oven to properly come up to temperature for best results.
Give It Some Space
Don’t overcrowd the cooking cavity. Leave at least 1-2 inches space between items for air flow.
Toss/Rotate For Even Cooking
Since you can’t toss food mid-cooking, rotate baking pans and racks halfway through cooking to ensure even crisping.
Brush Or Spray With Oil
Lightly coating food with vegetable oil, olive oil or non-stick spray before air frying helps achieve crispy texture.
Pat Foods Dry
Pat moist foods dry before cooking to get them extra crispy.
Elevate On A Rack
For items like bacon, fish, and burgers, use a rack in the pan to elevate and promote air flow all around.
Cook In Batches
For larger quantities, cook food in smaller batches for ideal crispiness.
Use Lower Temp For Frozen
Cook frozen foods at slightly lower temps, like 350°F vs. 390°F, to prevent burning before they fully defrost.
Compare Multiple Sizes
If deciding between Breville models, compare interior cavity dimensions to pick the right size for your needs.
Cleaning And Maintenance
Cleaning and caring for your Breville smart oven is pretty straightforward. Here are some tips:
- Remove racks and accessories and clean with soap and water after each use.
- Wipe down interior walls and door with non-abrasive sponge or damp cloth after each use.
- Use degreaser or oven cleaner for stubborn grease stains on interior.
- Remove stubborn burnt food debris with non-scratch plastic scraper.
- Buff out minor scratches on stainless steel surfaces with stainless steel cleaner and microfiber cloth.
- Check that exterior vents are not blocked to prevent overheating issues.
- Replace default oven light bulb with 40W appliance bulb as needed.
- Always check user manual for additional cleaning guidance specific to your model.
Breville also recommends doing a burn-in cycle when you first get your oven to clean it and minimize initial plastic odors from the manufacturing process. Overall the smart ovens are simple to maintain with regular cleaning.
Ideal Foods To Air Fry
The Breville smart oven air fryer is great for cooking a wide variety of foods with a crispy fried texture and little to no oil. Here are some of the most popular foods people love to air fry with their Breville oven:
- French fries – Crispy, crunchy fries are probably the #1 most popular air fried food. Mist fries with oil before cooking.
- Chicken wings / drumsticks – Air frying makes wings and drumsticks crispy and juicy. Toss in oil and seasoning.
- Chicken nuggets – Homemade or frozen nuggets get crispy in the hot air. Mist with oil first.
- Fish fillets – Air frying keeps fish deliciously moist inside with a light crispy coating.
- Shrimp – Butterfly shrimp open and air fry with a light breading for extra crunch.
- Vegetables – Potatoes, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc are delicious air fried.
- Egg rolls / spring rolls – Air frying gives egg/spring rolls a crispy wrapper.
- Pizza / flatbreads – The convection bake setting makes homemade pizza a breeze.
- Bacon – Crisp up bacon easily with even air circulation.
For best results with any food, adjust cooking temperature and times as needed based on quantity. But the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer can handle just about anything you’d typically deep fry or oven bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Breville oven replace a deep fryer and give the same taste?
Yes, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer mimics deep fried taste very closely. The rapid air circulation technology crisps up the outside of foods nearly as well as deep frying. Taste testers often can’t discern much of a difference.
What oil do you recommend for air frying in the Breville oven?
Most any cooking oil will work, but refined avocado oil and ghee have particularly high smoke points that make them ideal for air frying. Light olive oil also works well. Mist or brush food lightly with oil before cooking.
Can you bake in the Smart Oven Air Fryer?
Yes, the Smart Oven Air Fryer has convection bake, broil, and roast modes that work great for all kinds of baking from cakes to casseroles to cookies and more.
Is the Breville oven good for cooking veggies?
Absolutely! The fast hot air circulation makes it easy to cook vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, potatoes etc. to tender yet crispy perfection.
Are Breville Smart Ovens worth the price?
Given their stellar air frying and overall cooking performance plus durability, most reviewers find Breville smart ovens well worth their higher price point over competitors.
Conclusion
Based on its features, performance, and versatility, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer line is one of the best on the market. While more expensive than many toaster ovens and some standalone air fryers, they cook foods remarkably close to deep fried quality with little to no oil. Their larger capacity, faster preheat, and array of functions also make them more capable all-around than most appliances.
If you have the counter space and want a multipurpose appliance that crisps up wings, fries, nuggets and more with delicious air fried results, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is an excellent choice.