Both toaster ovens and air fryer toaster ovens are popular kitchen appliances that can cook and heat food efficiently using less energy than a full-sized oven. However, there are some key differences between these two types of small appliances that are important to understand when deciding which is better suited for your needs.
What is a Toaster Oven?
A toaster oven is a small countertop electric oven that can be used to toast bread and bake or reheat small items. Toaster ovens have heating elements on the top and bottom to surround food with heat and cook it quickly. Most toaster ovens have settings for baking, broiling, and toasting. Higher-end models may also have settings for roasting, convection cooking, and air frying.
The main advantages of using a toaster oven include:
- More energy efficient – Uses less electricity than a full-sized oven
- Quick preheating – Typically preheats faster than a standard oven
- Compact size – Takes up less counter space
- Versatile – Can toast, bake, broil, and reheat food
- Portability – Smaller and easier to move around than an oven
- Lower cost – Less expensive alternative to a full-sized oven
Toaster ovens are ideal for cooking or reheating smaller portions of food. Common uses include:
- Toasting breads and bagels
- Baking cookies, pastries, and pizzas
- Broiling fish, chicken, and veggies
- Roasting vegetables or small cuts of meat
- Reheating leftovers
- Melting cheese on open-faced sandwiches
What is an Air Fryer Toaster Oven?
An air fryer toaster oven is a multifunction toaster oven that also includes built-in air frying technology. Air frying uses rapid air circulation and top heat to produce crispy textures on foods, similar to deep frying but without submerging the food in oil.
Air fryer toaster ovens provide the functions of a traditional toaster oven, plus the ability to air fry foods like french fries, chicken wings, and veggies with little to no oil needed. The main benefits of an air fryer toaster oven include:
- Healthier frying – Uses up to 75% less fat than deep frying
- Crispy textures – Air frying produces crispy results comparable to deep frying
- Versatility – Can toast, bake, broil, and air fry
- Faster cooking – High-speed fans cook foods quickly
- Convenient – Multiple functions in one appliance
- Compact – Takes up minimal counter space
Air fryer toaster ovens are ideal for people wanting that delicious fried taste and crunch for foods like fries, nuggets, fish sticks, and more but with significantly less oil. The combination of air frying and traditional toaster oven functions provides flexibility to prepare a wide array of everyday meals and snacks.
Major Differences
While toaster ovens and air fryer toaster ovens have some overlaps in function, there are some key differences that set them apart:
| Toaster Oven | Air Fryer Toaster Oven |
|---|---|
| Does not have built-in air frying capabilities | Features air frying technology to mimic deep frying with minimal oil |
| Relies on radiant heat from top and bottom elements | Uses superheated air circulation and top heating element for air frying |
| Fewer programmed cooking settings | Comes with presets for air frying, roasting, broiling, baking, etc. |
| Smaller footprint and more basic design | Tends to have larger capacity and more digital features |
| Typically more affordable price point | Higher price tag than basic toaster ovens |
Heating Methods
The main difference between these two appliances comes down to how they cook food. A regular toaster oven relies solely on radiant heat from the top and bottom heating elements. This surrounds food with consistent heat to cook it evenly. However, it lacks the hot air circulation of an air fryer.
An air fryer toaster oven uses a combination of radiant heat from the top heating element and powerful convection fans to circulate hot air around food at high speeds. This allows food to cook fast and develop crispy textures similar to deep frying.
Cooking Capacity
Air fryer toaster ovens generally have a larger capacity and can accommodate more food than a comparable standard toaster oven. Air fryers need extra interior headroom for the airflow to properly circulate, so they are less compact. Standard toaster ovens max out around 6 slices of bread, whereas air fryer ovens can hold up to 9 slices.
Preset Cooking Modes
Air fryer toaster ovens come with preset functions tailored to air frying as well as modes like bake, broil, toast, and convection cook. This allows you to switch seamlessly between different cooking applications. Basic toaster ovens have simpler knobs and dials for temperature and time settings rather than presets.
Price Differences
Due to the more advanced heating technology and extra features like presets, air fryer toaster ovens come with a higher price tag. You can find a decent basic toaster oven for $25 to $75, while air fryer toaster ovens start around $100 and go up to $300 for higher-end models.
Toaster Oven Pros and Cons
Here is a summary of some of the key benefits and downsides of using a toaster oven:
Pros
- Inexpensive option for small appliances
- Compact and saves counter space
- Energy efficient using less power than a full oven
- Quickly heats up and cooks food
- Easy to operate with user-friendly knobs and dials
- Can fit smaller baking pans, casserole dishes, and pots
- Good for broiling meats and fish
- Adequate for reheating leftovers
Cons
- Smaller capacity than an oven
- No built-in air frying function
- Lower maximum temperature than ovens (Around 450°F for most models)
- Less interior cooking space than an oven
- No interior light in basic models
- Hot areas directly under heating elements
- Not designed to cook large roasts or turkey
- Opening the door can drastically reduce interior temperature
Air Fryer Toaster Oven Pros and Cons
Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of using an air fryer toaster oven:
Pros
- Crisps up foods with little to no oil needed
- Allows air frying and traditional oven functions in one
- Digital controls and preset programs simplify cooking
- Cooks faster than oven using superheated airflow
- Can fit a small whole chicken or pizza
- Dishwasher safe parts on some models for easy cleaning
- Interior light lets you monitor cooking progress
- Heats evenly with good air circulation
Cons
- More expensive than basic toaster ovens
- Bulky size takes up more counter space
- Opening the door disrupts hot air circulation
- Grease from air frying can coat interior
- Fan noise when air frying
- Doesn’t have as much interior height for baking
- Lower maximum temperatures around 400°F
- Larger heating chamber loses heat faster when opened
Common Uses and Functions
Toaster ovens and air fryer toaster ovens can handle many similar cooking tasks, like heating up leftovers, baking cookies, making pizza, and roasting vegetables. However, an air fryer oven can achieve more crispy textures similar to deep frying along with the following additional functions:
Air Fryer Toaster Oven Uses
- Air frying french fries, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, etc.
- Dehydrating fruits, veggies, and meats
- Roasting small chicken or pork roast
- Broiling steaks, chops, and kebabs
- Baking 9-inch pizza, whole potatoes, or small casseroles
- Reheating pizza slices evenly with crisping
Toaster Oven Uses
- Toasting breads and bagels
- Broiling fish fillets or chicken breasts
- Baking cookies, scones, or small cakes/tarts
- Reheating pizza, leftovers, or frozen meals
- Roasting vegetables or sliced meats
- Melting cheese on open-faced sandwiches
Factors to Consider When Purchasing
Here are some key points to help you decide whether a toaster oven or air fryer toaster oven is better for your needs:
Your Main Usage
How you plan to use the appliance most often should guide your pick. If you’ll primarily be toasting bread, an economical basic toaster oven is sufficient. If you want to air fry foods like french fries with less oil, choose an air fryer toaster oven.
Available Counter Space
An air fryer toaster oven has a larger footprint, usually around 15 to 22 inches wide. Make sure you have enough countertop real estate in your kitchen before purchasing.
Number of People in Household
Consider your household size and how often you cook for groups. Air fryer toaster ovens have more capacity for handling larger portions. But a compact toaster oven could suffice for 1-2 people.
Budget
Air fryer toaster ovens cost more than basic models. Decide if the higher price is warranted by the extra features and performance you’ll get. A basic toaster oven is sufficient for more limited uses.
Frequency of Use
If you plan to use the appliance daily or almost every day, choose a higher-end model that can withstand frequent use. Pay for more durability to have it last.
Popular Brands
Some top brands for both categories include:
Toaster Ovens
- Oster
- Hamilton Beach
- Black + Decker
- Breville
- Cuisinart
Air Fryer Toaster Ovens
- Ninja Foodi
- COSORI
- Instant Brands
- Cuisinart
- Breville
- Philips
Look for models with strong owner reviews and warranties when choosing among different brands. Carefully compare the size, power, settings, ease of use, and extra features offered.
Standard vs. Convection Toaster Ovens
Many toaster ovens and all air fryer toaster ovens are convection ovens. This means they use a fan to circulate hot air around the interior to optimize heat transfer to food. Models without convection simply rely on radiating heat from the heating elements.
Some benefits of convection toaster ovens include:
- More efficient and even heating
- Faster preheating
- Shorter cooking times
- Crispier exterior textures
- Good for air frying
- Less burnt spots from uneven heating
However, convection fans can be noisy and may blow crumbs or grease around the interior. Non-convection ovens provide simpler operation and heat control.
Accessories to Consider
To enhance functionality, you may want to get some helpful accessories with your toaster oven or air fryer oven. Useful add-ons can include:
- Wire oven racks – For better airflow and preventing grease pooling when broiling or air frying
- Broil pan – Keeps meats lifted off surface when broiling
- Bake pan – For baking cakes and casseroles evenly
- Pizza stone – Crisps up pizza crusts nicely
- Silicone mats – For lining air fryer basket to reduce cleanup
- Tongs or food grabber – For safely removing hot items
Conclusion
Toaster ovens provide compact, energy-efficient cooking for small portions with basic functions like toast, bake, and broil. Air fryer toaster ovens offer extra versatility to prepare crispy fried foods with less oil while also roasting, baking, and broiling. Air fryer ovens cost more but provide additional cooking benefits.
Consider your expected usage, budget, counter space, and size needs when choosing between these appliances. Both can be handy tools for cooking and reheating an array of everyday foods. An air fryer oven makes sense for greater versatility but isn’t essential for those seeking a more affordable oven primarily for toasting or reheating.