We toasted just one slice of large white bread in each model, aiming for medium brown toast. The cookie race was a photo finish between Ninja and Breville, both of which delivered cuisinart toaster costco near-perfect results. The Cuisinart cookie was overbaked (of course), as was the Crux, although just slightly, while the KitchenAid cookie was a tad underbaked.
Josephine has previously written on a variety of topics, from pop culture to gaming and even the energy industry, joining TechRadar to support general site management. Generally, you’ll find her watching Disney movies, playing on her Switch, or showing people pictures of her cats, Mr. Smith and Heady. Unlike other sites, we test every boiling tap we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. With an old-school industrial vibe, its metal body has a grey powdered-paint finish that’s impervious to fingerprints.
This second air fryer test was designed to illuminate the pure power and speed of an individual oven’s air fry function, but also its ability to cook evenly. I placed a handful of frozen french fries (McDonald’s style) on air fry at 450 F and timed how quickly each one got to that golden brown color that we all covet. Because speedy cooking and convenience is a key feature of the countertop air fryer oven, the faster the better. All of the oven subjects (with the exception of the Cuisinart) got to the desired doneness eventually but some performed the task much more quickly and consistently than others. The small yet mighty Ninja Foodi bested all others in my final assessment and placed either first or second in nearly every single test I ran, blending fierce power, consistency and control.
There was almost no crispness to the food that came out of it, and the french fries it cooked in the first round of testing were noticeably inconsistent. The touch sensor LED display shows all of the functions in clear, easy-to-read text. It even has a “shake” button that makes the machine remind you halfway through the cook time to toss the food—a nice feature for the fiercely forgetful (guilty).
We used to recommend an identical version that didn’t come with the splatter-proof lid and was more widely available, but that’s been discontinued. The TOA-65 made some of the most beautiful toast I have ever seen — evenly golden on the top and bottom. We tested multiple Cuisinart TOA models and found the TOA-65 to be a true kitchen workhouse.
I’ve used one of these air fryer toaster ovens myself for years and found it versatile with consistently delicious results. That’s right—this is our favorite model that landed itself the best overall spot our air fryer toaster oven buying guide, and it even has an added accessory perk. Since it has a hybrid design, it can tackle eight different cooking functions with ease. It can air fry, convection bake, convection broil, toast, bake, broil, and grill.
This Cuisinart doesn’t have digital controls like most of its competitors do, but the rotary dials are a no-brainer to operate. It’s narrower and taller than a standard toaster oven, but still fits under a standard cabinet. It’s also big enough to accommodate two pounds of fries, six slices of bread, and a four-pound whole roast chicken. Be aware that all the parts need to be hand-washed instead of going into the dishwasher. The interior has a nonstick coating, and the air fryer basket and baking pan can be tossed in the dishwasher. Cuisinart provides a helpful manual complete with cooking charts and appealing recipes, as well as a quick reference guide that conveniently stores in a slot in the bottom of the oven.
It has a 3-pound air fryer capacity, and according to the brand, it can fit up to six slices of bread, a 12-inch pizza, and 3 pounds of wings. Air fryer toaster ovens offer all the versatility of a toaster oven or countertop oven with the additional benefit of air frying. Some may argue that air frying is just like cooking with convection, but its technology typically allows food to cook quicker and get crispier thanks to a powerful heating element and a large, quick-moving fan. Compared to stand-alone air fryers, air fryer toaster ovens can be used for more cooking tasks and differ in design, making them more versatile. It has eight cooking functions, including baking, broiling, warming, toasting, air frying, and grilling.
Some smart models, like the Cosori Pro Smart Air Fryer, even come with apps that pair with your phone to make the appliance accessible via voice controls (video), though we haven’t tested those features yet. In our air fryer toaster oven test, the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro made mostly even toast and a gorgeous, golden cake. The air fryer setting took longer to crisp wings than other air fryer toaster ovens we tested, but the results were similar to the results we saw in the Smart Oven Air that consumers love. It was amongst the easiest to use with an intuitive control panel; plus, the ability to follow along on the app.