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. The Ninja preheated the fastest and kept its heat consistent cuisinart air fryer oven throughout. The air fryer function was also best in show and it broiled a salmon filet nicely. It’s also the most compact of these countertop ovens and the only model that flips up via a hinge in the back to rest no more than 7 inches from the wall.
You can also toast up to 9 slices of bread, slow cook an entire meal in a 5qt dutch oven, and even bake pizzas. While the KitchenAid didn’t run away with many of the test categories, it didn’t struggle mightily in any of them either. It sports a serviceable air fry function — though certainly not the best — excellent temperature consistency and a very sleek and intuitive control panel . It makes the list because I found it to be a reliable oven that’s also an ideal size formostkitchens.
Taking out the tray from the bottom rack position after cooking is tricky. I found pinch mittens worked better, but I had to pay complete attention to not scrape my hand against the hot door. The construction is lightweight and is easy to move around for cleaning inside and around the oven. They often double as the second oven, toaster, dehydrator, and even a dough proofing device. I couldn’t be more pleased with the addition of all these extra features because they reduce the total number of single-function appliances. But I am also wary, as sometimes the appliances do not deliver on the promise of crisp chicken wings or the best air-fried French fries.
On test, the Cuisinart scored relatively well across the board, with the exception of frozen French fries. It stood out for its performance on breaded chicken, for which it scored full marks. However, when it came to baking, the Cuisinart performed poorly, overcooking in all our tests. In fact, our initial results were so bad that we tried a second sample to be sure. However, we got only marginally better results in the second oven. The baking pan and the frying basket are dishwasher safe, and I preferred to wash these in the dishwasher.
Try your hand at homemade cupcakes, bundt cakes, mini pies, or mini loafs. Our bakeware is perfect for pleasing a crowd or spending quality time with your own little sous chef. The key thing I looked for here was how well each broiler imported a caramelized crust on the top of the fish.