Keep in mind that Costco has been known to offer sale prices on their air fryers around the holidays. In 2022, the Ninja Foodi went on sale at Costco during November and December, knocking the price down by about $40 (the sale price was $119.99). Costco has also offered sale prices on Gourmia air fryer models in the past, like when they offered a 7-qt Gourmia digital air fryer for just $39.99 last December.
These were some of the fastest toasting times of all the toaster ovens we tested. Some toaster ovens (ones with convection technology, like our larger pick) can even work with air frying recipes, though that may require some adjustments. But if you’re looking to do a lot of air frying in your toaster oven, you may want to check out our separate guide to air fryer toaster ovens. We also test the air fryer toaster ovens’ baking ability by making frozen pizza (to see how evenly the cheese melts) and boxed cake mix. The exorbitantly priced Wolf Gourmet Countertop Oven produced the most evenly browned toast of any model we tested. That said, it took about 7 minutes to get those unparalleled results.
The inexpensive Hamilton Beach 4-Slice Toaster Oven toasted bread better than any other oven under $100. This no-frills model lacks many of the features included in our other picks—such as digital controls and preset cooking features—but it heats evenly. The Hamilton Beach’s cuisinart choppers humble size makes it ideal for kitchens with limited counter space, but it’s still large enough to fit four slices of bread. This toaster oven runs cooler than other models we tested, so you’ll need to increase the temperature by about 25 degrees when baking or roasting.
An accumulation of crumbs and other food particles can burn and begin to smoke if not cleaned out regularly. The Cuisinart has a three-year limited warranty, whereas most similarly priced competitors include just one- or two-year warranties. But according to a representative we spoke with, Cuisinart won’t repair the oven if it becomes defective under warranty, and won’t ask you to mail it back. Instead, they’ll ask you to cut the cord and send them a picture of it, then send you an entirely new unit. They’ll even do this if the lightbulb burns out, which is the downside to this otherwise excellent warranty.
The KitchenAid KCO211BM Digital Countertop Toaster Oven didn’t toast as evenly as our picks, and several slices of bread were burned in patches on the bottom. Some of the Bagel Bites we baked were also undercooked and pale. Unlike our upgrade pick, the Cuisinart lacks a handy rack-position key on the oven door. However, when you open the oven door, you’ll cuisinart air fryer oven find the rack position numbers printed on the side of the oven. But you’ll still have to consult the user manual to know where the racks should be placed for each cooking function, which is a little inconvenient. Keep in mind that a large toaster oven can be pretty heavy and is more cumbersome to move; this means it’s more likely to live on your counter.