Did you know that the average American home has three or four kitchen appliances that are rarely used? I was guilty too. Everyone is playing appliance Tetris in their kitchens. However, you presumably use air fryers and toaster ovens often. Trust me, I’ve stared at my packed countertop, unsure which to keep. So I’m with you in the air fryer vs toaster oven discussion. These tiny powerhouses may improve your cuisine, but which one should take up kitchen space? Grab a snack (air-fried or toaster-oven-baked) and let’s cook!
Key Takeaways
Air Fryer
- Cooking Method: Uses convection to circulate hot air around food, creating a crispy texture.
- Ideal for: Cooking items that benefit from a fried texture like fries, chicken wings, and vegetables.
- Speed: Generally cooks food faster than a toaster oven due to rapid air circulatio.
- Design: Typically has a basket or drawer design for shaking and stirring food.
- Health Benefits: Requires little to no oil, making it a healthier option for frying foods.
Toaster Oven
- Cooking Method: Uses radiant heat from top and bottom elements, with some models featuring convection.
- Ideal for: Baking, toasting, broiling, and cooking larger, flat items like pizzas and casseroles.
- Versatility: Often includes multiple cooking functions such as baking, broiling, and reheating.
- Design: Has a horizontal layout with a door, allowing for easier access and larger cooking capacity.
- Energy Efficiency: More energy-efficient for tasks like toasting and baking compared to a traditional oven.
What are the Differences Between Air Fryer and Toaster Oven?
Air fryers use convection to circulate hot air around food, producing crispy quality without using much oil. They fry fries, chicken wings, and veggies quickly and evenly. A basket or drawer allows food to be shaken and stirred during cooking. Air fryers offer the taste and texture of fried foods while reducing calories and fats.
Like typical ovens, toaster ovens use radiant heat from top and bottom parts. Some models have convection, increasing their versatility. Toaster ovens are great for baking, toasting, broiling, and flat things like pizzas and casseroles. Their culinary skills make them versatile. Compared to most air fryers, the horizontal layout and door design provide easier access and larger portions. Your kitchen will benefit from energy-efficient toaster ovens for toasting and baking.
Best Air Fryer: Ninja AF101
- LESS FAT: Now enjoy guilt-free food. Air fry with up to 75% less fat than traditional frying methods. Tested against hand-cut, deep-fried French fries.
- WIDE TEMPERATURE RANGE: 105°F-400°F allows you to gently remove moisture from foods or quickly cook and crisp foods with convection heat.
.The Ninja AF101 Air Fryer tops them all in its versatile functions. It sits on top of the list when it comes to fast meals. It features a 4-quart ceramic-coated non-stick basket and crisper plate that fit up to 2 pounds of French fries. This air fryer is ideal for air frying, roasting, reheating, and dehydrating at temperatures from 105°F to 400°F. The high gloss finish in grey enhances this sleek addition to any kitchen.
One of the major advantages associated with the Ninja AF101 is the ability to cook with up to 75% less fat than traditional methods of frying. This model adds the programmable feature and auto-adjust fan for hot air circulation to ensure crispy, uniform cooking. This one also features dishwasher-safe parts that make cleaning easy. There’s also an included 20-recipe booklet to provide all the inspiration necessary to produce main course meals through to snacks.
With an average customer review of 4.7 out of 5 stars and with over 80,000 reviews, this Ninja AF101 becomes an air fryer bestseller—it is a great appliance to have for everyone out there looking for a way to have healthier fried foods without sacrificing taste and comfort.
Best Toaster Oven: Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice Countertop Toaster Oven
- EASY ACCESS TO FOOD AND COUNTERTOP: Easily access food in the toaster oven broiler and on your countertop with the Easy Reach roll-top door.
- FITS 4 SLICES OF TOAST OR A 9″ PIZZA: This Hamilton Beach toaster oven has room for cooking everything from snacks to side dishes.
If you are looking for an all-in-one device, then you need the Hamilton Beach countertop oven toaster. It measures 16.12″W x 8.97″D x 11.93″H, so most tables won’t mind housing it.
Easy Reach roll-top door, the best part. The food is easily accessible as a result of the out-of-the-way door in case something spills. Cleaning up the door is easy due to the way it’s made. You can take each part off and wash on its own. This toaster oven makes quick meals and snacks great because it can accommodate up to four slices of toast or a 9-inch pizza.
This toaster oven will bake, cook, or toast from 200°F to 450°F. It can also be used for daily tasks like toasting the bread, grilling chicken, and heating leftovers. Ovens automatically shut off for safety and have a 30-minute timer with a “Stay On” setting.
This high-wattage 1200-watt toaster oven provides more efficient and even cooking. Perfect in any kitchen, it cleans easily, is easy to use, and maintain.
Air Fryer vs Toaster Oven: Frequently Asked Questions
Which appliance is more energy-efficient, air fryer or toaster oven?
An air fryer consumes less energy than a toaster oven because an air fryer cooks fast. Since they are of small size and the time it takes to cook food is very short as compared to conventional oven operations, they are relatively energy-efficient. Air fryers utilize convection technology that circulates hot air at rapid speed, hence fastening the process of cooking food and reducing the overall energy consumed.
While the toaster oven may use a little more energy than an air fryer when it comes to tasks like toasting and baking, especially when cooking food takes a while, it is not best in all cases. There will be times when this appliance really can’t perform tasks better than a toaster oven regarding tasks that don’t require blowing air through the food being prepared; this basically means when baking and broiling.
In other words, while both are very energy-efficient, the slight edge would always go to an air fryer due to its faster cooking time and hence less overall usage of energy.
Can an air fryer replace a toaster oven?
An air fryer can not fully replace a toaster oven because they are crafted and work in very different ways. Since they move air quickly, air fryers are great for making foods that need to be crispy, like fries and wings. They cook faster and use less oil, so they are a good option for healthier frying.
Toaster ovens can, however, provide better versatility for tasks such as baking, toasting, and broiling of larger and flatter items like pizzas and casseroles. They cook better for tasks like making toast and baking cookies.
Though many air fryer models have baking and toasting functions, those units normally lack the capacity and flexibility provided by a toaster oven. For comprehensive kitchen needs, both appliances will fulfill distinct purposes and complement each other.
What are the best uses for each appliance?
Air Fryer:
- Crisping Foods: Perfect for making fries, chicken wings, and other foods that benefit from a crispy texture.
- Healthy Frying: Uses less oil, making it ideal for healthier versions of traditionally fried foods.
- Quick Cooking: Efficient for fast cooking, reheating leftovers, and making snacks like chips and roasted vegetables.
- Dehydrating: Great for creating dehydrated snacks like fruit chips and beef jerky..
Toaster Oven:
- Baking and Toasting: Ideal for baking small batches of cookies, cakes, and toasting bread.
- Broiling and Reheating: Suitable for broiling dishes and evenly reheating leftovers.
- Cooking Larger Items: Can handle larger, flat items such as pizzas and casseroles.
- Versatile Cooking: Offers multiple cooking functions like broiling, roasting, and more.
Each appliance has distinct strengths, making them suitable for different cooking tasks.
Why are people getting rid of air fryers?
People are giving away air fryers for a few reasons. Some find them bulky and in the way, taking up space that could be used for other appliances on the countertops in smaller kitchens. Other buyers are disappointed by the limited cooking capacity, whereby one is forced to cook in pieces to feed larger families. Others have reported the novelty wears off because air fryers really aren’t suitable for all kinds of cooking needs.
Moreover, it may need some maintenance and cleaning. While some of them are marketed rather proudly as easy to clean, some models have reported grease accumulation and frequent cleaning. Another drawback could be the fact that people who already have convection ovens may find air fryers redundant. Finally, some users do find the noise level when in operation rather disturbing.
