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The latest model, the Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro, distinguishes itself from its predecessor, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, primarily through its innovative companion app, Breville+. Companion apps often fail to enhance user experience, but the Breville+ app excels by offering valuable functionalities. Created in partnership with the culinary experts at ChefSteps, the app features essential tools such as mobile alerts for preheating and completion, as well as recipes that are both accessible and visually informative, complete with ingredient lists and equipment requirements clearly outlined. The inclusion of step-by-step photos and videos enhances the cooking experience significantly.
The recipes designed for the Joule Oven are particularly impressive and tailored to utilize the appliance’s full capabilities, enabling users to easily prepare delectable dishes like homemade croissants, air-fried zucchini fries, and a rotisserie-style whole chicken, which benefits from 13 different operational cycles utilizing bake, broil, and convection settings.
However, for those who prefer simplicity, there’s still the option to simply turn a knob and press a button to make toast.
In terms of product assurance, while most Breville small appliances are backed by a one-year warranty, the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro comes with a limited two-year warranty. Customers purchasing directly from the brand have the option to acquire additional coverage.
Read our full review of the Breville Joule Oven.
Things to Consider for the Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro
This appliance is sizable and comes at a higher price point compared to traditional toaster ovens. Measuring 21.5 by 17.3 by 12.8 inches, it resembles a large microwave. However, given its multifunctionality—serving as a toaster, air fryer, slow cooker, and dehydrator—its dimensions and cost can be deemed justified.
Temperature range: 80ºF-480ºF
Cooking functions: Toast, Bagel, Bake, Air Fry, Broil, Roast, Pizza, Cookies, Proof, Reheat, Slow Cook, Keep Warm, Dehydrate
Included accessories: 13″ nonstick pizza pan, 2 wire racks, 13×9″ broiling rack, 13×9″ enamel roasting pan, air fry basket
Wattage: 1800 watts
Dimensions: 21.5″D x 17.3″W x 12.8″H
Weight: 22.8 lb.
Warranty: Limited two-year warranty
The Best Budget-Friendly Toaster Oven: Panasonic Flash Xpress Toaster Oven
Pros: Powerful, compact, and affordable
Cons: Limited accessories, single rack position, and automatic shutoff after 25 minutes
For those seeking a smaller, more economical option, we suggest the Panasonic Flash Xpress Toaster Oven. Its distinctive double-infrared heating element offers a notable speed advantage, with the ability to achieve perfectly browned toast in merely minutes, and exceptional results in cooking frozen pizzas using its dedicated preset mode. However, the oven does have its quirks, as it operates at high temperatures that can easily lead to overcooked cookies until users acclimatize to its strength.
With a compact size of just 12”x13”x10.25”, it occupies far less space than the Breville models, yet its design is striking, featuring a control panel adorned with food imagery typical of its intended use, which is coupled with a light that flickers in tune with its heating cycle.
One rack position is available, which conveniently pops out upon opening the door for easy food access and cleaning.
Temperature range: 250ºF–500ºF
Cooking functions: Toast, Waffle, Roll, Pizza, Quick, Hash Brown
Included accessories: 1 wire rack
Wattage: 1300 watts
Dimensions: 13″D x 12″W x 10.25″H
Weight: 7.5 lb.
Warranty: One-year limited warranty
Testing Methodology for Toaster Ovens
Modern toaster ovens offer a variety of functions beyond just making toast, with capabilities that include baking, roasting, broiling, and defrosting. Our evaluation included rigorous tests across these functionalities:
Initially, we toasted two slices of bread on a medium setting, then filled the rack to its maximum capacity to assess how evenly the bread was browned across different batches. This also allowed us to examine the effect of residual heat. The time taken for the medium toast setting was recorded for consistency.
Subsequently, we prepared personal frozen pizzas using available presets or set temperatures manually. Models without preheating capabilities were manually warmed for five minutes prior to cooking.
If oven models had air fryer functions, we tested them by attempting to air-fry frozen tater tots and chicken tenders. Successful performers progressed to cooking a chicken thigh and leg to assess roasting capabilities.
Evaluation Criteria
The primary focus was ensuring toaster ovens provided consistent toast quality, with an emphasis on even browning regardless of rack position. Additionally, we monitored for temperature regulation and heat retention during consecutive toasting sessions.
Beyond toasting, we examined the effectiveness of all additional functions. Foods tested included frozen pizzas, cookies, and roasted chicken to assess uniform cooking, texture, and moisture retention.
Each oven came with at least one rack, but we noted the availability of other necessary accessories for varying cooking methods. Extras such as roasting racks and baking sheets were particularly considered where relevant.
We prioritized user-friendly designs, preferring models with straightforward control panels. Following testing, ease of cleaning was an essential consideration, as was overall convenience of usage in a kitchen environment.
Other Toaster Ovens We Tested
Breville Smart Oven Compact Convection
The Breville Smart Oven Compact Convection has long been a top pick due to its consistency and ease of use. Featuring useful functions like a Fahrenheit-to-Celsius converter and a button designed for cooking frozen foods, it excels at producing reliable culinary results across various recipes, making it a favorite for toast, cookies, pizza, and more.
Ninja Foodi (DT201)
The Ninja Foodi has proven to be an excellent air fryer-toaster oven combo that offers user-adjustment for cooking times and browning levels, although its baking capabilities left something to be desired, particularly for shorter cooking times.
KitchenAid Digital Countertop Oven
KitchenAid’s Digital Countertop Oven features a sleek design and multiple preset cooking functions, offering positive performance with evenly browned results. However, it fell short of the crispy quality achieved by competing models.
Oster Digital RapidCrisp Air Fryer Oven
While easy to navigate, the Oster Digital RapidCrisp was handicapped by its lack of preheat functionality and interior lighting. Consequently, its performance did not meet higher expectations despite satisfactory results with basic foods.
Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer
The cumbersome design of the Cuisinart model combined with inconsistent cooking performance led to mixed reviews, particularly due to uneven heating resulting in overcooked items.
Source
www.bonappetit.com