Kitchen
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro Review: Honest Verdict
Wirecutter calls it “the perfect marriage” of an air fryer and toaster oven, while Serious Eats says “you can’t do better” in this category.
No single aggregate score — here's what the reviewers agree on, below.
The short version
Critics largely agree that the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is one of the few combination ovens that works well as both an air fryer and a toaster oven. Wirecutter praised its crispy frozen-food results, while TechGearLab highlighted its capacity, versatile presets, and exceptionally simple controls. The catch is straightforward: it costs $400, occupies substantial counter space, and takes longer to preheat than smaller appliances.
What reviewers loved
- Strong performance across both roles: Wirecutter found that it air-fries effectively while still handling toast, baking, and roasting well.
- Large capacity accommodates up to nine toast slices or a 13-inch pizza, making it practical for larger batches and full meals.
- Two convection-fan speeds provide more control, while the stronger setting can crisp food faster than many competing air-fryer toaster ovens.
- Clear dials, an LCD display, and adjustable presets earned a 10.0 ease-of-use score from TechGearLab.
- Useful extra modes include bread proofing, slow cooking, and dehydrating, reducing the need for separate countertop appliances.
What held it back
- The $400 list price is a major investment compared with basic toaster ovens and basket-style air fryers.
- Its large body demands substantial counter space, so it is a poor fit for a compact kitchen.
- TechGearLab measured 5.4 minutes to reach 350°F and identified the long preheat period as a drawback.
- TechGearLab reports PFAS in the coating on the included pizza pan.
Buy it if you have the counter space and want one large appliance that critics say can genuinely air fry, toast, bake, and roast well.
Skip it if air frying is your main priority, your kitchen is tight on space, or spending $400 on a countertop oven feels excessive.
What the reviewers say
Wirecutter names the Breville its top air-fryer toaster oven and reports that it produced fries with crisp exteriors and creamy centers, plus fish sticks that stayed crunchy outside and tender inside. Serious Eats reaches a similar conclusion, selecting it as its best air-fryer toaster oven after years of testing air fryers.
TechGearLab gives it an 82 overall score and an Editors' Choice award, praising its large capacity, temperature accuracy, presets, and straightforward controls. Good Housekeeping also emphasizes the flexibility of having more than a dozen functions in one appliance. Across the reviews, the recurring objections are its premium price and the amount of counter space it consumes.
⚙ Best settings — dial it in
TechGearLab provides three useful starting points. The oven automatically suggests the bake and pizza settings, and it remembers adjustments made for future cooking. For fully calibrated values, see TechGearLab.
| Toast | Start at shade level 4 for medium, golden-brown toast. |
|---|---|
| Bake | Start with the oven's suggested 325°F preset, then adjust for the recipe. |
| Pizza | Start at 425°F with convection engaged. |
The competition
Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro
Choose this related model if app control, Alexa support, and guided recipe videos matter. Wirecutter says it costs $100 more and otherwise offers most of the same features.
Ninja Air Fryer Max XL
Good Housekeeping recommends this basket-style alternative for shoppers who mainly want air frying and rarely need to toast, bake, or roast.
Should you buy it?
Yes, if you will use its range of functions and have room to leave it on the counter. The professional consensus is unusually consistent: this is a premium combination appliance that performs convincingly as both an air fryer and a toaster oven. Its large capacity and easy presets strengthen the case for families, but the $400 price and bulky footprint make it overkill for occasional use. Disclosure: RightWei summarizes independent reviewers' hands-on tests and does not test review units itself.
Sources
RightWei aggregates and summarizes independent reviews — we link to the original hands-on tests so you can go deeper. We don't test units ourselves.