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The 4 Best Countertop Convection Ovens

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Adored by professional chefs and bakers alike, convection ovens cook foods rapidly and evenly by circulating hot air throughout the chamber during operation. Fortunately, what was once only available to the pros or with pricey units can now be found in convenient countertop models. The best countertop convection ovens are much more than glorified toaster ovens with a fan, so here are a few things to consider if you’re looking to buy one.

Any new appliance will take up counter space, but in the case of a convection oven, it’s justified. Look for one with a range of settings and functionality, and decide if it works for your lifestyle and the type of cooking you do. Typically, the more it can do, the more it will cost, but some models can perform as many as 13 cooking functions, including air fry, reheat, and even bread proofing, at an affordable price.

Cooking capacity is another thing to consider. If you think you want to roast a whole chicken (yes, this can be done!), make sure you choose a portable convection oven with enough headroom and adjustable racks. Most models include a rack and at least one pan.

In a hurry? These are the best countertop convection ovens:

1. The Best Overall, But At A Price: Breville Convection and Air Fry Smart Oven Air

2. The Runner-Up: Breville Smart Oven Pro 1800-Watt Convection Toaster Oven

3. The Best Countertop Convection Steam Oven: Cuisinart Steam & Convection Oven

4. The Best Value: BLACK+DECKER 8-Slice Convection Countertop Toaster Oven

Versatile and high-performing, the best countertop convection ovens make it easy to prepare your favorite recipes quickly and conveniently. Keep scrolling, I've gathered them up below.

1

The Best Overall, But At A Price: Breville Convection and Air Fry Smart Oven Air

Before you balk at its price tag and slightly larger footprint, consider the fact that this convection oven from Breville can replace your wall oven, air fryer, dehydrator, and toaster. You can also use it as a slow cooker, because it can fit a Dutch oven. The 1 cubic foot of space is roomy enough to toast nine slices of bread, roast a 14-pound turkey, and bake 12 muffins. Choose from 13 programs, or use the oven’s features manually.

Something unique that you won't find on many other models is the ability to control the fan speed depending on what you’re cooking. Lower speed is best for delicate items like baked goods that can rise unevenly with a strong fan. Super convection is great for browning and cooking meats, and Breville claims that it can reduce cooking time by up to 30%. Like many of Breville’s products, this convection oven is thoughtfully designed with an easy-to-use LCD control panel and adjustable rack levels stamped directly onto the window for foolproof cooking.

One reviewer wrote: "This is an amazing appliance...it makes fantastic pizza, great toast, it bakes, air fries, slow cooks, roasts, dehydrates. You can proof bread dough at 80 or 90 degrees, and you can bake on convection, no convection, or super convection."

2

The Runner-Up: Breville Smart Oven Pro 1800-Watt Convection Toaster Oven

Slightly smaller than the overall best, but touting the same 1,800 watts of power, this 0.8-cubic-foot model from Breville can cook a 13-inch pizza and toast six slices of bread. It has 10 unique programs that automatically adjust to create the perfect cooking environment for some of the most commonly cooked items in a toaster or conventional oven, programs including toast, bake, roast, broil, and pizza, plus a few special additions like cookies and slow cook. An interior light makes it easy to view cooking progress and browning without having to open the door and losing precious heat. But even if you do, the compact oven heats up much more quickly than a large wall oven would, meaning you can get breakfast, dinner, or dessert on the table that much quicker.

One reviewer wrote: "This is a well engineered and easy to use oven. Crumb Tray slides out for easy cleaning. Dials and control panels make this a breeze to use. Not cheap, but you’ll thank yourself. Also very reliable on toast so I ditched my toaster. [...] One of my best kitchen purchases ever."

3

The Best Countertop Convection Steam Oven: Cuisinart Steam & Convection Oven

Cuisinart combined steam and convection cooking to create this convection steam oven, which can cook recipes up to 40% faster than a conventional oven. Built like a standard countertop oven, the Cuisinart has a removable water tank that steadily adds steam into the oven’s chamber during cooking. If you’re wondering which foods benefit from steam cooking, think of items that sometimes dry out with conventional heat, like lean cuts of meat, fish, or even certain vegetables. Moist cooking is also great for proofing bread dough, baking, and reheating leftovers.

Though slightly smaller than the top two units featured here, the Cuisinart’s 0.6 cubic feet of cooking capacity can still fit a 4.5-pound chicken or a 12-inch pizza. Use any of the nine preset programs, or choose your function manually. If you tend to make messy recipes but don’t like having to clean, the steam clean setting is a bonus.

One reviewer wrote: "Love the steam oven function. This beats the dry heat oven by a country mile. Every major appliance maker should make one like this."

4

The Best Value: BLACK+DECKER 8-Slice Convection Countertop Toaster Oven

Unlike many other less-expensive countertop ovens, this countertop convection model from Black+Decker has a wide design that can fit a 9-inch-by-13-inch pan, eight slices of bread, or a 12-inch pizza. Where most toaster ovens yield slices of toast with hot spots, the integrated convection fan circulates air for even browning and cooking. With a dial that can go up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, this Black+Decker model is somewhat pared-down compared to the others, but still has bake, broil, toast, and keep-warm settings. Its simple dials and 60-minute timer are reminiscent of traditional toaster ovens. For the price, this is a great countertop oven to buy if you want to test out the benefits of convection cooking.

One reviewer wrote: "Great and versatile product for the price. [...] Perfect size. Haven't had to use my regular oven since. Super easy to keep clean. Bakes faster than my oven and saves electricity also."

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