I Was an Air Fryer Skeptic—Then This Breville Smart Oven Replaced My Full-Size Oven

3 min readI’m on record as loving a small appliance to upgrade the home: Think ice makers, electric pizza ovens, and even this indoor smoker that changed my life (no hyperbole, I love bbq). However, I’ve always been averse to the ubiquitous air fryer-oven combo. I get that they’re wildly popular for their convenience, and can even kill the latest parasitic outbreak, but they’re also cumbersome and ugly. My apartment only has so much precious real estate on the counters and already has an oven—why get a mini version?Summer answered that question for me fast—using the oven in the dead of summer is brutal. The entire apartment heats up and sometimes sets off the smoke alarm, but I didn’t want to completely forgo roasting veggies and baking bread for the entire summer. I was officially in the market for an air fryer-oven. This glowing Reddit post got me to snag the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. I’ve only had it a couple months, but have already used it more than I ever did my oven.It’s more versatile than I though it’d be.The Breville Smart Oven has 13 different cooking modes that thoroughly impressed me. I’m skeptical whenever an appliance has a mode that’s just the name of a food—bagel, pizza, toast, cookie etc.—but they actually work on this smart oven. Break-and-bake cookies and toasting sandwiches only required the push of a button and neither came out burnt or under cooked.Danny PerezI also love the broil function. Broiling in a standard oven is always a hassle when a recipe calls for a low temp that then needs to be kicked up high for a broiled finish. The Breville heats up so much faster so that baking and broiling at different temperatures isn’t such a waiting game. This has been especially useful when using my smoker for a low-and-slow cook, then a broil to get a nice crust. Same goes for reverse searing a steak.It cooks fast and is easy to clean.I consider myself a decent cook, but I never could get chicken in the oven just right: It either comes out dry, or a bit undercooked and I have to use the stove to finish it. The Breville has solved my poultry problems with ease. In a matter of 20 minutes I have perfectly cooked chicken breasts and thighs, all they need is a flip halfway through. Using an oven to do this would take at least 40 minutes and, again, it was always a coin toss for me as to how it would come out.The Breville’s compact size means it’s a lot easier to clean than a full size kitchen oven. It’s an obvious conclusion but one I didn’t realize I’d appreciate this much—I hate cleaning the oven, the Breville makes this loathsome task easier.Danny PerezAir frying is so much easier than the traditional method.Another obvious point I didn’t fully realize, using the Breville is faster and less messy than going stove top. Making homemade fries was a point of pride—I’m great at it—but caused spills, burns, and tears that aren’t worth the hassle. Fries, breakfast potatoes, hash browns (and probably non-potato foods) come out just as crispy when using the Breville on “air fryer” mode.Final ThoughtsThe Breville Smart Oven Pro is the most versatile appliance I own and is probably my most useful. It’s large enough to bake bread and cook casseroles, but is small enough for manageable cooking and cleaning. It does take up counter space but at least does it in style—I opted for the blue color but even the stainless-option is sleek. The Breville Smart Oven Pro has been great in the summer months, but I know I’ll be using it just as much year round.Buy the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer ProDanny Perez is a Reviews Editor for Popular Mechanics with a focus on men's style, gear, and home goods. Recently, he was coordinator of partnership content at another product journalism outlet. Prior to that, he was a buyer for an independent men's shop in Houston, Texas, where he learned all about what makes great products great. He enjoys thrifting for 90s Broadway tees and vintage pajama sets. His spare time is occupied by watching movies and running to impress strangers on Strava.