Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro Review: Why I Ditched My Oven for This All-in-One Appliance
Updated: Apr. 03, 2024
The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is an all-in-one countertop appliance that will crisp foods to perfection and so much more.
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When I first started editing air fryer content in 2017, I will admit I was a bit of a skeptic. What could an air fryer do that my normal oven couldn’t? But after hearing rave reviews from our Test Kitchen, community cooks and practically everyone else under the sun, I gave the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro a try. And truth be told, after exploring all this appliance had to offer, I’ve given up my oven almost entirely.
Yes, you read that correctly. This all-in-one countertop cooker is not only useful—it’s essential in my kitchen and has turned this air fryer skeptic into a true believer.
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What is the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro?
Breville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is not just an air fryer—it’s an all-in-one countertop appliance. The Pro model I tested comes with two wire racks, a 13-by-9 enamel pan, a pizza pan and a mesh basket for dehydrating and air frying. It boasts 13 different cooking methods:
- Air fry
- Bake
- Roast
- Pizza
- Proof
- Reheat
- Cookies
- Slow cook
- Dehydrate
- Bagel
- Toast
Over the past few years since I’ve owned the oven, I’ve cooked everything from biscuits to bacon to bagels—and even a whole roast chicken. Its versatility is second to none.
What makes the Breville different from most other air fryers out on the market is its size. It’s a little larger than a microwave, and unlike most egg-shaped air fryers, the Breville Smart Oven uses a flat mesh basket that slides into a rack to air fry food. This allows you to fit more food across a larger surface area compared to the typical air fryer. And since the oven door is glass, you can check in on food as it cooks. Buh-bye overcooked air fryer french fries!
via merchant
We Tried It
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
This all-in-one smart oven is a kitchen workhorse with 13 settings ranging from roast to air-fry to dehydrate and more.
How Does It Work?
With the twist of a dial, you can select between the 13 cooking methods that the Breville Smart Oven has to offer. Once a method is selected, a preset will appear with the option to change the time and/or temperature. For instance, if you select Toast, the oven will give you an option to select the level of darkness (1-7) and number of slices (1-9). For the Cookies setting, the oven defaults to 325° on convection for 11 minutes.
To cook, you simply place the rack (or sheet pan or air fryer basket) to its designated height. Breville outlines the proper spot to place each rack on the outside of the door. Broil on the top rack; pizza on the lowest rack and so on. (However, while testing, I’ve found these labels can be somewhat tricky to read.)
Once the oven is fired up, Breville uses what it refers to as “Element IQ technology” to adjust the power of its heating elements to cook food to perfection. Like other air fryers and convection ovens, a built-in fan circulates hot air throughout the oven, distributing the steady heat and consistent airflow that’s essential to crisp food to perfection.
Product Features
As mentioned, the oven’s size is one of its defining features. As someone whose counter space is a scarce commodity, there are pros and cons to an oven of this size (14 inches x 22 inches x 12 inches to be exact). While it takes up a decent amount of space, the oven has a spacious interior that accommodates a whole slew of dishes that the typical air fryer can’t, like a variety of Christmas recipes. It’s great for making large sides and even main courses ranging from casseroles to whole chickens. I was surprised that I could fit an entire 4-quart Dutch oven inside!
And while the oven comes with preset modes, you’re not limited to them. When baking, for example, you can select the precise time and temperature of your choice. One of the genius features Breville built into the oven is the ability to automatically convert the temperature from regular baking to convection and to super convection. So long conversion guides!
There are a few more subtle features that reflect Breville’s attention to detail in its product design. With the press of a button, you can turn on “rotate remind” which alerts you at the halfway mark to turn your dish for even cooking. There’s also a light that makes it easy to peek in, magnets built into the door that help pull out the rack and even a specially designed loop on the appliance cord that makes it easier to insert and remove the plug. These small upgrades and accessories add up and make the Breville Smart Oven feel like a luxury in the kitchen.
How We Tested It
To test the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, I first measured the time it took to pre-heat the Smart Oven to 400° and compared it to my standard oven. The results were incredible:
- Breville Smart Oven preheat time: 5 minutes 10 seconds
- Standard oven preheat time: 13 minutes 11 seconds
This means the Breville Smart Oven is able to preheat and cook a dish in the time that it took to heat my old oven. As someone who is very impatient when it comes to cooking, this was eye-opening.
Next, to test Breville’s powerful convection heat, I baked sliced potatoes at 400° for 15 minutes on the regular bake, convection and super-convection settings and compared them to my standard (non-convection) oven.
- Standard oven: The potatoes were cooked and only slightly golden on the outside. They could likely use 10-15 more minutes until browned and crispy.
- Breville standard: The potatoes were slightly darker than my standard oven’s results, but not by much.
- Breville convection: The ovens were beginning to get deeply golden with some dark brown bits.
- Breville super-convection: At the 15-minute mark, the potatoes were a deep brown and perfectly roasted, with some smaller slices beginning to over-brown.
What this leads me to believe is that the Smart Oven’s convection and super convection modes are a great shortcut for speedy roasting and air frying, shaving minutes off the standard cooking time for dinners and sides.
What’s more, I can confirm that the appliance can dependibly cook almost anything you through its way. This past holiday season, I relied on it for Christmas cookies, where its preheat time was invaluable. I’ve also baked fruit cobbler using my largest 12-inch cast iron skillet, brownies in a 9-by-9 baking dish and almost too many cakes to count. If you constantly find yourself needing more space to cook dessert, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a great complement to your baking arsenal.
Pros
- Versatility
- Smart and powerful cooking technology
- Large capacity
- Air fryer settings
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Pricey
- Takes up countertop space
- Has a learning curve
FAQ
Can I use my Breville Smart Oven as an air fryer?
Yes, you can use your Breville Smart Oven as an air fryer. In fact, it’s one of its primary functions. My favorite things to cook in the air fryer are crispy carrots, zucchini chips and frozen french fries. Here are some tasty Thanksgiving air fryer recipes to try.
How loud is the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer?
I will admit when I had initially set up the smart oven, the buzzer was loud. My colleagues have told me that this is a common gripe for many air fryer owners. Luckily, there is a way to adjust the volume on the Breville to get rid of blaring alarms. Simply hold the temperature conversion button for three seconds to turn the volume up, down or off completely. Press any button to lock the setting.
Some users have found that older models from Breville were noisy while cooking—especially on the air fry or convection settings. So far I have found no issues with the sound of the oven fan.
What is the difference between the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer and the Pro?
Breville has released several versions of their countertop ovens with capabilities ranging from a simple toaster oven to the multifunctional smart oven air fryer combos of today. The primary difference between the Smart Oven Air Fryer and the Pro version is the size. The standard model measures 0.8 cubic foot while the Pro model is 1 cubic foot. Additionally, the Pro has two new settings: Dehydrate and Proof.
The company has also released the new Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro—an even smarter smart oven that connects to your phone and other Wi-Fi devices (think: Alexa and Google Assistant) and for remote control.
Can you put aluminum foil in a Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use aluminum foil in a Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. However, like most ovens, you should be cautious to ensure the foil does not touch the heating elements. When air frying wet foods, I actually prefer to line a baking sheet with foil to catch drippings instead of letting the mess fall to the drip tray. This makes for easy cleanup.
What Other Shoppers Had to Say
Foodies and home cooks alike have shared rave reviews about the smart oven.
Amazon reviewer Orchards Charcuterie shared, “From the moment I started using it, I was blown away by its amazing features. The LCD display is not only sleek and stylish, but it also makes it incredibly easy to navigate through the different cooking functions. And speaking of cooking functions, this oven has it all. With 13 options to choose from, I can cook anything from crispy fries to mouthwatering roasts.”
After purchasing the appliance for their kitchen, reviewer Mona Segal states, “It’s the best appliance decision I have made in years. Breville is a reliable and excellent product line, I own other appliances made by them. This oven, however, has completely transformed my overheated kitchen. Aside from the air frying capacity, it has absolutely every oven function imaginable, thus allowing me to cook without having to fire up my large oven, a true gift in this hot summer.”
Five-star reviewer Cool1234 says, “It fits wonderfully on my countertop and looks beautiful. It’s very well made and it is not loud and all, even when cooking with convection mode and (super convection mode).”
Product Comparison
So how does the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro stack up against other popular air fryer ovens on the market?
Breville vs. Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Oven: The Ninja Foodi is similar to the Breville in many ways. It has intuitive controls and evenly browns food on its Bake and Air Fry functions. The Ninja is more budget-friendly, while Breville tends to be more of a splurge. However, the Breville offers more settings than the Ninja, including low-temp pre-sets like Proof and Slow Cook.
Breville vs. Cosori Air Fryer Oven: You can find the Cosori Air Fryer Oven online for nearly half the price of the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, making it the more economical option. Cosori offers similar controls to the Breville and even comes with accessories to cook rotisserie chicken. (Fun!) While trying out the models, our Test Kitchen found Breville to be more dependable, solid and sturdy with luxe bells and whistles.
Breville vs. Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer XL: Both appliances are top-notch air fryers with a large cooking capacity. The Chefman can hold a whopping eight quarts in its air fryer basket. However, the Chefman Air Fryer is a traditional air fryer with one primary cooking mode while the Breville Smart Oven is multifunctional and similar in size and shape to a convection toaster oven.
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for an appliance that offers the same benefits as an air fryer, toaster, oven and dehydrator in one, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the way to go. While on the pricier end, the Breville is packed with features and special touches that make cooking your favorite mains and side dishes a breeze. Its super powerful heating elements cook food more quickly and thoroughly than traditional appliances—great for those (like me) who are always antsy to get food on the table.
Where to Buy the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
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We Tried It
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
Ready to take the leap? The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro will soon be your go-to appliance for air frying, baking, dehydrating and more.
The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is available on Amazon, Breville and Sur La Table. Keep an eye out for sale markdowns during Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day events for the best price.
Originally Published: September 26, 2023
