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The 8 Best Countertop Ovens of 2024

We tested more than 20, but only 8 were great enough to end up on this list

Cookies resting on a baking sheet in the Breville Smart Oven Pro

The Spruce Eats / Will Dickey

You don’t necessarily need a big, hefty kitchen appliance like a wall oven to do the heavy lifting in the kitchen; the right countertop models can churn out all the power you need to complete a wide range of cooking tasks, from toasting and roasting to baking and broiling. Plus, they require a lot less power than traditional ovens, which makes them much more energy-efficient. To determine which of the most popular models are truly the best, we tested and rated them on performance, ease of use, features, and more.

What We Like
  • Uses half the energy of an oven

  • Can fit two whole pizzas

  • Convenient digital settings

  • Easy to clean

What We Don't Like
  • Glass door is delicate

Though countertop ovens are generally more energy-efficient than wall ovens or oven-stove combinations, this particular model uses an extra-impressive 50 percent less energy while still giving you great results. In our tests, it cooked a juicy meatloaf in just 45 minutes (compared to an hour in a standard oven).

Size is usually the big disadvantage of a countertop oven over a traditional one, but the Oster Extra Large truly lives up to its name. It can accommodate two 16-inch pizzas, 18 slices of bread (seriously!), or—as we discovered—a full family-size chicken. It has a maximum temperature setting of 450 degrees, and its 90-minute timer automatically turns the oven off in case you get distracted.

It’s easy to use, thanks to convenient digital settings for baking, broiling, toasting, and defrosting. There’s also a dedicated pizza function as well as a warming feature to keep food hot while the rest of your meal cooks. We are particularly fond of the glass door since it offers a large view window to let you see what’s cooking without having to open the oven, but it is a bit delicate so be gentle with it. Another feature we adore is how easy it is to clean. The control panel is entirely digital, so there are no dials, knobs, or crevices to collect dirt and grease. The bottom line is: Any family would be hard-pressed to find a more spacious option with higher efficiency.

Power Rating: 1,500 watts | Dimensions: 13 x 21.5 x 19 inches | Weight: 26 pounds

What We Like
  • Compact size

  • Lightweight

  • Even toasting

What We Don't Like
  • Exterior gets hot

  • Short power cord

Though many countertop ovens will run you a few hundred dollars, this introductory model is much more affordable. Still, you’ll get plenty of the features and cooking power people love about higher-end models. 

As a big bonus for anyone with a small kitchen, this oven is extremely compact and lightweight (it weighs just over 8 pounds). This makes it extremely easy to move in and out of storage. The only downside is that the lightweight construction means the oven isn’t as heavily insulated as some others, so it gets hot on the outside during cooking. The short power cord is also a bit of a bummer.

If you can look past that, you’ll be impressed by this oven’s capacity. It easily fits a 9-inch pizza, four slices of bread, or a variety of other snacks and meals. It also has five convenient cooking functions: warm, bake, toast, broil, and air fry. (Previous models didn’t have the ever-popular air-fry option.) As a bonus for anyone just building out their kitchen—college students, recent grads, newlyweds, and so forth—this model comes with a rack, baking pan, and air-fry basket that fit perfectly in the toaster oven for convenience. 

The performance is surprisingly good, too. We found that bread toasted evenly, frozen food cooked well, and chicken legs cooked adequately using the air-fry function new to this particular model. While this isn’t going to do as much as one of the large, expensive models, this does a great job with the tasks it's built for.

Power Rating: 1,150 watts | Dimensions: 15.5 x 8.2 x 11.5 inches | Weight: 8.51 pounds

What We Like
  • Excellent temperature calibration

  • Center rack pulls out automatically

  • Includes helpful accessories

  • Can handle a 12-inch pizza

What We Don't Like
  • Only one wire cooking rack

  • Needs circulation space on both sides

Though you’ll pay a hefty price for this countertop oven, it’s well worth the money. The 1,800 watts of power and optional convection heating help to roast meat, toast bread, and bake in less time than traditional countertop ovens. The smart heating system provides more consistent power, so your food is also cooked to perfection each time. Altogether, this model boasts nine different preset cooking functions, including a "slow cook" option that can cook food for up to 10 hours. The addition of the slow cook option is what separates this oven from its predecessor, the Breville Smart Oven, which we previously reviewed.

We are impressed with the LCD screen and tested the various cooking functions by making pizzas, casseroles, cinnamon rolls, and homemade pies, with each test coming out perfectly. It also outperformed expectations when it came to baking cookies, which are notorious for cooking unevenly in small oven spaces—and it is a bit small, with only one cooking rack. You can even modify the presets to customize any function.

This machine has an interior light that automatically turns on when the door is open, and it even comes with a baking and broiling tray as well as a nonstick pizza pan. If you're worried about this multi-functional oven looking clunky in your kitchen, we found the stainless steel exterior attractive, and it has an unexpectedly low profile that makes the appliance look sleek and modern—not bulky. Plus, you could always opt for the mini version if you’re short on space. Definitely make some room, because this one needs adequate space for circulation on its left and right sides.

Power Rating: 1,800 watts | Dimensions: 19 x 13.9 x 14.1 inches | Weight: 22.5 pounds

What We Like
  • Highly customizable

  • Modern design

  • Multiple functions

  • Responsive customer service

What We Don't Like
  • Very expensive

  • Steep learning curve

With the most basic model costing over $1,000, this is a big-time splurge. But for those willing to pay the price for convenience, it’s a worthy one. Inside the Brava, your dishes get cooked to perfection by six high-powered halogen lamps that heat to 500 degrees in less than a second. That's right: The Brava cooks by using light.

We found that we could also cook two different dishes at different temperatures at the same time, which quickly became a favorite feature of ours. The oven has three zones—each with two lamps—that can be customized individually and really can maintain separate temperatures in separate zones. Admittedly, there is a steep learning curve, but with some time and practice, this one became a big hit.

Another big highlight for us was the custom cook function. You can essentially create your own cooking presets, which help the oven learn your household's culinary preferences. Brava's compatible app is helpful for sharing recipes with friends via text or social media. You can download custom meal programs from the user library, and your phone will notify you before cooking is complete. Lastly, we found that customer service is quick with answering any questions, plus there's a Facebook group for additional support.

Power Rating: 1,800 watts | Dimensions: 17.3 x 16.4 x 11.3 inches | Weight: 34.4 pounds

What We Like
  • High heat to mimic wood-fired ovens

  • Multiple pizza settings

  • Manual control for infinite options

What We Don't Like
  • Tricky to clean

  • No auto-shutoff

Since this particular countertop oven is designed specifically for pizza, it has a slightly different aesthetic than other models. It has a retro design that's attractive in an industrial sort of way. Outside of looks, the design is convenient enough, since it’s wider than it is tall, which makes it easier to store under your cabinets. If you want to store it between uses, it's easy to transport but heavy.

Though functionality is limited—it's a pizza oven designed to make pizza and not much else—it does very well at what it’s meant to do. There are actually a variety of settings available, designed for a range of pizza styles including frozen pizza, pan pizza, New York pizza, and "wood-fired" pizza. In our tests, it made phenomenal frozen pizza with crispy bottoms and well-browned tops. We also found that this was the ultimate machine for nachos (tortilla chip-based pizza, essentially), as it produced still-crispy chips with gorgeously melted cheese.

One of its few downsides is that it's slightly hard to clean, and its included metal pizza peel doesn't work as well as a wooden one. That said, it was the most efficient and fuss-free way we have ever made pizza. It also doesn't have an auto-shut-off feature, so you'll need to keep an eye on it while your pizza is cooking.

Power Rating: 1,800 watts | Dimensions: 18.1 x 10.6 x 18.5 inches | Weight: 37.47 pounds

The Breville Smart Oven Pizzaiolo Pizza Oven on a wooden countertop

The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy

Best With Rotisserie

June Oven Plus

June Oven Plus
PHOTO: Amazon
What We Like
  • Recognizes a wide variety of foods

  • App includes video recipes

  • Users can create custom programs

What We Don't Like
  • Expensive

If you've looked at the June Oven before, you might think, "Wait, that doesn't have a rotisserie function," but it's a new feature included with the release of the Generation 3 version. The June is an incredibly versatile countertop oven that can do everything from toasting and air frying to proofing dough and acting like a pizza oven. And there's more—it has a compatible smartphone app that allows you to watch a live feed of what's cooking via an internal camera.

During testing, it continued to impress whether we wanted to heat up leftovers, toast English muffins, or bake cookies. No matter what we placed in the oven, it recognized the food and gave the correct options for cooking. We also tested the new pizza function, which baked and broiled pizza to crisp precision.

Of course, the rotisserie function truly wowed. It's a little hidden, but once you place a chicken in this oven, it will recognize it and begin rotisserie cooking. Unlike cheaper rotisserie-only ovens, many of which get messy inside, this doesn't spin the chicken. Instead, it turns elements on and off, mimicking a spit. The result is one of the best-roasted chickens we've ever seen in testing, but you'll pay for that functionality: The June is also one of the more expensive countertop ovens out there.

Power Rating: 1,800 watts | Dimensions: 12.75 x 19.6 x 19 inches | Weight: 39 pounds

What We Like
  • Produces excellent french fries

  • Small footprint

  • Cooks up to 3 pounds of food at once

What We Don't Like
  • Manual controls

It may surprise you to learn that some of the best air fryers aren’t dedicated air fryers but countertop ovens with air-frying functionality. Such is the case with this model by Cuisinart, which "fries" food to that golden brown, crispy perfection using super-hot air circulated by an ultra-powerful fan.

Choosing a model like this one is a wise choice for anyone with limited counter space, as it combines two appliances in one, but it’s also a great option for families. Traditional air fryers typically don’t offer enough space to cook for more than two people, but this cooks up to 3 pounds of food at once. We found this to be one of the most compact versions of air fryer/oven combos, and it performs exceptionally well as both.

It does run a little hot, so even though french fries and chicken tenders came out golden and tasty, a few were a little too well done. When roasting chickens to test for versatility, this model produced a crispy-skinned bird that was also delicious and juicy. The controls are all manual and the inside was a bit tricky to clean, but we found it a very worthy purchase.

Power Rating: 1,800 watts | Dimensions: 15.5 x 16 x 14 inches | Weight: 21 pounds

What We Like
  • Great performance

  • Multifunctional

  • Large capacity

What We Don't Like
  • Glass door gets very hot

Breville makes all kinds of technologically advanced countertop kitchen equipment, and it's no surprise our list includes more than one of the brand's models. The Smart Oven Air Fryer adds air frying capacity to all the many functions of the standard Smart Oven we feature above, with a price increase. After testing, we named the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer one of our top picks for air fryers, and it's also a top pick for countertop ovens. We found that it did a great job with both oven functions, including baking cookies, and air fryer functions, such as making incredible french fries.

The machine can fit a 13-inch pizza, nine slices of bread, or almost an entire bag of frozen fries. We are impressed by how easy it is to clean, with a removable crumb tray and fully disassemblable parts that all clean off with a simple rinse or wipe. Another nice feature is its many color options, which will match any kitchen. Just be careful with the door: Its glass gets quite hot while in use.

After one month of continuous use, we can report that this machine is still in prime condition and performs above expectations. It's taken on everything from simple toasted bread to air-fried Brussels sprouts, mozzarella sticks, and homemade chicken nuggets. Everything—yes, everything—has turned out deliciously crispy and golden brown. Plus, the controls are so easy to use, even the kids can throw in their breakfast bagel, set it, and let it do its thing.

Power Rating: 1,800 watts | Dimensions: 18.9 x 15.9 x 10.9 inches | Weight: 29 pounds

Final Verdict

Our overall best option is the Oster Extra Large Digital Countertop Convection Oven because of its energy efficiency, roomy interior, and ease of cleaning. If you're looking for something more versatile, try the Cuisinart TOA-60W Convection AirFryer Toaster Oven.

How We Tested

After researching a variety of countertop ovens, we tested them by cooking everything from whole chickens and baked potatoes to English muffins. If there were special features available, like air frying or rotisserie functions, we tested those, too. Each countertop oven was evaluated on its performance, ease of use, features, ease of cleaning, and more.

Hand pulling out a tray of toast from the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer

The Spruce Eats / Will Dickey

Other Options We Tested

  • Emeril Lagasse Power AirFryer 360: A previous version of this roundup included the Emeril Lagasse countertop oven, which also features an air-frying function. The versatile appliance functions as a convection oven, rotisserie, food dehydrator, toaster, food warmer, slow cooker, and pizza maker. While it performed adequately, we ultimately felt that its noise level, difficulty in cleaning, and large size made it not worthy of its price tag. There are better options on our roundup with similar functionality.
  • Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro: This machine is quite similar to the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer above. It does everything the regular Smart Oven Air Fryer can do, with the bonus of dehydrating and proofing modes. It's also slightly larger in capacity. Both machines performed well in testing, but we don't think the Pro's extras are worth its $80 higher price.
  • Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro: A further step up in Breville's collection of countertop ovens, the Joule is like the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, only smarter. It has the same 13 functions as the Pro, but it can be controlled via Breville's phone app. There are automated settings for all sorts of common recipes, and you can also create your own custom cooking programs, too. Plus, Google or Alexa can remind you when it's time to turn the pan or take the food out of the oven. It's a nice splurge at $500, but the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is almost as good for much less money.

What to Look for in a Countertop Oven

Size

When it comes to a countertop oven for your home, there are two size factors to consider: the amount of cooking space you want and how much counter space you have. Ovens with larger interior capacities will generally have a larger countertop footprint, but some use clever design to pack more baking space into less counter space. In addition, many countertop ovens double as toasters or air fryers. These might be bigger than other models, but you can still end up saving space if you combine two or three separate appliances into one.

Features

Besides baking, many countertop ovens have additional features and functions. While most models have toast, bake, and warm modes, there's a wide range of more advanced technology out there. Higher-end models have more specific and elevated options, including a powerful fan for convection baking and air frying, a rotating rotisserie, or a high-heat pizza mode. Some even have smart functionality to take the guesswork out—you simply tell the oven what you're cooking and it does the temperature and time for you. In general, more features mean a higher price, and it might not be worth paying for cooking modes you don't plan to use.

If you plan to use a countertop oven as your main oven, a great feature to look for is a convection setting. "A convection oven is great to have because it cooks food by circulating air at a consistent and dry temperature," says Ron Yan, a private chef in New York City who uses exclusively a countertop oven in his own apartment. "This means that food will cook faster, and the surfaces of meats, such as chicken or turkey, can get delicious crispy skin while keeping the insides juicy and moist. It’s particularly great for roasted meats, vegetables, anything potato-based, cookies, and other pastries."

Power and Heat Source

Nearly all countertop ovens use electricity, which means their power is measured in watts. Higher wattage means the oven heats up faster—but that's not the whole story. Larger spaces take more power to heat up, so a small-capacity oven might actually work better than a huge one even if it has somewhat less power.

The way the oven heats up matters, too. Most ovens use metal heating elements like you'd find in a toaster oven or electric wall oven, but the way those heating elements are shaped and arranged affects how efficiently the oven cooks. (The futuristic Brava oven even ditches the traditional heating elements for super-powerful lights, which gives it some unique abilities.)

FAQs

How do you clean a countertop oven?

After unplugging it and letting it cool completely, you clean a countertop oven in much the same way you'd clean a traditional oven: Take out any removable parts, rinse them in the sink, and wipe out the inside with a damp cloth or sponge. You should always check your particular user manual for full instructions, but few countertop ovens have dishwasher-safe parts; soap and water are typically all you'll need. No matter what, the whole oven should never be rinsed out or submerged in water: This will ruin its electronic parts. It's also a bad idea to use oven cleaner or other harsh chemicals on a countertop oven—stick to dish soap and plain water.

Does a countertop oven need a special outlet?

No. That's really what sets a countertop oven apart from a full-on wall oven or combination oven/range. Countertop ovens use the standard 110-volt outlet you'll find in most any room of an American house, while electric wall ovens and ranges use the special 220-volt outlets you also need for large appliances like clothes dryers and air conditioners. So you won't need to hire an electrician to "install" a countertop oven; you can simply take it out of the box and plug it in.

Chocolate chip cookie broken apart on a baking sheet

The Spruce Eats / Will Dickey

What's the difference between a toaster oven and a countertop oven?

There's not exactly a hard line between the two, but a toaster oven is typically smaller, less powerful, less multifunctional, and less expensive than a countertop oven. As the name suggests, a toaster oven is designed for making toast or pretty quick-and-easy heating tasks—reheating a slice or two of pizza or some leftover fried chicken, or baking frozen cookie dough or chicken fingers. It's not large enough to cook a big meal, and it's not usually built to hold a consistent temperature for long enough to do much serious baking or roasting. With a countertop oven, you trade a higher price for more interior space, more power, better temperature control, and more ability to do things like slow-cook and air fry. You can bake a whole pizza from scratch (or two!) rather than just re-crisp a couple of slices.

Do countertop ovens cook faster?

Countertop ovens do cook faster than regular ovens. Since they are smaller, they require less time to preheat and are able to circulate heat quickly and efficiently. The wattage and technology of each model will impact how quickly your food will cook (for example, countertop ovens with convection capabilities can further decrease cooking time), but in general, your food will cook faster in a countertop oven than in a convection oven.

Why Trust the Spruce Eats?

This article was written by Brigitt Earley, a freelance writer who has spent the last 10-plus years researching the best kitchen accessories for various digital publications, including The Spruce Eats and Good Housekeeping. From countertop ovens to blenders, she’s covered it all. Brigitt also has a culinary degree from The French Culinary Institute and uses a slightly older model of the Breville Smart Oven in her own home. 

The roundup was updated by Jason Horn to include additional testing insight, and by Katya Weiss-Andersson, a writer and editor who has nearly a decade of experience as a professional chef.

Sources

  • Ron Yan is a private chef in New York City who exclusively uses a countertop oven in his own apartment
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