When looking for kitchen appliances, people often look out for versatile appliances that can perform multiple actions at once.
A toaster oven is one of the appliances having multiple options in which you can cook, broil, bake, and roast food. It is redundant to use a big oven for cooking in small portions; that’s how the toaster oven came into existence to cook small things in a small size oven.
Air Fryers also perform the similar functions of frying, broiling, roasting, and baking as the toaster oven, which raises the question, “can an air fryer replace a toaster oven?”
So, the answer is yes, an air fryer can replace a toaster oven, but it wouldn’t be able to perform all the functions of the toaster oven.
The air fryer works on the convection heat method and cooks food by circulating hot air around the food, which makes the food crispy. On the other hand, a toaster oven works and cooks food on radiant heat.
But, to decide if an air fryer can replace a toaster oven, other factors must also be taken into consideration.
So, Let’s take a look at some other comparisons between the Air fryer and the Toaster oven.
| Features | Air Fryer | Toaster oven |
| Heat source | The heating element is located at the top, and a hot fan is at the bottom | The heating element is located at the top and bottom |
| Types of food | Different dishes can be cooked except bread and pizza | Can cook everything except fried food |
| Time of cooking | Fast | Slow |
| Insulation | Good | Not good |
| Temperature | Can reach a higher temperature | Automatic temperature setting |
| Power usage | 1550W-1600W | 1400W |
| Maintenance | Easy | Complicated |
| Price | $100-$120 | $50-$60 |
How does an Air Fryer work?
To cook, air fryers use circulating hot air technology.
To achieve the same crispiness as traditional fried food, it circulates hot air around the food. Air fryers accomplish this by eliminating the use of high-fat, high-calorie oil from the food preparation process.
You can achieve the same results as a deep food fryer with just one tablespoon of cooking oil and a fraction of the calories. It removes moisture from food by combining heated air with fine oil droplets. Like many other cooking methods, the air fryer causes a chemical reaction that improves the flavor and color of the food.
How does a Toaster Oven work?
Toaster ovens are much larger than toasters and can hold a wide variety of foods. Toaster ovens can also cook food at different temperatures, whereas toaster ovens only have one set.
A toaster oven uses radiant heat to toast or cook food, whereas a microwave oven uses electromagnetic waves to heat water molecules in food.
Toaster ovens generally take longer to cook or toast food than microwaves, but they can produce a more evenly cooked or toasted product.
Does an Air fryer and toaster have the same temperature?
Air Fryer is more versatile in adjusting temperature than a toaster oven, while the toaster oven does not offer adjustable temperature according to cooking time.
Air fryer temperatures can be set from 160 degrees Fahrenheit to up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which allows you to cook multiple foods in it as the flavor, texture, and crispiness of food are entirely dependent upon the temperature of the meal you’re cooking.
On the other hand, a toaster oven is not versatile in controlling temperature accordingly.
Does the Air fryer taste more like fried food than a toaster oven?
No, the air fryer doesn’t taste exactly like fried food because it doesn’t use oil. But an air fryer makes food crispy from the outside and tender from the inside.
Toaster oven also works in the same way, making food crispy from the outside and tender inside, but it does use fat as a high percentage which is not healthy.
On the other hand, air fryers use little to no oil to cook food as it has a nonstick surface that doesn’t require to be coated with grease or oil. The air fryer food tastes amazing, but it cannot be compared to deep-fried food.
Can an air fryer be used in place of a toaster oven?
Yes, if you are talking health-wise, then an air fryer is a much better option than a toaster oven because it uses very less oil to cook food.
Read the following factors which make an air fryer a better option.
- The air fryer uses hot air to cook make, while the toaster oven uses radiant heat to cook food.
- The air fryer has non stick cooking rack to place the food, and the toaster oven doesn’t have any nonstick surface, which often results in sticking food to the surface.
- Toaster ovens only have a limited set of temperatures to cook food, while air fryer has a wide range to set the temperature accordingly.
- The air fryers have desirable timers in which you can set a timer of 1 hour and 15 minutes, while the toaster oven doesn’t come with such options in the timer.
- An air fryer is smaller in size, which makes it easy to carry around, while the toaster oven is bigger.
Check out the following video to know yourself about the toaster oven being replaced by an air fryer.
As I believe that no appliance is made perfect. Everything has its pros and cons, so let’s take a look at the air fryer and toaster oven’s advantages and disadvantages for a better understanding of the two devices.
Pros and Cons of Air fryer
Pros
- The air fryer design is small and compact, which makes it easy to place in any place. It uses very less space in your kitchen.
- Due to the high speed and several hot fans, food is quickly and even cooked to save time.
- The most important thing is an air fryer doesn’t need oil to cook food, so it’s a very healthy option.
- A variety of dishes can be prepared in an air fryer because it performs multiple functions.
- The air fryer system is simple and can easily be used by anyone in the house.
Cons
- An air fryer is not suitable for large families because of its small size. It won’t be able to make food for a large family, which would make you cook meals in multiple batches.
- You cannot check on food during air frying because its outer part is sealed, so your food might burn inside without you knowing.
- Like any other appliance, the air fryer also makes annoying noises while cooking food.
Pros and cons of Toaster oven
Pros
- The best thing about a toaster oven is its cooking capacity which can cook food for large families easily.
- Besides roasting, baking, and defrosting, you can also bake bread in a toaster oven.
- You can put a specific timer and temperature for different dishes without getting worried about food being burned.
- Manufacturers are constantly improving toaster ovens according to modern technology to make them worth buying.
Cons
- It takes up a huge space in your kitchen because of its size and design, which makes it hard to change the location.
- Cooking food in a toaster oven takes time and is a slow process as heat is not continuously circulated. So, you have to wait for more while cooking in a toaster oven.
- You have to be extra careful while using or cleaning this oven as its insulation is not well, and little ignorance might lead to burning.
Conclusion
- If you’re looking for something healthy to buy, then an air fryer is a good option.
- The air fryer can replace a toaster oven as it has the same options as a toaster oven, but it is not suitable for larger families.
- Air Fryer cooks food more quickly while the toast oven takes more time.
- Air fryer food is fat-free, while toaster oven food contains a high percentage of fat.