Kitchen appliances have a funny way of multiplying. You buy an air fryer because you want crispier food. Then you realize you still need a toaster for breakfast, an oven for pizza, and perhaps a slow cooker for those dinners that need hours rather than minutes. Before long, the kitchen counter starts to feel like a storage area for appliances.
This is where a multifunctional countertop oven can make sense. Instead of thinking of it as simply another appliance, think about how many cooking jobs it could take over.
So what can you actually make in one?
Start with Breakfast
Breakfast is one of the easiest places to see the convenience of a countertop oven.
Toast and bagels are obvious choices, but you can go much further. A countertop oven with enough space can handle breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, breakfast pizza, hash browns, bacon, and even small baked dishes.
Eggs can also be surprisingly versatile. An oven-safe pan can be used for baked eggs or a simple omelet, while the air-frying function can take care of crispy breakfast potatoes or hash browns.
The benefit isn't necessarily that these foods are difficult to make. It's that you can prepare several components without turning on a full-size oven for a relatively small meal.
For a busy weekday morning, that can make a noticeable difference.
Make More Than Just Fries for Lunch
Air frying has become closely associated with fries, chicken tenders, and other crispy foods, but an oven-style countertop appliance can give you considerably more options.
Pizza is a good example.
A countertop oven can be used for a personal pizza, flatbread, or leftover slices without heating a full-size oven. Depending on the size of the oven, you may also have enough room to cook multiple portions at once.
Sandwiches are another everyday option. Grilled cheese, tuna melts, quesadillas, and open-faced sandwiches can all benefit from the combination of direct heat and circulating air.
And because these foods generally don't require much cooking time, using a smaller countertop appliance can be more convenient than waiting for a traditional oven to preheat.
Roast Vegetables and Chicken for Dinner
When dinner rolls around, the usefulness of a multifunctional countertop oven becomes even more apparent.
Roasted vegetables are an easy starting point. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, and potatoes can all be cooked with a little oil and seasoning until the edges become browned and crisp.
Chicken is another natural fit.
Chicken wings can be air fried for a crispy finish, while larger cuts can be roasted using an oven-style setting. Depending on the size of the appliance, you may even be able to prepare a substantial amount of food at once.
This is one reason capacity matters when choosing a countertop oven. A compact air fryer may be perfectly adequate for one or two people, but a larger oven-style model gives you more flexibility when cooking for a family.
For example, larger models such as the NuWave Bravo XL Pro offer a 30-quart cooking capacity, giving you enough interior space for larger portions and multiple cooking racks.
The important thing isn't simply having a large number printed on the box. Consider what you actually cook. If you regularly prepare family-sized portions, a little extra cooking space can be much more useful than a long list of features you rarely use.
Try Slow-Cooked Meals Without Using a Separate Appliance
One of the less obvious advantages of a multifunctional countertop oven is that some models can also handle slower cooking.
Think about meals such as beef ribs, pulled pork, or a slow-roasted cut of meat. These dishes traditionally require a separate slow cooker or a full-size oven, depending on the recipe.
Having another cooking method available on the countertop means you can choose the approach that makes the most sense for the meal you're preparing.
Of course, not every countertop oven is designed for slow cooking, so this is something to check before buying. The same goes for baking, broiling, dehydrating, and other functions. A list of cooking modes only matters if those are functions you are actually likely to use.
Don't Forget Snacks and Appetizers
A countertop oven can also become useful between meals.
Chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, potato wedges, nachos, jalapeño poppers, and chicken tenders are all easy candidates for air frying or baking.
This can be especially handy when you're cooking for a group. Instead of frying everything in oil or heating the main oven for a small tray of appetizers, you can use the countertop oven to prepare smaller batches as needed.
And if you're hosting a game-day gathering or movie night, having multiple cooking methods in one appliance can make it easier to prepare different foods without filling the kitchen with separate equipment.
Yes, You Can Bake in One Too
Baking might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear "air fryer," but an oven-style model can be much more versatile than a traditional basket air fryer.
Cookies, brownies, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and small cakes are all possibilities, depending on the available space and the appliance's temperature range.
The key is to think about portion size.
A countertop oven isn't necessarily going to replace a full-size oven when you're baking five trays of cookies for a holiday party. But if you want a small batch for yourself or your family, it can be a convenient alternative.
The same principle applies to casseroles and baked pasta. If the interior is large enough to accommodate an oven-safe dish, you can expand your cooking options considerably.
What Should You Look for in a Multifunctional Countertop Oven?
If you're considering one, don't start with the number of buttons on the control panel. Start with the way you cook.
Capacity
Think about the largest meal you would realistically want to prepare.
Will you mainly be making food for yourself, or do you regularly cook for four or more people? Can the interior accommodate a pizza, baking dish, or multiple racks?
Interior dimensions can tell you more than the advertised quart capacity alone.
Temperature Range
A wider temperature range gives you more flexibility for different cooking methods. High temperatures are useful for air frying, roasting, and crisping, while lower temperatures can be useful for baking, dehydrating, or slower cooking.
Cooking Methods
Look beyond the word “air fryer.” If you're trying to replace several appliances, consider whether the model can also toast, bake, roast, broil, or handle other cooking methods you actually use.
Counter Space
Ironically, the appliance that's supposed to reduce kitchen clutter still needs somewhere to live. Measure your available counter space before buying. Also remember that you'll need enough clearance around the appliance for safe use.
Accessories
Racks, baking pans, air-frying baskets, and other included accessories can make a difference in how much you can actually do with the appliance. Think about the foods you cook most often and whether the included accessories are useful for those meals.
Is One Appliance Really Enough?
A multifunctional countertop oven doesn't have to replace every appliance in your kitchen.
That's probably not the most realistic way to look at it. Instead, think about how many smaller cooking jobs it can take over.
If one appliance can make your morning toast, roast vegetables for dinner, crisp chicken wings for game night, bake a small batch of cookies, and reheat pizza for lunch, it may be able to replace several appliances that otherwise compete for counter space.
The real advantage isn't having twelve different cooking functions just for the sake of having twelve. It's having enough flexibility to use one appliance in ways that actually fit your everyday routine.
Before buying, make a list of the meals you cook most often. Then ask a simple question: How many of those meals could I make in the same countertop oven? That answer may tell you more about whether a multifunctional oven is worth the space than any feature list ever could.
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