1. The best air fryer oven
2. How to choose
3. Tips
4. How we review
4. FAQs
We've found the absolute best air fryer oven for families, after searching high and low for a countertop appliance that delivers the same convenience as a built-in model.
At Ideal Home, we’re always on the lookout for handy kitchen buys that make our lives easier. And, of course, our stomachs happier too! That’s why we’re very proud to introduce you to the humble air fryer oven combo.
A standard feature in many kitchens in the US, countertop oven air fryers have slowly but surely made their way across the pond - and it’s not hard to understand why.
Offering many of the capabilities of the best air fryer, but with a design that's more reminiscent of a microwave, it’s perfect for those who need extra cooking space.
Yes, if you’re the hostess with the mostest and need an extra appliance to cook up your dinner party spreads, mini ovens will most certainly fit the bill. They’re even great for Airbnb hosts or those who live in granny annexes and don’t have the use of a conventional built-in oven.
But these aren’t just empty words. We’ve tested countless kitchen appliances over the years, which is why we can say on good authority that mini ovens are the appliances of the future. And our cooking expert particularly took a shine to one oven in particular in her Lakeland Digital Oven review, which is why we're confident that it is the best air fryer oven out there.
This is the best air fryer oven you can buy
We love the Lakeland Digital Mini Oven so much that we’ve crowned it the best air fryer oven on the market. But what sets this appliance apart from the likes of dual-zone air fryers and single-basket air fryers is that this countertop appliance is more like a mini oven than anything else.
It can do everything a conventional oven can do, using convection technology across all nine cooking functions - including top grill, keep warm, rotisserie mode, and even yoghurt mode. And while some may think the £199.99 RRP is a little steep, the ability to have a completely portable oven at your fingertips is something dinner party hosts and keen campers alike will love.
When reviewing this product, our tester gave it a 4 out of 5-star rating, celebrating its large viewing window, its impressive (and very speedy) pre-heating setting, and its easy-to-use controls. After cooking everything from cookies to bacon, she found almost all of her food to be just as delicious as if she’d cooked them in a built-in oven.
A major qualm for our tester was that some foods - such as granola and frozen breaded items - didn’t cook as well as they would in an air fryer. But when it came to jacket potatoes and a rotisserie chicken, this mini oven thrived.
Another thing to look out for is that this oven won’t allow for full-size baking trays or tins, so keep that in mind if you choose to add the Lakeline Digital Mini Oven to your shopping basket. But overall, our tester loved this countertop oven, finding it perfect for occasional use.
How to choose the best air fryer oven
If this kitchen appliance is good enough for Stanley Tucci, then it’s good enough for all of us. But if you’re looking for the best air fryer oven, there are a few things you need to consider to ensure you’re picking the best of the bunch.
For starters, you need to think about how you plan to use this air fryer oven. Will you use it every day? Will you use it to cook all of your meals? Or will you bring it out for the occasional dinner party or when you head out in your campervan?
Our tester suggests that if you’re just looking for a small countertop cooking appliance, you might be better off with a multi-functional air fryer. But if you intend to cook small batches of cookies or you want to roast a rotisserie chicken with a proper rotisserie rod, a mini oven like this Lakeland Digital Mini Oven will offer everything you want and more.
Because of this, it’s also a good idea to consider cooking presets when choosing the best air fryer oven. If you are buying this appliance for specific foods and specific uses, it’s important to make sure that your food-specific presets are available. For example, choose one with rotisserie mode if your primary focus is on cooking rotisserie chicken.
Always double-check capacity before purchasing a mini oven, though. While air fryers have often been criticised for their lack of space and their small baskets, these countertop ovens offer a fair amount of space - but in a totally different way. Instead of offering baskets, they offer racks. So, just make sure this suits your needs - and consider buying smaller baking trays to suit this smaller oven.
Tips for getting the most out of your air fryer oven
It’s very easy to buy a budget air fryer oven based on the cheap price or the style alone. But if you want to get the most out of your air fryer oven, we’d suggest taking a moment to do some research, enabling you to enjoy its full potential.
Make sure it’s what you need: There’s nothing worse than buying a new kitchen appliance only for it to sit on your countertop unused for months at a time. It’s a waste of money, and it’s a serious waste of countertop space! So, make sure that an air fryer oven is what you need or whether you would be better suited to an air fryer or even one of the best multi-cookers, which are appliances packed full of different functions, including slow cooking and pressure cooking.
Pre-heat your mini oven: During our review of the Lakeland Digital Mini Oven, our tester found it incredibly quick and easy to pre-heat this appliance. So, there’s no excuse for not pre-heating your air fryer oven before using it. This will not only speed up the cooking process but will also ensure that all of your food is cooked properly.
Buy smaller trays: A mini oven is smaller than a conventional oven. And while it certainly offers the same capabilities, the smaller size does require smaller trays. This means that you might need to buy smaller trays specifically for this appliance, but you don’t need to stray too far to find some of these. In fact, Lakeland sells mini oven trays on its website.
Keep it clean: Just with any kitchen appliance, it’s important to keep a mini oven clean to prolong its life. Thankfully, mini ovens can be cleaned fairly easily thanks to their shape and size and removable elements. Just make sure you check whether the accessories are dishwasher-safe, though.
Take advantage of extra features: Many countertop ovens come complete with extra features and settings that allow you to experiment with your cooking adventures. Many of these ovens come with presets for rotisserie chickens, pizzas, and even bagels. These can up your cooking game, and it would be a shame not to use them.
How we review air fryer ovens
You can rest easy knowing that this air fryer has been tested by an Ideal Home reviewer. Helen McCue, our freelance reviewer and kitchen appliance extraordinaire, tested this mini oven at her home. She used as many of the functions as possible in place of her usual built-in oven and air fryer, to give us an accurate and detailed review of the product.
FAQs
What's the best air fryer oven on the market?
In our opinion, the Lakeland Digital Mini Oven is the best air fryer oven on the market. Small in size, it won’t take up too much space on your kitchen countertops, but it will still offer you everything a conventional oven can offer.
This means it’s perfect for those who need extra cooking space or even those who want a smaller oven to take on holiday or in granny annexes. But what we love most about these mini ovens is that many of them have extra functionalities that make them even better than a conventional oven.
A representative from Lakeland explains, 'Not only is it a brilliant appliance to have for more cooking space, it has so many functionalities. You can roast, bake and grill, and it has some jazzy extras like a rotisserie function so you can enjoy delicious rotisserie chicken, and even a yoghurt function to make your own home-made yoghurt so it won't just be another one-use fad product that ends up at the back of the cupboard!'
Is an oven with air fryer worth it?
It’s no secret that air fryers offer the speed that many people are looking for. But many air fryers on the market don’t offer a lot in terms of cooking options - which is why an oven with an air fryer can be a great alternative.
These appliances often have a larger capacity, while also offering many different cooking options, from grilling to keep warm modes.
What are the disadvantages of air fryer oven?
The biggest disadvantage of an air fryer oven is the small size. Much smaller than a conventional oven, this appliance is designed to be a countertop product. And while this can be a major benefit for some people, those who want to cook a fair amount of food at the same time may struggle to fit them in.
Alongside this, the small size also means that standard trays and pans won’t fit in this appliance. This means that you have to buy smaller trays in order to shut the door.
Another disadvantage is that air fryer ovens stick to one temperature - which means you may struggle to cook two different things at the same time. If that’s the kind of functionality you’re after, a dual-zone air fryer could be a better option for you.
If you’re not sold on this Lakeland Digital Mini Oven, it may be that it's not quite the right appliance for you. So, it’s always a good idea to assess your needs and figure out how you like to cook.
