Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

I had a dedicated air fryer, a toaster oven, and a food dehydrator taking up my entire counter. This one appliance replaced all three and does each job as well or better than the individual units. The air fry function makes the crispiest fries and chicken wings I've made at home. The dehydrator mode is perfect for beef jerky and fruit leather. Yes it's big, but it's one big thing instead of three medium things. After a year, zero issues.

The cooking performance on this is genuinely excellent — I've tested all 13 modes and every single one works as described. The pizza mode is my personal favorite; it rivals our local pizza shop for thin-crust pies. The reason for 4 stars: the exterior heat is no joke. I didn't give it enough cabinet clearance initially and noticed discoloration on my cabinet bottom. Don't make my mistake — this needs 4-5 inches above and on all sides. Once I repositioned it, no further issues.

The food this makes is fantastic — seriously the best air-fried chicken I've ever had at home. But nobody warned me about the cleaning. After air frying chicken thighs, there's grease on the walls, the heating element area, the drip tray, the rack. It took me 20 minutes to clean it properly the first time. I've gotten faster and smarter about it (parchment paper liner helps a lot), but if you're used to just pulling out and washing a basket, the transition requires adjustment.