It was time to replace our ancient convection/breadstone countertop oven. Really liked the features of the Breville over other similar styles by other makers. Price was higher, but because we use our countertop ovens a LOT we really felt the extra quality and features were worth it. They definitely are. The "Element IQ" is not just a gimmick. It really does produce better toasting and even baking results than other countertop ovens (which we tried) in this size. The programmed settings work very well, and the display, and option selection system is the best we've tried. Intuitive and responsive. Beyond the toasting, baking, and convection oven features, the Breville's extras are well thought out and welcome additions. Turbo-convection makes the Breville Air able to perform as an air fryer. The open basket/tray style produces so much better results than our old egg-shaped air fryer (which we gave away now) and is easier to clean. Low-low temp for raising dough produces great results. We'll be buying the optional "pizza stone" so we can bake breads as well. Tried out the dehydrator function and it works great too - we already have a large efficient dehydrator, but it's good to know for quick batches or "overflow" the Breville will also work. Its large interior and adjustable tray heights allows dutch ovens (which also work with the slow-cooker settings) and 9x13 "lasagne" pans to fit. Two features that don't affect the operation, but make the operator's life so much better are: The magnetic tray "pull": when you open the door, the tray comes forward an inch or two making access so much easier. And there are tray stops (just like a big oven) on all the tray rack positions, so the trays don't fall out and the goods don't slide off when you pull them forward to access the contents. Pay attention to overhead height clearance requirements where you locate your oven - as steam escapes during cooking (the door is designed to let steam escape) it needs room to go, and the bottom of cabinets that are too close is not a good place for it. The requirement is clearly laid out in the description, along with the product physical dimensions so you can be sure it will fit your layout, on the Breville website. If there are any flaws in the product we haven't run across them in our daily use yet. (Yes, really.)
This is a great oven. It’s my 2nd Breville—had the Breville Smart Oven Pro before and loved it. But I really wanted the Air Fryer Pro because it’s larger inside (without being much larger overall!) and because it’s an Air Fryer, a dehydrater and also has a “Proofing” function which will be great as I bake and make pizza dough. So far I love this one even more, and wuickly sold my prior Smart Oven Pro.
We wanted to get on the Air fryer bandwagon and we're frustrated by the funny shapes, limited capacity, and wide range of prices. The Breville Smart Oven® Air Fryer Pro has given us options to toast, roast, air dry and dehydrate. (There are more options) While there is only two of us, the extra space inside the oven allows a better range of size options for cooking. It is very large and does not fit on our kitchen counter so be sure that you check the measurements to see if you have room. It also is a very power hungry appliance and needs a dedicated line so be sure your home outlets can handle the draw. We use ours under our covered patio in an outside partial protected enclosure. It is perfect because this machine radiates alot of heat. It is a countertop oven! It keeps the house cooler by using it this way. So far we have used it for quiche, toast, bagels, waffles, chicken wings, fish and roasting vegetables. We have had it one month and it is used 4-5 times a week. We just love it. The price is a bit scary but the uses are endless and return on investment come from it flexibility. It comes with a nice assortment of well constructed pans, racks, and shelves. The only negative is that the light display panel stays on at all times. No clock, just the last setting you used. That is wasteful and makes it hard to do our part as energy conservationists.
We decided to purchase the bigger Breville oven and I’m glad we did. It has many different cooking functions, a large capacity and is easy to use. We got this for the two of us so we wouldn’t have to fire up the regular oven every time we wanted to cook a small pizza or hash browns. We’ve had it for a month or so and have not been disappointed.