Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro Review: Your All-in-One Countertop Powerhouse?
There’s a unique confidence that comes from making perfectly crisp, golden-brown French fries in the morning, baking a batch of chewy cookies in the afternoon, and reheating leftover pizza to perfection at night—all without ever turning on your main oven.
This is the promise of the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. It’s a premium countertop appliance that combines over a dozen cooking functions into one sleek package. But does it live up to the hype and justify its significant price tag? Let’s find out.
The Short Answer: The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a premium, highly capable countertop oven that excels at versatility and precision cooking. It’s best for home cooks who want to offload most of their oven tasks to a faster, more efficient appliance and are willing to pay for smart features and quality. If you’re on a tight budget or need a dedicated, single-purpose air fryer for super speed, this may be overkill.
Key Takeaways
- It’s a true 13-in-1 multi-oven, replacing your toaster, air fryer, dehydrator, slow cooker, and more.
- The Element IQ system with PID temperature control provides exceptional cooking precision, especially when used with the Breville+ app.
- Its large 1 cubic foot capacity can handle a 14-pound turkey or a 9″x13″ casserole dish, making it practical for families.
- Cleanup can be challenging, as the interior lacks a protective drip tray and the mesh basket is tricky to wash.
- While the air fry function is excellent, it can be slower than a dedicated, basket-style air fryer.
Mastering Modern Multi-Cooking: What Makes This Oven “Smart”?
The biggest leap in countertop ovens isn’t just adding more presets—it’s adding brains. Breville’s approach with this oven centers on precise thermal management and guided cooking, moving far beyond the simple dial-and-timer toaster ovens of the past.
Element IQ Technology: Your Intelligent Heat Conductor
At the core of this oven’s performance is Element IQ. This isn’t just a marketing term; it’s a system of six independently controlled quartz heating elements paired with advanced sensors and PID temperature control.
What does this mean for you? The oven constantly monitors the cavity temperature and intelligently shuttles power between the top and bottom elements to maintain the exact temperature you set. No more hot spots or guesswork. As one reviewer noted, it eliminates the feeling that your oven’s temperature dial is just a “suggestion”. This leads to evenly baked cookies, perfectly roasted vegetables, and consistently crisp toast.
The Breville+ App: From Manual Controls to Guided Cooking
The oven is fully functional with its three intuitive dials and 13 presets (Toast, Bagel, Bake, Roast, Pizza, Air Fry, Dehydrate, etc.). However, its true “smart” potential is unlocked via the free Breville+ app.
The app provides access to over 200 guided recipes where the oven essentially programs itself. For complex recipes like a “Set-It-and-Forget-It Rotisserie-Style Chicken,” the Autopilot feature can automatically cycle through different cooking modes and temperatures, delivering results that would require constant babysitting in a standard oven.
Real-World Performance: Where This Oven Shines (and Stumbles)
The All-Star Versatility
Users consistently praise its ability to replace multiple appliances. Morning toast for a family is easy with its capacity for nine slices. The super convection setting can cook items up to 30% faster than a regular oven, making weeknight dinners a breeze. It can also handle surprising projects, like dehydrating fruits on up to four trays or slow-cooking a stew in a Dutch oven.
“This countertop cooker does so much more than even most fancy full-size ovens can do,” notes a review from Bon Appétit, highlighting its shift from a simple toaster oven to a true “multi-oven”.
The Air Frying Experience
The air fry function uses the same high-speed convection fan but in the large cavity. Results are “oven-worthy” and excellent—crispy fries, juicy wings, and reheated pizza that tastes fresh. The trade-off? It may take a few minutes longer than a compact, basket-style air fryer because it’s heating a larger space. For most, the superior quality and multi-functionality outweigh the slight time difference.
The Cleaning Conundrum
This is the most common pain point. Unlike many toaster ovens, there is no removable drip tray at the bottom to catch grease or cheese spills. Cleaning requires reaching into the oven to wipe down the interior. Furthermore, the included mesh air fry basket is notoriously difficult to clean by hand, often shredding sponges. Some users find a stiff brush works best.
Key Specifications & Comparison
| Feature | Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro | Typical Basic Toaster Oven | Dedicated Basket Air Fryer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Functions | 13 (Air Fry, Dehydrate, Slow Cook, Toast, Bake, Roast, etc.) | 4-5 (Toast, Bake, Broil) | 1 (Air Fry), sometimes with bake/roast |
| Smart Features | Element IQ precision heating, Breville+ app with guided recipes | None | Rare, usually basic presets |
| Capacity | 1.0 cu ft (Fits 9″x13″ pan, 14 lb turkey) | ~0.3-0.5 cu ft | ~0.2-0.4 cu ft (basket size) |
| Air Frying | Excellent quality, part of multi-function system | Not available | Very fast, optimized for speed |
| Footprint | Large (21.4″ W x 17.3″ D) | Compact | Small to Medium |
| Best For | The versatile kitchen centerpiece | Simple toasting & small bakes | Quick, daily air-fried snacks |
Your Questions, Answered
Can this oven really replace my full-size oven?
For many tasks, yes. It preheats faster, cooks efficiently, and can handle everything from sheet-pan dinners to a small turkey. For very large holiday meals or multiple dishes at once, you’ll still need your big oven.
Is the smart app worth using?
If you enjoy guided cooking or tackling complex recipes, absolutely. The Autopilot features are unique and take the guesswork out of advanced techniques. For everyday toast and frozen fries, the manual controls are perfect.
What maintenance does it require?
Always allow the oven to cool completely before attempting to clean it. Regularly wipe the interior to prevent grease buildup, and hand-wash accessories. The lack of a drip tray makes prompt cleaning more important.
How does it compare to the Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro?
They are extremely similar. “Joule Oven” is a specific model line (often with slight design tweaks) that includes the same core Element IQ and Breville+ app smart features. The performance and functions are virtually identical.
Is it good for a small kitchen?
It saves space by combining appliances, but its physical footprint is substantial. Measure your counter carefully. The space-savings come from removing other gadgets, not from the oven being tiny.
The Final Verdict
The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a serious investment for your countertop that delivers serious results. It’s not for everyone—the price and size are significant, and cleaning is a drawback.
Choose the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro if: You want one versatile appliance to handle the majority of your cooking. You value precision, love tech-forward kitchen tools, and have the counter space for a kitchen workhorse.
Look elsewhere if: Your budget is tight, you need the absolute fastest air-frying speed, or you have a very small kitchen and need a minimalist setup.
Ultimately, this oven transforms how you cook at home, offering professional-level results and incredible convenience. It empowers you to cook more, experiment more, and heat up your kitchen less.
Have you used a multi-function oven like this? What’s the one kitchen gadget you wish you could combine into a super-appliance? Share your thoughts below!
References:
- Breville Official Product Page for Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
- PureWow Hands-On Review
- Bon Appétit Expert Review
