What's he going to put in it, oven-wise? How capable and how big does it need to be?

He has a studio apartment with about 6’ of countertop. He’s doing things like a chicken breast, a few ribs, maybe a small frozen meal. We are doing about the same, but for two. Also a lot of heating up of things that just heat yp better than in a microwave.

I have the ninja and it is big, although it flips up, it still requires a lot real estate because you still have to flip it down to use it. Air fryer is ok but it does spatter the interior quite a bit. Air roast is a setting that I frequently use, as well as baking. Also it is a great toaster. Mine currently lives in the pantry and I have to bring it out to use it as the new kitchen has limited space that I am determined not to clutter up. I bought a Meuller toaster that lives in a drawer when not in use. I take it out daily for the morning toast. I have seen a cute small toaster oven that they make but have not investigated yet as my ninja works fine when I need it

I have a Hamilton Beach toaster oven that I really like. I use it more than my regular oven.

One of the young people I follow on YouTube seems to use his air fryer the way I would use a countertop oven. I see him cook chicken breasts and vegetables regularly. I don't think it would work for a frozen meal, but I assume he has a microwave for that. An air fryer has a smaller footprint than a countertop oven. Not an answer to the question you asked, but I thought I would offer it as an option.

We have the Breville compact convection smart oven, which we love, although my partner would prefer that it be even smaller. (They do make a smaller one, the Mini Smart Oven, but it's small enough not to be especially useful as a second oven, in my opinion. ETA: They have very similar footprints, but the lowest rack setting on the Mini puts food about an inch closer to the top heating element, which wasn't a good fit for the baking and broiling we sometimes do in it. Probably a non-issue for reheating, though.) We had the model without convection for 14 years before the fuse for the heating element gave out. I got this to replace it, although we were later able to get a replacement fuse and got the old one working perfectly again and off to a new home. I do like the convection feature a lot (although I swear this one does not toast bagels quite as well as the old one did!) Breville makes versions that are air fryers too but they have significantly bigger footprints (closer to the size of the Ninja, which was far too large for our space since we have a small kitchen without a lot of counter space), so a lot depends on how your DS defines "compact." We didn't want anything deeper than 12" or so because we wanted to keep the counter space in front of it clear for food prep, but I wanted something big enough to use as an occasional second oven and to heat up smaller portions or frozen dinners/pizzas/etc.

We have a Tovala that I chose based on America’s Test Kitchen’s recommendation. We’ve been pleased with it.

We had a Beville Mini and just gave it to ODS for his college rental house. We went with the Breville Compact this time - only because it was on sale and cheaper than the mini. I have a very small kitchen and anything larger would just be overwhelming. The compact is slightly larger than the mini, but I don’t think it is enough to make a functional difference.

We mostly use it as a toaster, but it does work as a small second oven. I baked a corn souffle in it in an 8x8-ish baking dish at Thanksgiving.

Here’s a chart that compares the various Breville toaster ovens:

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/netstorage/pdf/breville-smart-oven-comparison-chart.pdf

I didn’t think about how much space to have in front, I was just thinking about width, so

we definitely need to consider depth with door both open and closed, as well as height. I’ll ask DS to measure counter-to-cupboard distance before we go out.

Thanks for the links!

Another vote for the Breville. My mother has had one for a while and I got one this past year. My friend has the bigger Pro version and she's happy with that one too.

https://www.breville.com/en-us/product/bov860?sku=BOV860BSS1BUS1

It can function as an air-fryer, but for "dry" things. You really don't want stuff dripping on the lower heating elements.

FWIW, this is the compact Breville on a 25" deep counter (so slightly shallower than a standard counter).

With the door open there isn't much space in front of it, but there's about a foot with the door closed, and we do regularly have things toasting in the oven while someone pours themselves a bowl of cereal directly in front of it (since it happens to be under a pantry cabinet and the refrigerator is to just out of frame to the right). We actually started out with the regular Smart Oven in this space years ago but found it stuck out enough that it made the entire counter stretch unusable for anything else, so exchanged it for the smaller one, which was brand new at the time. It is just about flush with the IKEA microwave on the left--both are 13" or so off the wall once you account for clearance behind them.

I read this as I looked across the counter at our very old toaster oven which I think I adopted when Mom passed and thought, do they even make these any more?

Then at lunch I went to toast up some bread and there's black smoke coming out of the controls. Quickly unplug and put the thing outside and think, I guess I am going to have to read this thread more closely.

DH comes home and I mention it to him. He said, wait a minute. Up into the attic and he came down with the old one we used before Mom passed in 2010!!!

Oh my!!

We have the Breville Smart Pro and really like it.

Ann, I love your kitchen!

@Bunny Thank you. We love it too.

So, what makes a toaster oven ”Smart”? I see them, and don’t quite understand.

I think just fancy marketing for “programmable with multiple settings“—they aren’t “smart” in the way manufacturers mean today when they use that term, but this particular toaster oven line has also been named that since before wifi-enabled smart appliances were a thing.

I too bought the Breville Smart Oven Pro just a few weeks ago. The convection feature is an optional function, just as it is on my full sized range - although I have used it with the Breville. I'm using the Breville more than I expected to. I've done a chicken, oven fries, my niece's holiday pecan pie, several other things. Works flawlessly. Preheats in less than 5 min.

Mine doesn't live on my counter though, I'm a little OCD about too much on my counters and there is already a fruit bowl, a food processor too darned heavy to move around much, DH's coffee maker, a bread box. The Breville is on a little stainless locking wheel cart from Home Depot and rolls like a dream in and out of my pantry. I have two convenient places in the kitchen where I can plug it in depending on what else I'm doing. Cleans up so easily too.

Straitlover we bought the oven directly from Tovala online.

I bought one for work a few years ago and did quite a bit of research. I got the Breville but can't remember the model. I remember I liked that it had convection (basically air fry, right?) and would fit something like a roasting chicken. It's been used at work quite a bit and seems as wonderful as its claims, but it's mainly used for warming up rather than cooking.

I wish that Breville Compact had convection and was a tad smaller. My current Cuisinart is 16 inches wide, and I really don't want anything bigger, was actually hoping to go a bit smaller. I use mine all the time since I just cook for one, so I want a good one, not a cheapo one, but I don;t want to spend $300+ either if I can get away with it (have other kitchen expenses coming up).

Wirecutter rates the Panasonic as the best small toaster oven. They also always recommend Cuisinart ovens.

I have the large Breville and it's thirteen years old. I think it's overrated. It doesn't toast evenly like it claims so I don't trust it for baked goods. It's fine for reheating and baking a small casserole or chops or chicken pieces but any oven can do that. I would not spend hundreds of dollars for a new one.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-toaster-oven/

I have the Panasonic FlashXpress and love it! It was making marks on the painted wall behind it, so I keep it a couple of inches off the wall. The marks cleaned up easily, so probably not burns.

@straitlover they make a version of the Breville compact oven with convection now—we just bought it since that was one of the things I always wished our original had. I do find it makes a difference in cooking time. Agreed that a tad smaller but with the same internal height would be great, though.

Artemis, where did you get it? The one I saw on Amazon didn't have the convection.

We have a Breville too. Highly recommend!

I use the Ninja DT201 Amazon.com: Ninja DT201 Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Digital Countertop Convection Toaster Oven with Dehydrate and Reheat, 1800 Watts, Stainless Steel Finish, Silver : Home & Kitchen I'd get the returned one for $155.

It will cook a 16" pizza if you quarter it on two racks with the curved crust to the center. 20" width is all usable oven.

@straitlover it was from Amazon a couple of months ago--it's model BOV670BSS. This one: https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BOV670BSS-Compact-Convection-Stainless/dp/B08DDJ9GG4/ (although oof, it was on sale for $130 at the time...don't think I'd pay that much for it!! But worth putting a price watch for when it drops again.)

The dimensions listed on Amazon for this model are a little wacky, but we got it to replace the non-convection compact oven and they are literally identical in size—I had them next to each other after we fixed the old one to do some side-by-side tests!—so go by the dimensions listed for the regular compact oven.

Thanks, everyone! We went out and bought two Breville Smart Oven Air Fryers, same one each so that we can share ideas. When we dropped off DS, I was reminded again that his apartment is always smaller than I think, including the kitchen counter space. The ovens are 18” wide but he says he will make room. He got the bamboo board that can go on top of the hot oven so he doesn’t completely lose the counterspace, although as he says, he will probably use it to hold the oven inserts that he is not using at the moment.

@bpath Does he have room somewhere for a little cart? My daughters apartment doesn't have much counter space. She bought a small cart for her microwave and toaster oven. When we visit there have been times we used the top of the washing machine as counter space. LOL

Bpath, thanks for mentioning the bamboo board. I would want that, too. Hope it works out for him. I like the idea of the cart if he has room; I don't, or I would do that myself.

Artemis, I see they have a Used Very Good in the Amazon Resale. Wonder if I should risk it? I don't have the Prime Visa, so I could get $100 off, too.

Right now he is using a butcher block cart as his table, but it will be much better as an oven cart, especially given that it has a shelf below and hooks for hot pads. When his brother (who lives in the same building!) moves this spring, I’ll bet some furniture like the counter-height table or a narrow console table will find its way upstairs.

@straitlover I go back and forth on those. It really depends on the warranty—if it hasn’t been registered you can sometimes still claim the manufacturer’s warranty but Amazon will not warranty the used appliances (and the Prime card offers an added year of extended warranty, but not for the used items). You can always order and return if not, though. If you’re not in a rush the Breville stuff does go on sale pretty regularly.

We actually briefly had the bamboo board top back when we got the original oven in 2010 and returned it because DH wanted to use the top to warm plates. I didn’t learn until we got the new one that it is actually designed for that and noted in the manual! It does waste some storage height but we keep the trays there anyway so not a huge deal.

Artemis, thanks for the info. Didn't know about the extra year warranty with the Prime card. I went ahead and applied for the Prime Visa and got the $100 gift card. I will wait a bit to see if the price does go down. if not, 99.99 is a good price.

Bpath, sorry for hijacking your thread!!!!

That’s okay, it’s all helpful extra info! DS figures he can just set the bamboo top to the side if he wants the warm oven top. We will see what we decide to do, get the top or just leave it as is.

I have a Breville Mini, replaced a failed GE/Walmart several years ago. The Breville is quite nice. Dislikes are: 1) the timer signal isn't loud enough and sounds only once, it should repeat for several iterations or until a button is pressed to silence it; 2) the included baking pan is very sturdy but dark porcelain and unsuitable for biscuits, cookies, cinnamon rolls and the like due to burning the bottom of the items, even when the temperature is reduced by 25°F as typically advised on packages.

We got it out of the boxes (took two of us), moved some appliances around, and got it set up. First we made toast. Crisp and Even. Then we heated up leftover fish and chips from a restaurant to make fish sandwiches. The fries were crisp on the outside! The fish, too. The brioche buns warmed quickly while we whipped up some tartar sauce. So far, it’s a success. And so fast! Now we just have to try actually cooking!

Haven’t heard if DS even got his out the boxes yet.

I had a Breville for years and loved it. It is probably still working in my brother-in-law’s kitchen

We are appreciating our new Breville already. We had potatoes in 20 minutes as opposed to 45! ”Nachos” as we call our little snack of tortilla chips with cheese on top, maybe sour cream and green onion, may as well be done in the microwave. (I lived in Texas so I know some of you might be cringing right now, maybe we should change our spelling to ”nochors“, and in ”not yours”.) The leftover pizza is much better and faster reheated in the toaster oven.

New problem: it has disrupted my kitchen layout! Suffice to say that a simple cup of coffee has me traversing all four sides of the kitchen. Definitely something to consider as we dream-design the new (probably fantasy) kitchen.