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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-22 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
The De'Longhi 10-in-1 is my top pick in the air fryer vs toaster oven debate, because it's the only oven here that genuinely does both jobs — real 1800-watt convection air frying plus full toaster-oven baking, broiling and toasting in one 24L cabinet.
• Elite Gourmet ETO236 — best for basic two-slice breakfasts on a tight counter; pick this if you want adjustable 200°F–450°F heat and a 650-watt thermostat in a 13.25-inch-wide body.
• Cuisinart TOB-135N — best for real cooking for two or three people; pick this if you want 1800 watts, true convection, digital controls and room for a 12-inch pizza.
• De'Longhi 10-in-1 — best for air frying and family-sized meals in one machine; pick this if you want 10 cooking functions, a 24L interior, an interior light and a heat-locking double-glass door.
This one isn't really a competitor to the others — it's a different category of appliance. The DASH Mini Toaster Oven is a 7.75" x 7.75" x 7.25" box that weighs 3.2 pounds, and it runs on a single knob. You set the 15-minute timer, an indicator light comes on, and auto shutoff handles the rest. That's the entire interface.
In daily use, that means bagels, mini pizzas, cookies, paninis and reheated leftovers — the small jobs you'd otherwise do in a full-size oven and then regret. The dropdown glass door lets you watch your food without pulling it out, and a removable cooking tray plus a slide-out crumb catch mean cleanup is a hand wash in warm soapy water rather than a scrubbing session.
Who is it for? Dorm rooms, apartments, RVs and tiny kitchens, per the spec sheet — and honestly, anyone who lives alone and mostly toasts. The painted metal body comes in a red finish, so it's also the one here that's styled as a countertop object rather than a stainless box.
The trade-off is capacity and control. There's no temperature dial listed, no convection fan and no air-fry function. It toasts and warms; it doesn't roast a chicken or crisp a batch of fries. If you want an actual oven, look further down this list.
Elite Gourmet ETO236
The ETO236 is the middle ground between the DASH and a full convection oven. It measures 7.5"D x 13.25"W x 6.5"H and weighs 4.5 pounds, so it's still compact — but wide enough for two slices of toast side by side.
What makes it more useful than the DASH is the second dial. You get a 15-minute timer plus adjustable temperature from 200°F to 450°F, so you're not just toasting; you can bake and broil as well. A 650-watt built-in thermostat holds the heat steady, which matters for warming food through without drying the edges, and the included non-stick bake pan and wire rack slide in and out of the rack position so you can adjust distance from the element depending on what you're cooking.
This is the pick for a two-person kitchen where breakfast is toast and lunch is a reheated slice of pizza. It's a stainless-steel body with a black finish and a dropdown door, so it wipes down easily and looks tidy on a small counter.
Now we're in proper countertop-oven territory. The Cuisinart TOB-135N Deluxe Convection Toaster Oven Broiler brings 1800 watts, a 0.6-cubic-foot interior and enough room for a 12-inch pizza or six slices of toast. It weighs 17.8 pounds and measures 18.5"D x 15.35"W x 9.84"H, so it needs a real slice of counter.
The feature list is where it earns its place. You get digital controls with a blue backlit display, a two-hour timer, and an Exact Heat sensor that maintains precise oven temperature — that sensor is the difference between "roughly 375°F" and actually holding 375°F, which is what makes baking in a small oven work at all. There's also Always Even toast shade control, an auto-slide rack that pulls food forward as you open the door, and an automatic shutoff safety feature.
Convection is the headline. Cuisinart offers both Convection Bake and Convection Broil, and you can run the oven with or without the fan. Functions cover toast, bagel, warm, bake, broil, reheat and defrost, across three rack positions. The interior is non-stick and easy-clean, and the box includes a baking pan, wire rack, broiling tray, slide-out crumb tray and a recipe book. It's BPA free and carries a limited three-year warranty.
Who should buy it? Anyone cooking real meals for two or three people who wants oven results without heating up a full-size range. The trade-off is clear: no air fry basket or dedicated air-fry mode, and at this footprint and weight it isn't the appliance you tuck into a cabinet between uses. If crisping with minimal oil is your priority, the De'Longhi below covers it better.
De'Longhi 10-in-1
The air-fry side is real, not a relabeled bake mode. De'Longhi uses Power Convection Technology to circulate hot air for crispy, crunchy texture with up to 80% less oil, and the oven ships with an air fry basket specifically for that job. Alongside it you get a wire rack, crumb tray, baking pan and pizza pan — enough to go from fries to a full sheet of cookies without hunting for accessories.
The engineering details are what sold me on it as a daily driver. A Heat Lock System — double-glass door plus gasket, like a full-size oven — keeps heat inside for faster operation and better energy efficiency, and De'Longhi states the optimized cooking area preheats up to 60% faster than a standard full-size oven. An integrated interior light lets you check progress without opening the door and dumping the heat. The internal cavity is non-stick and scratch-resistant, so cleanup is a wipe-down.
The honest trade-off: it's the biggest and heaviest unit here at 24.9 pounds and 19 inches wide, so it needs dedicated counter space and you won't be stashing it in a cupboard. It's also a 1-year manufacturer warranty versus Cuisinart's three. And if you only ever make toast, you're paying for capability you won't use. But if you want one machine that replaces both a basket air fryer and a toaster oven, this is the one I'd point you to.
I compared published specs and features — wattage, capacity, cooking functions, controls, included accessories and dimensions — and weighed them against how people actually use these appliances day to day. The ranking is our independent editorial opinion, and no brand paid for placement. Where a product's limits matter, I said so.
FAQ
what is an air fryer vs toaster oven
how to air fryer toaster oven
Use the air-fry mode with the air fry basket, not the flat baking pan. The De'Longhi's Air Fry setting uses Power Convection Technology to circulate hot air around the food, and the basket lets that air reach the underside. Spread items in a single layer so the air can move, and use the interior light to check progress instead of opening the door.
how to air fry in toaster oven
You need a convection fan and a basket, not just a toaster oven. On the De'Longhi 10-in-1, select Air Fry, place food in the included air fry basket set on the wire rack, and let the fan circulate hot air for the crispy, crunchy texture the setting is designed for, with up to 80% less oil. A standard toaster oven like the DASH Mini or Elite Gourmet ETO236 has no fan and no basket, so it can't air fry.
how to clean air fryer toaster oven
Let it cool, then remove the crumb tray and any racks, baskets or pans and hand wash them. The De'Longhi has a non-stick, scratch-resistant internal cavity made for a simple wipe-down; the Cuisinart TOB-135N has an easy-clean nonstick interior and a slide-out crumb tray. The DASH Mini uses a removable cooking tray and slide-out crumb catch, hand washed with warm soapy water.
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