How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a true second oven with precise temperature control and room for two whole chickens, choose KitchenAid Dual Convection Countertop; if you need one countertop machine that air fries, toasts, broils, warms and dehydrates for a family, choose Plum chef Multifunctional Convection Toaster. That's the whole decision in one line, and the rest of this page is me showing you why.
• KitchenAid Dual Convection Countertop — biggest strength: dual convection plus a built-in temperature probe, so you get oven-grade control and can cook chicken up to 20% faster than on the plain Bake setting (based on a 3 lb chicken).
• KitchenAid Dual Convection Countertop — biggest trade-off: it's a 20.3 lb machine that behaves like a small oven, not a quick air fryer — no dedicated air-fry mode is listed among its 12 presets, and it's the heavier of the two.
• Plum chef Multifunctional Convection Toaster — biggest strength: six appliances in one body — air fryer, convection oven, toaster, broiler, food warmer and dehydrator — with a 27.5-quart interior that fits a 4.5 lb chicken or 6 slices of toast.
• Plum chef Multifunctional Convection Toaster — biggest trade-off: knob-only control and no temperature probe, so it's built for convenience and volume rather than pinpoint doneness.
• Pick KitchenAid if you cook proteins, bake, proof dough and want a compact stand-in for a full-size oven.
• Pick Plum chef if you want crispy air-fried food with little oil, three racks going at once, and one box that replaces the toaster too.
The KCO255 is the more "serious cooking" of the two. Its headline feature is Dual Convection Bake, which the spec sheet says cooks chicken up to 20% faster than the standard Bake setting, measured against a 3 lb bird. That matters more than it sounds: moving hot air around the cavity is what separates a real convection oven from a box with a heating element, and dual convection means the airflow is doing the work on both sides of the food rather than just one.
Capacity is where KitchenAid makes its pitch: it fits up to 2 whole chickens (based on 3.6 lbs each) and ships with a 9x13" baking pan with grill rack, a removable metal rack, a removable drip and crumb tray, and the probe. The non-stick interior and dropdown door keep cleanup straightforward. At 20.3 pounds with a metal body and black matte finish, it feels like a small oven because that's what it is.
Buy it if: you roast, bake, proof bread, and want probe-accurate results without firing up the big oven. Skip it if: your main goal is dumping frozen fries in a basket and having them crispy in minutes — that's not the job this machine was designed around.
Plum chef Multifunctional Convection Toaster: Who It's For
The Plum chef takes the opposite approach: do more things, in more volume, with less fuss. It's a 6-in-1 unit — air fryer, convection oven, toaster, broiler, food warmer and dehydrator — and the air fry function is the one most people will buy it for. The spec sheet claims crispy, golden results with up to 85% less oil than deep frying, thanks to rapid air circulation that pushes hot air evenly around the food. That's the classic air-fryer promise, and it's the reason this machine exists.
Capacity is genuinely family-sized. The 27.5-quart interior fits a whole 4.5 lb chicken or six slices of toast, and you can cook three layers of food at once using the included trays and racks. For a household trying to get dinner on the table without juggling pans, that three-layer trick is the real selling point — wings on top, vegetables in the middle, something reheating below.
Controls are deliberately simple: knob controls for function, temperature and time. No digital display, no probe. The body is stainless steel up front with a non-stick interior that wipes clean, and it weighs 15.6 lb at roughly 16.5" long by 15.9" tall, so it slides under cabinets more forgivingly than the KitchenAid. Included: a mesh rack, a retrieval clip and a baking pan.
Buy it if: you want air-fried wings, fries and snacks, you toast bread in the same machine, and you feed a family that eats at once. Skip it if: you want to nail a roast to an exact internal temperature or proof dough on a schedule — there's no probe and no proofing preset in the listed functions.
• Best for air frying → Plum chef. It has a dedicated air-fry function with rapid air circulation and an up-to-85%-less-oil claim; the KitchenAid's listed presets don't include an air-fry mode.
• Best for roasting meat precisely → KitchenAid. The built-in temperature probe and dual convection are built for exactly this.
• Best for feeding a crowd in one go → Plum chef. 27.5 quarts, three simultaneous layers, a 4.5 lb chicken.
• Best for baking and dough → KitchenAid. Cookie, pizza and dough proofing presets, plus a 9x13" pan and a claim of fitting up to two 3.6 lb chickens.
• Best for replacing multiple gadgets → Plum chef. Air fryer, oven, toaster, broiler, warmer and dehydrator in one body.
• Best for monitoring without opening the door → KitchenAid. Interior light plus an easy-to-read digital display.
• Best for lighter, more compact footprint → Plum chef. 15.6 lb versus 20.3 lb, and a slightly shorter cabinet profile.
• Best for low-effort cleanup → both, honestly. Each uses a non-stick interior and removable trays, so neither is a chore.
• Best for crispy snacks with minimal oil → Plum chef. That's its core design goal.
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the KitchenAid Dual Convection Countertop. In my opinion, the temperature probe plus dual convection is the combination that actually changes how you cook — you stop guessing, you stop opening the door, and you can roast, bake and proof with real confidence in a footprint far smaller than a wall oven. The Plum chef is the better pure air fryer and the better family-volume machine, and I'd recommend it without hesitation to anyone whose week is mostly wings, fries, toast and reheating. But if cooking is the point rather than convenience, the probe wins it for me. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing that can flip this call.
FAQ
how air fryer vs convection oven
how to air fryer oven
Use the air-fry or convection function, keep food in a single layer with space around it, and use the mesh rack or a perforated tray so air reaches the underside. The Plum chef lets you run three layers at once with its included trays and racks, which is unusual for a countertop unit this size.
how to air fryer oven chicken wings
Pat the wings dry, toss with a little oil and seasoning, and spread them on the mesh rack so they don't touch. Run them on the air-fry setting, turning once, and expect the rapid air circulation to give you the crispy exterior you'd normally get from deep frying — the Plum chef's up-to-85%-less-oil claim is the whole reason to cook wings this way.
how to air fry oven chips
Cut potatoes evenly so they finish at the same time, rinse and dry them well, then toss with a small amount of oil. Spread them in a single layer on the mesh rack and shake or turn halfway — crowding is what makes chips soggy, whether you're using the Plum chef's air fry mode or a convection bake on the KitchenAid.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Uten Air Fryer Oven vs Plum chef Multifunctional Convection Toaster, Kitchen Elite Air Fryer Toaster vs Plum chef PlumChef 29.5QT, Nuwave Bravo Convection Toaster vs CULINARY CHEF EAF601-BLACK