Air fryer fan or not, one thing we can all agree on is that though these appliances may be super popular, they don't have a great reputation when it comes to design.
That's something that Italian brand Smeg has set out to change with the first in a next generation of the best air fryers. Today, the retro specialists have launched a 10-in-1 Multifunction Countertop Oven, which is as gorgeous as all of the other iconic appliances in the brand's collection.
And better than just providing you with countertop oven space, this product is seriously kitted out, integrating air frying and steam cooking, meaning it sounds impressively functional too.
We've got a review of this oven in the pipeline so that soon we can give you our verdict on what its performance is really like. But in the meantime, at the launch event for this oven, we got to see it firsthand and find out exactly what it can do.
Available to buy from the 13th of July 2024, and with a colour range of cream or black, the Smeg Countertop Oven has 10 functions, and 33 built-in recipe formulas. It's big enough to replace your built-in oven, and is so packed full of features.
The release of SMEG 10-in-1 Multifunction Countertop Oven is the latest in a line of similar products, most notably Our Place's (of Always Pan fame) newest launch, the recently released Wonder Oven. This type of appliance, as we delved into in our explainer on the difference between a countertop oven and a standard air fryer, has long been popular in the US, and is gaining popularity here in the UK.
But upon seeing the SMEG 10-in-1 at its recent launch event, we noticed an unmistakable difference with this oven as opposed to the almost toy-sized Our Place version - SMEG's version is absolutely huge.
We're not just talking about large in the world of air fryers. This is far and away the biggest countertop oven we've ever seen, a fact that makes total sense when you realise that rather than just air frying, this oven could replace several of your kitchen appliances in one fell swoop.
It has the spaciousness of a full-size oven (in our demo of the oven we saw it could comfortably fit five bread rolls onto just one level), the ability of an air fryer, and grill and defrost functions thrown in. And that's not even half of the settings.
All in all this oven's functions include: static cooking, fan assisted cooking, grilling, fan with base cooking, air frying, defrosting, static steam cooking, grill steam cooking, combination steam and traditional cooking and warming. Those functions, especially the opportunity to incorporate cooking with steam, make this product a hybrid between what a built-in and an air fryer can achieve.
And if that all sounds a bit overwhelming, then SMEG is one step ahead of you, with 33 built-in recipes to help you get along better with your new buy. All you need to do is decide what you want to eat and get hold of the ingredients, and this oven will set the time and temperature for you.
Sounds good? We think so too, though it's definitely not one for small kitchens or those on a tight budget, with a price tag of £849.95. If you're looking to rip out your built-in oven in favour of a countertop model altogether, however, we can see plenty of benefits with this one.
Countertop ovens we've tried and love
Don't want to wait until the 18th to shop for a countertop oven air fryer hybrid? Here are a few of our favourites we've already tried and tested.
We loved this product in our Sage Smart Oven Air Fryer review. It's unbelievably capable and the air fryer choice of Stanley Tucci just to top things off.
This countertop oven, which has a side hinged door and a huge capacity, impressed our expert reviewer and home economist so much that she's kept it on her worktop. Our full Ninja Combi review has the details.
If it's an affordable countertop oven you're looking for, you won't do better than this Lakeland choice, which impressed our reviewer during testing given its phenomenally low RRP. Our Lakeland Digital Mini Oven review has the full run-down.
