Our top picks make dinnertime a breeze — with faster, even browning and effortlessly crispy exterior
You may have heard ovens referred to as either conventional or convection — sometimes both. But an oven is an oven, right? Well, not exactly. There’s a significant difference in how these ovens heat, making them specialized for different cooking techniques. The most common examples of convection that people are familiar with are toaster ovens and air fryers, though some standard ovens have convection settings built right in.

So why buy a convection oven? One word: crispy. Convection is perfect for getting that golden brown and delicious crust on everything from crispy-skinned chicken to drool-worthy roasted potatoes. The circulating heat cooks food faster and yields even browning to achieve that craveable, crispy exterior. But just like conventional ovens, there are a wide variety of convection ovens available to choose from. So we surveyed the market for the best convection ovens out there, and we've picked eight expert-approved models that are perfect for every kind of home cook.

With a bit of resourcefulness, you can use the Brava to replace nearly every other cooking device in your home — and probably a few others you don't have. The smart oven has more than 7,000 different settings you can choose in its app, including toasting, air frying, slow cooking, and even zoned modes to make up to three separate dishes at three separate temperatures at the exact same time.
It takes all the guesswork out of cooking; you simply select the item you want to cook, and the Brava does the rest. This Starter Set adds custom-sized glass and metal cook trays to the oven itself, plus a temperature sensor that helps the built-in settings nail the doneness on meat and poultry. The problem is the price: The Brava is a serious investment that costs more than some full-sized ranges.

Best Value

The Cosori Smart Air Fryer Toaster Oven gives you such a great bang for your buck, you might be surprised at all this little oven can do for its low price. We love the easy-to-read buttons and digital display, the simple navigation of the temperature and time gauges, and the 12 functions from convection baking and broiling to keeping homemade yogurt at the right temperature for fermentation — there's even a setting specifically for reheating last night's pizza.
At this price, the Cosori is perfect for the casual cook or a more experienced enthusiast. That said, we wouldn’t recommend leaving this within reach of little hands: It can get quite hot to the touch when in use.

Best with Toaster Ovens

It’s no secret that Ninja is one of the leaders in countertop appliances, and once you use this combination air fryer/toaster/convection oven, it’s easy to see why. While still maintaining a compact footprint, this oven is spacious enough to fit an entire chicken, or two separate racks of food. It heats up fast and cooks incredibly evenly. The only downside is that it's tough to clean. The runners that the racks fit into can get greasy or covered in baked-on food, and a lot of elbow grease is necessary to scrub out the inside of the oven.

Best with Microwave

Toshiba's machine can replace both microwave and convection oven, putting a range of common features into the same appliance. There's a popcorn button and a defrost setting along with air frying, broiling, and toasting. One of the best features is that it’s programmable for multi-stage cooking, meaning you can transition from convection to broil or other combinations automatically. We also like the handy odor-removal setting that helps get rid of pesky lingering food smells.
This oven's price is quite reasonable, but we do have some qualms about its comparatively weak 1,000 watts of power. It may take longer to preheat, and to achieve good browning and crispness, than other models. It's also pretty heavy given its just-about-average size.