The Best Countertop Ovens of 2026

Countertop ovens are one of the most versatile small appliances you can buy—but they aren’t the right fit for every kitchen or cooking style. These compact ovens are designed to handle everyday tasks like baking, roasting, broiling, and reheating without the time, energy use, or heat of a full-size oven.

They’re a great choice if you cook small to medium portions, want more control than a toaster oven offers, or need an efficient alternative to turning on a built-in oven. But if you regularly cook large roasts, need maximum capacity, or mainly want quick snacks and toast, another appliance may make more sense.

We tested the best countertop ovens to find the models that deliver reliable cooking performance, useful features, and real value—while also calling out where countertop ovens shine and where they fall short, so you can decide if one actually fits your needs. The best model we tested was the GE Profile Smart Oven (available at Walmart for $449.00) , which excelled at baking and air frying and boasts a sleek, modern design. If you’re looking for something a bit more affordable, the Ninja Foodi XL Pro (available at Amazon) is another great pick with a spacious interior that can accommodate two trays of food at once.

Is a Countertop Oven Right for You?

A countertop oven is likely a good fit if you:

• Bake, roast, or reheat food several times a week
• Want better results than a microwave or toaster oven
• Cook for one to four people most of the time
• Prefer faster preheating and lower energy use than a full oven

You may want to skip a countertop oven if you:

• Regularly cook large meals or oversized bakeware
• Only need toast or quick frozen snacks
• Want one appliance that also pressure cooks or slow cooks

Other Countertop Ovens We Tested

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Countertop Oven vs. Other Kitchen Appliances

Countertop ovens overlap with several other appliances, but they’re designed for a specific style of cooking. If you want consistent baking, roasting, and reheating in a compact form, a countertop oven is usually the best choice. If your priority is speed, crispiness, or multifunction cooking, another appliance may be a better fit.

If you’re deciding between a countertop oven and another option, here’s how they compare.

Countertop Oven

Best for: Baking, roasting, broiling, reheating, and everyday cooking

Countertop ovens are essentially compact ovens that sit on your counter. They’re ideal if you want reliable baking performance without turning on a full-size oven. Many models offer convection, multiple rack positions, and enough space for casseroles, sheet-pan meals, or small roasts.

Choose a countertop oven if:

• You cook small to medium portions regularly
• You want consistent baking and roasting results
• You need more versatility than a toaster oven
• You often reheat leftovers and want better texture than a microwave

Toaster Oven

Best for: Toast, bagels, frozen snacks, quick reheating

Toaster ovens heat quickly and take up less space, but they’re usually limited in capacity and precision. They’re great for simple tasks but less reliable for baking or roasting larger dishes.

Choose a toaster oven if:

• You mostly make toast and small snacks
• Counter space is very limited
• You don’t need multi-rack cooking or precise temperature control

Air Fryer

Best for: Crispy foods with little oil

Air fryers excel at producing crisp textures quickly, especially for frozen foods or small portions. However, they typically have limited capacity and aren’t ideal for traditional baking.

Choose an air fryer if:

• You want fast, crispy results
• You cook single-portion meals
• Baking and roasting aren’t priorities

Full-size Oven

Best for: Large meals and batch cooking

A full-size oven offers the most space and power, but it takes longer to preheat and uses more energy for small meals.

Choose a full-size oven if:

• You regularly cook large roasts or multiple trays
• You don’t mind longer preheat times
• Counter space is at a premium

Multi-Cooker

Best for: One-pot meals and versatility

Some multi-cookers include bake or air-fry functions, but these usually don’t match the even heating or capacity of a dedicated countertop oven.

Choose a multi-cooker if:

• You want one appliance to do many jobs
• Pressure cooking or slow cooking matters more than baking

Can a Countertop Oven Replace a Regular Oven?

If you want a smaller, quicker, and more efficient option than a regular oven—or just need to expand your cooking capacity—a countertop oven is a good choice. Or, if you have a camper or RV without space for a built-in oven, a countertop oven could be perfect.

Countertop ovens offer many of the same functions as their full-size counterparts, including baking, broiling, and roasting, and many also have additional features such as air-fry and toast settings.

However, the main downside of using a countertop oven instead of a full-size oven is its limited capacity. Most ranges or wall ovens have a capacity between two and five cubic feet, while countertop ovens are often less than one cubic foot in capacity.

This means you can generally only cook one tray of food at a time, and the largest pan size they can accommodate is usually 9-by-13 inches without handles.

Advantages of a Countertop Oven

• Less energy used:Countertop ovens use significantly less energy than their standard-sized counterparts, saving you energy and money. If you cook or reheat smaller meals that fit neatly in a countertop oven, you’ll use as much as 50% less energy, by some accounts, than performing the same task in your regular oven.

• Faster heating:If you hate waiting, countertop ovens have you covered: While it can take 15 minutes or more for a regular oven to reach temperature, the best countertop ovens are ready to cook in as little as five minutes.

• Quicker cooking: It’s not just the preheat that goes faster — cook times in countertop ovens are significantly faster than regular ovens. That means your frozen pizza will be bubbling hot and ready to eat in 12 to 16 minutes, for example, an important difference when your stomach is rumbling.

What to Look For in a Countertop Oven

Countertop ovens can look similar on the outside, but small design differences can have a big impact on how well they work for everyday cooking. Here’s what actually matters—and how it shows up in real use.

Capacity and Interior Size

Capacity determines what you can realistically cook, not just how big the oven looks on your counter. Some models can handle a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a whole chicken, while others are limited to single-rack meals.

In practice: If you cook sheet-pan dinners or casseroles, or bake loaves of bread, look for an oven with enough clearance for standard bakeware and at least two rack positions. Smaller interiors are better suited for reheating leftovers or cooking for one.

Convection vs. Standard Heating

It’s common for countertop ovens to have 10 or more cooking modes, including settings like bake, broil, roast, air fry, dehydrate, toast, and more. If you’re planning to cook specific foods in your oven, you’ll want to look for settings that align with your needs.

Many countertop ovens offer convection, which circulates hot air for faster, more even cooking.

In practice: Convection is especially useful for roasting vegetables, baking cookies evenly, and reheating leftovers without sogginess. If you mostly toast bread or reheat pizza, convection is less critical—but for frequent baking or roasting, it makes a noticeable difference.

Rack Positions and Interior Layout

The number of rack positions affects the oven's flexibility.

In practice: Multiple rack heights let you adjust for broiling, bake evenly on different foods, or cook two items at once. If you regularly broil fish or melt cheese, having an upper rack position matters more than preset buttons.

Controls and Presets

Countertop ovens use either manual dials or digital controls with presets.

In practice: Manual knobs are straightforward and reliable for everyday tasks. Digital controls are helpful if you want more precise temperatures, timers that automatically switch to keep-warm, or one-touch settings for baking and roasting. Presets are most useful when they’re accurate—otherwise, manual control is just as effective.

Preheating Speed and Temperature Accuracy

A good countertop oven should heat quickly and hold a stable temperature. Many models only reach 450°F, but some can reach 500°F.

In practice: Fast preheating is a big advantage for weeknight meals, but temperature accuracy matters more for baking. If you bake frequently, look for models known for steady heat rather than just speed.

Accessories and Included Pans

Some ovens include baking pans, air-fry baskets, or multiple racks.

In practice: Included accessories can save money and reduce guesswork, but only if they’re well-made and sized correctly. Extra racks are especially useful if you cook multiple items at once.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Crumb trays, interior coatings, and removable racks all affect how easy the oven is to clean.

In practice: A removable crumb tray makes daily cleanup much easier, especially if you toast or roast often. Interior lights and nonstick coatings also help you monitor food without opening the door and losing heat.

Counter Space and Door Design

Countertop ovens vary widely in footprint and how their doors open.

In practice: If you have limited counter space, check how far the door extends when open and whether heat vents out the back or sides. A large oven with a deep door swing can be frustrating in a tight kitchen.

Price and Value

Countertop ovens range from budget models to premium, feature-packed machines.

In practice: Paying more makes sense if you bake or roast frequently and want consistent results. If you mainly reheat leftovers or toast bread, a simpler model may be all you need.

How Much Should You Spend on a Countertop Oven?

Countertop ovens vary widely in price, and the right budget depends on how often and how seriously you cook.

Under $100

Best for basic reheating, small bakes, and toast. Expect limited capacity and fewer features, but solid everyday reliability.

$100 to $200

The sweet spot for most people. These ovens typically offer convection, better temperature control, and enough space for family meals.

$200 to $350

Ideal for frequent bakers and home cooks who want consistent results, multiple rack positions, and higher build quality.

$350+

Premium options with advanced features and larger interiors. Worth it only if you cook often and want top-tier performance.

Tips for Using a Countertop Oven Effectively

• Use the right rack position: Higher racks are best for broiling and crisping, while middle racks work best for baking.
• Don’t overcrowd the oven: Leave space around food so heat can circulate evenly.
• Use convection thoughtfully: It speeds cooking and improves browning, but may require slightly lower temperatures for baking.
• Preheat when baking: Even if the oven heats quickly, preheating improves consistency for breads and pastries.
• Clean the crumb tray regularly: This prevents smoke and improves airflow.

Who Should Skip a Countertop Oven

A countertop oven may not be the best choice if you:

• Regularly cook large roasts or oversized bakeware
• Only need toast or very quick snacks (a toaster oven may be enough)
• Prefer multifunction appliances like pressure cookers or slow cookers
• Have extremely limited counter space

How We Test Countertop Ovens

We put each countertop oven through a series of tests to evaluate its cooking performance, consistency, ease of use, and ease of cleaning.

We use each oven to cook five different recipes: roast chicken, chocolate chip cookies, frozen pizza, frozen french fries, and chili with cornbread biscuits. This allows us to try out several different cooking functions, and we rate each recipe on how well it's cooked.

Throughout testing, we evaluate each oven on its ease of use. We consider factors such as its control panel, capacity, accessories, and app compatibility. We also look for useful features like adjustable racks, preset cooking modes, and interior oven lights.

During testing, we also clean each oven, noting whether the components are dishwasher-safe and how much effort is needed to clean each appliance.

Read More About Kitchen Appliances on Reviewed

• The Best Toaster Ovens: Looking for something a little smaller than a countertop oven? Check out our roundup of the best toaster ovens you can buy right now.
• The Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens: Get the best of both worlds with the best air fryer toaster ovens, including models from Cuisinart, Breville, and Gourmia.
• Do you need an oven with a built-in air fryer?: You might! Read our breakdown on the advantages and disadvantages of the new combo models.
• Our Place Wonder Oven Review: It doesn’t just look good—the Wonder Oven from Our Place really performs. Read our in-depth review.