Smeg has just launched a countertop air fry oven that has all the retro charm you'd expect of the Italian appliance brand. But while the style is all 50s, its smart tech is some of the most advanced we've seen. The new Smeg Countertop Air Fry Oven with Steam offers all the benefits of multifunctional cooking, with enough functions to leave your toaster oven, air fryer, and even your actual oven out of a job, making it much easier to cook without a traditional oven.
While it offers 10 cooking functions, which means you could banish other bulky cooking appliances from your countertop, it does come with a premium price tag of $999. It’s certainly not a product that you would buy without some serious consideration. We are currently in the process of testing the Smeg Countertop Air Fry Oven with Steam, and will report back on its overall performance, functionality and how easy it is to use.
On first impressions though, this is a well-designed countertop oven that does away with gimmicks in favor of genuinely useful cooking settings that will expand your kitchen repertoire. Some of our favorite features include the three steam cook settings, and the My Smeg Assistant digital platform, which can unlock exclusive recipes and a host of tips and tricks through QR codes.
Multifunctional features
The launch of Smeg’s Countertop Air Fry Oven with Steam is part of a growing trend of offering multifunctional appliances. These products are not necessarily intended for use in small spaces alone, but similar products, such as Our Place’s Perfect Power Pot, are perfect for small flats and dorm rooms.
But unlike the Perfect PowerPot, what’s exceptional about the Smeg’s Countertop Oven is its 30.7-quart (30-liter) capacity, which gives you plenty of room to cook for a small family or friends. And with 10 cooking functions, it's a lot more capable.
But although it's designed to be a space-safer, the Smeg Countertop Air Fry Oven is certainly not a budget buy. This countertop oven retails for $999 at Crate & Barrel, compared to Our Place’s Wonder Oven, a 6-in-1 air fryer and countertop oven with steam infusion, which retails for $195 at Amazon.
It's an investment, but the release comes with Smeg’s Italian design credentials. It means that apart from enjoying all the advantages of one of the best air fryers, with added features, your kitchen will be adorned with the iconic retro design we all associate with Smeg. Rather than trying to disguise an unattractive appliance on your countertop, you’ll be making this a central feature.
What's included?
The oven comes complete with an enameled tray for traditional cooking, a perforated baking tray for steaming or air frying, and a grill rack that provides support for oven containers.
Steam functions
What makes this appliance stand out is that among 10 cooking functions to choose from, three are dedicated to steam cooking. And although having a steam function in a countertop oven is not unusual, having three modes is, which gives you the flexibility to steam a range of foods in the most suitable way. Apart from offering bake, convection, bottom base baking, grill, air fry, warm, and defrost, the additional steam functions allows you to lock in nutrients and moisture when cooking. And with three to choose from, there's a perfect mode for whatever you want to cook.
Pure Steam allows you to use 100% steam to cook rice, vegetables, curries, and casseroles for healthy and nutritious results. Convection steam is perfect for roasting meat with a caramelized exterior. Grill steam is ideal for cooking pork chops and sausages, caramelizing the outside while keeping the meat succulent and tender.
The steam tank has an 0.85-quart capacity (0.8-liter) with a descale function to ensure the appliance doesn't become hampered with scale.
Pre-sets and recipe inspiration
Stuck to know what to cook? There are 33 built-in recipes, including a range of meat, fish and vegetable dishes, desserts, bread and pizza. Simply, input the weight of what’s in the oven and the time and temperature are automatically set. This frees you up to get on with something else, as you don't need to keep checking on the food’s progress.
The pre-set mode can be overridden with the aid of My Smeg assistant. Here, you can scan a QR code to unlock a collection of recipes, with added tips for getting more out of your appliance and how best to maintain it.
More from Tom's Guide
