Should I buy an air fryer if I already have a toaster oven?

Probably not—unless your toaster oven is weak at crisping or you cook a lot of fries, wings, nuggets, roasted vegetables, or small frozen foods.

If your toaster oven already has a good convection or air-fry setting and you’re happy with the results, keep it. A separate air fryer adds another appliance and overlaps heavily with reheating, baking, broiling, and roasting.

Buy a dedicated air fryer if you want faster, crispier results for small batches, better airflow around food, and less preheating than many toaster ovens. It’s especially worth it if your current toaster oven makes food dry, uneven, or not very crisp.

Don’t buy one if counter space matters, you mostly make toast or larger sheet-pan meals, or you prefer one versatile appliance. In that case, a good air-fryer toaster oven may be the better upgrade when your current toaster oven needs replacing.