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

You generally do not need to buy a dedicated air fryer if you already have a toaster oven, unless speed, maximum crispiness, and cooking small batches are your highest priorities.

While both appliances use convection heat to cook food, they excel at different tasks:

• Keep your toaster oven if you frequently toast bread, bake delicate items, cook flat foods (like pizzas), or prepare larger meals. A standard toaster oven offers more cooking area and versatility.
• Add a dedicated air fryer if you want fast, deep-fried textures with minimal oil, cook mostly frozen foods or small single-serve batches, and want to skip the preheating time. A dedicated air fryer's high-velocity fan and compact basket circulate heat much faster than a standard toaster oven.
• Upgrade to a combo if your current toaster oven is old and you want to save counter space. An "air fryer toaster oven" combines both functions, though its air-frying performance may be slightly slower than a standalone basket model.