If you’re on the hunt for a versatile countertop toaster oven that can replace your stovetop or wall-mounted oven, this Calphalon performance air fry convection oven review has got the perfect solution for you. Unlike some standard appliances in the same price range, this oven offers nearly all of the capabilities of your full-size traditional oven.
Table of Contents
Introduction
As countertop ovens have gained more popularity over the last couple of years, many people are making the switch. If you live in a small apartment or have a small kitchen, countertop ovens are a lifesaver for busy cooks.
These multipurpose countertop ovens are a faster, easier alternative to turning on the oven. You can quickly roast chickens, bake biscuits, and roast vegetables. Additionally, it takes up a fraction of the kitchen space. And just when we thought toaster ovens couldn’t get any better, most toaster ovens today now feature air frying features for a healthy alternative.
So let’s start our in-depth review of the features and all the reasons why we think this Calphalon performance is one of the best electric ovens for all your cooking needs.
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Brand Profile
Calphalon is based in Perrysburg, Ohio, and is a leading producer of premium-quality cookware, bakeware, cutlery, and appliances for the home chef. Founded by Ronald M. Kasperzak in 1963 under the name Commercial Aluminum Cookware. Initially, the company supplied the restaurant industry and other professional foodservice businesses.
The company founder is credited with inventing hard-anodized aluminum cookware in 1968. He borrowed a process of making cookware more durable and resistant to corrosion and warping from the aerospace industry and called this invention Calphalon.
During the mid-1980s, the company began marketing Calphalon cookware to cooking schools and small speciality gourmet stores. As demand for Calphalon cookware grew, the company expanded rapidly.
Today, the cookware company manufactures a wide variety of cooking appliances, including cutlery, bakeware, and electric kitchen appliances trusted by top chefs across the world.
Calphalon Performance Air Fry Convection Oven Review Summary
Calphalon is a trusted cookware brand that offers high-quality appliances, and this oven is no different. It has gained high ratings and reviews among the thousands of reviewers on Amazon. One of the reasons is that the oven design offers remarkable depth to cook pizzas, cookies, fries, and frozen food.
It features several cooking functions and has quartz heating technology that delivers 40% more even heat for superior cooking results and preheats faster than conventional tube heating elements.
It is equipped with two cooking 2 levels and can cook a large whole chicken and standard 12-inch pizza. While most reviews are positive, we noticed some complaints on the bake cooking function, which some users felt didn’t work as well as the traditional oven. This is most likely due to the 1400 wattage, which is not as powerful as some of the toaster ovens on the market, especially those within the same price range.
Specifications
The following are the specifications of the model:
- Dimensions: 11.6 x 18.7 x 15.8 inches.
- Colors: Dark Stainless.
- Material: Dark Stainless.
- Weight: 22.6 Pounds.
- Wattage: 1400 Watts.
- Ready Indicator Light.
- Volts:120 Volts.
- Temperature: 450 °F.
- Warranty: 1 Year Limited Product Warranty.
Features
Cooking Functions
The oven features 11 preset cooking functions for all your daily cooking needs, which include:
- Air Fry
- Bake
- Toast
- Broil
- Roast
- Bagel
- Dehydrate
- Pizza
- Reheat
- Keep Warm
- Defrost
You can easily use the air fry function for cooking your favorite meals if you lead a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, the dehydrate option allows you to dry out meat, fruits, and veggies for storage purposes. This is particularly handy if you love to meal-prep.
The keep-warm function is also one of our favorite features, especially if you have a busy life and you need to keep your food at a ready-to-serve temperature. There is also a dedicated defrost function if you forget to take your meat out of the freezer in time. If you’re an avid baker, the bread-proof function comes in handy.
All cooking functions are preset, so you don’t have to worry about getting the right temperature for the different meals. If you want to change things up a little, you can, as the oven allows you to customize the settings.
Capacity
The Calphalon performance air fry convection oven has a large interior capacity. It comes with two adjustable rack positions allowing you to fit standard baking pans, a whole chicken, and a 12-inch pizza on each rack.
Design
The Calphalon oven has a very sleek design that comes with a dark stainless steel finish. A built-in interior light allows you to monitor your cooking, and the removable crumb tray makes cleaning fast and efficient.
The oven also features a high-contrast LCD display that gives you complete control of the cooking features. You can also track current cooking settings, which eliminates the guesswork out of your cooking.
Ease of use
Most owners found the Calphalon performance air fry convection oven to be easy to use and quick. The interior of the oven is made using non-stick material, so cleaning is a breeze. All you need is a sponge and warm water with mild detergent to wipe away any grease and splatter. The included air fry basket, durable non-stick baking pan, wire rack, and removable crumb tray are all dishwasher safe.
Pros
- We love the high contrast LCD touchscreen that is very user friendly
- It has a compact and sleek design
- It comes with a programmable cooking function
- Has numerous accessories
Cons
- The exterior does tend to get very hot
- It has slightly lower wattage than other toaster ovens in the same range
How does it compare with similar products?
Usually, higher-quality toaster ovens are more expensive, and this Calphalon performance air fry convection oven is definitely in the luxury range. So you have to factor this in when you’re looking for a countertop toaster oven.
So how does it compare to other products?
Below we have a brief comparison discussion and table of four alternatives to the product in this review so that you can make an informed decision.
Ninja Foodi Digital Oven
The Ninja Foodi Digital Oven is an excellent alternative to the Calphalon toaster oven. It has excellent baking performance with great temperature accuracy. The air-fry and dehydrate functions are also convenient. Another great bonus is that it flips on its end when not in use, so you can save space.
Breville Bov 900bss
If you’re on the market for something bigger and don’t mind forking out a little bit more, then the Breville BOV900BSS Smart Oven might be a great alternative. This oven cooks whatever you throw at it. It combines the functionality of an oven, dehydrator, and slow cooker all in one.
The super convection setting reduces cooking time by up to 30% leaving you with crispy and fresh food. It has multiple cooking functionalities and serves as a multipurpose kitchen tool. This particular product requires a lot of counter space. Still, if you don’t have room, the good news is that Breville also produces some of the best-rated small toaster ovens.
Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven
This stainless steel and relatively compact Cuisinart Deluxe Convection Toaster Oven is also a great alternative. It can roast, toast, broil and bake in a very short time. It comes with multiple convection fan settings and can be programmed to dual cook. This means you can cook a dish at one temperature and then switch to another to finish cooking it through.
Breville Mini Smart Oven
Suppose you want a more expensive alternative that is relatively the same size as the Calphalon performance air fry. In that case, this Breville Mini smart oven might be an option. It packs all the high performance you’d expect from a big smart oven into a tiny package. Although you’re limited in terms of capacity, the mini smart oven does a great job making most things: cakes, pizzas, or chicken.
Comparison Table
| Product | Calphalon Performance Air Fry Convection Oven, Countertop Toaster Oven, Dark Stainless Steel | Ninja Foodi Digital Oven | Breville Bov900bss | Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven | Breville Mini Smart Oven |
| Outer Dimensions | 18.7″ x 15.8″ x 11.6″ | 19.7″ x 7.6″ x 15″ | 17.2″ x 21.4″ x 12.8″ | 20.87″ x 16.93″ x 11.42″ | 15.5″ x 14″ x 8.8″ |
| Maximum Pizza Diameter | 12″ | 13″ | 13″ | 13″ | 11″ |
| Power Consumption (W) | 1400 | 1800 | 1800 | 1800 | 1800 |
| Accessories | Air Fry Basket, Durable Non-Stick Baking Pan, Wire Rack, and Removable Crumb Tray | Wire rack, air fry basket, sheet pan | 13″ Pizza Pan, Oven Racks x2, 9″x13″ Broil Rack, Enamel Roasting Pan, Mesh basket rack | 2 Oven Racks, Baking/ Drip Pan. Broiling Pan, Removable Crumb Tray, 13 “Pizza Stone, Recipe Booklet | Baking pan |
Conclusion
This oven by Calphalon features one of the best combinations in the market right now. It uses quartz heating technology, making it an excellent roasting and air frying oven. However, the low wattage is a cause of concern, especially for baking dishes, with some owners expressing that it “fails as a toaster oven.”
So you might be better off with the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven, which is roughly the same price and has a higher wattage. But for standard dishes that aren’t temperature sensitive, this toaster oven will serve you well.
We hope that our Calphalon Performance Air Fry Convection Oven review has shown that you don’t need to break the bank to get a fantastic toaster oven.