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The best benchtop oven in NZ overall is the Breville the Smart Oven Pro, thanks to its five quartz elements, Element iQ heat management and a genuinely flexible 10-function dial that suits everything from reheating leftovers to slow-cooking a Sunday roast.
This list runs from compact air fryer and oven combos through to a 42-litre model with a built-in rotisserie, so the right pick depends on household size and whether air frying needs to be a dedicated function.
For a benchtop model built purely around a frying basket rather than a combi oven, the best air fryers guide is a useful next stop.
Each pick below is compared on capacity, real owner feedback and genuine trade-offs, not just spec-sheet claims.
| Product | Best for | Capacity | Key function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breville the Smart Oven Pro | Best overall | 22L | 10 functions, Element iQ convection |
| Sunbeam NutriCrisp Air Fryer Oven | Best value | 17L | Bake, grill, toast, air fry |
| Russell Hobbs Air Fry Crisp’N Bake | Best simple dial controls | 20L | Air fry, bake, grill, toast |
| Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer | Best for air frying | 48x40x27.8cm | 10 functions incl. dedicated Air Fry |
| Breville All-in-One Compact Air Fryer Oven | Best for small kitchens | 24L | 10 functions incl. dehydrate |
| Daewoo Countertop Oven with Hot Plates & Rotisserie | Best for roasts & big batches | 42L | Rotisserie + 2 hot plates |
1. Breville the Smart Oven Pro – Best Overall
The best benchtop oven in NZ overall is the Breville the Smart Oven Pro, a 22-litre convection oven flexible enough to replace a second oven for most households.
Its 47 x 32 x 28cm footprint sits comfortably on a standard NZ kitchen bench without crowding a splashback, yet the cavity still fits a 30cm (13-inch) pizza despite the compact exterior.
It comes only in a brushed stainless steel finish with a glass door, paired with control dials and a small LCD display for its 10 preset functions rather than a full touchscreen.
Five quartz elements sit behind Breville’s Element iQ system, built to manage heat across the whole cavity rather than relying on one thermostat. Long-term owner reviews describe five to six years of reliable daily use before the convection fan starts to develop a rattle, and at least one owner has been through three units across a decade with the same fan noise recurring each time.
Setup is straightforward enough that reviewers describe it as simple for a teenager to operate without reading the manual. The interior light switches on automatically, and the oven tray slides forward as the door opens so hands don’t need to reach fully into the hot cavity. Preheating can take a while to finish, and testers recommend checking with a separate oven thermometer rather than trusting the beep alone.
A 2400W element delivers a fast preheat, and the oven runs 10 functions (toast, crumpet, bake, roast, grill, pizza, cookies, reheat, warm and slow cook), with slow cook running up to 10 hours before automatically switching to keep warm. Convection is rated to cut cooking time by up to 30 percent over a standard oven.
The redesigned door on this model reduced usable interior depth by around 4cm compared with its BOV845 predecessor, despite an identical exterior footprint, and some accessories such as the extra pizza tray are only sold online rather than in stores.
Key specs: model BOV850BSS, 22L capacity, 2400W, 10 functions, 2-year manufacturer warranty.
Pros
- Element iQ system manages heat across 5 quartz elements
- 10 versatile functions including a 10-hour slow cook
- Fits a 30cm pizza despite a compact footprint
Cons
- Convection fan can develop a rattle after a few years of daily use
- Some accessories only sold online, not in stores
2. Sunbeam NutriCrisp Air Fryer Oven – Best Value
Best for shoppers who want an air fryer and a mini oven without paying for two appliances, the Sunbeam NutriCrisp Air Fryer Oven combines bake, grill, toast and air fry in one 17-litre unit.
It measures 42cm long, 35cm wide and 24.5cm high and weighs 7.2kg, a compact footprint suited to singles and couples rather than large families, with 3 adjustable rack positions and an XL viewing window.
The metal body comes in black only, with dial-style controls, a 60-minute timer and alert, plus a mesh rack, baking pan, pizza pan and wire rack included as standard accessories.
It’s made in China and backed by a 12-month replacement or repair warranty. It doesn’t yet have a long enough track record for independent durability data, but early owner feedback has been positive, with no reports so far of element or fan failure.
Reviewers describe it as genuinely versatile across baking, toasting, grilling and air frying, with noticeably shorter cook times than firing up a full oven for small jobs. Cleanup is straightforward thanks to a removable crumb tray and dishwasher-safe accessories, though one reviewer suggested the dial labels could be clearer, since the markings are small and easy to misjudge.
The 17 to 18-litre cavity roasts a 2.5kg chicken, bakes six muffins or grills a 25cm pizza, preheats in around 2 minutes and reaches a 230°C maximum on 1260 to 1500W. Sunbeam cites up to 50 percent lower energy use than a 70-litre fan oven in its own testing.
This is a single or couple’s appliance rather than a family one, and owners who mainly want dedicated air frying note that a standalone air fryer basket still crisps faster and more evenly for foods that need shaking partway through cooking.
Key specs: model COM3600BK, 17L capacity, 1260 to 1500W, 60-minute timer, 12-month warranty.
Pros
- Genuinely combines bake, grill, toast and air fry in one compact unit
- Dishwasher-safe accessories and a removable crumb tray
- Roasts a 2.5kg chicken despite the compact 17L cavity
Cons
- Best suited to 1-2 people, not larger families
- Dial markings could be clearer for accurate settings
3. Russell Hobbs Air Fry Crisp’N Bake Toaster Oven – Best for Simple Dial Controls
Best for shoppers who want straightforward dial controls rather than a digital display, the Russell Hobbs Air Fry Crisp’N Bake Toaster Oven covers air fry, bake, grill, toast and keep warm in a 20-litre cavity.
Retailer spec sheets vary slightly on exact dimensions, but all agree the 20-litre interior fits a 12-inch pizza, six slices of bread or a whole chicken, and the unit weighs close to 8.5kg.
The stainless steel body (listed by some retailers simply as silver) sits on non-slip feet, with a dial-based thermostat and function selector rather than an LCD screen.
Independent retailer review sub-scores rate build quality at 4.7 out of 5 and ease of setup a full 5 out of 5, even though the overall product rating sits lower, at 3.2 out of 5 from 73 reviews, once cooking performance is factored in.
There’s no digital display here, just dials, which several reviewers appreciate for simplicity, but it also means Air Fry mode runs at a fixed temperature of roughly 200 to 230°C with no adjustment. The built-in timer ticks audibly as it counts down, which some owners find irritating, though a stay-on mode avoids it. The basket, tray and drip tray are dishwasher-safe, but multiple reviewers say crumbs and grease still cling stubbornly.
A 1500W convection fan heats up to 230°C, with Russell Hobbs claiming preheat up to four times faster than a conventional oven, and testers reporting air-fried chips ready in around 15 minutes.
No temperature control while in Air Fry mode is the main limitation, and an exposed lower heating element reduces usable tray space. Several reviewers also report uneven results, with a burnt exterior and undercooked centre on some dishes.
Key specs: model RHTOV25, 20L capacity, 1500W, 2-year warranty.
Pros
- Simple dial controls with no learning curve
- Strong build-quality and ease-of-setup scores
- Fits a whole chicken or a 12-inch pizza
Cons
- No temperature adjustment in Air Fry mode
- Some reviewers report uneven cooking results
- Timer ticks audibly while counting down
4. Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer – Best for Air Frying
Best for households that want dedicated air frying alongside full oven functions, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer adds a proper Air Fry mode and basket to the same Element iQ convection system as the Smart Oven Pro.
Its 48cm wide, 40cm deep and 27.8cm high footprint is slightly larger than the non-air-fry Smart Oven Pro, built around the same brushed stainless steel housing and glass door.
An LCD display replaces dial-only controls, letting shoppers step through 10 functions: toast, crumpet, grill, bake, roast, warm, pizza, air fry, reheat and slow cook.
Element iQ pairs independent heating elements with digital PID temperature sensing, which Breville positions as reducing cold spots across the cavity compared with a single-thermostat design, though independent teardown data to verify this wasn’t found.
The LCD counts down cook time and signals when preheating is finished, and the interior light comes on automatically at the end of a cycle so food can be checked without opening the door and losing heat.
Breville rates the dual-speed convection as cutting cooking time by up to 30 percent and claims up to 35 percent lower power use than a built-in oven, based on the brand’s own November 2022 benchmark testing rather than independent lab results.
This model sits at a clear price premium over its non-air-fry sibling, the Smart Oven Pro, and its footprint is large for what’s still technically a toaster-oven category appliance, so it needs a genuinely spare stretch of bench.
Key specs: model BOV860BSS, 10 functions including dedicated Air Fry, 2-year warranty (per AU retailers).
Pros
- Dedicated Air Fry mode alongside 9 other functions
- Element iQ with digital PID temperature sensing
- LCD countdown and auto interior light at the end of a cycle
Cons
- Priced above the non-air-fry Smart Oven Pro
- Large footprint for a toaster-oven category appliance
5. Breville All-in-One Compact Air Fryer Oven – Best for Small Kitchens
Best for smaller kitchens that still want a full function set, the Breville All-in-One Compact Air Fryer Oven packs 10 cooking functions into a 24-litre cavity with a noticeably tighter footprint than Breville’s larger Smart Oven range.
At 45.3 x 38.3 x 28.4cm and 8.5kg, the 24-litre interior is rated to fit 1kg of chips, a 1.5kg chicken, a 3-litre Dutch oven or a 36 x 30cm pan.
The matte black exterior pairs a dual-wall tempered-glass door with silver trim and an LCD display control panel, and only the one matte black colourway is available.
A non-stick interior coating and pull-out crumb tray simplify cleanup, though at least one reviewer notes the coating can be damaged by standard oven-cleaning agents rather than a simple wipe-down.
The LCD steps through 10 preset functions (custom, air fry, grill, bake, roast, slow cook, dehydrate, frozen snacks, pizza and keep warm), with adjustable temperature and time, a countdown timer and a preheat-complete alert. Rack positions are set up to allow air-frying two baskets at once, and the interior light activates during cooking.
Wattage runs between 1730W and 2050W depending on the retailer spec sheet, enough for a genuinely fast preheat in a cavity this size.
Customer reviews (3.8 out of 5 from 12 reviews at time of research) mention smoke or odour on the first few uses in some units, a grill tray that can tilt forward and spill contents when pulled out, and the non-stick coating issue noted above. This model also carries only a 1-year warranty, shorter than the 2-year cover on Breville’s larger Smart Oven models.
Key specs: model LOV660MTB, 24L capacity, 1730 to 2050W, 10 functions, 1-year warranty.
Pros
- 10 functions including dehydrate in a compact 24L cavity
- Can air-fry two baskets at once
- Matte black finish suits smaller kitchens
Cons
- Only a 1-year warranty, shorter than other Breville picks here
- Some units reported smoke or odour on first use
- Grill tray can tilt and spill when pulled out
6. Daewoo Countertop Oven with Hot Plates & Rotisserie – Best for Roasts and Big Batches
Best for anyone who wants to roast a whole chicken, run two hot plates and use a rotisserie spit in one appliance, the Daewoo Countertop Oven brings 42 litres of capacity, well beyond what most benchtop ovens offer.
At 55cm high, 34cm wide and 38cm deep and weighing 10.5kg, it’s noticeably larger than the other picks here and worth measuring bench space for before buying.
The heavy-duty stainless steel body comes in black with a double-glazed glass door, dial controls for both temperature and timer, and an interior light.
Two hot plates (18.5cm and 15.5cm diameters) sit on top of the oven cavity, adding stovetop-style cooking to the same footprint, and the rotisserie tool and tray are dishwasher-safe for cleanup.
With a 42-litre cavity and a rotisserie function built in, this suits batch cooking and entertaining rather than quick weeknight reheats, and the interior wipes clean easily according to the manufacturer.
The oven element runs at 1500W, with the two hot plates adding 1000W and 600W respectively for up to 3000W combined, and temperature adjusts from 100°C to 230°C.
Availability is the real catch here. No New Zealand or Australian retailer currently stocks this exact model, so the specification and image detail above come from Daewoo’s own UK site rather than a local retailer, and Kiwi shoppers considering it should treat it as an Amazon import rather than something they can see in person first. No independent AU/NZ owner reviews were found for this specific model.
Key specs: model SDA1610, 42L capacity, 1500W oven element (3000W combined with hot plates), 3-year manufacturer warranty (UK market).
Pros
- 42-litre capacity plus two hot plates and a rotisserie in one appliance
- Dishwasher-safe rotisserie tool and tray
- 3-year manufacturer warranty, longer than every other pick here
Cons
- Not stocked by any AU or NZ retailer at time of writing – buying means importing via Amazon
- No independent AU/NZ owner reviews found
How to Choose a Benchtop Oven in NZ
Capacity matters most. A 17 to 20-litre model suits singles and couples, handling snacks, reheats and small roasts. Cooking for a family of four or more works better with 22 litres or above, and serious batch cooking or rotisserie work is easier with a 40-litre-plus model like the Daewoo pick above.
Decide whether air frying needs to be a dedicated function or a nice-to-have extra. Combination ovens like the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer bake and air fry equally well, but a benchtop oven still loses heat every time the door opens, so foods that need shaking partway through crisp better in a purpose-built basket. For that job, the best air fryers still edge out combo ovens on convenience.
Pizza night is one exception worth a special mention. If that’s the main reason for buying, a dedicated benchtop pizza oven often reaches higher temperatures and cooks a base faster than any general-purpose benchtop oven.
Wattage and controls go together. Dial-only controls, like on the Russell Hobbs pick, keep things simple but limit precision in modes like air fry. A digital display with adjustable temperature and time, as on the Breville and Sunbeam picks, gives more control over exact results.
A benchtop oven isn’t the only way to save the main oven from firing up for a small meal. Electric frypans handle one-pan dinners directly on the bench, and a dedicated deep fryer still produces crisper results than any oven-based air fry setting for genuinely fried food.
Finally, measure the bench space and check clearance behind the unit. Several models here get hot enough at the rear to mark a wall or bench surface over time, so leaving a gap or using a heat-resistant pad protects both the appliance and the kitchen.
Verdict
For most New Zealand kitchens, the Breville the Smart Oven Pro remains the best all-round benchtop oven, wide enough on function and consistent enough on results to genuinely replace a second oven. Shoppers on a tighter budget or with a smaller household do just as well with the Sunbeam NutriCrisp, while anyone chasing dedicated air frying, rotisserie cooking or a smaller footprint will find a clearer fit further down this list.
Related guide: best food processors for more benchtop kitchen appliances worth comparing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size benchtop oven do I need in NZ?
For one or two people, a 17 to 20-litre benchtop oven comfortably handles snacks, reheats and small roasts. Households of three or four suit a 22-litre model like the Breville Smart Oven Pro, while regular entertaining or batch cooking is easier with a 40-litre-plus oven such as the Daewoo pick above.
Is a benchtop oven cheaper to run than a full-size oven?
Generally yes. A compact benchtop oven heats a smaller cavity, so it uses less power and preheats faster than a full-size oven for small or single-dish meals. The saving narrows for large batches, since a full-size oven cooking one big load can end up more efficient overall than several smaller benchtop runs.
Can a benchtop oven damage a kitchen bench?
The rear panel of most benchtop ovens gets hot enough during convection or air fry cycles to mark a wall or benchtop over time. Leaving a clear gap behind the unit, or sitting it on a heat-resistant pad, protects the surface underneath and stops heat building up against cabinetry.
What’s the difference between a benchtop oven and an air fryer oven?
A benchtop oven is a small convection oven for baking, roasting and grilling, while an air fryer oven adds a dedicated Air Fry setting and basket for crisping food in less oil. Several models on this list, including the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, combine both in one unit.
What features matter most when buying a benchtop oven?
Capacity in litres, wattage for preheat speed, and whether the controls are dial-based or digital all matter. Convection fans give more even results, and a stainless steel body with a removable crumb tray makes daily cleaning easier. Check internal dimensions too, since usable space can be smaller than the exterior suggests.
How hot does a benchtop oven get on the outside?
The door glass on a benchtop oven can reach 75 to 99 degrees C during use, and the rear panel can climb as high as 168 degrees C on some models. Both get hot enough to burn skin on contact, so keep children clear and avoid resting anything heat-sensitive against the back or sides while it’s running.