The Air Fryer That Wants to Be Your Only Countertop Appliance
If you’re looking at the Emeril Lagasse 7-Quart Air Fryer Toaster Oven, you’re probably not just shopping for an air fryer. You’re likely someone who’s tired of the single-purpose gadget that gets used twice and then banished to the back of the cabinet. You have a decent amount of counter space, but not an infinite amount, and the idea of a machine that can replace your toaster, your old toaster oven, and your air fryer is deeply appealing. This isn’t for the person who just wants to make frozen fries a bit faster; it’s for the person who wants to roast a small chicken, bake a pan of brownies, and toast a bagel—all without turning on the big oven.
The biggest misconception people have about these multi-function air fryer ovens is that they’re just bigger air fryers. They’re not. They’re small convection ovens first, and that changes everything. The air frying function is simply the convection fan running at its highest speed. This means its performance is fundamentally different from a basket-style air fryer. It won’t shake or toss your food; instead, it relies on you to use the right rack position and, occasionally, to turn a tray. What you gain in versatility, you give up a bit in the “set-it-and-forget-it” convenience of a basket model for certain foods.
Where this Emeril model distinguishes itself is in its thoughtful, almost over-engineered, approach to accessories. It comes with a dedicated air fryer basket, but also a full-sized wire rack, a baking pan, and a crumb tray that slides in under the heating elements. The build feels solid—the door closes with a confident, heavy thunk that’s absent from many plasticky competitors. The interior is all stainless steel, which feels easier to keep clean and more durable than non-stick cavities that can scratch. The digital interface is straightforward, with clear, dedicated buttons for each function (Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Toast, etc.), which is a relief after using models where you have to toggle through a dozen modes to get to convection bake.
However, there are two specific quirks you need to know. First, the preheat cycle is non-negotiable and lengthy. For any function besides “Toast,” it will insist on preheating, which can take 5-7 minutes. This isn’t a flaw—it’s designed for proper cooking—but if you’re used to tossing fries into a basket air fryer and hitting “start,” this will feel like a delay. Second, the toasting function is surprisingly aggressive. On the default setting, it delivers a very dark, crunchy toast. If you prefer a light golden brown, you’ll need to dial it back immediately and likely keep it there. It’s a powerful top-down broiler element doing the toasting, not traditional wires, so it behaves differently.
The thing you might regret not knowing is about space. While its 7-quart capacity is generous, that’s oven capacity, not basket capacity. The included air fryer basket is quite large, but when you use the baking pan or wire rack, you must respect the mandatory clearance above the food for the convection system to work properly. You can’t pile a mountain of wings on the top rack; they’ll block airflow and cook unevenly. Learning to use the middle rack position for most air frying, and saving the top position for finishing or broiling, is the key to success.
It excels at tasks that benefit from dry, circulating heat: reheating pizza to a crisp finish, roasting vegetables like broccoli or Brussels sprouts until they’re caramelized at the edges, and baking small batches of cookies or a 9-inch cake. It struggles with anything overly liquidy or that requires a sealed, moist environment—this is not the device for a saucy casserole.
In the end, this isn’t a gadget. It’s a compact secondary oven. If your cooking style leans toward actual preparation—roasting vegetables for a week, baking a salmon fillet, making a sheet-pan dinner for two—and you value a sturdy, easy-to-clean build, this Emeril model makes a compelling case for its spot on your counter. But if your primary goal is the fastest possible frozen snack with the least amount of interaction, a simpler, basket-style air fryer will likely leave you less frustrated. The trade-off is right there in the design: total capability requires a slight compromise in specialized speed.