Large Ovens Are Too Hot and Getting Recalled—Switch to These Countertop Appliances for More Efficient Cooking

Prices start at $22.

Best Countertop Cooking Tools

• Cook and Store in Glass Dishes: Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Glass Air Fryer$159 (was $180)
• Non-Toxic Ceramic Coating: Cosori Iconic Stainless Steel 6.5-Quart Smart Air Fryer$249
• Fully Hands-Off Meal Prep: Crock-Pot MultiMeal Multicooker and Programmable Slow Cooker with Bake Function$152 (was $180)
• Don’t Spend Hours Simmering: Our Place Dream Cooker 6-Quart Ceramic Nonstick Multicooker and Pressure Cooker$199
• Grill in the Cool Indoors: Cuisinart Griddler Indoor Grill$100
• Sear Without the Mess: George Foreman 4-Serving Electric Grill and Panini Press$42
• Over-the-Range-Compatible: Panasonic 1.2-Cubic Foot Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology and Genius Sensor$260
• Compact and Powerful: LG 0.9-Cubic Foot Countertop Microwave with Smart Inverter$155 (was $199)
• Better Than Your Oven: Breville Combi Wave 3-in-1 Microwave, Air Fryer and Convection Oven$500

As a fall and winter lover, I’m only one preheated oven away from burning up during summer. Instead of flipping the switch on my big conventional oven or heating a pot over the range, I turn to smaller appliances, like my Breville bread machine and Cosori air fryerto keep my apartment from overheating.

Countertop appliances emit less heat and have a lower impact on your energy bill than large ovens, which have been getting recalled by the thousands for fire hazards and burn risks. Plus, smaller appliances tend to preheat and cook foods more quickly, saving you time as a result. Rather than up the heat and humidity in your home, invest in a countertop oven, slow cooker, indoor grill or another heat-friendly find we love from Amazon.

Best Air Fryers and Countertop Ovens

Some say countertop ovens are counterintuitive—I say they’re time savers. With the exception of this Cuisinart toaster ovenwhich toasts, bakes and broils, most of our picks below use convection technology to rapidly circulate air in the cooking cavity. This function ensures every nook and cranny of your fries, chicken, tofu and other go-to foods cook quickly and thoroughly until they’re crispy. Snag an air fryer, toaster oven, combination air fryer toaster oven or bread maker from our list, including non-toxic options from Ninja, Breville and Our Place.

• Gourmia 6-Quart Air Fryer$65 (was $70)
• Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Glass Air Fryer$159 (was $180)
• Ninja Crispi DualZone 6-in-1 Glass Air Fryer$350
• Cosori Iconic Stainless Steel 6.5-Quart Smart Air Fryer$249
• Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro and Convection Oven$400
• Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker Machine$400
• Cuisinart Custom Classic Toaster Oven Broiler$109 (was $130)
• Our Place Wonder Oven$185
• Black+Decker 8-Slice Extra-Wide Convection Countertop Toaster Oven$87
• Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus 2-Pound Bread Maker$455

Cosori Iconic Stainless Steel 6.5-Quart Smart Air Fryer

$249 at Amazon

This air fryer is relentless. Whether I fill it with water-heavy potatoes and tofu or a stack of chicken wings, it pushes air through the hidden corners and crisps everything to perfection. Best of all, its ceramic nonstick coating is PFOA-free, according to the brand, and the stainless steel exterior looks great on my countertop.

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro and Convection Oven

$400 at Amazon

This shopper is one of several who have touted this Breville air fryer as “the Cadillac of countertop ovens,” saying their stove and oven are on their way to “full on retirement.” Shoppers have purchased over 10,000 of this model in just the past month to enjoy its easy controls, exceptionally even cooking and stainless steel implements. Grab one for all your cooking and baking needs.

Best Slow Cookers and Multicookers

Set it and forget it: The motto behind slow cookers and multicookers is far from exaggerated. Whether you want a pot roast cooked by the time you get home from work or a dump cake ready in time for hosting a dinner party, a Cuisinart slow cooker or an Our Place multicooker can make it happen. The Ninja HyperHeat and Instant Pot multicooker also have built-in pressure cookers that make quick work of braises, broths and soups. Shop one-pot electric cookers, from 1.5 to 8 quarts, starting at only $22.

• Ninja HyperHeat 6.5-Quart 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker$140 (was $170)
• Crock-Pot MultiMeal Multicooker and Programmable Slow Cooker with Bake Function$152 (was $180)
• Brentwood 1.5-Quart Slow Cooker$22
• Instant Pot 8-Quart 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker$160
• Instant Pot 4-Quart Rio Mini 7-in-1 Multicooker$80 (was $90)
• Our Place Dream Cooker 6-Quart Ceramic Nonstick Multicooker and Pressure Cooker$199
• Gorgeous 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker Casserole$230
• Cuisinart 3-In-1 Cook Central 6-Quart Slow Cooker$151 (was $200)
• Instant Pot Superior Cooker 7.5-Quart Slow Cooker and Multicooker$68 (was $90)
• GreenLife 6-Quart Ceramic Slow Cooker$70

Crock-Pot MultiMeal Multicooker and Programmable Slow Cooker with Bake Function

$180 $152 at Amazon

If you find that single-cavity slow cookers lack versatility, you’ll love this 2-sided Crock-Pot. With two nonstick pots, you can sear and braise proteins and vegetables on one side and cook a batch of rice on the other for easy dinners.

Gorgeous 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker Casserole

$230 at Amazon

This appliance features a non-toxic clay casserole dish that inserts into the heating element for slow-cooking but can also be used for baking in your conventional oven, serving at the dinner table or storing leftovers in the fridge. Thanks to its nonporous and beautiful design, it can go the extra mile that many slow cookers can’t.

Best Indoor Grills

If you’re anything like me, you love to grill but avoid the summer heat like the plague. The easy fix is to bring the grilling indoors. Achieve beautiful grill marks with a versatile Cuisinart Griddler or George Foreman presswhich cook both sides of your food while draining drippings into convenient trays. Or, embrace the smoke—without setting off the fire alarm—with the streamlined technology of a Ninja Foodi indoor air fryer grill or the GE Profile indoor smoker.

• Cuisinart Griddler Indoor Grill$100
• Ninja Foodi Smart XL Indoor Grill and Air Fryer$280
• George Foreman 4-Serving Electric Grill and Panini Press$42
• Chefman Panini Press Grill$50
• Ninja Griddle and Indoor Grill$150
• GE Profile Smart Indoor Pellet Smoker and Accessories Bundle$649 (was $799)
• George Foreman Beyond Grill 7-in-1 Electric Indoor Grill with Air Fry Technology$105 (was $113)
• Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill with Lid and Viewing Window$75 (was $90)

George Foreman 4-Serving Electric Grill and Panini Press

$42 at Amazon

This compact, 12-inch grill cooks chicken breasts, vegetables, sandwiches and more, ensuring both sides of your food get even pressure and consistent heat. When all is said and done, the plates are removable and dishwasher-safe for quick, effortless cleanup.

Cuisinart Griddler Indoor Grill

$100 at Amazon

The Cuisinart Griddler does more than just sear steaks and press paninis. The grill plates are reversible, allowing you to go full griddle mode for pancakes and bacon, or switch only one side to the griddle plate for grilled hot dogs on one side and smash burgers on the other.

Best Microwaves

Don’t underestimate the power of a microwave for making complete meals and tasty snacks (like potato chips or egg bakes). Depending on your needs, microwaves can be the compact solution to your cooking troubles, whether that’s for reheating frozen meals and leftovers or “baking” whole potatoes and mug cakes. Most tasks only take minutes, and the heat output is minimal, keeping you cooler in the hotter months.

• Breville Combi Wave 3-in-1 Microwave, Air Fryer and Convection Oven$500
• Frigidaire 0.7-Cubic Foot Microwave$69
• GE 1.6-Cubic Foot Countertop Microwave Oven$179 (was $234)
• Panasonic 1.2-Cubic Foot Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology and Genius Sensor$260
• LG 0.9-Cubic Foot Countertop Microwave with Smart Inverter$155 (was $199)
• Whirlpool 0.7-Cubic Foot Countertop Microwave$120
• Samsung 1.9-Cubic Foot Countertop Microwave with Sensor Cooking$300
• Black+Decker 0.7-Cubic Foot Digital Microwave Oven$80 (was $91)

Panasonic 1.2-Cubic Foot Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology and Genius Sensor

$260 at Amazon

Over 5,800 shoppers have given this microwave oven a five-star rating, with one saying it “works too well.” Most microwave ovens send out blasts of microwaves at 100% power in bursts, while this microwave’s inverter technology sends a steady stream of power—while tracking cooking progress—to cook foods more thoroughly, prevent dry edges and defrost more evenly.

LG 0.9-Cubic Foot Countertop Microwave with Smart Inverter

$199 $155 at Amazon

This LG microwave has an even-cooking inverter, but it won’t take up as much counter space as its Panasonic counterpart above. Measuring 18.75 by 14 by 10.69 inches, it contains a 12-inch turntable that fits most dinner plates, microwaveable pizzas, trays of bacon, bags of vegetables, a whole chicken and more.

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