When a countertop oven costs as much as a used Honda Civic tire, it better deliver miracles. The SMEG Countertop Air Fry Oven with Steam doesn’t quite walk on water, but it comes impressively close—especially if you care about temperature accuracy (and if you’re reading this, you should).

The Good Stuff: Temperature Accuracy That’ll Make You Weep

I’ve tested over 100 appliances, and most air fryers have the temperature consistency of a toddler’s mood swings. The Smeg? I ran it at 350°F for two hours straight, and it never deviated from the set point. Not once. Most units I’ve tested swing 15+ degrees. This Italian beauty stays locked in.

Frozen fries came out restaurant-quality in 10 minutes. Pizza? Evenly cooked perfection in 11 minutes. A whole chicken took 75 minutes and emerged flavorful, though the skin got a touch crispier than ideal before the internal temp hit my target. Pro tip: tent some foil over the top if you’re worried about over-browning.

The Reality Check: It’s Not All Dolce Vita

The interface requires a learning curve. Fortunately, there’s a reference guide on the water chamber door—you’ll need it. The 33 preprogrammed recipes are accurate and genuinely useful, but let’s be honest: at this price point, I expected a built-in temperature probe.

Cleaning is mildly annoying thanks to the missing crumb tray, though grime doesn’t cling too stubbornly. The steam function adds genuine versatility if you’re into healthier cooking methods, and preheating times beat most competitors.

The Verdict: Worth It?

The Smeg Countertop Air Fry Oven delivers professional-grade temperature control, fast cooking times, and that distinctive Italian design flair. It’s ideal for serious home cooks who value precision and don’t mind spending extra for Made-in-Italy engineering.

However, the steep learning curve and lack of premium extras make this a harder sell at its price point. If you want restaurant-quality results and can tolerate a few quirks, the Smeg delivers. If you just want to reheat pizza rolls without consulting a manual, there are friendlier options.

Score: 80/100 – Excellent performance with minor usability bumps.

Buy the Smeg Combi Steam Oven on Amazon

If spending an arm and a leg on a toaster oven, consider the Anova Precision Oven 2.0. It also steams food and does an outstanding job of maintaining consistent temperatures. Plus, it has a sous vide function that works well.

If you want a reasonably priced toaster oven, the Ninja XL Pro Oven performed best in my objective tests and looks pretty nice on your kitchen counter.

Check out Our Smeg Combi Steam Oven Review Video for More Details