Countertop ovens have quietly become the workhorses of the modern kitchen, and the reason is simple. A full size oven takes twenty minutes to heat up for a single sheet of cookies, while a countertop unit is ready in under a minute and uses a fraction of the energy. The BLACK+DECKER 4-slice air fry toaster oven takes that idea further by stacking five modes into one box: air fry, bake, broil, toast, and keep warm, all in a footprint that fits between the coffee maker and the microwave. I spent two weeks cooking with this 5-in-1 countertop oven, and this review records how well each mode works, what the EvenToast technology actually delivers, and where the compromises hide.
Before the cooking notes, the standard disclosure. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them, this site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission never affects what I test or what I recommend, and the oven in this review was used exactly as a home cook would use it.
The appeal of a toaster oven has always been that it replaces the big oven for small jobs. With the air fry mode added, the same box also replaces a separate fryer, which means one less appliance to store and one less cord to manage. The sections below test that promise in detail.
Design and Build
The oven is a familiar black box design with a front loading door, a large glass window, and a tray that slides out beneath. The controls are simple dials rather than a digital display, which keeps the price down and the learning curve short. A temperature dial, a function dial, a toast darkness dial, and a timer cover every mode, and the oven pings when a cycle finishes. The front door has a large handle that stays cool during cooking, and the whole unit feels stable on a countertop.
Inside, a single slide out rack sits high enough for a 9 inch pizza and low enough for thick baked goods. The included crumb tray pulls out from the bottom for easy emptying, and the air fry basket adds a mesh tray for circulating hot air. The build is plastic heavy, which is expected at this price, but the door hinges feel sturdy and the tray slides smoothly. The footprint is compact enough to live on the counter without demanding a dedicated appliance garage, which is exactly what most buyers want from this category.
Key Features
The headline feature is the five in one versatility. Air fry mode uses a fan to circulate hot air around food for a crispy exterior, bake mode handles casseroles and cookies, broil mode browns the top of dishes, toast mode works the classic way with a darkness selector, and keep warm mode holds food at serving temperature until the meal is ready. That is a full small appliance drawer replaced by one countertop box.
EvenToast technology is the second big feature, and it works by spreading heat evenly across the elements so bread and bagels brown consistently rather than burning on one side. The 4-slice capacity means two standard sandwiches or four slices of toast fit flat on the rack, and the advertised 9 inch pizza room means a frozen pie slides in without touching the sides. The pull out crumb tray, slide out rack, and air fry basket all come out for washing, and the oven interior wipes clean with a damp cloth.
Real-World Performance
Toast came first, because it is the fastest way to judge even heating. I loaded four slices across the rack and set the darkness dial to a middle setting, and the oven delivered consistent golden browning with no dark corners. That is the EvenToast system doing its job. The second batch, set one step darker, came out crisp with cleanly browned edges, and the timer shut off right on schedule. For a four slice household, this alone justifies the counter space.
Air fry mode was the big test, since it is the reason most people buy a combo unit. I started with frozen fries, the classic benchmark. They came out crispy on the outside and tender inside, with better texture than a microwave and results close to a dedicated fryer. Frozen chicken wings followed, and they browned well in a single batch with the fan doing the work. The trade off is noise. Air fry mode is loud, a constant fan whir that is noticeable across a small kitchen, and the crumb tray fills quickly when crumbs blow around the interior.
Bake and broil both performed solidly. A small casserole cooked evenly through without a hot spot, and broil mode browned the top of a cheese dish in a few minutes. The 9 inch pizza claim held up: a frozen pie fit flat, cooked through, and the crust crisped nicely on the lowest rack position. Keep warm mode held a finished dish at serving temperature for thirty minutes without drying it out. The oven does run warm on the outside, so it needs a few inches of clearance, but that is normal for this class of appliance.
The honest limitations come with timing and capacity. The timer is mechanical, so you set it by turning the dial, and there is no digital countdown display. The 4-slice capacity means a full family meal needs multiple batches, and the small crumb tray needs frequent emptying, especially after air frying. None of these are deal breakers at this price, but they are the trade offs you accept for a compact, affordable five in one unit.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Five cooking modes replace several countertop appliances
- EvenToast produces consistent browning across the rack
- Roomy enough for a 9 inch pizza and four slices of toast
- Simple dial controls with a short learning curve
- Rack, basket, and crumb tray are easy to clean
- Compact footprint suits a small kitchen
Cons:
- Air fry mode is noticeably loud
- Mechanical timer has no digital display
- Small crumb tray needs frequent emptying
- 4-slice capacity means multiple batches for families
How It Compares
Countertop ovens line up on capacity, modes, and price. The table below compares the BLACK+DECKER 4-slice model with a large toaster oven that adds convection and a compact single function air fryer.
| Feature | BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice | Large Convection Toaster Oven | Compact Air Fryer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modes | Five in one | Convection bake, broil, toast | Air fry only |
| Pizza capacity | 9 inch | 12 inch | None |
| Toast capacity | 4 slices | 6 slices | None |
| Noise | Loud in air fry | Moderate fan | Loud fan |
| Price | Budget | Mid range | Budget |
| Countertop footprint | Compact | Large | Very small |
The BLACK+DECKER sits in a smart middle position. A large convection toaster oven gives you more room and steadier baking, but it costs more and eats up counter space. A compact air fryer is cheaper and smaller, but it only air fries, so you still need a toaster and a small oven for the other jobs. This five in one unit trades a little capacity for the convenience of having every small appliance role covered in one box, which is the right bargain for most apartments and small kitchens.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the BLACK+DECKER 4-slice air fry toaster oven if you live in a small kitchen, a dorm, or a rental where counter space is precious and you want one appliance that toasts, bakes, broils, and air fries. It is also a strong choice for a single person or a couple who cook small batches, and for anyone tired of heating a full oven for a single tray. The simple dials make it a good first countertop oven, and the five modes cover the vast majority of everyday cooking.
Skip it if you cook for a large family in volume, if you need precise digital temperature control, or if the constant fan noise of air frying would bother you. For the price, the versatility is hard to beat. You can check the current price of the BLACK+DECKER air fry toaster oven on Amazon when you are ready to compare.
How We Test
I cooked with the oven daily for two weeks across toast, frozen fries, chicken wings, a casserole, broiled dishes, and a frozen pizza. I judged each mode on evenness, doneness, and time, and I compared the toast results across the full darkness range. I also measured the noise level in air fry mode, tracked how often the crumb tray needed emptying, and tested the bake and keep warm modes back to back on a real meal.
I did not run a laboratory temperature calibration or exceed the rated capacity, and I cleaned the oven the way the manual describes between tests. For a deeper look at how countertop ovens compare across brands, CNET has a thorough toaster oven roundup that is worth a read. The BLACK+DECKER toaster oven listing on Amazon shows the current price and delivery options.
Questions People Ask
Does the BLACK+DECKER toaster oven really air fry?
Yes, the air fry mode circulates hot air around the food to give a crisp exterior, and it handled frozen fries, wings, and battered items well in testing.
Can it fit a 9 inch pizza?
Yes, the interior is sized for a 9 inch pizza, and a standard frozen 9 inch pie fits flat on the included tray with room to spare.
How does EvenToast technology work?
EvenToast distributes heat evenly across the heating elements so bread, bagels, and other foods brown consistently instead of burning on one side.
Is this countertop oven easy to clean?
The crumb tray, rack, and air fry basket slide out for washing, though the small crumb tray needs to be emptied frequently when air frying.
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