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A countertop oven is useful only when it has enough room, reliable controls, and functions you will use. The Breville BOV860BSS Smart Oven Air Fryer combines an air fryer, convection toaster oven, pizza oven, roaster, and slow cooker in one 0.8-cubic-foot appliance. Its 11 presets and Element iQ system are the main strengths, while its 28.66-pound body and required ventilation space make it less suitable for cramped counters. This review covers its verified specifications, daily performance, cleaning needs, and ideal buyer.
Quick Verdict
Rating: 8.7/10, Recommended with caveats
Best For: Home cooks who want one premium countertop appliance for toast, baking, roasting, pizza, air frying, reheating, and slow cooking.
Bottom Line: The BOV860BSS offers broad cooking flexibility, precise controls, and enough capacity for a 13-inch pizza or whole chicken. Its main tradeoffs are a large countertop footprint, premium positioning, and accessories that Breville recommends washing by hand.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | Breville |
| Model | BOV860BSS Smart Oven Air Fryer |
| Product type | Countertop convection oven and air fryer |
| Construction | Brushed stainless steel exterior with nonstick-coated interior walls |
| Exterior dimensions | 18.9 x 15.9 x 10.9 inches (W x D x H) |
| Listed interior dimensions | 13.5 x 11.5 x 5.5 inches |
| Weight | 28.66 pounds (13 kg) |
| Capacity | 0.8 cu. ft.; 6 slices of toast, a 13-inch pizza, a whole chicken, or a 9-cup muffin tray |
| Cooking functions | Toast, Bagel, Bake, Roast, Broil, Pizza, Cookies, Air Fry, Reheat, Warm, and Slow Cook |
| Heating system | Element iQ with five independent quartz heating elements and digital PID temperature control |
| Convection | Convection and Super Convection settings |
| Temperature range | Air Fry adjusts from 120°F to 450°F; Broil adjusts from 300°F to 500°F |
| Power | 1800 watts, 120 volts, 60 Hz |
| Included accessories | Air fry basket, wire rack, broiling rack, enamel roasting pan, and 13-inch nonstick pizza pan |
| Warranty | 2-year limited product warranty |
| Counter clearance | At least 4 inches on both sides and 6 inches above during use |
Key Takeaways
- You get 11 preset functions in one countertop appliance, including Air Fry and Slow Cook.
- Element iQ and digital PID control adjust power across five quartz elements for more stable, even heating.
- The 0.8-cubic-foot cavity fits six slices of toast, a 13-inch pizza, a whole chicken, or a 9-cup muffin tray.
- Super Convection can shorten cooking time by up to 30%, although actual time depends on the food, load, temperature, and pan.
- You need meaningful ventilation space, a grounded outlet, and regular hand cleaning to use the oven safely and keep it in good condition.
What Is the Breville BOV860BSS Smart Oven Air Fryer?
The BOV860BSS is a premium 1800-watt countertop oven for toast, pizza, convection baking, roasting, and air frying. Its 18.9 x 15.9 x 10.9-inch body is closer to a compact oven than a small basket air fryer.
Breville builds the oven around its Element iQ heating system. Five independent quartz elements work with sensing and digital PID temperature control to direct heat according to the selected function. You still control time, temperature, rack position, and food arrangement.
Who Should Buy It?
Best For
- You want one appliance for toast, baking, roasting, pizza, reheating, air frying, and slow cooking.
- You regularly cook portions larger than a small drawer-style air fryer can hold.
- You value an LCD interface, interior light, included pans, and adjustable convection controls.
Skip If
- Your counter cannot provide 4 inches of side clearance and 6 inches above the oven.
- You mainly cook one or two small air-fryer portions and prefer a fast drawer-style basket.
- You need a lightweight appliance that is easy to move or accessories intended for routine dishwasher cleaning.
Before You Buy: Measure the usable counter area, not just the oven body. Breville calls for at least 4 inches of space on both sides and 6 inches above, and the manual says not to operate it inside a small appliance enclosure.
Key Features of the Breville Smart Oven
Element iQ Heating and Temperature Control
The Element iQ system is more than a list of presets. It uses five independent quartz elements, sensing, and digital PID control to send power where each cooking function needs it. Bake calls for broad, even heat, while Broil emphasizes intense top heat and Air Fry uses high heat with maximized airflow.
This design helps reduce large temperature swings and cold spots, but it does not remove the need to check food. Pan material, portion size, starting temperature, and rack position can still change the result.
11 Cooking Functions
The function dial gives you Toast, Bagel, Bake, Roast, Broil, Pizza, Cookies, Air Fry, Reheat, Warm, and Slow Cook. This selection can replace a basic toaster oven and separate air fryer.
Several modes include preheating, while Toast, Bagel, Broil, Reheat, and Warm start without a preheat cycle. The LCD displays the selected temperature and time, announces preheat completion, and begins the countdown automatically.
Dual-Speed Convection and Air Frying
You can select no convection, standard convection, or Super Convection on compatible functions. Breville states that convection can reduce cooking time by up to 30%. Super Convection moves more air and is locked in for the dedicated Air Fry function.
Air Fry defaults to 425°F for 18 minutes and can be adjusted from 120°F to 450°F for up to two hours. The open basket gives hot air access to more of the food surface, but crispness is best when pieces are spread in one layer instead of piled together.
Capacity and Included Accessories
The 0.8-cubic-foot cavity holds six slices of toast, a 13-inch pizza, a whole chicken, or a 9-cup muffin tray. This makes it more useful for family side dishes and small meals than a compact air-fryer basket, although the oven still cannot match the capacity of every full-size range.
The package includes an air fry basket, wire rack, broiling rack, enamel roasting pan, and 13-inch nonstick pizza pan. You can start using the main functions without immediately buying a separate pan set.
LCD Controls, Oven Light, and Auto-Eject Rack
The LCD gives you direct control through a function dial, temperature dial, time dial, convection button, frozen-food button, light button, and start/cancel button. The interior light turns on automatically near the end of a cycle and can also be switched on while food cooks.
When the wire rack is in the middle position, a magnetic mechanism pulls it partway out as you open the door. This makes food easier to reach, but you should open the door slowly so the rack does not move forward too quickly.
How It Performs in Real Use
For Breakfast and Toast
The six-slice capacity suits family breakfasts. Toast and Bagel modes let you set the number of slices and darkness level, while the middle rack position keeps bread near the center of the cavity. Bread thickness and moisture can affect the darkness setting you prefer.
For Air-Fried Foods
Super Convection is well suited to fries, vegetables, breaded foods, and wings because it combines high heat with strong airflow. For the most even browning, arrange food in a single layer and leave space between pieces. Crowded batches may need more than one round.
For Pizza, Baking, and Reheating
The included pan fits a 13-inch pizza. Bake, Cookies, and Pizza modes preheat before the timer runs, which gives dough and batters a more predictable starting temperature. Reheat is helpful for pizza slices and leftovers because it warms food without the soggy texture that a microwave can create.
For Roasting and Slow Cooking
The cavity can hold a whole chicken and the included roasting pan supports small roasts and family side dishes. Slow Cook offers low and high profiles for up to 10 hours, then can switch to Keep Warm for up to two hours. You still need covered, oven-safe cookware that fits with enough space for air to circulate.
Pro Tip: For air frying, keep food in one layer with space between pieces. When cooking fatty foods such as wings, Breville recommends using the broiling rack inside the roasting pan instead of the air fry basket so dripping oil is contained.
Setup Tips Before First Use
- Remove all packaging, labels, tape, and protective material.
- Wash the crumb tray, racks, roasting pan, air fry basket, and pizza pan with a soft sponge in warm, soapy water, then dry each part fully.
- Wipe the oven interior with a soft, damp sponge and dry it.
- Set the oven on a stable, level, dry, heat-resistant counter with the required side and top clearance.
- Plug it into a grounded outlet. The manual recommends a dedicated circuit separate from other appliances.
- Run the empty oven for 20 minutes in a well-ventilated area as directed in the manual before cooking food.
During normal use, center food in the cavity, follow the printed rack-position guides on the door, and preheat before adding food when the selected function requires it.
Compatibility and Safety
Use this 1800-watt appliance with a grounded 120-volt outlet and keep the cord away from the hot housing. Do not use plug adapters, external timers, or a separate remote-control system. Stop using the oven if the cord, plug, door, or housing is damaged.
Accessible surfaces become hot during and after cooking. Keep children away, use oven mitts, and take care when removing pans that contain hot fat or liquid. Do not cover the crumb tray with foil, place flammable materials inside, or rest cookware on the open glass door.
Use only oven-safe cookware that fits without touching the elements or blocking airflow. Follow Breville’s manual for rack position, temperature, time, cleaning, and accessory use.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Eleven useful cooking functions cover more tasks than a basic toaster oven.
- Five quartz elements and PID control support stable, targeted heating.
- The cavity fits a 13-inch pizza, six toast slices, a whole chicken, or a 9-cup muffin tray.
- Air fry basket, roasting pan, broiling rack, pizza pan, and wire rack are included.
- LCD controls, interior light, and magnetic auto-eject rack improve daily usability.
Cons
- The 28.66-pound oven needs a wide, deep counter plus ventilation clearance.
- Its premium positioning may be excessive when you only need toast or small air-fryer portions.
- Breville recommends hand washing the accessories rather than placing them in a dishwasher.
Is It Worth the Price?
The BOV860BSS sits in the premium countertop-oven tier. Its value comes from combining air frying, toasting, convection cooking, pizza, roasting, reheating, warming, and slow cooking with a full accessory set.
It is worth considering when you expect to use several functions each week and have permanent counter space for it. It is not the best fit when your main goal is inexpensive toast, the smallest possible footprint, or the fastest cleanup after one small air-fried serving.
How It Compares to Alternatives
The larger Breville BOV900 Air Fryer Pro adds 13 functions, including Dehydrate, for buyers who need extra programs and capacity. The BOV860BSS keeps Breville’s Element iQ system in a smaller model.
The Ninja Flip is worth comparing when flip-up vertical storage matters. The Cuisinart TOA-70 series adds a grill function. Choose the Breville for an LCD interface, preset control, and five included accessories.
Cleaning, Maintenance, and Warranty
Unplug the oven and let the body and accessories cool fully before cleaning. Wipe the exterior and LCD with a soft, damp cloth, applying mild cleanser to the cloth rather than directly to the display. Do not immerse the oven body, cord, or plug.
The interior walls have a nonstick coating. Use a soft, damp sponge and a mild, nonabrasive cleaner for splatter, and avoid touching or scrubbing the quartz elements aggressively. Remove the crumb tray regularly, wash it in warm soapy water, dry it completely, and reinstall it securely.
Wash the racks, basket, and pans with warm soapy water and a soft sponge or soft plastic pad. Breville does not recommend dishwasher cleaning if you want to extend accessory life. The oven carries a 2-year limited product warranty, with coverage governed by Breville’s current terms and proof-of-purchase requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Breville BOV860BSS easy to clean?
The nonstick interior and removable crumb tray simplify routine cleaning. Let the oven cool, avoid abrasives, and hand wash the accessories.
Can it fit a whole chicken?
Yes. The 0.8-cubic-foot cavity is listed to fit a whole chicken. Confirm that your chicken and pan do not touch the heating elements.
What is the maximum cooking temperature?
Broil reaches a maximum setting of 500°F. Air Fry adjusts from 120°F to 450°F, and the Bake, Roast, Pizza, Cookies, Reheat, and Warm functions also top out at 450°F.
Does it have a timer?
Yes. The LCD displays the selected cooking time, and you can adjust it with the Time dial before or during many cycles. Functions with preheating begin counting down when the oven reports that preheating is complete.
Is it suitable for a small kitchen?
It can replace several appliances, but it is not compact. Allow for its footprint, 4 inches on each side, and 6 inches above.
Can it replace a full-size oven?
It can handle many everyday meals, small roasts, baked goods, pizza, and reheating without using a range oven. It cannot replace a full-size oven when you need multiple racks, oversized cookware, or large holiday portions.
Are the accessories dishwasher safe?
Breville recommends washing the accessories in warm soapy water with a soft sponge or soft plastic pad. The manual says dishwasher use is not recommended when you want to extend accessory life.
What is the most common air-frying mistake?
Overloading the basket limits airflow and can cause uneven browning. Place food in one layer with space between pieces, and cook in batches when the basket is crowded.
The Bottom Line
The Breville BOV860BSS is a strong choice when you want a capable countertop oven with 11 functions, precise Element iQ heating, useful accessories, and room for a 13-inch pizza or whole chicken. Skip it when counter space is tight, you only need a small drawer air fryer, or you want dishwasher-first cleanup. Its versatility is the main strength, while its size, weight, and premium cost are the main limitations.
