Forget air fryers: there’s a new must-have cooking appliance on the market. At less than 30cm square, it’s smaller than most microwaves and would look right at home in your kid’s play kitchen. And it’s apparently the only appliance you’ll ever need.
Introducing the Wonder Oven, which can roast, toast, bake, air fry, grill and reheat. It’s been a huge hit in the US, selling out in just 8 days after its release.
Its maker, online cookware brand Our Place, has many A-list fans including the Beckhams and Oprah Winfrey, and the oven itself has been endorsed by Gwyneth Paltrow, who called it “adorable” in a gift guide for her lifestyle brand, Goop. But do I really need another trendy cookware item? Let alone a £195 one that, as far as I’m concerned, does the same thing I’ve been doing without for years.
Ahead of it going on sale in Selfridges in the UK next week, Sarah Rainey (pictured) put it to the test under the guidance of Our Place co-founder Shiza Shahid.
Ahead of its launch in Selfridges in the UK next week, I put the product to the test under the guidance of Our Place co-founder Shiza Shahid.
“This isn’t just a kitchen appliance,” says Siza, 34, of Los Angeles. “It’s a versatile product that makes everyday cooking a little bit healthier, a little bit easier and a little bit tastier.”
The Wonder Oven is a great-looking gadget, with smooth, rounded edges and an Instagram-friendly color (mine is a beige shade called “Steam”) that makes my blocky black air fryer look like an industrial machine.
There are three dials on the front: one for mode selection, one for temperature (up to 450F or 230C), and one for the timer.
The interior resembles a mini oven and comes with two different levels for cooking multiple foods at once, as well as a wire rack, baking sheet, and crumb tray. It’s coated with a non-toxic ceramic that can be wiped clean with warm, soapy water, Siza says.
On first impression it looks small and far from innovative, and the American English (F instead of C, “broil” instead of “grill”) may irritate British cooks, but the manufacturer claims it uses half the energy compared to a conventional oven, preheats 75 percent faster and cooks up to 30 percent faster.
But can it really replace your oven, toaster or air fryer? We tested the different modes to find out…
Roast: Whole chicken
My family loves a Sunday roast and since we bought an air fryer we’ve been cooking a whole chicken in it to save space in the oven. The Wonder Oven has a 12 litre capacity (the air fryer is 6 litres) so you can cook a medium or large bird (up to 2kg).
Directions: While the chicken is preparing, preheat the oven to 325F (160C) on “roast” mode. I brush the chicken with spices and rapeseed oil, stuff it with lemon halves and place on the bottom shelf for 20 minutes.
Now, the steps get more complicated: increase the temperature to 350F (175C) and cook for 10 minutes, then change the mode to “bake” and increase the temperature to 375F (190C) and cook for another 20-30 minutes until the bird’s internal temperature is 160F (70C). If the skin starts to brown, add a teaspoon of water through the inlet at the top of the oven to create more steam.
total time: 1 hr
verdict: A surprise find. Perfectly cooked golden brown chicken with melt in your mouth white meat. Temperature control is a bit of a pain but the end result is worth it. 5/5
The Wonder Oven’s compact size is a drawback: it only fits about six cookies on two trays, so it’s not ideal for baking for a large crowd.
Bake cookies
The oven’s “bake” function has become popular on TikTok, with more than 20 million “Wonder Oven Cookies” videos posted.
But the Wonder Oven’s compact size does have a drawback: It can only hold about six cookies on two trays, making it useless if you’re baking for a crowd.
Method: You’ll need to set your oven to “bake” and the temperature to 325F (160C). I only have one baking tray, but you can reuse the air fryer basket by lining it with greaseproof paper.
I make half the amount of a standard cookie recipe using butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour, baking soda and chocolate chips, then divide the dough into 6 portions and arrange them evenly on 2 trays.
total time: 10 minutes
verdict: It looks and smells delicious, but the taste is disappointing. It’s fluffy on the inside and has an unpleasant crispy exterior, almost like it was deep fried.
Air frying and reheating: chips
My air fryer can cook fries in 20 minutes in the oven, but I have to shake the basket periodically to make sure the fries are crispy. Would the Wonder Oven, which blows hot air from 360 degrees onto food, be any better?
Method: There are no official instructions for the frozen chips, so I place a few corrugated cut fries in the provided basket (a deeper, crisscross version of a wire rack), set the mode to “air fry” and the temperature to 390F (200C).
After 15 minutes, the chips will be golden brown and piping hot. It’ll take a while to get them to the table, but the “reheat” feature comes in handy: Simply heat the chips at 200°F (95°C) for a few minutes to bring them back to their crispy texture.
total time: 18 min
verdict: Not only do they cook the fries a little faster than an air fryer, but they also taste better. The only drawback is the capacity. It only fits two servings, so it’s not great for a family meal. 4/5
Grilled: Salmon and mixed vegetables
We don’t eat much salmon, but the makers of the Wonder Oven say that its ‘sear’ function (‘grill’ for us Brits) produces “the juiciest meat or fish imaginable”. Do we agree?
Adding a tray of mixed veggies underneath also gives you a chance to test out your multitasking abilities.
Method: First, preheat your oven to 400F (200C) on “bake” mode. Then, brush the salmon with olive oil, drizzle with a mixture of honey, sesame oil and lime juice, and bake on the bottom shelf for 10 minutes.
Drizzle the chopped vegetables with oil and arrange them on a baking tray. Then increase the temperature to 450F (230C) and brush the salmon with more glaze and move the salmon to the top rack while keeping the vegetables on the bottom rack. Bake for 5 minutes until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 140F (60C) and for 10-15 minutes for the vegetables.
total time: 20-25 minutes
verdict: All very tasty but no noticeable improvement over oven baked salmon. 3/5
The exposed underneath heating element makes this more than just an oven, it’s a giant, trendy toaster.
Toast: Cheese toast
With an exposed heating area underneath, this isn’t just an oven, it’s a giant, trendy toaster: the steam keeps the centre of the bread soft and chewy, and it doubles as a toasted sandwich maker.
Method: Turn the dial to “toast” and set the temperature to 450F (230C). Next, place some fresh white bread with cheese and sliced tomatoes, lightly butter both sides to prevent sticking, and place on the top baking tray. Set a timer for 5 minutes, check the toast for doneness, and allow a further 3 minutes until golden brown.
total time: 8 minutes
verdict: I was impressed with how it toasted both sides in the oven. It did the same job as a retro toast maker but without squashing the sandwich flat. The tomatoes were piping hot without burning my mouth and the cheese was melted to perfection. 5/5
Overall verdict
If you’re not a huge fan of air fryers, this might be the product for you: It looks chic (even though the twisty knob makes it look a bit like a Fisher-Price toy) and takes up minimal space in your kitchen.
The ‘bake’ function is a shame for me, but it’s great for making a family-sized roast chicken or a decent cheese toastie… if you’ve got £195 to spare.