Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro Review: Testing the 2026 Culinary Behemoth

1. Introduction: The Rolls Royce of Countertop Ovens

The countertop appliance market is overwhelmingly saturated with cheap plastic baskets that promise the world but deliver mediocre, soggy results. If you are serious about culinary excellence and are looking to completely replace your massive, energy-draining wall oven, there is one brand that constantly dominates the conversation: Breville.

Our subject for today is the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro (BOV900BSS). This is not a casual, entry-level gadget. This is a massive, 1800-watt, brushed stainless steel behemoth designed to anchor your kitchen. It promises to flawlessly execute 13 different cooking functions, from slow-roasting a 14-pound turkey to aggressively air frying a mountain of chicken wings using dual-speed convection technology.

As kitchen technology evolves toward absolute automation and integrated smart home daily comfort, consumers are demanding appliances that offer uncompromising precision. In this exhaustive 2026 review, we dismantle the marketing hype. We will analyze its proprietary Element iQ heating system, compare its fan speed to top competitors, and determine if it truly deserves the “Pro” moniker.

2. Unboxing & Build Quality: Brushed Stainless Perfection

Taking the Breville Pro out of the box, you immediately understand where your money went. The build quality is exceptional. There is virtually no cheap plastic anywhere on the exterior; it is clad entirely in premium brushed stainless steel that resists fingerprints beautifully.

The Massive Footprint: Make no mistake, this oven demands real estate. It measures 21.5 inches wide, 17.5 inches deep, and 12.7 inches tall. It is significantly wider and deeper than a standard microwave. Before clicking buy, you must measure your countertop space, ensuring you have ample vertical clearance beneath your upper cabinets (the top of the unit gets very hot during operation).

The interior cavity boasts a staggering 1.0 cubic foot capacity. Unlike pod-style air fryers, this cavernous space can comfortably fit a standard 9×13 inch baking pan, a 5-quart Dutch oven for slow cooking, or a 12-cup muffin tray. The oven door features a heavy, insulated glass pane with a magnetic auto-eject rack mechanism—a small but incredibly luxurious touch that pulls the middle rack out halfway when you open the door.

3. Element iQ Technology: The Brains Behind the Brawn

The secret to the Breville Pro’s dominance isn’t just raw heat; it is intelligent heat management. Most standard toaster ovens use two or four heating elements that blast at maximum power until the thermostat clicks off, resulting in burned edges and raw centers.

Breville utilizes Element iQ Technology. The oven contains six independent quartz heating elements (four on top, two on the bottom). A PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) digital controller acts as the “brain,” constantly monitoring the internal temperature. If you select the “Bake” function, the computer steers power evenly to the bottom elements to rise the dough. If you select “Broil,” it kills the bottom elements and sends 1800W of blistering heat exclusively to the top elements to melt cheese or blister a steak.

4. Air Frying Performance: Super Convection Tested

Can a large toaster oven actually compete with dedicated, basket-style air fryers? Historically, the answer was no. However, Breville engineered a solution they call Super Convection.

The oven features a 2-speed convection fan. The standard setting moves air gently for even baking. The “Super” setting shifts the fan into overdrive, drastically increasing the velocity of the air circulating around the food. When analyzing the intense debate of Philips vs Breville airflow dynamics, the Breville Pro proves that a massive fan paired with a specialized mesh basket can replicate the deep-fried texture perfectly.

• The Wing Test: We loaded the included mesh air fry basket with two pounds of chicken wings. Using the Air Fry preset (400°F with Super Convection), the wings were rendered of their fat and achieved a shatteringly crisp, golden-brown skin in 24 minutes without a single drop of added oil.
• The French Fry Test: A massive bag of frozen shoestring fries cooked evenly without the need for constant shaking. Because the basket spans the entire width of the oven, the fries sit in a single layer, completely eliminating the soggy, steamed centers common in deep, narrow basket fryers.

5. Baking, Roasting, and Dehydrating: A True Oven Replacement?

If you are spending this much money, the appliance must do more than just fry potatoes. The Breville Pro boasts 13 distinct functions, and in our 2026 testing, it executed the major culinary tasks flawlessly.

Roasting: The “Roast” function is spectacular. We fit a 14-pound turkey inside the cavity. The precise Element iQ heat combined with standard convection resulted in incredibly juicy breast meat and perfectly browned skin, entirely freeing up the main kitchen oven for side dishes during Thanksgiving.

Dehydrating: This is a feature missing from the smaller, non-Pro Breville models. Because the PID controller can hold exceptionally low temperatures (down to 85°F) for up to 72 hours, it acts as a commercial-grade dehydrator. You can stack up to four mesh racks inside to make massive batches of beef jerky, dried mangoes, or homemade fruit leather.

Proofing: For serious bakers, the “Proof” setting holds the oven at a gentle 80°F to 100°F, creating the perfect warm, draft-free environment for yeast doughs to rise rapidly, even in the dead of winter.

6. Interface and Usability: LCD Precision

Despite the overwhelming amount of technology packed inside, operating the Breville Pro is highly intuitive. It utilizes a large, backlit LCD screen paired with three tactile, satisfyingly clicky dials.

You turn the top dial to scroll through the 13 functions. The middle dial adjusts the temperature, and the bottom dial adjusts the time. When you select a function, the screen actually indicates which rack position (out of 8 possible slots) you should use for optimal results. For example, selecting “Broil” highlights the top slot, while “Bake” highlights the middle slot. It is a foolproof system that drastically reduces the learning curve for amateur cooks.

7. Cleaning & Maintenance: The Crumb Tray Dilemma

Performance is elite, but what about the morning after? Cleaning the Breville Pro requires a bit of diligence. The interior walls feature a high-quality non-stick coating. If you roast a chicken, it is imperative that you wipe down the walls with a damp, soapy sponge once the oven cools. If you let grease bake on over several uses, it becomes incredibly stubborn to remove.

The unit features a front-pull crumb tray, making it easy to dump toast crumbs. However, the mesh air fry basket requires immediate attention after cooking sticky or high-fat foods. Breville strictly advises against placing the accessories in the dishwasher, as harsh detergents will strip the finishes and cause oxidation. Hand-washing is mandatory to protect your investment.

8. Competitor Comparison: Breville vs. NuWave vs. Kalorik

How does the king of the countertop compare to other massive, multi-function ovens on the market?

If you prioritize raw speed and want the aesthetic of French doors, you might explore the Kalorik MAXX 26qt. If you want a built-in digital meat thermometer for perfect roasts on a tighter budget, the NuWave Bravo XL is a strong contender. However, neither can match the absolute baking precision, longevity, and premium fit-and-finish of the Breville.

9. Pros and Cons Summary