While both the Breville Joule Sous Vide and the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro come from the same trusted Breville brand, they are fundamentally different tools designed for completely separate cooking tasks. The Joule is a highly specialized immersion circulator for precise, low-temperature sous vide cooking in water, whereas the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a versatile, multi-function countertop oven that bakes, roasts, and air fries with dry heat.
Here's everything you need to know to decide which of these premium kitchen appliances is the right fit for your cooking style.
Breville Joule Sous Vide
The Breville Joule is a compact, high-tech immersion circulator that brings the precision of sous vide cooking into the home kitchen. It operates primarily through a clean, intuitive smartphone app, allowing an incredible level of temperature control for perfect results with meats, vegetables, and more. Its sleek, minimalist design makes it easy to store, appealing to serious home cooks and tech enthusiasts who prioritize flawless execution over all-in-one functionality.
- What it is: A smart immersion circulator used for sous vide cooking, which involves vacuum-sealing food and cooking it in a precisely controlled water bath.
- Key features: Extremely accurate temperature control (to 0.2°F / 0.1°C), connects to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for remote operation, extensive recipe library and guided cooks via the Joule app, voice control compatible with Amazon Alexa.
- Price: Typically costs $199 - $249.
- Style: Minimalist and modern with a sleek black and stainless steel finish. Designed to be unobtrusive and easy to store in a drawer.
- Dimensions: Very compact at just over 11 inches tall and less than 2 inches in diameter, easily fitting in any pot.
- Pros: Unmatched cooking precision for perfect doneness every time. The app is incredibly user-friendly with step-by-step visual guides. Compact size is a huge space-saver. Heats water quickly and quietly.
- Cons: Performs only one function: sous vide. Requires a smartphone for operation, which some users may not prefer. You need to provide your own container (a stockpot or cambro) and vacuum sealer.
This sous vide tool is for the foodie who wants to achieve restaurant-level perfection, particularly with proteins, and values precision repeatable results over a multitude of cooking functions.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/en/products/sous-vide/csv700bss.html
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a powerhouse countertop appliance designed to replace several other kitchen gadgets. It offers 13 different cooking functions, including air fry, dehydrate, roast, proof, and bake, all powered by its intelligent Element iQ system. With a large interior capacity and intuitive controls, it’s built for busy households that need a versatile, high-performance oven for everyday meals, family dinners, and entertaining.
- What it is: A smart, multi-function countertop convection oven that combines an air fryer, dehydrator, toaster, and traditional oven in one.
- Key features: 13 preset cooking functions, Element iQ system with 6 independent quartz heating elements for precise heat, large 1 cu. ft. capacity can fit a 14-lb turkey, LCD display, super convection setting reduces cooking time by up to 30%.
- Price: Typically costs $399 - $499.
- Style: Sleek and contemporary with a brushed stainless steel finish that complements modern kitchens.
- Materials/Construction: Robust stainless steel exterior, heavy-duty rack positions, and a large viewing window with an interior oven light.
- Pros: Extremely versatile, replacing the need for multiple appliances and saving counter space. Large capacity is great for families. Smart controls cook food evenly and quickly. Looks great on the counter.
- Cons: A significant investment compared to single-function appliances. Its large footprint takes up considerable counter space. The exterior can get quite hot during use.
This all-in-one oven is ideal for someone looking for a high-quality, do-it-all appliance to handle the bulk of their daily cooking and baking tasks without turning on their main oven.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/en/products/ovens/bov900.html
Breville Joule vs. Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro Comparison
Functionality & Primary Use
This is the clearest distinction. The Joule is a specialist. Its sole purpose is to heat and circulate water for sous vide cooking. This wet-heat method results in incredibly tender, evenly cooked food that is impossible to overcook. It excels at preparing steak, chicken, pork, fish, and even certain vegetables and desserts with unmatched precision.
In contrast, the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a generalist. It’s an expert in dry-heat cooking, handling everything from roasting a whole chicken and air frying fries to baking cookies and dehydrating fruit. It's a workhorse designed to handle nearly any oven task, but it cannot perform sous vide cooking.
Countertop Footprint & Size
The Joule is tiny and built for storage, not display. Standing just 11 inches tall, it can easily be tucked away in a utensil drawer when not in use. It takes up zero permanent counter space, which is a massive benefit for smaller kitchens.
The Smart Oven is the opposite. Measuring approximately 21.5" x 17.5" x 12.7", it demands a dedicated spot on your counter. While it replaces multiple other appliances, you must have the available space to accommodate its size. Its premium, stainless steel appearance is meant to be a permanent fixture in your kitchen.
Technology & Controls
Both devices feature smart technology, but the interface is entirely different. Control of the Joule is outsourced to your smartphone, there are no dials or screens on the device itself. You set the temperature, timer, and follow recipes through the dedicated Joule app, which connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
The Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro features a robust onboard control system. A crisp LCD screen and intuitive dials allow you to select from 13 functions, adjust time and temperature, and toggle convection settings. All controls are self-contained within the appliance.
Price & Value
Priced between $199-$249, the Joule is an investment in a specialized cooking technique. Its value comes from the professional-quality results it delivers for sous vide enthusiasts. For a device that only performs one task, its price may seem high to a casual cook but is considered reasonable for the precision it offers.
The Smart Oven's $399-$499 price tag reflects its immense versatility and high-quality construction. Its value proposition is clear: it’s an oven, air fryer, toaster, and dehydrator rolled into one. While more expensive upfront, it can ultimately save you money and space by eliminating the need for separate appliances.
Which One Should You Choose?
These are both exceptional products, but they don't compete with each other - they solve completely different needs in the kitchen.
Choose the Breville Joule if:
- You want to master the art of sous vide cooking for perfect steaks, juicy chicken, and delicate fish.
- Cooking precision and an inability to overcook your food are your top priorities.
- You have very limited counter and storage space.
- You are comfortable using a smartphone app to control your cooking device.
Choose the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro if:
- You want an all-in-one appliance that can bake, broil, roast, air fry, and more.
- You need a versatile oven for day-to-day family meals.
- Saving counter space by consolidating multiple kitchen gadgets into one is a key goal.
- You prefer physical dials and an onboard screen for a more traditional user experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the main difference between the Joule and the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro?
The main difference is the cooking method and function. The Joule is a single-purpose immersion circulator for wet-heat sous vide cooking in a water bath. The Smart Oven is a multi-function countertop oven for dry-heat cooking tasks like baking, roasting, and air frying.
Can the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro do sous vide?
No. The Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a dry-heat oven and cannot perform the water-based cooking required for the sous vide method. You need a dedicated device like the Joule for that.
Is the Breville Joule a standalone cooker?
No. The Joule is an immersion circulator, which is only one component of a sous vide setup. You will also need a container large enough to hold water (like a large stockpot) and a way to seal your food, typically with a vacuum sealer or zip-top bags.
Which appliance is better for cooking steaks?
This depends on your preferred outcome. The Joule will give you a perfectly even, edge-to-edge medium-rare steak every single time, which you then finish with a quick sear in a pan. The Smart Oven can broil a steak nicely with a delicious crust, but achieving the same level of precise internal doneness is much harder.
How much counter space does the Smart Oven really need?
The unit itself is about 21.5 inches wide and 17.5 inches deep. However, Breville recommends allowing for a few inches of clearance on all sides for ventilation, so you should plan for a space that is at least 26 inches wide and 20 inches deep.
Does the Joule require a smartphone to work?
Yes, for all practical purposes. The Breville Joule is designed to be controlled almost exclusively through its companion app. While it has a manual function, the app is where you access settings, recipes, and its core "smart" features.
Can the Smart Oven replace a regular oven?
For many people, particularly those in apartments, RVs, or homes with small kitchens, the Smart Oven can absolutely function as a primary oven. Its 1 cubic foot capacity is large enough for a 9x13 pan, a 12-cup muffin tin, or even a 14-lb turkey.
Which device is easier to clean?
The Joule is incredibly easy to clean. Since it circulates clean water, it rarely needs more than a quick wipe-down. The Smart Oven, like any oven, requires more effort. The racks and pans are removable for washing, but the interior will occasionally need to be cleaned of spills and splatters.
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