The Breville Smart Oven and Smart Oven Pro are two of the best countertop ovens available, but they differ in capacity, cooking functions, and price. The Smart Oven Pro is the larger, more versatile model with extra features like a slow-cook setting and a bigger interior, while the standard Smart Oven offers the same core quality and performance in a more compact and affordable package.
Here's everything you need to know to decide which high-performance countertop oven from Breville is right for your kitchen.
Breville Smart Oven
The Breville Smart Oven is a high-quality countertop appliance designed for those who want excellent cooking performance and precision without an overwhelming number of specialty functions. It packs Breville's signature Element IQ technology into a compact footprint, making it a powerful and reliable choice for everyday toasting, baking, and roasting needs.
- What it is: A high-performance countertop convection oven with intelligent heat distribution for even cooking.
- Key features: Element IQ technology with 5 heating elements, 8 preset cooking functions, clear LCD screen, and 0.8 cubic feet of interior space.
- Price: Around $279
- Dimensions: 15.7" x 18.5" x 11". Fits up to 6 slices of bread or a 12-inch pizza.
- Style: Sleek and modern brushed stainless steel that coordinates seamlessly with other high-end kitchen appliances.
- Pros: Excellent cooking performance for its size. Compact design saves counter space. Intuitive and easy-to-use controls. Great value for Breville quality. Heats up quickly and cooks evenly.
- Cons: Smaller capacity is not ideal for large families. Fewer preset functions compared to the Pro model. Does not include a slow-cook function or an interior light.
This oven is perfect for small households, apartments, or anyone who wants a premium countertop appliance with core cooking functions without extra complexity.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/products/ovens/bov860bss.html
Breville Smart Oven Pro
The Breville Smart Oven Pro is the step-up model, built for the serious home cook who demands greater versatility and capacity from their countertop appliance. It includes all the great features of the standard model but adds an interior oven light, expanded cooking functions, and a larger cooking chamber, making it capable of tackling more demanding recipes from slow-cooked roasts to perfectly baked pizzas.
- What it is: A larger, more feature-rich version of the Smart Oven with additional cooking presets and a built-in light.
- Key features: Element IQ technology, 10 preset cooking functions including slow cook, an interior oven light for monitoring food, and a 1.0 cubic foot interior capacity.
- Price: Around $349
- Dimensions: 15.75" x 18.5" x 11". Accommodates a 13-inch pizza, 9-cup muffin trays, or even a small chicken.
- Style: Identical brushed stainless steel finish to the standard model, but with a visibly larger presence on the countertop.
- Pros: Increased capacity is ideal for families or entertaining. More versatile with 10 cooking functions, including slow cook. Interior light is a huge convenience. Can handle a wider range of cooking tasks.
- Cons: Takes up more valuable counter space. Higher price point. More functions than a casual user might need.
The Smart Oven Pro is for the enthusiastic home cook who needs extra capacity and specialized functions like slow cooking for preparing larger or more complex meals.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/products/ovens/bov800bss.html
Breville Smart Oven vs. Smart Oven Pro Comparison
Dimensions & Capacity
The most immediate difference between the two ovens is their size. The standard Smart Oven has a 0.8 cubic foot interior, which is plenty for toast, reheating leftovers, or baking a small batch of cookies. It's a great fit for kitchens with limited counter space.
The Smart Oven Pro bumps the capacity up to 1.0 cubic foot. This extra 25% of space is significant, allowing it to fit a 13-inch pizza (versus 12-inch in the standard model), larger casserole dishes, and even a small Dutch oven with the lid on, making it a much more suitable replacement for a full-sized oven for many tasks.
Cooking Functions & Features
Both models feature Breville's signature Element IQ technology, which intelligently directs power to different heating elements for stable, precise, and even cooking. Where they differ is in their preset functions. The Smart Oven offers 8 useful presets: Toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, cookies, and reheat.
The Smart Oven Pro includes those same 8 presets and adds two important ones: a versatile Slow Cook function and a dedicated Warm setting. The slow cook feature is a major selling point, allowing for braising and slow-cooking for up to 10 hours. Another key feature exclusive to the Pro is the replaceable interior oven light, which lets you check on your food without opening the door and letting heat escape.
Materials & Construction
In terms of build quality, both ovens are nearly identical and reflect Breville's premium standards. They both feature a sturdy, brushed stainless steel housing, a tempered glass door, and a user-friendly LCD screen with intuitive control dials. Both also come with a non-stick interior and a removable front crumb tray for easy cleaning.
You can expect excellent durability and a high-end feel from either machine, construction quality is not a factor where you have to compromise when choosing between the two.
Price & Value
There is typically a price difference of about $70 between the standard Smart Oven and the Smart Oven Pro. Whether the extra cost is justified comes down to how you cook. If you're mainly looking for a superior toaster oven for basics like toast, reheating pizza, and occasional baking, the standard Smart Oven offers fantastic value and performance.
However, if you can see yourself using the larger capacity regularly or are intrigued by the idea of using your countertop oven for slow-cooked pulled pork or stews, the extra investment for the Pro is easily worth it. The addition of the interior light alone is a convenience that many serious cooks will find invaluable.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both Breville ovens are excellent choices that outperform nearly any other countertop oven, but they are designed for slightly different users.
Choose the Breville Smart Oven if:
- You have limited countertop space in your kitchen.
- You primarily need an oven for toast, bagels, reheating, and occasional baking.
- You're looking for the most affordable way to get Breville's premium quality and performance.
- You already own a slow cooker and don't need that function in another appliance.
Choose the Breville Smart Oven Pro if:
- You cook for a family or frequently entertain guests.
- You want the versatility to bake a 13-inch pizza or roast a whole chicken.
- You want to replace multiple appliances with one machine that can also slow cook.
- You value conveniences like an interior oven light to easily monitor your food.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the main difference between the Breville Smart Oven and Smart Oven Pro?
The primary differences are capacity, cooking functions, and a key convenience feature. The Smart Oven Pro is larger (1.0 cu ft. vs. 0.8 cu ft.), has two additional cooking presets (Slow Cook and Warm), and includes an interior oven light, which the standard model lacks.
Which Breville Smart Oven is bigger?
The Smart Oven Pro is bigger. Its 1.0 cubic foot capacity can comfortably fit larger items like a 13-inch pizza or a small dutch oven, making it more versatile for meal preparation.
Can the Smart Oven Pro replace a regular oven?
For many daily cooking tasks, absolutely. It heats up much faster and is more energy-efficient for things like roasting vegetables, baking cookies, or cooking a frozen pizza. However, it cannot accommodate a large turkey or multiple large sheet pans at once, so it's a supplement to, not a full replacement for, a conventional oven in most households.
Do both models have a convection fan?
Yes, both the Smart Oven and Smart Oven Pro feature a built-in convection fan. This feature circulates hot air to speed up cooking times by as much as 30% while ensuring food is cooked evenly and browned perfectly.
Is the Smart Oven Pro worth the extra money?
If you'll take advantage of the larger size, the slow cooking function, and the convenience of an oven light, then yes, it's absolutely worth the extra investment. If you just need a high-quality machine for basics, the standard Smart Oven is a better value.
How easy are they to clean?
Both models are very easy to clean. They feature a non-stick coating on the interior walls and a pull-out crumb tray at the bottom that catches any messes. A quick wipe-down after use is usually all that’s needed.
Do these ovens come with accessories?
Yes, both typically come with essential accessories, including a baking pan, a broiling rack, and a pizza pan. The accessories for the Smart Oven Pro are sized to match its larger interior.
Do these Breville ovens get hot on the outside?
Like all powerful countertop ovens, the exterior, particularly the top and the glass door, will get hot during operation. It's important to keep them in a well-ventilated area with adequate clearance on all sides as recommended in the user manual.
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