I didn't plan to buy an air fryer until Prime Day, but Breville dropped a major deal on one of our top picks

I've covered enough Prime Day sales to know how this usually goes. You spend weeks waiting for the official event to start, telling yourself the price could drop further. Then the thing you actually want either sells out or goes on backorder, or doesn't arrive until closer to Labor Day.

So when I saw that the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro had already dropped to $319.95 (down from $399.95), I skipped the waiting game and bought one. That's a 20% discount on the air fryer toaster oven that Business Insider Reviews just named one of the best air fryers after testing more than 65 models.

Could it get cheaper when Prime Day officially starts on June 23rd? Maybe. Will it get meaningfully cheaper? Probably not. And for a product this popular, I'd rather lock in an $80 savings — the lowest price we've ever seen on this model — than gamble on inventory.

Why I bought the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

Most air fryers are good at one thing — making frozen food crispy. The Breville does that, but because it's an air fryer toaster oven it's also one of those rare countertop appliances that can actually replace several other kitchen appliances. According to BI Reviews' air fryer testing leads, home editor Jaclyn Turner and culinary tester Jennifer Zyman, it's great for air-frying fries, vegetables, and chicken wings. It also excels at toasting bagels, reheating leftovers like pizza, baking cookies, and handling everyday cooking tasks that would normally require a full-size oven.

That's what sold me.

I live in Los Angeles, where turning on a giant oven in the summer can feel like a personal attack. So I've been looking for a countertop appliance that can toast my breakfast, reheat my lunch, and cook my dinner without heating the whole house.

The other thing that stood out to me was what comes in the box. Breville includes a pizza pan, a broil rack, a roasting pan, a mesh basket rack, and multiple toaster oven racks. The accessories and large capacity make it feel like a more compact second oven.

There were a few cons to consider as well. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro has a larger footprint than most air fryers, and, even with the 20% discount, it's still priced much higher than basket-style air fryers. It's also not ideal for very fatty foods, like chicken wings. Still, it had all of the features I need, and I'm not a big fan of wings.

Other air fryers from our best air fryers guide that are already on sale

Not everyone wants a Breville air fryer toaster oven. If you're looking for a traditional air fryer, several of our top picks are discounted right now.

Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer

The Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer was crowned our Best overall air fryer thanks to consistent cooking performance, sleek design, and ease of use. In testing, it outperformed many other models by delivering evenly cooked fries, crispier wings, and better-browned veggies than most competitors in this price range.

Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6QT Air Fryer

The runner-up in our air fryer guide, The Instant Vortex Plus cooks food faster than almost every other competitor we tested. The unique feature window lets you watch your meal as it cooks, which enhances ease of use but is not very common among air fryers in this price range.

Ninja Crispi Pro Glass Air Fryer

The Ninja Crispi Pro is our favorite glass air fryer. The cooking vessel lets you see your food while it cooks and reduces reliance on traditional nonstick air fryer coatings.

Ninja Foodi DualZone XL

The Ninja Foodi DualZone XL is our favorite air fryer for large families because it functions like two air fryers in one. The dual baskets can cook different foods at different temperatures and finish them at the same time.

Chefman Compact Air Fryer

Named best small air fryer in our buying guide, the Chefman is ideal for apartments, dorms, and small homes or anyone cooking for one. Despite its compact footprint, it performed surprisingly well during testing.

Why an air fryer is the Prime Day deal to buy now

There's an assumption many shoppers make during Prime Day season: The sale hasn't started yet, so the best deals must still be coming. But premium appliances don't work that way.

The products with the deepest discounts often arrive early because brands want momentum heading into the event. Sometimes the price stays the same. Sometimes inventory gets tight. Sometimes shipping dates slide from two days to two weeks. I've seen it all happen.

How Business Insider covers Prime Day differently

I've covered Prime Day for seven years. When it comes to the best kitchen deals this year, I know where to find them, and I have receipts.

Every year, the internet is flooded with thousands of articles claiming to feature the "best" Prime Day deals. Many are built around what's trending in the moment, but our approach is different.

The BI Reviews team has spent years testing products, updating recommendations, monitoring pricing, and analyzing shopping behavior. We look at what readers click on — and what they ultimately buy. That's important because the products generating the most buzz aren't always the same products that deliver the most value. The Prime Day deals on our list do both.

Every air fryer on this list has earned its place for a reason. They have been thoroughly tested by the BI Reviews team and featured in our buying guides. They're also backed by my real Prime Day shopping expertise, not just clicks.

I'll be updating this article regularly as Prime Day approaches and replacing predictions with more air fryer deals as they go live.

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