'I tried the viral Our Place Wonder Oven, but was it worth the hype?'
If there's one kitchen gadget that has taken over our FYPs this summer, it's Our Place's Wonder Oven. Having finally made it's way over from the US earlier this summer, this air fryer is potentially the most aesthetic item you can add to your kitchen. If your timeline hasn't been blessed with this gadget, then picture one of the adorable ovens you played with as a child, but as a real working six-in-one air fryer for adults, in the prettiest of pastel shades. Obsessed? Yep us too.
The Wonder Oven essentially went viral in the US, so when it made its way over the pond we had to get our hands on it to see if the hype was real. After-all we've tested a lot of air fryers, and have come to expect a lot from our favourite kitchen appliance. Would it be worth the hype?
Intrigued to know more? We thought so. This is your 101 guide to the Wonder Oven, and crucially if it's worth the investment. Here's our honest review.
What is the Our Place Wonder Oven?
The Wonder Oven is the latest release to come from our go to kitchen brand Our Place. Already massively popular in the US, it was released in the UK earlier this summer.
The Wonder Oven is a six-in-one air fryer, and countertop oven, with steam infusion. It has six functions - air fry, bake, toast, reheat, grill and roast. It pre-heats within two and a half minutes, cooks up to 30 per cent faster than a traditional oven and has a temperature range of 93° to 232°C.
Included in the box is of course the actual Wonder Oven, and then a wire rack, a bake pan, air fryer basket and a crumb tray. The machine itself and all accompanying parts must be washed by hand, and it comes with a one year warranty.
What did we think of the Wonder Oven?
Even though it's a kitchen appliance with its primary function being to cook something, the aesthetic of it all is still important. Which is why I rate the Wonder Oven so highly as it's easily the most interior friendly air fryer I've ever encountered. The classic 1950's appearance is seriously cute and works well for a variety of kitchen styles, particularly if you opt for the Char or Steam shade, or you can compliment a colourful kitchen with the Blue Salt shade or limited edition Spice.
It's also on the smaller side of air fryers I've seen and used, which is great if you're short on counter space. However, while it does claim to be able to fit a 2kg sized chicken, my biggest bug bear with the appliance was the internal size. It was perfect for cooking a Monday night dinner of potatoes and chicken for me and my sister across the air fryer basket and the roasting tray. Although if I were to cook for a larger group (which I enjoy doing) I'm not confident I could fit enough in to feed more than four people, or even bake a large loaf of bread. I would also need to buy an additional bake tray to fit more food in. But if you're not into hosting or have a small family then this shouldn't be a problem.
A major selling point for me was the non-stick quality of all the trays, which was second to none. I air fried salmon with the stickiest of soy glazes and dreaded the usual scrubbing that accompanies using my favourite dressing, but I did not need to worry, it practically slid off when washing up on the roasting tray and the air fryer basket when I tested it on both. No elbow grease required.
And for me, the number one test of the quality of an air fryer is the potato test (basically does it make super crispy non greasy and pillowy soft potatoes). And the Wonder Oven passed with flying colours.
As someone who doesn't have a microwave and has missed the luxury of instant reheat, the reheat function was also a game changer. I reheated a pasta bake from the night before one work from home lunch, and it was sizzling and recooked through in a much quicker time than it would take me doing in the oven. Like most air fryers it also cooked quicker than a traditional oven, and evenly too.
One thing I love about a conventional air fryer versus a traditional oven, is being able to literally chuck everything into the basket and not faff around with oven gloves and a tray, whereas with the Wonder Oven it's far fiddlier to get things in and out of it. There were times, when because of the small trays and tray groves, I found it difficult to move things around on the tray without worrying all the food going to fall off. It's a minor thing, but when you've had a long day at work you don't want anything to interrupt dinner time. However, on the flip side, versus a traditional air fryer the Wonder Oven was definitely on the quieter side.
So, would we recommend the Wonder Oven?
The machine is £195 so it's definitely on the more expensive side of air fryers. However, if you don't currently have an air fryer, then yes it's definitely worth the investment. It's one of the smallest on the market but combines a lot of functions, and if you're not wanting to spend a fortune on kitting our your kitchen with loads of gadgets the Wonder Oven can be your microwave, toaster and air fryer all in one. It's super easy to clean and perfect if you're only looking to cook for a smaller group of people.
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