Yes — about 3 to 5 minutes at 400 °F, flipped halfway, one layer at a time. Weigh light slices down so the fan cannot lift them. If toast is a daily job, a toaster oven does four slices at once.
How to do it
- One layer on the crisper plate, so air passes underneath.
- About 400 °F for 3 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway for even color.
- Hold light bread down with a small rack or trivet on top.
- Watch the first batch. Machines differ, and bread darkens fast.
What it does to bread
It browns the surface with moving hot air, which also dries it. The result is crisper and drier than toaster toast — closer to a crouton at the edges. For garlic bread, bagels and frozen waffles, that is a good thing.
The capacity problem
Slices lie flat and take the basket floor. A small round basket holds one or two; a large square one, three or four. A pop-up toaster or a toaster oven does more at once.
Where the air fryer wins
Reheating something already baked — pizza, croissants, anything gone soft. Moving air removes the surface moisture that made it soft, which a pop-up toaster cannot do. Garlic bread and cheese toast too, because toppings stay put on a flat plate.
What does toast better
A toaster oven, with top and bottom elements and a toast setting:
BLACK+DECKER 5-in-1, $61.99 — four slices, EvenToast, and air fry in the same box.
Hamilton Beach, $59.95 — four slices, toast, bake, air fry and broil.
Elite Gourmet 4-slice, $34.99 — toast, bake and broil, with no air fry.
And the safety part
Never leave toast unattended in any appliance, and keep the air fryer’s vents clear — see clearance above and behind. For the other bread question, see can I bake bread in a toaster oven.
Check your own manual before you follow anything here. Temperatures, fill limits and pressure ratings differ from model to model, and the manufacturer’s figures take precedence over anything written on this site. We report what makers publish — an oven’s range in degrees, a cooker’s maximum fill line, whether a part is declared dishwasher-safe — and we never turn those figures into food-safety guidance. Cooking temperatures and holding times for particular foods are set by manufacturers and by your national food safety authority, and this site points you to them rather than restating them.
Prices quoted in this text were read on 2026-10-18. The live price is at the top of the page.
What readers want to know
How long do I toast bread in an air fryer?
About 3 to 5 minutes at 400 °F, flipping halfway — less for thin sandwich bread, more for thick or frozen slices. No preheat is needed on most machines, but a preheated basket browns faster. Watch the first batch: bread goes from golden to dark quickly in moving air.
Why does my bread fly around in the air fryer?
The fan lifts light slices and can push them against the heating element. Lay a small metal rack or trivet on top, or toast thicker bread, and never toast a single thin slice in a near-empty basket without something holding it down.
Is an air fryer or a toaster oven better for toast?
A toaster oven, if toast is the main job. It holds four slices flat under a top and bottom element and has a toast setting. On this site the BLACK+DECKER 5-in-1 at $61.99 takes four slices with EvenToast, and also air fries.
Last reviewed 18 October 2026