I have a Dreo Chefmaker and like it.
Bought it in fall 2023. Compared to Ninja dual basket, something that looked like an oven, and one other random brand. It just won out overall.
I like that much of the time I can plug in the temp probe and tell it to use a pre-programmed chef mode to cook something like a steak. I never cooked pork before because I always messed it up. Now pork chops come out great. Similar for salmon. I can also cook on just probe mode where I set a target temp and tell it over temp then it stops when it hits it. There are also custom recipe modes you or others can make and share that go through different cooking modes.
I had an issue with my early version model and they sent me a new one. they've had great customer service. I am not affiliated with them in any way. When Dreo put a milk frother (for coffee) on kickstarter I supported that and it's been perfect for my use also. Happy shopping!
I found some of my notes from the comparison. Here's the short version:
Cuisinart toaster oven which we already owned
\- yes it "does convection" but not really an air fryer. No programs. No probe
**Ninja Foodi XL**
Small baskets
Proprietary thermometer
Loud beep
Not too deep
Wide
At 400 front and sides 125. Vent 145
Top 75
Loud switching on off.
Loud beeps
Just shut off. No success message
Front panel an uneven sticker on buttons
Lots of plastic inside and out
65 db
Plastic smell when heating first two times
**Dreo Chefmaker**
Small outside
Big tray
Tray with lots of airflow
Front 125
Sides 72
Top 80
Says finished
Stays cooler outside
Small footprint
Like the app and clearly picking things.
Quiet and cool
Insert food and forget it
Made an amazing steak when set on 400
Good steak on Chef mode
**Nuwave**
(note: this one was the one that looks like an over. EXTREMELY customizable but not very intuitive even for someone like me who normally gets it and can figure things out. I was confused by it.)
Front 81
Sides 95
Top 105r
Back ??
Big. If setup 5 inches away from all it’s too big
65 decibels
Lots of presets
App is very foreign. Lots of errors and goofy things like you must choose a food allergy
Doesn’t tell time remains king to preheat. Brussels sprouts recipe take 0 time
Preheat for unknown time then have to wait around to insert food
Cooking steak. Says 14 min but there’s no way…. Can’t tell how long it will take.
Due to probe cover it’s a pain to. Insert the probe. Evidently you have to have the probe in when you begin the program or it’s ignored. Takes two hands to hold food and remove probe. Also a pain on level 3 with grill insert which blocks it. Steak was way over cooked and there’s no burger or steak that would ever take 15 min at 425.
Stinks up kitchen more than Dreo. Smells like smoke.
Drip tray is not nonstick and tough to clean
Written rack directions differs from machine instruction
Grilled beef burger or steak
Second steak. Used app. It didn’t do stages. Why not? Came out light brown and rare. Set to 125 but after 5 min was just 114. Fail
I also second the Typhur Dome 2. I know that one obvious draw back is how shallow it is, but what I will say is that I much more enjoy the convenience of the larger surface area than the deepness of more traditional air fryers. I still have a standard type air fryer, the Dreo Chefmaker, for when I need to actually use a deeper air fryer, but between the two the Dreo Chefmaker rarely gets used anymore. A larger surface area has much more utility for me than a deeper air fryer, but everyone has different use cases.
The Typhur Done 2 is badass, my only critique would be if it could be another inch or inch and half taller. I love making pizzas on it.
Get a Dreo Chefmaker. When they're on sale there a little over $200 and has a temp probe. Simply oil and season a steak, put it in, insert the probe, choose your steak type and doneness, whether you want it sous vide or classic style, and press go. Steak will come out perfect.
Chemical_Race_8676
