My Grandma Swears By This Versatile Kitchen Gem for Quick, Easy Meal Prep (Now I Want One Too!)

Every holiday season, my grandparents go all out for Christmas dinner. As a matter of fact, pretty much every meal I’ve ever had at their house has been restaurant-quality, regardless of the occasion. They really know their stuff, so when I made the trek back home to Texas a few weeks ago, I decided to take some notes. While I hung out in her kitchen, I noticed her putting her toaster oven on her countertop to good use. The bread we had with dinner that night was toasted to perfection, so of, course, I had to get the full rundown.

She told me that two years ago, she added the Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 Air Fryer Toaster Oven to her arsenal, and has relied on it heavily for quicker meal prep ever since. As someone who recently hopped on the air fryer toaster oven train — it’s so much faster and easier to clean than my full-size oven, especially since I live alone — I knew I had to share her pick with you, dear reader. If you’re after a gadget that’ll essentially replace every other appliance in your kitchen, then look no further.

From celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse comes this do-it-all appliance, which is sure to become your favorite kitchen item. How am I so sure? Well, beyond my grandma’s endorsement, it has thousands of five-star reviews. Featuring nine functions in one compact package, it’s equipped with five all-over heating elements, which the brand says makes it stand apart from most other models on the market (they usually have three). There are 12 cooking functions that let you do everything from roasting a turkey to baking desserts to slow cooking to dehydrating jerky and fruit.

The 1,500-watt oven also does the job in a snap thanks to the 360°F quick cook technology. That and the five heaters will cook your dish evenly on all the sides, achieving crispy, cooked-through perfection. All of that definitely makes it worth sacrificing a bit of counterspace (it measures 15 inches deep, 20 inches wide, and 10 inches tall). It doesn’t hurt either that the oven is some definite eye candy for your countertop, boasting a sleek stainless steel design. And you’ll get a crisper tray, rotisserie spit, pizza rack, baking pan, drip tray, and Lagasse-penned recipe book!

My eye was immediately drawn to this stunning appliance in my grandma’s kitchen. It matches her stainless steel appliances and gleams beautifully underneath her cabinet lights. From what I can remember, it didn’t make any noticeable noise while it ran, which is an issue I had with my own toaster oven. She also appreciates the simple design — it isn’t difficult to navigate between the numerous settings — and its fast preheating.

“I used it as a slow cooker with a pork butt,” my grandma told me. “I’ve used it to air fry fish, chicken, beef, and I reheat leftovers in it a lot, especially pizza.” She’s even cooked a whole chicken in this workhorse of a toaster oven. She’s also a fan of the adjustable shelves on the inside, which are easy to pull out and clean. Plus, toaster ovens like this one have so many benefits: In addition to being more ideal for smaller portions, it also frees up your full-size oven for storage.

Maybe I’m biased, but any toaster oven that’s earned my grandma’s stamp of approval is definitely worth the buy. I’ve had enough stellar meals at her house throughout my life that back up my claim. So I have a feeling that once you add this gem to your countertop, you won’t know how you went without it, either.

Buy: Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 Air Fryer Toaster Oven, $259.29