You've probably seen the sleek stainless steel box sitting on a countertop in a high-end kitchen and wondered if it's just a glorified toaster. It isn't. Honestly, the Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro is a bit of a weird beast in the appliance world because it tries to bridge the gap between "set it and forget it" convenience and "molecular gastronomy" precision. Most air fryers are just plastic buckets with a heating element and a loud fan. This thing is a computer that happens to roast chickens.
Let's be real: $500 or more for a countertop oven is a massive ask for most people. Is it worth it? That depends entirely on whether you actually use the "Smart" part of the smart oven. If you just want to toast a bagel, buy a $20 Hamilton Beach. But if you’re the type of person who has ever Googled "how to sous vide a steak without a water bath," the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro starts to make a lot of sense. It basically takes the brains of the Joule immersion circulator—which was a game-changer for home cooks—and grafts them onto Breville's flagship Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro chassis.
The Joule App is the Secret Sauce (Mostly)
The hardware is great, sure, but the app is where the actual magic happens. Unlike most "smart" appliances where the app is a total afterthought or a buggy mess you delete after three days, the Joule app is central to the experience. It features "Autopilot." This isn't just a fancy name for a timer.
When you use Autopilot, the oven changes its settings mid-cook based on the recipe. Imagine you're making a prime rib. The oven might start with a high-heat blast to get that Maillard reaction and a crusty exterior, then automatically drop the temperature to a low-and-slow setting to finish the inside perfectly pink. It does this without you touching a single dial. You just get a notification on your phone when it's done. It’s kinda like having a tiny Chef Steps instructor living inside your kitchen cabinets.
However, there is a catch. You have to be okay with your oven needing a Wi-Fi connection. In an era where everything from your toothbrush to your fridge wants to talk to the cloud, some people find this annoying. If your internet goes down, you can still use the manual dials, but you lose the very features you paid the premium for. It’s a trade-off.
Power, Heat, and the Physics of Air Frying
Let's talk specs for a second because the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro is a powerhouse. We're looking at 1800 watts of power. It uses what Breville calls "Element IQ" technology. Basically, there are six independent quartz heating elements inside. The oven's "brain" moves power around to where it's needed most. If you're baking a cake, it provides gentle, even heat from the top and bottom. If you're air frying, it cranks the top elements and kicks the fan into high gear.
Speaking of the fan, the convection system is massive. It's not just a little computer fan. It’s a heavy-duty blower.
In the "Super Convection" mode, it moves a serious volume of air. This is what makes the air frying capability actually work. A lot of toaster ovens claim to air fry, but they just don't have the airflow to truly crisp things up. The Joule Pro actually mimics the results of a standalone basket air fryer, though it takes a little longer because the internal cavity is much larger.
Capacity Matters
You can fit a 13-inch pizza in here. You can roast a 14-pound turkey. You can fit a 9x13 inch baking pan (without handles).
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This capacity is why people end up replacing their full-sized wall ovens with this unit for 90% of their cooking. Why preheat a massive 5-cubic-foot oven for 20 minutes just to roast some broccoli? The Joule heats up in a fraction of the time. It’s efficient. It’s fast. Honestly, during the summer, not heating up the entire house just to make dinner is a huge win.
What Most Reviews Get Wrong About the Joule
Most reviewers focus on the "A.I." or the app, but they miss the nuance of the "A Bit More" button. It’s a small detail, but it’s a hallmark of Breville’s design philosophy. If your toast isn't quite dark enough, you hit that button. It adds just a little more time. It’s human-centric design.
Another thing people overlook is the build quality of the racks. They are sturdy. They don't flex under the weight of a heavy Dutch oven. The door has a magnetic auto-eject feature for the middle rack, which is one of those "how did I live without this" features that prevents you from burning your knuckles when reaching for a hot tray.
But it isn't perfect.
The footprint is huge. You need significant counter space—about 21.5 inches wide and 17 inches deep. And you need clearance. This thing gets hot on the outside. Don't leave a loaf of bread or a plastic cutting board on top of it while it's running at 450 degrees. You'll have a melted mess. Breville sells an optional bamboo cutting board that sits on top with heat-resistant feet, which is a smart add-on if you’re tight on space, but it’s another $50.
Comparing the Joule Pro to the Standard Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
If you're looking at the lineup, you'll see the standard "Pro" and the "Joule Pro." They look almost identical. The Joule version has a different finish (often a slightly brushed stainless or black stainless) and a different knob setup. The internal hardware—the heaters and the fan—is largely the same.
The real difference is the internal Wi-Fi chip and the integration with the Joule app. Is that worth the roughly $100 price jump?
If you are a precision cook, yes. The Joule version gives you access to "Pro" recipes that are specifically calibrated for this exact heating element layout. It’s the difference between following a recipe you found on a random blog and using a laboratory-tested program designed for your specific machine.
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Real-World Cooking: The Successes and the Flops
I've seen people try to dehydrate fruit in this. It works, but it takes forever. It’s a 10-hour process. The oven can handle it because the fan is rated for long run times, but you have to be patient.
The air fry function is top-tier for wings. If you dry the wings properly and use the "Super Convection" setting, you get skin that crackles. No oil required.
Baking is where the Element IQ shines. Most toaster ovens have "hot spots." You end up with a cookie sheet where the back left corner is burnt and the front right is raw. Because the Joule Pro can cycle its six elements independently, it maintains a much more stable temperature map. It’s actually more accurate than many high-end Wolf or Viking ranges.
The Cleaning Nightmare
Let’s be honest: cleaning any air fryer oven is a pain. The Joule Pro is no exception. The interior is non-stick, but grease still splatters. Over time, that grease bakes onto the heating elements and the walls. Since you can't exactly toss the whole unit in the dishwasher, you're stuck scrubbing.
Pro tip: don't use abrasive steel wool. You'll ruin the coating. Use a paste of baking soda and water and let it sit. And for the love of all things holy, clean the crumb tray every single week. If you let grease build up in the bottom, you're looking at a smoke show the next time you crank it to 450.
Connectivity and the Future of the Kitchen
There's a lot of talk about "The Kitchen of the Future." Usually, that involves a screen on your fridge that tells you when your milk is sour. The Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro feels like a more practical version of that future. It uses technology to solve a real problem: the variability of cooking.
When you use the "Voice" integration with Alexa or Google Assistant, it feels a bit gimmicky at first. "Alexa, tell Joule to preheat to 350." But when your hands are covered in flour or chicken juice, being able to control the oven without touching the dials is actually incredibly helpful.
Is it Overkill?
For many, yes. If you just want to make frozen nuggets for the kids, this is like buying a Ferrari to go to the grocery store. It’ll get you there, but you aren't using its potential.
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The Joule Pro is for the hobbyist. It’s for the person who wants to experiment with "Proofing" bread dough at a precise 85 degrees, or someone who wants to slow-roast a pork shoulder for 8 hours without worrying about the pilot light going out. It's for the person who appreciates that the oven light fades on and off elegantly rather than just clicking.
Practical Next Steps for Potential Owners
If you've decided to pull the trigger on a Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro, don't just start cooking blindly. The learning curve is real.
First, download the Joule App immediately. Even before the oven arrives. Look through the "Autopilot" recipes to see if that's actually how you want to cook. If the recipes don't appeal to you, you might be better off with the non-Joule version of the oven.
Second, measure your space. Don't forget the "bump out" in the back for the cord and the heat clearance. You need at least 4 to 6 inches of space around the unit for proper ventilation.
Third, invest in the right pans. While it comes with a 13-inch pizza pan and a roasting rack, you'll want a high-quality 9x13 metal baking pan (without huge handles) to maximize the internal real estate. LloydPans makes some incredible hard-anodized options that fit perfectly and won't warp under the intense heat of the quartz elements.
Finally, check your firmware. As soon as you plug it in and connect it to Wi-Fi, the oven will likely need an update. Let it finish. These updates often improve temperature
stability and fix bugs in the Autopilot sequences.
The Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro isn't just a kitchen appliance; it's a piece of culinary tech. It demands a bit more of you—more counter space, more money, and a bit of a digital setup—but it gives back a level of control that was previously impossible outside of a professional kitchen. Just keep it clean and keep the Wi-Fi on, and it'll probably become the most-used tool in your house.