Panasonic’s new compact oven has 7 ways to cook and clean

From air-frying to sourdough-baking to slow-cooking, many of us have gotten creative with home cooking tools since the pandemic started. But for some, adding more and more appliances to the home kitchen collection has become a battle for counter space. Enter: Panasonic’s new HomeChef 7-in-1 Compact Oven.

Debuted at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, the HomeChef oven has the capacity to air fry, convection bake, steam, stew, and ferment foods—plus sanitize things like baby bottles—with an approachable four-button panel. And at 0.7 cu. ft., it boasts a Goldilocks size that’s big enough to fit a rotisserie chicken, but small enough to fit in small kitchens comfortably.

New features like the Fermentation Mode make this appliance stand out. With it, users can choose from two temperatures (85°F and 100°F) that sustain optimal environments to create anything from specialty breads and croissants to homemade pickles. The Stew feature is also new, combining the steam and convection functions to help slowly cook stews, soups, and other slow-cook recipes. This is not to be confused with the Steam Convection Mode, however, which works by spraying food with steam during the baking process for juicier meats and extra-moist desserts.

Other HomeChef oven features include 18 pre-set menu options—from Steamed Fish to Cheesecake—that take care of time and temperature settings for you. There are also six preset sanitizing options—like dishware and baby bottles—to help with post-dinner clean-up.

Get the Panasonic HomeChef 7-in-1 Compact Oven on Amazon for $500