Breville Joule Vs. Smart Oven Pro: Is The “Smart” Upgrade Actually Worth $200 More?

I’ve spent more time staring into the glass doors of countertop ovens than I care to admit. If you are standing in the kitchen aisle or browsing online, paralyzed between the high-tech wizardry of the Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro and the reliable, classic Breville Smart Oven Pro, I know exactly how you feel.

I am writing this to help you decide if the extra cash for “smart” features and air frying is actually worth it for your specific cooking style, or if the classic Pro is all the horsepower you really need.

Key Differences Between Breville Joule And Smart Oven Pro

When you strip away the marketing, the choice comes down to three specific areas. I want to elaborate on these because this is where buyer’s remorse usually happens.

• The Air Fryer Hardware Difference This is not just a button difference; it is a fundamental hardware difference. The Joule uses “Super Convection,” which involves a 2-speed fan system that moves a massive volume of air to strip moisture from the surface of food rapidly, simulating frying. The Smart Oven Pro uses standard convection, which gently circulates warm air to eliminate cold spots but will not make soggy frozen fries crispy in the same way. If you buy the Pro hoping to ditch your basket air fryer, you will be disappointed, whereas the Joule can genuinely replace a standalone air fryer.
• The “Smart” Ecosystem and Autopilot The Joule requires buy-in to the Breville+ ecosystem, meaning you are paying for software engineering that allows “Autopilot,” where the oven changes temperature and modes mid-cook automatically. The Smart Oven Pro is “smart” only in the sense that it regulates heat well locally; it is a manual device where you set the temp and time, and if you need to change from bake to broil, you have to walk back to the kitchen and turn the dial yourself. The Joule offers a hands-off experience, while the Pro requires you to be the active chef.
• Interior Real Estate and Capacity The Joule boasts 1.0 cubic feet of space, allowing it to fit a 9×13 pan easily with handles or a 12-cup muffin tin, making it a viable primary oven replacement. The Smart Oven Pro is 0.8 cubic feet; while it fits a 12-inch pizza, a 9×13 pan usually does not fit unless it is a specific handle-less style, and a 13-inch pan is a no-go. This size difference is often the physical limit for people with older kitchens, and the Joule’s ability to handle full-size cookware is a significant advantage for families.

Key Features of Breville Joule

• The Joule App Integration

This is the headline feature. You don’t just set a timer; you connect the oven to your Wi-Fi. The app doesn’t just buzz you when dinner is ready—it actually drives the oven. I found myself browsing recipes in the living room, tapping “Start,” and letting the oven handle the preheating and mode switching automatically.

It’s what they call “Autopilot.” If a recipe requires baking at 400°F for 20 minutes and then switching to a broil to brown the top, the oven does it without you touching a dial.

• Element iQ System

Marketing jargon usually makes my eyes glaze over, but Element iQ is legitimate. The Joule has six independent quartz heating elements.1 The “brain” inside shifts power between them to create the ideal environment.

When I roast a chicken, I can hear the relays clicking as it cuts power to the top elements to prevent burning the skin while keeping the bottom elements blazing to cook the dark meat.

• Dedicated Air Fry and Dehydrate

Unlike the standard Pro, the Joule is built with a high-speed fan specifically for air frying.2 It comes with a mesh basket that slides into a specific rack position.

The fan speed in this mode is intense—significantly louder and more powerful than standard convection.3 It also drops low enough to dehydrate fruit, which is a fun trick for healthy snacks, though it takes hours.

• Voice Activation

I felt a bit silly doing it at first, but connecting the Joule to Alexa was surprisingly useful. Being able to say, “Alexa, set the oven to bake at 350 for 20 minutes” while my hands were covered in bread dough was a genuine convenience I didn’t think I needed.

Pros of Breville Joule

• Autopilot is a Game Changer: The ability to have the oven switch modes automatically is something I miss whenever I use a standard oven. Making croissants or specific roasts where you need a blast of heat followed by a gentle bake is effortless. You are essentially downloading a chef’s intuition into the machine.
• Massive Capacity: You can fit a 14-pound turkey in here. I have tested it with a 9×13 inch casserole dish, and it fits with room to spare. If you are cooking for a family of four or five, this is the only countertop oven that won’t leave you feeling cramped. The two-rack capability means you can roast veggies on top while heating a main dish below.
• Precision Temperature Stability: Because of the PID temperature control, this oven holds heat incredibly well. I placed an independent thermometer inside during a long slow cook, and the fluctuation was minimal compared to my wall oven, which swings wildly. This makes it a beast for baking finicky pastries like macarons.

Cons of Breville Joule

• The Price Tag Hurts: At over $500, this is an investment. You are paying a premium for the Wi-Fi and the name. If you never plan to use the app, you are essentially burning money, because the hardware is very similar to the non-Joule Air Fryer Pro model.
• It Dominates the Counter: Do not underestimate the footprint. It is nearly two feet wide. In my galley kitchen, I had to sacrifice my coffee station to make it fit. You also need clearance on the sides for ventilation, so it cannot be jammed into a tight corner.
• Reliance on the Phone: While you can use it manually, some of the coolest features are locked behind the app. If you are the type of cook who hates looking at a screen while making dinner, the main selling point of this oven might actually annoy you.

Also Read: Comparison of Ooni Volt And Breville Pizzaiolo.

Key Features of Breville Smart Oven Pro

• Standard Convection Cooking: The Smart Oven Pro uses a fan to circulate air, which speeds up cooking and ensures even browning.4 It is not the “Super Convection” found in the Joule, but for 90% of tasks—baking cookies, roasting potatoes, reheating lasagna—it is perfectly adequate. The fan is quieter, too.
• Five Quartz Elements with Element iQ: It lacks the sixth element found in the Joule, but it still utilizes the smart power distribution. It knows that “Toast” needs intense top and bottom heat, while “Bake” needs consistent ambient heat. I have found it toasts bread more evenly than any dedicated slot toaster I have ever owned.
• Interior Oven Light: It sounds basic, but the replaceable bulb inside is a feature I refuse to live without. Being able to see the cheese bubbling on a tuna melt without opening the door and letting heat escape is crucial. The Pro has a dedicated button to toggle this, just like the Joule.
• LCD Interface with Dials: The interface is intuitive. One dial for function, one for time, one for temperature. There is zero learning curve here. My parents, who struggle with smartphone interfaces, picked up the operation of the Smart Oven Pro in about thirty seconds.

Pros of Breville Smart Oven Pro

• Perfect Size for Most Kitchens: It is significantly smaller than the Joule. It fits comfortably under standard upper cabinets without looking like a monster. For a couple or a single person, or as a secondary oven, this size is the “Goldilocks” zone—big enough for a 12-inch pizza, small enough to leave you some prep space.
• Excellent Toasting and Baking Performance: If your main use case is toast, bagels, and frozen pizzas, the Smart Oven Pro is actually superior in some ways because the smaller cavity heats up faster. I clocked the preheat time to 350°F at just a few minutes, significantly faster than my wall oven and slightly snappier than the massive Joule.
• Durability and Simplicity: Fewer chips and sensors mean fewer things to break. There is no Wi-Fi connectivity to drop out, no app updates to wait for. It just works, every single time. It feels like a tool, not a gadget.

Cons of Breville Smart Oven Pro

• No Air Fry Function: This is the dealbreaker for many. While you can run the convection fan at high temps, it is not an air fryer. Potato wedges come out roasted, not fried. They lack that distinct crunch you get from the high-velocity air of the Joule.
• Slightly Uneven Roasting on Large Cuts: Because it only has five elements and a smaller interior, if you stuff a whole chicken in there, the parts closest to the elements can brown too fast. You have to be more mindful of rack placement than you do with the cavernous Joule.

Real Life Performance: The Experience

I decided to run a few identical tests on both units to see if the price jump translated to taste.

• The Sourdough Test

I bake a lot of bread. The Joule has a “Proof” setting that holds the oven at a gentle 80-85°F.8 This is invaluable in the winter when my kitchen is freezing. The Smart Oven Pro does not have a dedicated proof setting, and its lowest “Warm” setting is often too hot for yeast (around 160°F).

For bakers, the Joule wins hands down. The capacity also means I can fit a Dutch oven inside the Joule to bake the bread. The Smart Oven Pro is simply too shallow for a standard Le Creuset Dutch oven with the lid on.

• The Weeknight Salmon

I cooked salmon fillets in both. In the Smart Oven Pro, I used the “Roast” function. The fish was flaky and delicious, cooked evenly in about 12 minutes. In the Joule, I used the Air Fryer basket and the “Air Fry” mode.

The result was drastically different—the skin crackled and blistered like a potato chip, while the inside stayed moist. If you like texture, the Joule’s airflow is superior. However, the cleanup in the Joule was worse; the high-speed air splattered salmon oil all over the glass door. The gentler Pro was much cleaner.

• The Morning Toast

Here is where the underdog bites back. The Smart Oven Pro is a better toaster. Because the cavity is smaller, the elements are closer to the bread. It toasts faster and more aggressively.

The Joule takes a solid extra minute or two to get to the same level of browning because it is heating up a much larger box of air. If you are buying this primarily for breakfast duty, save your money and get the Pro.

Also Read: Is Criterion Microwave Oven Worth It?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Final Verdict

If I had to buy one today with my own money, I would lean towards the Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro, but with a caveat. I do a lot of cooking that benefits from precise multi-stage heating, and I love the air fry texture for vegetables. The app, which I thought was a gimmick, turned out to be a genuine stress-saver during dinner parties.

However, if you are looking at this simply to replace a $40 toaster and maybe heat up some bagel bites or a 12-inch frozen pizza, the Breville Smart Oven Pro is a legend for a reason. It is built like a tank, it fits better on normal counters, and it toasts bread better than the expensive flagship.

The choice comes down to your kitchen lifestyle. Are you an adventurous cook who wants a sous-chef in the form of an algorithm? Get the Joule. Are you a practical cook who wants a reliable, high-quality heat source without the fuss? Stick with the Pro.