Reheat pizza in a toaster oven or air fryer by preheating to 350°F and cooking slices for 3 to 8 minutes.
You open the fridge, see last night’s pizza box, and face a choice: the microwave that turns the crust into a soggy sponge, or the regular oven that takes forever and dries out the toppings. Neither feels right.
The toaster oven and air fryer both fix that. They circulate hot air to crisp the base and melt the cheese in minutes. Which appliance works best, and exactly how long should you set the timer? This guide covers both methods with specific temperatures and times so you can nail your leftover pizza every time.
Toaster Oven vs Air Fryer: Which Does It Better
Both appliances use convection heat, but they work differently. A toaster oven is essentially a small, well-insulated oven with a fan. It heats the whole chamber evenly, including the top and bottom elements. An air fryer is a more focused convection machine — it blows hot air at higher velocity directly onto food.
That speed makes the air fryer slightly faster for pizza. A thin slice might be done in 3 minutes at 350°F, while a toaster oven at the same temperature needs 5 to 8 minutes. The air fryer also tends to produce a crunchier bottom, while the toaster oven can better handle multiple slices on a rack.
Why Your Leftover Pizza Deserves Better Than The Microwave
Most people reach for the microwave out of habit. It’s fast, but it ruins texture — the crust turns chewy, the cheese goes rubbery, and the toppings steam instead of re-crisping. The air fryer or toaster oven reverses that.
- Crispy crust: The dry heat drives moisture out of the bread, restoring the crunch you got fresh out of the box.
- Melty cheese: The cheese bubbles and browns slightly, mimicking the original bake instead of turning into a plastic sheet.
- Even heating: Both appliances surround the slice with hot air, so the toppings warm through without the center staying cold.
- No extra dishes: Just place the slice on the rack or in the basket — no paper towels or plates to wash.
One taste test from Taste.com.au found the air fryer “produced a crispy base, a crust that tasted extremely fresh, melted the cheese to perfection.” The microwave was unanimously the loser.
Step-by-Step: Reheating Pizza In A Toaster Oven
Start with the right temperature. According to Foodandwine, you should preheat toaster oven to 350°F using the Bake or Reheat setting. That takes about 5 minutes.
Place your slice directly on the rack or on a small baking sheet. For multiple slices, space them out so hot air can circulate. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, checking at the 5-minute mark. Thin crusts may be done sooner; thick crusts may need the full 8 minutes. The cheese should be melted and the bottom lightly browned.
If you want extra crispiness, finish with a 30-second broil (if your toaster oven has that setting). Watch it closely — broil can burn quickly.
| Crust Type | Toaster Oven Time at 350°F | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Thin crust | 5–6 minutes | Check at 4 minutes to avoid burning |
| Regular hand-tossed | 6–7 minutes | Place directly on rack for best crunch |
| Thick/pan crust | 7–8 minutes | Add 1 minute if cheese isn’t fully melted |
| Deep dish | 8–9 minutes | Cover edges with foil if browning too fast |
| Stuffed crust | 6–8 minutes | Check stuffed edge — it should be hot but not bursting |
After the timer goes off, let the pizza rest on the rack for 30 seconds. That lets the bottom set before you bite in — no floppy slices.
Step-by-Step: Reheating Pizza In An Air Fryer
Preheating matters here too. Set your air fryer to 350°F and let it heat for 3 minutes. While it heats, place the slice in the basket without overlapping — if you stack slices, they’ll steam instead of crisp. Some home cooks recommend adjusting for thin crust by bumping to 400°F and cooking only 2 minutes to avoid burning.
For standard slices, cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Thicker or deep-dish pies may need 8 to 12 minutes at 375°F. Always check early: open the basket at the minimum time and peek. If the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden, it’s ready. If not, give it another minute.
One common mistake is not preheating the air fryer. Without preheating, the slice sits in a cold chamber while the heating element warms up, which can add 2 to 3 extra minutes and reduce crispiness.
| Crust Type | Air Fryer Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Thin crust | 400°F | 2–3 minutes |
| Regular hand-tossed | 350°F | 3–5 minutes |
| Thick/pan crust | 375°F | 5–8 minutes |
| Deep dish | 375°F | 8–12 minutes |
The Allrecipes guide on reheating pizza suggests using the air fryer pizza method for slices up to two inches thick. For larger quantities, work in batches and keep finished slices warm in a 200°F oven.
Temperature And Time Quick Reference
Memorize this: 350°F is your safe zone for both appliances. It melts cheese without burning toppings, and it crisps the crust without drying it out. Thin crusts are the exception — they benefit from a higher temp (400°F) for less time because the smaller mass heats through almost instantly.
If your pizza has extra toppings like meats or vegetables, add 1 to 2 minutes to the standard time. The toppings hold moisture and take longer to heat through. Also, if the pizza is straight from the fridge (not room temp), add about 1 minute to the air fryer time or 2 minutes to the toaster oven time.
One more tip: a slice taken straight from the freezer works too. Increase the air fryer time to 8 to 10 minutes at 350°F, and for the toaster oven, go 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F. Flip the slice halfway if your appliance heats unevenly.
The Bottom Line
Both the toaster oven and air fryer can turn leftover pizza into something you’d happily order again. The air fryer wins for speed and crunch on single slices; the toaster oven wins for batch reheating and for deep-dish styles that need gentler heat. Stick with 350°F as your baseline and adjust based on crust thickness and how many slices you’re heating.
If you’re reheating for a crowd or want to experiment with different crusts, keep this guide handy and trust your nose — when the cheese bubbles and the kitchen smells like a pizzeria, you’ve nailed it.
References & Sources
- Foodandwine. “Best Method Reheating Pizza” For reheating pizza in a toaster oven, preheat the appliance using the Bake or Reheat setting to 350°F before placing the pizza inside.
- Allrecipes. “How to Reheat Pizza in an Air Fryer” For reheating pizza in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 350°F and cook the slices for 3 to 5 minutes until heated.