FOTILE ChefCubii 4-in-1 Countertop Convection Steam Combi Oven review

For the past couple of years, combination ovens have really taken the appliance world by storm. Whereas once the humble toaster oven reigned supreme as the kitchen’s main multi-tasker, now there is a wealth of small appliances capable of doing multiple tasks in just one unit, from steaming to toasting to baking.

The Fotile 4-in-1 Chef Cubii Countertop Steam Oven is one such entrant into the best countertop oven marketplace. It offers not just the more common air frying and convection oven capabilities but also the ability to steam food, proof bread, and (allegedly) dehydrate everything from grapes to mushrooms.

Though it’s sleek and well-built, it’s, unfortunately, a bit hard to operate, with two fussy, unlabeled knobs controlling a hidden screen full of way too many options and presets. Speaking of those presets, The machine offers 40, which run the hyper-specific gamut from roasting a chicken to dehydrating farfalle to baking a chiffon cake. Unfortunately, while all those presets sound great, we found them to be unreliable, confusing, and only capable of producing mixed results. Overall, we found the 4-in-1 oven impressive in theory but lacking in execution when it counted.

Fotile Chef Cubii: Setup

I found the Fotile 4-in-1 oven well-packaged in a large cardboard box. It took me a bit to get it out of the box, but once it was out, it was easy to set up. After inserting the racks, plugging them in, and running a quick cleaning cycle as instructed in the manual, it was ready to go.

It has a drawer underneath the door that can be filled with water for steaming. While it can be a bit tricky to fill, it's manageable if you do it over the sink.

The oven has a big steam vent in the back. When steaming, it's important to remember where the oven is placed in relation to cabinets, wallpaper, and any other surfaces that might be affected by steam. This vent emits a lot of steam.

If you use the oven for extended periods, like roasting a chicken, keep it away from other cabinets and items that might get damaged by heat. The steam caused my cabinet's wood stain to run and some chocolate chips inside to melt slightly, so I learned this the hard way.

While this isn't the worst situation, it's not ideal, especially considering the oven's price of $499, which isn't cheap.

Fotile Chef Cubii: Design & features

Designed in white, the Fotile 4-in-1 oven looks great on any countertop. It has an oven-style hinged front door, so it's easy to load and access. To access the screen, I press and hold the left knob, which allows me to cycle through various settings. There are two knobs on the front, flanking a typically hidden LED screen. While the knobs work as selection buttons and feel sturdy and well-made, it can be confusing to remember which knob controls scrolling, leading to some frustration.

Because the oven is calibrated for Celsius temperatures, its temperature control can be tricky. For air frying, the temperature range starts at 356°F and goes up to 446°F. This can be confusing for people who're used to 25-degree or even 5-degree increments. With each click, the temperature increases by 9 degrees, which feels weird.

On a positive note, the oven has some thoughtful design features. Inside the oven's door are preset codes that eliminate the need to keep track of the manual. It comes with a magnetized "humidity-controlled chip" attachment for dehydrating, which you can attach to the side to prevent it from getting lost.

The Fotile 4-in-1 offers many features, including 40 presets and the ability to steam, air fry, roast, and even cook rice. It also has a built-in self-cleaning function and three trays: one for steaming, one for grilling, and one for baking.

One drawback is that the trays don't have labels, and the manual isn't too clear on how to use them. I don't know when to use each tray, where to place them for optimal cooking, and why the baking tray is convex in the middle. Anything that can roll on it will roll off because of this design. Also, it's unclear which trays are meant for the other functions, like cooking rice or dehydrating. I might be able to navigate these issues if this isn't my first time using a steam oven. I might feel lost if I'm new to this concept or this oven, though.

Fotile Chef Cubii: Performance

Although I really wanted to like the Fotile 4-in-1 oven, I ended up being frustrated with how hard it was to use the knobs. I had to choose between steam, low steam, true convection, convection baking, broiling, steam-bake, steam-clean, descale, warm, proof, dehydrate, air fry, or a “menus” option that leads to 40 different presets, each oddly specific and a little confusing. As compared to the best microwaves, this was a big departure.

I'll get prompted to pick a temperature and cooking time if I select “roast a whole chicken” in the oven. There are suggestions, but they don't seem well-informed; for instance, it doesn't ask what size the chicken is, so I don't know if they're for a three-pounder or a five-pounder. As a result, my test chicken emerged from the cooking cycle oddly gray inside while being burnt on top because the racks were confusing. It tasted fine and was cooked to the right temperature, but its unappealing appearance was hard to ignore.

It was also difficult for me to steam carrots for my kids' lunches. Although there isn't a preset for carrots, I used broccoli instead, and the carrots came out okay—perhaps a bit crunchier than I normally prefer. Since the oven was drenched after the steaming cycle, I had to soak up all the leftover water with a towel. I wish I had just used a pot on the stove instead of this tedious task.

I ran into similar problems while testing the dehydrating function, which I don't usually do. I tried dehydrating some green grapes with the "juju/plums/raisins" preset, hoping for the best. After a long preheat-which seems a common issue, the oven claimed it would turn the grapes into raisins in just one hour. That seemed too good to be true, and it was. An hour later, the grapes were still quite hydrated, only slightly warmer and perhaps slightly shriveled.

Fotile Chef Cubii: Care and maintenance

Since the steam oven has a self-cleaning function, it's pretty easy to maintain and clean. The included trays are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. Once you get over the challenge of absorbing the water after steaming, the oven proves quite user-friendly in terms of cleanliness. The door, knobs, racks, and interior feel sturdy, so I think it's built to last.

Fotile Chef Cubii: Price & value

The Fotile 4-in-1 Chef Cubii Countertop Steam Oven retails for $499 and is available to purchase from the manufacturer. It’s also available on Amazon, Lowe’s, Home Depot, P.C. Richard & Son, and Wayfair.

Compared to other countertop steam ovens, the Fotile Chef Cubii seems to be a little on the more expensive side of things. The Tovala 6-in-1 is just $199.99, while the Cuisinart steam and convection oven retails for about $255, and the AUG countertop steam oven is $369.99. There are more expensive ovens out there—ROBAM’s 20-in-1 oven with steam capacity goes for $649—but the Fotile Chef Cubii is definitely up there.

Fotile only sells two countertop ovens: This one and a slightly different-looking 4-in-1 steam oven that’s $549 and only available directly through appliance dealers. From the specs on the site, it seems to be a fairly similar oven but with a (hopefully) more user-friendly interface.

Fotile Chef Cubii: User reviews

At press time, the Fotile 4-in-1 had a 4.1-star rating on Amazon and 125 ratings. It’s got a 4.8 on Home Depot with over 45 reviews, and on Fotile’s own site, it has a 4.7-star rating with almost 50 users weighing in.

On Amazon, users seem to agree that it’s fairly easy to use and clean, though some complain about how big it is and the placement of that steam vent. Others say that the oven takes too long to preheat, with one user writing, “I suspect they are misstating the power ratings. I've had a lot of toaster ovens all across the price range. I'm an Electronics Tech for many years and have an inherent "feel" for electronic devices. I almost pulled out my measuring tools (I don't have a Wattmeter but have bench level amp and voltage meters), but it was too much work for a return. Judging from my previous ovens, this one is not as rated.”

Another Amazon user says they also found the manual and instructions a bit confusing. “I’m not saying the instructions are not helpful because they still provide most of the information you need,” they write, saying, “The oven itself is not that intuitive if you are not very familiar with all these functionalities of ovens. If there are easier starter guides (like videos), it will be much easier to use.”

Fotile Chef Cubii: What the experts say

Shawn Akbarpour, a salesperson at Appliance Leaders in Hayward, Calif., says that he’s seen more and more steam ovens entering the American market from Asia, where they’re already quite popular. He says he’s tested the oven in his home and thinks it’s well-made and compact. “There aren’t very many steam ovens at this size, and that is relatively inexpensive,” he says, noting that he thinks it’s the perfect size for a frozen pizza, a few chicken thighs, or a small portion of roast beef. He uses it when his wife and family aren’t home and he has to cook for himself, saying it’s great not to worry about making many dishes he doesn’t want to clean up.

Though he admits the oven is relatively new to the market, so there’s not much data about its overall longevity, he also agrees that it feels sturdy and well-made and should last for some time with proper maintenance and care. In short, keep it clean and appropriately spaced from existing cabinets and other appliances, and you should be good to go.

Would I buy the Fotile Chef Cubii?

I was disappointed with the Fotile 4-in-1. Although I liked the concept, it didn't meet my expectations. Some functions worked great, like the air fryer, but others, like the dehydrator, left me frustrated. There are a lot of other ovens that do the same thing better. If you're looking for a countertop steam oven, you should definitely check out other options, especially since they're cheaper.