Countertop steam · Updated October 2026
Ninja Combi vs Toshiba 6-in-1 Steam Oven
The short answer
These are the two cheapest routes into countertop steam cooking, but they are different kinds of appliance. The Ninja Combi SFP700 ($179.95) is a multicooker with a pot-and-tray format. You pour 120 to 475 ml of water into the Combi Pan, flip the SmartSwitch, and it boils that water under fan-forced heat. The Steam function has no temperature setting. Buy it if you want fast weeknight meals, air frying and rice or pasta in one box, and steam is a bonus. The Toshiba 6-in-1 20L ($319) is a small true steam oven: a 1.2 L external tank, Pure Steam adjustable from 35 to 100 C, convection to 230 C, an app, and built-in steam-system cleaning. Buy it if steaming, steam-baking and reheating are the point. For steam cooking as such, the Toshiba is the better tool.
Ninja Combi SFP700
$179.95
Fourteen functions for under $180, including combined steam-plus-crisp cooking, rice and pasta, sear and sauté, and air fry, all in a dishwasher-safe pan.
Toshiba 6-in-1 Compact Steam Oven 20L
$319
A real steam oven at the smallest size and lowest price in the category: Pure Steam from 35 to 100 C with a 1.2 L external tank, convection to 230 C, 38 auto menus and app control.
How they differ, factor by factor
| Factor | Ninja Combi SFP700 | Toshiba 6-in-1 Compact Steam Oven 20L |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.95 at Amazon (MSRP $199.95) | $319 at Amazon |
| How steam is made | Water poured into the Combi Pan (120 to 475 ml) is boiled under a fan; no tank, no humidity control | External 1.2 L tank feeds a steam generator; separate waste-water box |
| Temperature control | Steam mode has no temperature setting; Combi charts run up to 230 C | Pure Steam 35 to 100 C; convection and combi 100 to 230 C; 1 to 120 minute timer |
| Capacity and footprint | One pan plus one tray level; 15.4 x 14.9 x 13.1 in, about 20 lb | 20 L cavity, 350 x 300 x 200 mm; 16.1 x 17.5 x 12.8 in, 13.8 kg |
| App and smart features | None; buttons and a SmartSwitch lever | TSmartLife app over dual-band Wi-Fi, 38 auto menus |
| Cleaning and descaling | Dishwasher-safe pan and trays; element and hotplate edges wiped by hand | Auto menus for steam-system, cavity and deodorising cleaning; drain both water boxes after use |
The full picture
Ninja Combi SFP700
Fourteen functions for under $180, including combined steam-plus-crisp cooking, rice and pasta, sear and sauté, and air fry, all in a dishwasher-safe pan.
- Cheapest way to get steam-assisted cooking on a counter: $179.95 street, 1,760 W on a standard plug
- Combi Meals cooks a grain or pasta base in the pan while protein and veg cook on the tray above
- Fourteen modes including Combi Meals, Combi Crisp, Combi Bake, Steam, Rice/Pasta, Sear/Sauté, Sous Vide and Air Fry
- Combi Pan, Bake Tray and Crisper Plate are non-stick and dishwasher safe
- Compact for its output: 15.4 in wide, 13.1 in tall, 14.9 in deep, about 20 lb
- Steam comes from water poured into the pan, so there is no tank and no humidity control
- The Steam function has no temperature adjustment; you only set time
- Unit spends 5 to 10 minutes building steam before the timer starts, and must not be opened then
- Reviewers report heavy steam output; Ninja recommends not placing it under cupboards
- Grill element and hotplate edges are awkward to clean; only a 1-year warranty; probe sold separately
Owners and reviewers commonly praise the Combi Meals format, where a frozen protein, a vegetable tray and a rice or pasta base come out together in about 15 to 20 minutes, and most say the air fry and bake modes are competent. Recurring complaints are about workflow rather than results: working out water amounts and timings for the Combi modes takes practice, the unit vents a lot of steam, and cleaning around the top element and the hotplate is slow because the hotplate stays hot. Few owners describe it as a steam oven; it is used as a fast multicooker that happens to steam.
Toshiba 6-in-1 Compact Steam Oven 20L
A real steam oven at the smallest size and lowest price in the category: Pure Steam from 35 to 100 C with a 1.2 L external tank, convection to 230 C, 38 auto menus and app control.
- True steam generator with 1.2 L external tank; Toshiba quotes 100 C steam in about 30 seconds
- Pure Steam temperature is adjustable from 35 to 100 C, so gentle fish and custards are possible
- Convection and combi modes run from 100 to 230 C (212 to 446 F) with an optional preheat step
- Built-in steam-system cleaning, cavity cleaning, deodorising and tableware disinfection menus
- TSmartLife app (dual-band Wi-Fi) for remote monitoring and recipes; interior LED light and child lock
- Costs $319, about $140 more than the Ninja, with no air-fry basket or sear function
- Twenty-litre cavity (about 13.8 x 11.8 x 7.9 in inside) suits one tray, not a family roast
- Two water boxes to drain after every session; Toshiba says use boiled or distilled water to limit scale
- Heavy at 13.8 kg (about 30 lb) and 17.5 in deep; it will not slide under most upper cabinets
- Thin US owner base and support record; the manual and app are written for Asian-market versions
Owner feedback is thinner than for the Ninja because the US listing is newer. Owners commonly report that the steam function works as described, that steamed vegetables, fish and reheated rice come out moist, and that the auto menus remove guesswork. The app is generally seen as useful for monitoring, though some say setup is slow. Reported frustrations centre on the price, the small single-tray capacity, and the routine of filling and draining the water boxes. We could not find a long-term reliability record for the US version, so treat durability as unknown rather than proven.
Which should you buy?
Get the Ninja Combi SFP700 if…
People who want one countertop appliance to replace a rice cooker, air fryer and small oven for weeknight meals, and who are happy to follow Ninja's charts for water amounts and timings. Steam here is a cooking aid, not a controllable variable, so it suits cooks who want moist chicken and fluffy rice fast rather than anyone planning to steam-bake bread, hold fish at 65 C or reheat delicate food gently. It also suits tight budgets: at $179.95 it is the lowest-cost entry to steam-assisted cooking we track.
Get the Toshiba 6-in-1 Compact Steam Oven 20L if…
Steam-curious cooks with limited counter space who want the actual behaviour of a steam oven, meaning adjustable low-temperature steam, convection to 230 C, and reheating without drying, at the lowest price available for that. It fits small households that cook one tray at a time, people who will use the auto menus and app, and anyone who values a built-in steam-system cleaning cycle. Buyers should accept the $319 price, the water-box routine after each session, and an unproven long-term record in the US.
Check current prices
Whichever you buy, you will want these
What owners of these ovens add in the first month. Affiliate links, at no cost to you; they never affect the verdict above.
A general-purpose steam-oven descaler, for ovens whose manual allows a generic one (Anova says any descaling liquid works). Miele and Thermador name their own descalers; use those instead.
View on Amazon · ~$21
Steam cooks faster than you expect. A one-second probe stops you overcooking fish and chicken while you learn.
View on Amazon · ~$15
Cut to the size of any tray. Stops fish and dough sticking to perforated pans.
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Steam burns through cloth mitts. Silicone does not soak, which matters when you open a door full of vapor.
View on Amazon · ~$19How we compared these
We build a comparison only when real buyers genuinely cross-shop the two models. Specs and positioning are checked against manufacturer documentation and dealer data; owner sentiment is drawn from real reviews and owner communities. Prices are shown as ranges because premium models vary by configuration and dealer.
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