Abstract: A heating appliance generally includes a housing having a compartment and a door for selectively accessing the compartment. The compartment is sized to receive a food product. The heating appliance also includes a heating element disposed within the compartment for cooking the food product, and a control unit for operating the heating element to cook the food product without preheating the compartment.

Abstract: A heating appliance generally includes a housing defining a food product compartment, and a rack configured to support a food product within the food product compartment. The heating appliance further includes a heating assembly disposed within the food product compartment. The heating assembly includes a heating element having a length, wherein the heating element is configured to have a temperature increase along the length during heating. The heating assembly further includes a heat distribution member disposed between the heating element and the rack, wherein the heat distribution member includes a pattern of apertures that tapers in accordance with the temperature increase of the heating element.

Abstract: An air frying system including a housing defining an inner chamber, a food basket removably positionable within the inner chamber, the food basket comprising a shell with first and second ends, a first cap attached to the shell at the first end, and a second cap removably attached to the second end of the shell, and a handle assembly adjacent to the first cap at the first end of the shell. The handle assembly includes a tray having an outer periphery and at least one handle extending from the outer periphery of the tray, wherein at least one of the handles is positioned outside the inner chamber of the housing when the food basket is positioned within the inner chamber of the housing. In this way, the food basket can be inserted and removed from the inner chamber without touching hot surfaces that have been heated during the cooking process.

Abstract: An air frying system including a housing defining an inner chamber, a food container positioned in the inner chamber, an air heating and circulation system in communication with the food container, and a steam supply and circulation system in communication with the food container, wherein the air heating and circulation system and the steam supply and circulation system are independently controllable for cooking a food product in the food container.

Abstract: A heating appliance generally includes a housing having a compartment and a door for selectively accessing the compartment. The compartment is sized to receive a food product. The heating appliance also includes a heating element disposed within the compartment for cooking the food product, and a control unit for operating the heating element to cook the food product without preheating the compartment.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a housing defining an interior space, a tray assembly positionable within the interior space, the tray assembly configured to support a food product. The cooking appliance further includes at least one lower heating element positioned below the tray assembly within the interior space, at least one upper heating element positioned above the tray assembly within the interior space, and a controller configured to operate the at least one upper and lower heating elements in accordance with a selected mode of a plurality of selectable modes, wherein operating parameters for the at least one upper and lower heating elements vary between the plurality of selectable modes.

Abstract: In a cooking appliance and method for baking a food product, the appliance has a generally solid plate member, a first heating element disposed above the solid plate member in spaced relationship therewith and a second heating element embedded in the solid plate member.