> If they were called 'tiny oven' people probably catch on a bit better.

Tiny countertop (often convection) ovens (including, but not limited to, ones marketed as "toaster ovens") are very common, but a lot of them are under powered for their size compared to those markets as "air fryers", as well as having other design differences. And they existed long before air fryers, which needed to differentiate themselves from them.

> The only issue is that people may get misled into buying an oven sized air fryer which defeats the whole point since their advantage is that they are a much smaller oven.

Actually, I think it’s probably going to be pretty common for people to have multiple convection ovens / air fryers and use them for different purposes. The “whole point” of an air fryer is not the size: the convection oven + cooking basket setup has fairly great utility at all sizes. Yes, an oven with a powerful heating element relative to size is going to have the added advantage of coming up to speed faster, which has some additional utility. Yes, the particular design of the cooking pot + top fan you describe (or the InstantPot models with air-fryer lids that interchangeable with the pressure cooker lids) have some unique utility (“pressure cook & crisp” for certain recipes). But ones the size of a typical microwave (or combined with a microwave, as some are now) or a typical full-size range oven also have unique uses that smaller ones lack.

The whole point of them is that they cook quickly, and without oil. Small units are good for 1-2 people, but it won't prepare enough for a family of more than 3, thus the existence of larger units.

Technically accurate doesn't mean good marketing, and in fact oftentimes quite the opposite

A lot (most?) classic toaster ovens don't have a circulating fan built in. The fan makes a big difference in cook time and crispyness.

Americans have giant ovens. It's one of the things I miss after moving to Europe. The downside to a large oven is the time/space commitment, but it is super convenient.

Convection is also not common in the US. At least where I am in the Netherlands, shopping for a new "oven" almost guarantees it will be some sort of combo microwave/convection thing. Then it's also common to have a countertop airfryer as well.

bosch 800 series wall oven, takes forever to heat up, especially if you are looking for 400+, as does pretty much every oven I have ever owned over here in North America, with the exception of the purely mechanical 1970's era electric oven I had in a rental at one point. That one was 10-20 minutes depending on temperature target. I suspect the newer stuff is afraid to throw maximum power at the situation because of all the stupid electronics we have put in ovens. The cleaning cycle on that 1970's oven would turn everything to ash. The cleaning cycle on the bosch is a joke in comparison.