I made s'mores in 4 different appliances, and an open flame produced the worst results

Fiona ClairJul 4, 2023, 03:04 IST

I used four kitchen appliances to make s'mores without a campfire.Fiona Clair

I air-fried, microwaved, roasted, and broiled s'mores to find the best way to make them at home.
I went in thinking the oven s'mores were going to be my favorite, but they were super messy.

S'mores are the perfect summer dessert — from the flavor combination to the incredible mix of textures.

I've always been a big fan of the basic treat, especially when it means sitting around a bonfire on a breezy night. But growing up, I learned how to get creative with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers to satisfy the craving without the hassle of setting up a fire.

Now that I live in a New York City apartment with no outdoor space, I put a few of the easiest at-home methods to the test to see which one produces the best results.

Here's how my air fryer, microwave, oven, and gas stove stacked up.

I started by gathering the same classic ingredients for each appliance.

I used the same ingredients to keep the comparison fair.Fiona Clair

I was pretty sure my air fryer would produce adequate results.

I have a small air fryer that I mostly use for reheating pizza.Fiona Clair

I had lovely golden-brown marshmallows in minutes.

The marshmallows expanded nicely and were perfectly golden brown.Fiona Clair

It was a little messy to eat, but all the flavors were there.

The marshmallow oozed out of the air-fried s'more.Fiona Clair

This was pretty much my ideal s'more.

They were a little messy, but I liked the flavors and textures of the air-fried s'mores.Fiona Clair

I've been making microwave s'mores since I was a kid, and I know it's a reliable method.

The key to a good microwave s'more is keeping your eye on the marshmallow.Fiona Clair

Putting the top graham cracker on kind of ruined everything.

My s'more completely fell over in the microwave.Fiona Clair

The flavor was one-dimensional, but it's still a s'more.

I was pretty impressed by how clean the microwave s'more ended up being.Fiona Clair

There's definitely a time and a place for a good microwave s'more.

I'm going to keep using this method.Fiona Clair

Since I don't have access to a campfire, a gas stove is the closest alternative.

I probably could've planned ahead better by investing in a kitchen skewer.Fiona Clair

It took longer than I thought to cook the marshmallow.

I'm not a fan of charred marshmallows.Fiona Clair

There was definitely extra flavor on the stovetop s'more, I just wasn't a fan of it.

The stove s'more was the cleanest of the bunch because nothing got particularly melty.Fiona Clair

If you want to burn your marshmallow to a crisp, this is the method for you.

I wasn't a fan of the stove s'more.Fiona Clair

Oven s'mores have been my go-to for a while.

Broiling s'mores is an easy way to get a golden-brown finish.Fiona Clair

I really let myself down with these results.

My oven just doesn't cook things evenly.Fiona Clair

I wasn't prepared for how messy the oven s'more would be to eat.

The chocolate and marshmallow went all over the place.Fiona Clair

I'm genuinely surprised, but the oven s'more really didn't do it for me.

Looking at the messy s'more on the plate just made me sad.Fiona Clair

The air fryer definitely reigned supreme.