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A toaster oven is a kitchen appliance like no other. It is a versatile tool in the kitchen capable of cooking various meals. Whether you’re looking to melt the cheese on pizza or you want to bake cakes in a small baking pan, a toaster oven will meet your cooking needs.
They boast energy-efficient heating elements that generate the heat of a full size oven while consuming less energy. What’s more, they feature convection technology for speeding the cooking performance and improving the results.
As such, you could have a restaurant-quality result right in your kitchen!
But with various toaster oven models on the market, knowing which one to buy isn’t a walk in the park. We understand this, and that’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best toaster ovens to buy.
They perform with incredible power and boast stainless steel construction for unmatched durability. Also, we’ve included a buyer’s guide to help you find other best models. So, be sure to read on for more information!
The Best Toaster Ovens to Buy
| Best Toaster Oven | Product Information | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
Top | BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Toaster Oven with Natural Convection, Stainless Steel, TO1760SS | Check Price |
Top | COMFEE' Toaster Oven Countertop | Check Price |
Top | Toaster Oven 4 Slice, Multi-function Stainless Steel Finish | Check Price |
Top | Cuisinart TOB-1010 Toaster Oven Broiler, 11.77" x 15.86" x 7.87", Silver | Check Price |
Top | Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Countertop Oven | Check Price |
BLACK+DECKER TO1760SS 4-Slice Toaster Oven
- Four Cooking Functions: Choose from convection bake, broil, toast, and keep warm
- Compact Size: Easily fit a 9 pizza, four slices of bread, or a variety of other snacks and meals; Wattage:1150W
- 30-Minute Timer: The precise cooking timer features a stay-on function for longer baking tasks
The toaster oven is compact and takes up less space during use and while in storage. If you have limited space in your kitchen, this is a toaster oven to consider buying.
It features a redesigned cooking space that speeds up the cooking process. The interior cooking space boasts a thermodynamic design that encourages heat circulating through natural convection. As a result, this kitchen appliance cooks fast.
The natural convection technology also guarantees an even cooking experience. Since the toaster oven is compact, it is reasonable to expect a somewhat medium-sized cooking capacity. The toaster oven’s cooking compartment can only fit a 9-inch pizza or four slices of bread.
So, if you have a small family, this toaster oven cooks enough food for everyone. As a compact unit, it only features four cooking functions: Bake, Broil, Toast, and Keep Warm.
And with the EvenToast Technology activated, this Black & Decker is among the toaster ovens that toast bread 30% faster.
You can check the doneness level through the extra-wide viewing window. The unit also features a 30-minute timer with the Stay-On function. You can set precise cooking times and bake for a longer period if you set the time using the timer knob.
The toaster oven is powerful and durable, making it one of the best units to buy.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1150W cooking power. | Fewer cooking functions. |
| Natural convection. | It smokes sometimes. |
| EvenToast Technology. | |
| Best Toaster Oven Reviews |
COMFEE’ CFO-BB101 Toaster Oven Countertop
- 3 Functions in 1 - Bake, Broil, and a Toast to satisfy your daily cooking needs
- Comfort stretch, articulated knees
- Built in Timer - The 30 min timer includes precise toast shade preference and stay-on feature for longer baking tasks
- Easy to Clean - Nonstick, detachable crumb tray makes cleaning effortless
Comfee usually makes small kitchen appliances, and it has become pretty good at it. And this toaster oven shares the same high-quality build and excellent performance as the rest of the kitchen appliances from this manufacturer.
First, this unit boasts stainless steel in a black color finish. As a result, the toaster oven is durable and elegant.
The unit also packs serious cooking power, churning out 1000W to deliver crispy and delicious meals. It is powerful enough to generate heat ranging from 150°F to 450°F.
Controlling this toaster oven is easy as it only features two control knobs. One knob controls the temperature and functions, while the other knob controls the cooking times.
Since this is a small kitchen appliance, it features fewer cooking functions. And its cooking capacity is also small. The cooking functions include Bake, Broil, and Toast. The 30-minute timer also comes in handy after selecting the toasting setting.
You will use the timer to shift between three toast shades: light, medium, and dark. Since you might want to bake for over 30 minutes, you can activate the Stay-On function to bake as long as you want!
The toaster oven features two rack positions. As such, you can create room for larger meals or use the lower rack for baking and toasting. Since it has all the features you need, it is one of the best toaster ovens to buy.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 10-liter cooking compartment. | No convection. |
| Stainless steel material. | Few cooking functions. |
| It is easy to clean. | |
| Best Toaster Oven Reviews |
Mueller Austria Toaster Oven 4 Slice
- The toaster oven interior is specially designed for even toasting of up to 4 slices of bread at a time and the sleek compact design fits nicely on your counter-top.
- Wide temperature range of 150 to 450 degrees F lets you cook with the convenience of an oven and the natural convection circulates air for faster, even cooking
- Our toaster oven comes with many features and cooking functions some of which include: baking, broiling, toasting, and keeping food warm.
This toaster oven cooks remarkably fast. It prepares lightly browned bruschetta in minutes to feed hungry kids. It has a reputation for cooking 30% fast while saving up to 60% of energy. Therefore, it is one of the most energy-efficient toaster ovens to buy.
Indeed, it is high-quality as it boasts stainless steel construction. The polished casing makes it elegant and blends with any kitchen décor. But fast performance and durability aren’t the only features this toaster oven flaunts. It also cooks with sufficient heat.
The toaster oven can heat from 150°F to 450°F, thanks to its 1100W wattage rating. Such incredible power only means the toaster oven preheats fast. And we’ve already seen it heats 30% quicker than any regular oven, thus saving more energy.
It is a small toaster oven but cooks with much power. Its cooking compartment can only fit four slices of bread or a 9-inch pizza. The only drawback is it doesn’t include a pizza stone as one of the accessories.
But it comes with everything else you need to start cooking right out of the box.
It also features four cooking programs: Toast, bake, broil and keep warm. As such, it is a basic toaster oven that’s ideal for fast cooking. It features three easy-to-turn knobs.
Among these knobs is a 30-minute timer with a Stay-On feature. If you’re looking to cook fast while saving energy significantly, this is an excellent choice!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Natural convection. | No oven light. |
| EvenToast Technology. | Small cooking capacity. |
| Durable construction. | |
| Best Toaster Oven Reviews |
Cuisinart TOB-1010 Toaster Oven Broiler
- 1800 watts of high-performance power
- Functions include toast, bagel, bake, broil, pizza and keep Warm
- 0. 5 cubic foot capacity – fits an 11 Pizza or 6 slices of toast
- Stainless steel front with cool-touch handle
This is one of the newest models from the Cuisinart product line. And it comes with the latest features that make it perform better than many convection ovens.
If you opt for this toaster oven, you will evenly toast bread slices besides baking mouth-watering cakes. And that’s because it generates sufficient heat for cooking your favorite meals!
Despite its compact size, this unit delivers as much as 1800W of power when cooking meals. With its highly energy-efficient heating elements, the toaster oven heats to temperatures ranging from 150°F to 450°F.
What’s more, the unit uses less energy to cook, especially when toasting bread slices.
It features the EvenToast Technology for uniformly browning the toast while saving energy. Since it is another compact unit, it features only six cooking functions. But it’s still versatile enough to Toast, Bagel, Bake, Broil, Pizza, and Keep Warm any meal.
The meal size it cooks at once is also reasonable as it features a 0.5 cubic foot cooking interior. That allows you to bake an 11-inch pizza or toast six slices of bread at once. Keep your frozen pizza warm or bake cookies in the included baking pan.
The easy-clean interior has a non-stick coating. And the oven rack automatically slides out, giving you an easy time to remove it for cleaning. The crumb tray is also removable and has a cool-touch handle for safety.
As such, this is an incredibly powerful and versatile toaster oven that’s worth the investment.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 5 cubic foot cooking interior. | No convection technology. |
| Easy-clean design. | Low rack position burns food. |
| Stainless steel body. | |
| Best Toaster Oven Reviews |
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Countertop Oven
- Dimensions : height ⇒ 20.25 inches , width ⇒ 12.75 inches , length ⇒ 14.63 inches
- Unclutter your counter with the Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Oven and toaster.
- This unique combo lets you cook personal-sized pizzas with a tender crispy crust and toast bread evenly in 40% less time than a traditional toaster oven.
If you have limited space in your kitchen, you could unclutter your kitchen countertop with this compact yet versatile toaster oven. It combines an oven with a pop up toaster in one kitchen appliance. But it is one of our top picks since it cooks with sufficient power.
Due to its impressive cooking power, this unit cooks 40% faster than regular ovens. What’s more, it delivers even cooking results that only improve the taste of your meals.
The pop up toaster on this kitchen appliance boasts an extra-wide slot that accommodates large bread slices and bagels.
And that increases the overall cooking capacity of your toaster oven. If you check the interior cooking space, you find it boasts a space that fits a 9-inch pizza. And with two rack positions, you can position the rack in any position and enjoy convection baked cookies.
But it features only three cooking functions: bake, broil, and toast. It is a basic toaster oven but still cooks more meals than competing toaster ovens.
As such, it is an excellent investment for smaller kitchens. It features three control knobs, including a lower knob for controlling the cooking time.
The 60-minute timer knob also has a Stay-On function for selecting cooking times over an hour. And once the set time has expired, the auto-shutoff takes over to switch your toaster oven off.
It is a compact toaster oven with a heat output of a full size oven. Whether you’re looking to bake cakes or crisp your French fries, this toaster oven is up for the challenge. And this makes it another best toaster oven to buy.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extra-wide toasting slot. | Few cooking functions. |
| Separate toast shade selector. | No convection fan. |
| Auto-shutoff. | |
| Best Toaster Oven Reviews |
How To Buy the Best Toaster Oven
When sourcing the best toaster oven for your kitchen, you will first check whether it has essential features. Not only will the features guarantee extraordinary performance, but they will ensure your unit is very durable.
Buying a toaster oven is an investment like any other, and your investment should serve you excellently for many years. As such, be sure to check your preferred toaster oven has the following features:
The Heating Elements
A toaster oven is energy-efficient if it features high-quality and energy-efficient heating elements. As such, you should check the featured heating elements before buying a toaster oven. But toaster ovens usually feature one of two heating elements: quartz and Nichrome.
Quartz heating elements are of superior quality as they heat up fast, meaning you will start cooking sooner. Therefore, consider picking toaster ovens featuring Quartz heating elements. Some toaster ovens also combine quartz with ceramic heating elements.
These toaster ovens are usually more expensive, but it makes sense given that they heat up faster and have instant thermal responses. As such, they should be your go-to heating elements if the price point isn’t much of a concern.
If you’re wondering how many heating elements a toaster oven should have, well, two heating elements are sufficient. But for a larger unit, look for a toaster oven with more heating elements, say four.
Also, check to ensure the heating elements are at the bottom and top of the interior cooking compartment. When considering buying a toaster oven, check if it has quartz heating elements.
The Cooking Capacity
Toaster ovens come in various sizes. Some models are larger than others and cook larger meals. Since space is a factor to consider when buying a toaster oven, you will want to check the size of the toaster oven before buying it.
And that’s because a toaster oven occupies space, depending on its size.
If you have limited space on your kitchen countertop, you might want to get a small-sized toaster oven. But that will also mean you will prepare small meals since a small toaster oven cooks a small meal.
Usually, toaster oven manufacturers express the size of the cooking space in quarts or liters.
The more liters or quarts, the larger the cooking space. Sometimes, manufacturers tell you how many slices of bread you can toast in the cooking space at once.
The higher the number of slices, the larger the cooking capacity. Also, the larger the pizza size, the larger the cooking capacity. If you have a larger family, pick a toaster oven that cooks large pizzas or toasts more slices of bread.
The Cooking Functions
Toaster ovens are versatile kitchen appliances as they can cook different types of meals. But their versatility varies from one toaster oven to another model. A toaster oven with more cooking functions is more versatile than one with only a handful of cooking functions.
If you usually enjoy perfectly browned slices of bread for breakfast or can’t get enough of a crispy pizza, look for a toaster oven that toasts bakes and warms your preferred meals.
The whole idea is to find a toaster oven with all the cooking functions you usually use to cook your favorite meals. If a toaster oven has all the cooking functions you need, it is an excellent buy, and you should get it to your kitchen.
Cooking Power
If you want to know how much power a toaster oven packs, check its wattage rating. A toaster oven with a higher wattage rating cooks with more power than a unit with a less wattage rating. For example, a 1800W toaster oven cooks with more power than a 1500W toaster oven.
A more powerful toaster oven preheats faster and cooks quickly. But it draws more electricity from the kitchen socket, especially when cooking at higher temperatures.
But they are worth investing in as they speed up the cooking process. As such, pick a more powerful toaster oven. And check its wattage rating to ensure it is powerful enough.
The Temperature Range
Toaster ovens can heat up to a given temperature. You can expect their maximum heat temperature to vary. And that’s because some toaster ovens heat to higher temperatures than others.
As such, you want to check the temperature range of a toaster oven before buying it.
If you’re looking to slow cook a meal over an extended period, you will set a lower temperature. But toaster ovens usually generate the lowest heat at 150°F. Therefore, your preferred toaster oven should generate this minimum heat temperature for slow cooking your meals.
But you might need to bake your cookies at higher temperatures. Toaster ovens usually reach 450°F, but some models heat up to 500°F. And these are the toaster ovens to pick.
The idea is to find a toaster oven with a wide temperature range. Any toaster oven heating from 150°F – 500°F is an excellent buy, and you should pick such a toaster oven.
Convection Technology
You also want a toaster oven with convection technology as it speeds up the cooking process. Also, convection technology delivers even cooking for a uniformly distributed flavor.
A toaster oven with a convection fan features convection technology. That’s one way of knowing if your preferred toaster oven featuring this revolutionary cooking technology.
You can also check the cooking compartment to see if it features a natural convection design. Some toaster ovens lack a convection fan. But they still circulate the hot air within them for a uniformly browned and roasted meal.
If the cooking interior has a design that permits natural convection, it is also an excellent buy.
Safety Features
One safety feature to look out for is the Auto-shutoff function. Any unit featuring this feature will switch itself automatically once the timer countdown is complete. A
s a result, the toaster oven protects itself from possible fire hazards as it will not burn your cooking meal. Therefore, consider buying a toaster oven with an Auto-shutoff feature.
Also, check if the door handle boasts a cool-touch design. You risk burning your fingers if the handles become too hot. But you can avoid unnecessary accidents by opting for a toaster oven with a cool-touch glass door handle.
Therefore, ensure your favorite toaster oven also has a cool-touch door handle.
FAQs
Do toaster ovens have a convection fan?
A convection toaster oven has a convection fan. Usually, this is a built-in fan for circulating the hot air within the toaster oven. And the cooking food ends up getting even heat for a uniform crip.
Also, the fan speeds up the cooking process. But not all toaster ovens have this fan as some only have a cooking interior with a design allowing natural convection.
Should I activate the built-in convection fan when baking?
Baking is a cooking method that could require slow cooking. But since the built-in fan speeds up the whole process, you might want to leave the fan alone when baking your cookies or cakes. Instead, use a conventional setting when slow cooking your meals.
How do I clean a toaster oven?
You can’t clean a toaster oven in a dishwasher as it features electrical parts. Instead, you will clean it by hand using a well-wrung soapy soft sponge.
You will then wipe away the soap with a rinsed and well-wrung soft sponge. And do the same for the removable accessories since they are also not dishwasher-safe. Cleaning them in a dishwasher could ruin the non-stick coating, and that’s why you have to clean them by hand.
Does a toaster oven use much electricity?
Toaster ovens are more energy-efficient than any regular oven. They usually feature a convection fan that speeds up the cooking process by as much as 40%.
And even toaster ovens with no convection fans still experience natural convection that remarkably speeds up the cooking process. As such, they consume less electricity as they reduce the cooking times significantly.
Is it worth buying a toaster oven?
Yes, a toaster oven is worth the investment in every aspect. First, it takes up less space while churning out the heat of a full size oven. It is also very versatile and cooks different meals.
Since all of them feature high-quality construction materials such as stainless steel, they are very durable. Lastly, they blend with any kitchen décor, thanks to their polished materials.
Wrap Up
If you’re looking for a versatile kitchen appliance that reduces the clutter on your countertop, a toaster oven is a go-to cooker. It cooks various meals and takes up less space on your kitchen countertop.
Also, it takes up less space while in storage. And with a convection fan ready to evenly distribute the hot air within the toaster oven, you will enjoy a crispy and evenly cooked meal.
Also, your toaster oven will prepare the meal in a short period. But finding the best toaster oven is the key. We’ve reviewed some of the best toaster ovens to buy.
We hope you’ve found one that works best for you. You can as well use our guide to source other best toaster ovens from the market. Invest in the best toaster oven and treat your family to deliciously cooked meals!
