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A traditional kitchen usually has a microwave, an air fryer, a toaster, and a simple oven. With all these appliances together, your counter space can get blocked, and the entire kitchen can look like a mess. Therefore, you need something that offers multiple cooking functionalities without making a hole in your pocket. This is where a toaster oven comes in handy. It allows you to bake, air fry, broil, toast, and even warm up your food with ease. Not sure how this appliance might help? We have done the job for you by reviewing the finest toaster ovens in 2023. These products are top-notch and can deliver an excellent performance, which is why you will never have a reason to complain or express your dissatisfaction. Above all, it is user-friendly, compact, and versatile.
Finding Your Next Toaster Oven: A Buyer’s Guide
With the increase in the toaster oven’s popularity and demand, there are multiple products introduced in the market. They differ in size, shape, cooking functions, and performance quality, making choosing the right fit a challenging task. For this reason, we have crafted a complete buying guide where we have explained the main features and factors you should look for in a toaster oven.
In What Ways Will a Toaster Oven Differ From a Microwave Oven?
The major differences between a toaster oven and a microwave oven are as follows:
- You can bake, roast, broil, and try different food items using a toaster oven, which is not possible with a microwave oven.
- The stay-on functionality is available mainly in toaster ovens, unlike microwaves.
- Also, toaster ovens are highly affordable, but microwaves are pretty costly.
What Are the Key Features of a Toaster Oven?
Stay-on functionality
Most toaster ovens come with a stay-on feature that will allow you to keep the food warm for a long time. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about heating the food again and wasting time, especially when you are in a hurry or not in a mood to reheat the food again.
Auto-off timer
One of the fantastic features that you can find in some toaster ovens is the auto-off timer. Once you set up a particular time for baking or toasting bread slices, you won’t have to keep an eye on the time. This will automatically shut down the heat flow within the chamber once the timer goes off. Therefore, your food won’t burn or become too bitter.
Temperature range
Since a toaster oven is also a convection oven, you will have the freedom to change the temperature based on your food requirement. However, the temperature range will differ from one model to another. Some toaster ovens come with a temperature setting range of 150°F to 450°F, while others can have a range of 150° to 400°F.
Roll-up door
For helping you clean the interior of the oven after cooking, some appliances come with a roll-up door. It means that you can push the front door upward to reveal the entire interior chamber. This feature will not only help you access the food item kept inside the oven but also wipe off the stains or spill marks effortlessly.
Transparent glass
Make sure to choose a toaster oven having a door made from see-through glass. This will help you keep an eye on the food being cooked inside and prevent scorching, burning, or overcooking. You should also ensure the glass door can be cleaned easily using an ordinary dish cleaner.
Double racks
If you want to cook multiple things simultaneously, it’s best to look for a toaster oven where two racks can be inserted. Let’s say you want to air fry the bacon and toast the bread slices together. If your chosen product has this particular feature, you can insert the bread slices rack and the fryer basket together.
Crumb tray
It will be best if your chosen toaster oven features a removable crumb tray. It will allow you to prevent food crumbs from accumulating at the bottom of the range. Also, the removable tray will help you clean the appliance interiors effortlessly.
Toasting setting mode
Suppose you prefer light browning on the bread while your sister likes dark brown toast. In this case, you should choose a toaster oven that features a toasting mode that will help you get the desired crispiness and browning on the bread slices.
How Can You Select the Best Toaster Oven?
If you want to have the best toaster oven, consider the below-mentioned aspects.
- The toaster oven should have enough space inside so that you can cook the food for everyone in your family. If your family has four members, you should go for a product that can accommodate 6 to 8 bread slices, a 13-inch pizza, and more.
- Make sure to check the material with which the toaster oven is manufactured. Stainless steel ovens are resistant to damage and rusting, while alloy steel models are light and can be transported with ease.
- You should also consider the overall size of the toaster oven because if it is larger than the free space in your kitchen, you won’t be able to keep it in that place.
- The performance of the oven toaster should be optimal because the quality and taste of your food depend on this attribute. If the chosen appliance has a long cooking time, it will consume more electricity, and you cannot finish cooking faster.
In What Ways Can You Clean a Toaster Oven?
Cleaning a toaster oven is very easy. First of all, you need to remove the crumb tray and dispose of all the food pieces accumulated in it. If there are any notable marks or stains, immediately wipe them off using a soft rug soaked in lukewarm water. You can even use a glass cleaner to remove any dent or scratch from the glass door surface. However, you have to be careful about the hard stain marks because removing them might not be possible every time.
First-Rated Toaster Oven Worth Considering
Ninja Toaster Oven
– Best Overall
This toaster oven is multifunctional and will help you cook almost everything. It is configured to provide 8 different cooking functions, including air frying, food warming, baking, air broiling, making bagels and toast, and hydrating the food ingredients. Its air fryer function will reduce the use of grease up to 75%, thereby ensuring tasty yet healthy food. It has a precision temperature control function to ensure that the heat inside the oven can be controlled to prepare the meal you hoped for. Its cooking time is also faster as it takes about 60 seconds to preheat while 20 minutes for a complete cook. Besides, it has a large capacity for cooking 13-inch pizzas, 6 to 8 chicken breasts, and so on. Since it comes with a removable crumb tray and back panel, you can also clean hassle-free.
Pros
- Allows you to get the desired browning of toast and bagel
- Comes with sheet pans for baking and broiling functions
- Makes air frying food guilt-free with 75% less usage of fats
Cons
- Needs to be cleaned after every use
BLACK+DECKER Toaster Oven
– Best For Usability
This toaster oven is configured with mainly four functions: baking, roasting, broiling, and warming. Its inner space is compact but large enough for roasting 4 bread slices or baking a 9-inch pizza. It also features an EvenToast technology, which helps you get uniform browning and crispiness in the bread slices. Besides, its timer knob will help you set the perfect time for toasting and keeping the food warm (stay-on function). Since the timing range is up to 30 minutes, you can use this oven for long baking recipes.
It is made from a stainless steel exterior with a black coating so that no corrosive factor can damage the outside. You can easily view the food getting cooked inside owing to the large transparent glass door. It also comes with a broiling and baking pan that quickly fits inside the chamber. On top of everything, there is a temperature control knob to ensure that you can set the right temperature.
Pros
- Can be cleaned quickly due to the availability of a removable crumb tray
- Comes with three function adjustment knobs for better usability
Cons
- Storing the oven can be difficult
Cuisinart Toaster Oven
– Best Performance
This toaster oven will be a fantastic addition to your kitchen with seven cooking functions. It has baking, broiling, air frying, stay-on, toasting, and convection broil and baking modes that you can change using the middle function knob. Its 60-minute timer comes with an additional auto shut-off feature for better cooking time control. Since the interior is non-stick, you won’t have to clean it after every use. Moreover, the internal chamber is big enough to accommodate a 12-inch pizza, 3lb chicken wings, and 6 bread slices for toasting. This oven also features a toast selection control so that you can enjoy the crispiness and color of your bread. You will also have a baking pan, oven tray, and a fryer basket rack in this pack.
Pros
- The food won’t burn or overcook due to the auto shut-off feature
- Allows you to toast thick bread slices quickly due to more significant gaps in the rack
Cons
- The price is higher than its counterparts
Hamilton Beach Toaster Oven
– Best Design
This toaster oven has a fantastic design with a transparent glass door that can be rolled upward. Therefore, you will have easy access to the food inside, and thus, cooking in this appliance becomes hassle-free. You can bake, broil, and toast using two racks and one baking pan that comes along with this product. Its interior is quite spacious, allowing you to cook a lot of things like toasting four bread slices or baking a 9-inch pizza.
Besides, all the control knobs have a contoured design so that you can have a better grip on them. This toaster oven is quite easy to clean due to its crumb tray that you can slide out to remove the stains and spills. There is also a 30-minute timer with an auto shut-off function that will prevent your food items from getting overcooked.
Pros
- You can remove its door to clean it easily
- A lightweight toaster oven can be transported easily due to the use of alloy steel material in its construction
Cons
- No particular function for browning of the bread slices
COMFEE Toaster Oven
– Another Option
There are three cooking modes in this toaster oven, namely baking, broiling, and toasting. Besides, the temperature range varies between 150°F and 450°F. You can set the mode and the temperature using the top knob. This toaster also has additional features like the stay-on mode for keeping the food warm and a 30-minute timer with an auto-off function. You can even set the extent of crispiness and browning you would like to have in your bread slices. Moreover, the spacious interior can fit two racks or one rack and one baking sheet together at a time. Cleaning this oven is also a snap, owing to the nonstick removable crumb tray. On top of everything, it has a compact body that can fit on your countertop with ease.
Pros
- Helps you cook a number of dishes due to the different functions
- Keeps food warm and delicate with its stay function
Cons
- Has only three modes of cooking
People Also Asked
Q: Can I use the toaster oven for boiling water?
A: No, you cannot use the toaster oven for boiling water or soup because it does not come with this feature. However, you can warm up the food, provided you are using oven-safe dishware and the proper size.
Q: Will a toaster oven increase my utility bill?
A: Usually, a toaster oven does not consume too much electric power. Therefore, your utility bills will increase by $10 to $20 a month.
Q: Where should I keep the toaster oven in my kitchen?
A: A toaster oven is usually small in size, and therefore you can keep it on your kitchen countertop. However, ensure you have a nearby power outlet because you need to connect the toaster oven with the electrical outlet.
