Toaster ovens are small and compact, not taking up a lot of counter space. They heat up super fast and are just great if you want to quickly prepare an afternoon meal and reheat some food. These ovens are ideal if you are a college student and need something small to prepare some meals in. They are also handy if you need to prepare some grilled cheese sandwiches for the kids after school.
These toasters don’t use a lot of electricity because they heat up so fast, and there is no need to start up a large oven when baking a 9” pizza, for example. Some of them don’t even need to be preheated upfront, because they get so hot easily. The large glass doors are fantastic, so you can easily keep an eye on your meal, making sure it doesn’t burn or overbroil.
Cleaning them is also easy, as most of them come equipped with a crumb tray that catches all the crumbs and any dripping. Your oven stays clean, as you only need to clean the tray itself.
Best Toaster Ovens
We are going to take a look at 5 different types of oven toasters and help you to decide which will be the best purchase for you.
The BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Toaster Oven with Natural Convection
With its modern, sleek look this toaster oven is a great addition to your kitchen. These little ovens are great if you live in a small apartment that doesn’t have a lot of space. They are great for toasting bread or re-heating food and even baking pizza and grilling cheese.
The oven can fit a 9’’ pizza and up to 4 slices of bread, so it is perfect for one and even two persons. The oven is equipped with a 30 minute timer but also has a stay-on function if you have something that takes a bit longer to bake. The interior of the oven was designed so that heat can spread quickly and evenly throughout the oven. The door is extra wide so you can keep an eye on your food with ease, because these ovens can get quite hot.
Included with the purchase is an oven rack with a bake pan that fits perfectly in the oven. The bake pan can be removed so you can clean out any crumbs or so that might fall when making toast.
This little oven will heat up your food quickly so you can enjoy a hot meal in no time.
Specifications
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Cons
This toaster oven is ideal for quickly heating up leftovers or preparing a light afternoon meal. The top door opens upwards, which is very safe, greatly reducing the chances of burning yourself. Besides that, the door will stay cleaner for longer, as you won’t be able to spill or drip anything onto the door. Getting your food out is also much easier – you can simply slide it directly onto your plate.
You have two height settings for the oven rack, and the bake pan works great for catching any crumbs and drippings, so your oven stays clean. The oven door has a large window where you can keep a proper eye on your food, and the control knobs are easy to use. You also have an option for an auto shut-off or a stay-on setting as the timer also goes to 30 minutes. So, if you have something that takes a bit longer to prepare, it is no trouble at all.
The oven can take up to 6 slices of toast and a pizza up to the size of 12”. It is the perfect option for preparing a quick meal, as you don’t have to heat up a large oven if it is only a small portion.
Specifications
Pros
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This oven makes baking and heating food super fast, and no preheating is required. The oven is equipped with high-efficiency quartz and ceramic elements that are placed in the front and the rear of the oven. The front element is an infrared heating element that cooks your food perfectly on the outside while the rear element cooks the food on the inside.
The temperature control sensor makes baking so easy, assuring that you’re at the perfect temperature. While your food is cooking, you can keep an eye on it through the glass door. Another great feature is when you pull the glass door open the baking rack pulls out as well, allowing you easy access to the meal. The crumb tray is also removable, so cleaning is really easy.
The oven can cook a pizza of up to 9” and four slices of toast, and when all is done cooking, the timer alarm will beep to let you know the meal is done. The infrared ray cooks food up to 40% faster, and you have six cooking menus to choose from with illustrated buttons that allow for automatic cooking time calculations. Cooking or reheating meals has never been this easy.
Specifications
Pros
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The EvenToast technology will ensure your toast is always evenly cooked, and it can toast up to four slices at a time. You can even put a pizza of up to 9” in the oven for baking, which is thanks to its curved interior. The oven has four cooking functions: baking, broiling, toasting, and keeping your food warm. Cooking quick meals has never been easier.
The oven has a 30-minute timer, which is great if you are busy and need to set a timer to notify when the food is ready. Also equipped is a stay-on function, which can be used if you need to bake something over a longer amount of time. The oven also comes with a crumb tray and over rack. These fit perfectly into the oven, so you don’t need any extra purchases. The crumb tray catches any crumbs or drippings from pizza and toast, keeping the bottom of the oven clean.
The large glass door also makes it so easy keeping an eye on your food while it is baking, so you can be assured it won’t burn.
Specifications
Pros
Cons
This little compact toaster oven has four baking settings for you to choose from: baking, broiling, toasting, and keeping your food warm. You can fit a pizza up to the size of 12” in there, along with up to six slices of toast. The interior of the oven is nonstick, so cleaning is super easy – you can simply wipe it down. The crumb tray will also make sure that the bottom of the oven stays clean.
The large oven door makes it easy to keep an eye on your food so you can see when it is ready. The oven setting can go up to 500 degrees F, so baking is really fast. Keeping your food warm is also easy since the oven has a setting for that as well.
This oven is a perfect addition to your kitchen as it doesn’t take a lot of counter space and so easy to use. Perfect if you quickly want to prepare an afternoon meal or snack.
Specifications
Pros
Cons
Buyer’s Guide
Quickly baking or preheating a meal has never been this easy with our recommended toaster ovens. Your bread rolls will be nice and warm and pizzas perfectly cooked. Even your meals with meat and fish will come out at the perfect temperature.
Here is a final look at these toaster ovens!
The modern looking toaster oven
If looks are important, I would go for the two Black & Deckers or the Cuisinart toaster ovens. These three all have a sleek grey/stainless steel design that will fit into any kitchen.
These ovens all heat up very fast and allow for even toasting and cooking. The large glass doors make keeping an eye on your food easy. Cleaning is also easy, as the crumb tray catches all of the crumbs and drippings so the oven’s bottom doesn’t get all messy.
The two Black & Decker models have a timer that you can set that will go off when it runs out so you won’t overcook your food.
The best toaster oven with roll-top door
The Hamilton Beach countertop fits in this category. The door opens upwards, allowing you easy access to the food and reducing the risk of you burning yourself. And the best part is, you won’t be making a mess on the glass door, so that stays clean. You can also slide your food directly out of the oven directly onto your plate thanks to the design.
The no preheating required toaster oven
The Panasonic FlashXpress heats up superfast, so no preheating is required and the infrared heating cuts cooking time up to 40%. The oven is fitted with two elements, one in the front and one at the rear of the oven. The front infrared element perfectly cooks your food on the outside and the rear one makes for perfect cooking on the inside of your food.
The design of the oven will also work in any kitchen design. It’s clean and compact and fits perfectly on the kitchen counter. The large glass door gives you a great view of your food, and when you pull the door open, the oven rack pulls out with it, so access to the meal is easy and safe.
Conclusion
We’ve had a look at these toaster ovens and we are sure you have an idea what will work for you and will fit perfectly into your kitchen.
Just a few more things to keep in mind with regards to safety:
- Don’t cover the toaster oven when on
- Cover all meats with foil
- The outside of the oven can become very hot, so don’t touch while it’s on
- Never cook with a dirty crumb tray, as this can start a fire
- Don’t leave the toaster oven unattended when it is in use
As long as you take great care of the oven and follow the safety rules, you should be fine. For rapid cooking or reheating of meals, purchase yourself one of these toaster ovens.
Happy baking and broiling!
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