When a Microwave Won’t Do: The Best Toaster Ovens on the Market
While conventional ovens are lovely, not every meal requires such a robust appliance. Additionally, while the public’s dependency on microwaves is growing, many people are sick of microwave dinners. People who are tired of microwave meals and who don’t want to bother with conventional ovens may seek refuge in a toaster oven. The small countertop appliance can toast, bake, and broil, making it a versatile machine. Below you will find a list of the best toaster ovens currently available.
Toaster Ovens: The FAQs
1. What Is a Toaster Oven?
A toaster oven is known for its ability to brown and crisp foods in ways that microwaves can’t. This appliance is also capable of performing some necessary broiling and baking functions, and, more importantly, the toaster oven is more energy-efficient than your standard oven.
2. What Can a Toaster Oven Do?
A better question is, “What can’t a toaster oven do?” While commonly thought of as a glorified toaster, this appliance can bake, broil, reheat, and toast.
3. How Does a Toaster Oven Work?
A typical toaster oven depends on a heating coil in the base of the machine, and this heating element is what cooks your food. However, toaster ovens have come a long way, and many can perform convection cooking. These toaster ovens have fans that help to evenly distribute the heat, which cooks your food more consistently.
4. Where Can You Buy a Toaster Oven?
Toaster ovens can be purchased at most retail locations; basically, if a store sells appliances, then you can likely find toaster ovens there. Besides local retailers, you can always look on Amazon and other online marketplaces.
How We Reviewed
In an effort to provide you with the most accurate and reliable information, we compiled data from several sources and studied numerous consumer reviews. We are only presenting products that are both popular and dependable.
Top 10 Best Toaster Ovens
- The Breville Smart Oven Pro with Element iQ System is a high performance countertop oven; Reduce your cooking time by up...
- Element iQ System: Using 5 independent quartz elements, smart algorithms steer power to where and when it's needed to...
- Convection Powered: The Smart Oven Pro's convection setting reduces cooking time by up to 30%; An inbuilt fan circulates...
The Breville Smart Oven Pro is an excellent toaster/convection oven. Boasting 10 preset functions and five heating elements, this toaster oven rates highly among consumers. A standard issue is the need to replace the thermal fuse after extensive use, which should be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
Pros
- Ten preset cooking options
- Temperature-conversion buttons
- Element IQ technology for automatic
- cooking adjustments
Cons
- Thermal fuse
Where To Buy This item can be purchased from sites such as Amazon or from retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond.
Warranty The Breville Smart Oven Pro comes with a one-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.
- The Breville Mini Smart Oven with Element iQ System is for the cook who desires a countertop oven that bakes the perfect...
- Element iQ System: Using 4 independent quartz elements, smart algorithms steer power to where and when it's needed to...
- 8 Cooking Functions: Super versatile mini smart oven with 8 cooking functions to guide you to perfection: Toast, Bagel,...
The Breville Mini Smart Oven is around $100 cheaper than the Pro version, but this toaster oven does not sacrifice quality. With most consumers raving about its functionality and consistency, the Mini Smart Oven can make an excellent addition to your kitchen. The only concern of some reviewers was the irregularity of the broiler function.
Pros
- Adjustable rack
- Eight preset functions
- Element IQ for automatic heating and
- cooking times
Cons
- Broiler function
Where To Buy You can purchase the Breville Mini Smart Oven from local retailers, such as Bed Bath & Beyond, or from online marketplaces, such as Amazon.
Warranty This toaster oven from Breville comes with a one-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.
- 6-slice convection toaster oven broiler with 0.6-cubic-foot capacity
- Pizza/bake, broil, toast, and convection; bagel, reheat, and defrost buttons
- Shade control with heat sensor maintains precise oven temperature
The Cuisinart Exact Heat offers ample space — 0.6 cubic feet — with electronic touchpad controls. Most reviewers were impressed with its consistency, which is due to the shade control and heat sensor. The primary concern among reviewers was the minimal interior lighting, which made it hard to tell when their food was done.
Pros
- Large capacity
- Shade control
- Electronic touchpad
- cooking times
Cons
- Minimal interior lighting
- Confusing operation
Where To Buy As with most products nowadays, you can find the Cuisinart Exact Heat at Amazon.com.
Warranty This product comes with a three-year limited warranty.
- EvenToast Technology - The toaster oven interior is specially designed for even toasting of up to 4 slices of bread at a...
- 9” Pizza, 4 Slices of Bread - The compact toaster oven fits nicely on the countertop, while the curved interior makes...
- Four Functions - The stainless steel toaster oven’s cooking functions include: baking, broiling, toasting, and keeping...
As the most affordable option on our list, the Black+Decker Four-Slice Toaster Oven does not disappoint. Praising the overall size and functionality of the oven, most consumers give this product an excellent rating, with the main negative being the inconsistent browning of toast.
Pros
- Convenient size
- Includes a baking pan and broiling rack
- Electronic touchpad
Cons
- Easy to over-brown your toast
Where To Buy The Amazon marketplace is always an excellent option for finding deals on countertop appliances, but local retail chains, including Bed Bath & Beyond, can offer significant value as well.
Warranty A two-year manufacturer’s warranty comes with the Black+Decker Four-Slice Toaster Oven.
- 1800-Watts with 7 functions: air fry, convection bake, convection broil, bake, broil, Warm, toast
- 0. 6 cubic foot non-stick interior with oven light. Dimensions (L x W x H): 15. 50 x 16. 00 x 14. 00 inches
- Capacity: toast 6 slices of bread, air fry 3lbs of chicken wings, bake a 12-inch pizza or roast a 4 pound chicken
If you’re looking for a toaster oven that does more than just toast, bake, and broil, then get the Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven. This oven not only has room for a 12-inch pizza but also includes an air fryer with a three-pound capacity. The one consistent negative was the uneven baking.
Pros
- Air fryer with three-pound capacity
- Extremely quiet operation
- Seven cooking functions
Cons
- Uneven baking
Where To Buy You can purchase the Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven from local retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond, or from online retailers, such as Amazon.
Warranty This toaster oven comes with a three-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.
- Easy Access to Food and Countertop the Roll-Top Door Moves Up and Out of the Way so You Can Have Safe Easy Access to...
- Easy to Keep Clean Door Is up and out of the Way of Messy Spills and Drips
- Bake Broil & Toast 2 Rack Positions and Included Bake Pan Makes It Easy to Get Started on Cooking a Variety of Foods
Not the same as the Easy Reach Convection Oven, the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Toaster Oven is a strong contender. The space-saving design includes a rolltop door and a height of only 9.5 inches. Some reviewers did not appreciate that they had to unplug the toaster oven after every use, though this is a general appliance safety rule.
Pros
- Large glass door for easy visibility
- Includes a baking rack and pan
- Heavy-duty metal construction
Cons
- Must unplug after every use
Where To Buy As a popular brand, the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Toaster Oven is readily available on Amazon and from other online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond.
Warranty This toaster oven comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
- 6 slice convection toaster oven for faster, more even cooking. This Oster Large Digital Countertop Oven can fit up a pan...
- Convection technology and a wide temperature range of 150 to 450 degrees F let you cook with the convenience of an oven
- Digital controls with 7 cooking settings and an interior light for easy viewing
With one of the roomiest designs on this list, the Oster Large Digital Countertop Convection Toaster Oven has enough space for a 13-by-9 baking pan, a 12-inch pizza, nine slices of toast, or an entire chicken. While most consumers fell in love with the large capacity, some found the complexity of the dial functions too confusing.
Pros
- Large capacity that can fit an entire chicken
- Broad temperature range, from 150 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- LCD display
Cons
- Can be difficult to use
Where To Buy You can find this appliance at Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, or several other retailers.
Warranty This toaster oven has a one-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.
- The Breville Smart Oven with Element iQ System is for the home cook who needs a convection countertop oven with high...
- Element iQ System: Using 5 independent quartz elements, smart algorithms steer power to where and when it's needed to...
- Convection Powered: The Smart Oven's convection setting reduces cooking time by up to 30%; An inbuilt fan circulates the...
Featuring the same wattage and Element IQ technology as its more robust siblings, the Breville Compact Smart Oven holds its own. Most reviewers appreciate the preset programs as well as the large digital display. However, some reviewers were put off by the fact that the temperature displayed is different from the actual oven temperature. The temperature variation is a safety feature and is designed to prevent overcooking.
Pros
- Eight preset programs
- LCD screen
- Temperature-conversion button
Cons
- The actual temperature is different from the digital readout
Where To Buy As with most products these days, Amazon sells this Breville, but it can also be found at stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond.
Warranty This toaster oven comes with a one-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.
The Verdict
Any of the above-listed toaster ovens would be an excellent addition to your kitchen; however, depending on your budget and space, you may be inclined to pick one over another. The Breville Smart Oven Pro is a top-of-the-line machine best suited for those with a large budget who plan on using the appliance daily. If you only intend to use your toaster oven once in a while, then you’re better off picking the Black+Decker, which is both popular and affordable. No matter which toaster oven you choose, you will be happy to forget about those microwave dinners and start cooking something fresh.
Last update on 2021-03-06 at 11:46 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API