Toaster ovens are a great addition to any kitchen due to their small size, multi-functionality (such as air frying and toasting), and quick cooking times when using the convection setting. Not only can they be used for traditional tasks such as toasting bread or bagels, but they can also cook whole chickens and roast vegetables. Moreover, you don’t have to preheat them so you don’t have to worry about heating up your entire kitchen during the hot summer months. These appliances are also energy efficient since they use up half the amount of energy a conventional oven would require.
We evaluate each one on their ability to rapidly toast bread evenly and shimmering brown, as well as melting cheese on open-faced sandwiches, baking cakes, and air frying chicken wings if there is an applicable setting.
PORS
- Cooking at an even temperature
- Presets with detailed instructions
- The cleaning process is simple
CONS
- No interior lighting
- Little cool spots
The performance of this oven was so impressive, especially for the price, that it was surprising to the Lab. It took less than two minutes to toast a single slice perfectly and just four minutes to toast six slices with enough room in between. The cookies baked evenly and the broiler melted cheese while also lightly toasting the bread. The large LED display and nine built-in functions were user friendly, made even easier by an extensive instruction manual.
This model had some minor issues with temperature control. The maximum setting of 450 degrees only reached 432 on our oven thermometer. (Our measurement showed that the oven’s internal thermometer indicated preheat after four minutes, at 315 degrees.) Additionally, when making six slices of toast, the pieces closest to the back corners were slightly paler than the other pieces. However, these problems did not cause significant disruption to cooking: Our tester said it had the most consistent grain of all the toast he had tried. They actually recommended setting your toast’s doneness a little lighter than you intend to cook it to avoid overcooking.
The reviewboxes makes cleaning up a breeze due to its removable and dishwasher-safe components such as the nonstick rack, baking pan, and drip/crumb tray. Hand washing is recommended but the interior of the oven can be wiped down with only a damp cloth; this is made easier thanks to its non-stick coating which helps get rid of any splatters or burn marks.
PORS
- High capacity
- Easy-to-use digital controls
CONS
- Costly
- Little hot spot
The Instant Omni Plus is a toaster oven with air fryer capabilities that goes beyond what other models offer. It features settings for dehydrating, baking, roasting, and even has its own rotisserie for kabobs, chicken, pork tenderloin and more. Our tester found the controls simple to use without consulting the user manual since they are intuitively designed with a bright display and straightforward dial.
This oven has a capacity of 19 quarts, which is large enough to fit a 4-pound chicken in rotisserie mode. We also had no difficulty toasting 6 slices of bread, baking 9 cookies, or air-frying an entire bag of french fries simultaneously. Despite its size, it warmed up quickly and reached 450 degrees within 7 minutes with full toast in 5 minutes. Furthermore, it maintained its temperature accurately and cooked evenly even though we discovered a hot spot located at the front middle part of the oven.
The Omni Plus is more expensive than other toaster ovens, but it’s worth the money for a family that needs to cook a lot of bread, chicken and french fries.
PORS
- Fast and accurate heating
- Huge capacity
- Convenient options
CONS
- Costly
- There is no option for a custom timer
The Smart Oven from Breville stands out due to its five quartz heating elements, which work together to guarantee an even and consistent heat inside the oven. This was proven in our temperature tests- the oven stayed very close to the set temperature after preheating. This is more difficult for a countertop oven than for a wall or under-range oven with better insulation. The Smart Oven is also big enough to hold six cookies, a 13 inch pizza, or an entire chicken.
This particular model of Smart Oven is ideal for people who are starting to bake or who have recently moved out on their own, thanks to the straightforward settings and the large, visible display. All you need to do is let it know what you’re cooking and how much of it; the machine will take care of the rest. We found that using the cookie and toast settings resulted in tasty cookies and nicely browned toast, though they were slightly paler around the edges than in other areas.
The heating elements don’t reach the walls of the oven, which could be why there is no straightforward way to select a temperature and time; you have to use one of the preset settings. (The guide does provide information on what temperatures and times each setting uses.)
This model is relatively easy to clean: the racks, pans, and crumb tray can be taken out; however, they cannot be put in the dishwasher. Moreover, it is not advisable to use any type of abrasive cleaner or scouring pad on the surface as it may damage the finish.
PORS
- High capacity
- Suitable cooking
CONS
- Expensive
- Sides with cool spots
This Breville Smart Oven is just as good as the one mentioned before, but it also has a convection fan for air frying. It could be an ideal appliance for someone without a full kitchen, such as a college student in a dormitory or an elderly person living in an RV. In our tests, it did very well except for some scorching on the toast test and slightly burned cheese when the broiler was set to its highest setting.
The air fryer proved to be an effective appliance as it was able to turn a full bag of frozen fries into a golden crisp. Our tester commended the size of the machine, noting that nine slices of bread could fit in there instead of the six required for our tests. She also liked the frozen foods setting, which starts at a lower temperature to thaw and cook thoroughly and then increases for a brief time to achieve browning and crisping.
The major disadvantage is the cost. It is an expensive oven, but you get a lot of features in return. This oven would be ideal for someone who will use it regularly, such as making toast and bagels for a large family or if you do not have access to a stove or full-sized oven and it will be your primary cooking appliance.
PORS
- Compact and powerful
- Simple to clean
CONS
- Costly
This Ninja appliance may be the perfect fit for those with limited kitchen space, whether you need to serve french fries to a large family, run an avocado toast restaurant, or simply have low-set cabinets. It is designed with a wide but flat shape that allows it to be folded up and stored away in corners, cabinets, sink backsplashes or even drawers when not in use.
The design of the oven did not impact its ability to quickly bake nine cookies and toast nine slices of bread in our lab tests. Ninja also states that it can fit a 13-inch pizza or six chicken breasts. Our tester found that the toast had some uneven spots, with the front being more toasty than the back corner. Additionally, they noticed that the preset modes tend to overcook things, so it’s important to keep an eye on your food while using this oven.
The Ninja air fryer proved to be a strong performer, producing fries that were both crunchy and evenly cooked. It boasted many cooking options, including a dehydrate mode which is rare among the toasters we tested. Its tilting construction also enabled it to be thoroughly cleaned; the back panel can be opened up for total access to its interior.
PORS
- Massive capacity
- Outstanding air-fryer performance
- Heat up quickly
CONS
- A costly endeavor
Air frying has gained a lot of popularity because it allows for mess-free preparation of crispy wings and potato wedges, but standalone air fryers can be quite large. This particular combination air fryer and toaster oven is smaller than either one would be alone, so it may be worth finding a place for it in your kitchen. Our tester had never used an air fryer before trying this machine with french fries, but following the instructions – six minutes cooking time followed by shaking and another six minutes – yielded excellent results.
Because this model has ample space both horizontally and vertically, it can accommodate up to six slices of toast, a 12-inch pizza, a whole chicken, or three pounds of wings. Similar to the air-frying test, it easily passed our toast test, but it didn’t perform as well with cookies, overbaking them. Although it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, we discovered that it runs quite hot when in bake mode, so you’ll have to get used to it.
The air-fry basket and baking tray are dishwasher safe, which is a nice feature, and the nonstick interior is similar to most other models in that it can be cleaned with a damp cloth. Although it saves space and can take the place of two different countertop appliances, the cost is also quite high.
PORS
- There is a two-year warranty on it
CONS
- There is no timer on the toaster oven
This Cuisinart toaster oven is no different from the rest, which are frequently overpriced. It is one of the most powerful devices in our comparison with 1800 watts of power, but it doesn’t have any extra features to make up for the high price. It doesn’t even have a timer, in fact. It did exceptionally well in our cooking tests, but you could spend less money on another device or many of the best toasters and get results that are comparable.
When we first started cooking, we were shocked to discover that this toaster oven was lacking a timer and that the rack couldn’t be moved. Every time we used it, we had to set a separate timer, which proved to be a little inconvenient. In order to avoid overheating, make sure to turn the device off after using it.
The device offered uniform color across each of the separate parts throughout our test with the bagel and bread slice. Although not quite as thoroughly browned as the topsides, the undersides were also warmed. When we performed the frozen burrito test, we discovered that the tortillas were perfectly cooked and the inside had no cold spots.
We warmed the toaster oven for 10 minutes before inserting the cookie dough, as directed in the manual. Following the cooking instructions, we took the cookies out to find them quite charred on top and crisp on the sides. The insides had been cooked through, but the overall charred flavor made them difficult to swallow. Because the pizza slices were so close to the heating element, they browned slightly on the bottom. The bread came out crisp and crunchy, while the cheese and pepperoni were evenly cooked. Absolutely not our best culinary experience.
PORS
- The food comes out crunchy
- Toasts uniformly
- Interior is nonstick
CONS
- Baking times must be increased
The Cosori Smart Air Fryer Toaster Oven is an excellent choice for those who primarily cook with air fryers and toasters, as it cooked everything we tested in the air fryer perfectly and evenly toasted bread. Additionally, it broiled really well. The only drawback was that we had to increase the cooking time when baking pizza and biscuits by almost half of what was suggested.
The Cosori has a preheating feature, which can take up to 8 minutes to reach its desired temperature. Additionally, it can be set to alert the user when the air frying is halfway done as a prompt to mix or flip the food.
The non-stick surface of the oven walls simplifies cleaning, however all the racks and trays must be washed manually. Neither the user manual nor recipes offer guidance on how long to cook food using air frying.
Using Cosori’s V-Sync app and Wi-Fi capability, you can monitor your cooking in progress and get notifications on a mobile device. You can also choose recipes and the app will send the corresponding time and temperature settings to your oven. For safety reasons, you won’t be able to turn on the oven remotely via the app; but you can give voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant through Wi-Fi.
We’re just trying to help you with a little information about the Toaster Ovens. We have tested different types of toaster ovens and in this article we have provided all the information on The 8 Best Toaster Ovens in the market.
Pros and Cons Of Using An Air Fryer Toaster Oven
Air fryer toaster ovens are essentially convection ovens with powerful fans that distribute heated air evenly for crisping and browning. Compared to regular air fryers, the advantages are numerous. The fry basket is wider, enabling more food to be cooked simultaneously. Furthermore, you can easily check on the food through the window and remove the basket to stir or flip it over.
Although many countertop ovens are multifunctional, they do not necessarily provide the best air frying results. Most people who choose these ovens prioritize toasting and versatility over air frying, so they must be willing to extend cooking times and be attentive while flipping or rearranging food. Cleaning these ovens is also more difficult than air fryers with nonstick baskets, as stainless steel baskets and aluminum drip pans require soaking and scrubbing in order to get them clean.
When you prepare food that involves batter or oil, like shrimp or French fries, droplets of the ingredients might end up on the heating elements and require cleaning. Luckily, some newer models now feature nonstick interiors which is a very helpful feature. As you will be using either the oven rack or air fry basket depending on what you’re making, make sure to have enough space to store whichever one isn’t in use as well as any baking dishes and other accessories.
What to Look for in a Toaster Oven
Power
The capacity of the toaster ovens reviewed for this article vary from four to nine or more slices of bread, or a 9- to 13-inch pizza. It is important to think about how much food you will be making before deciding on a model. Those with smaller capacities are better for small areas and are usually cheaper, but they often have fewer features.
If you enjoy baking or heating up a lot of frozen food, it is beneficial to have an oven that can accommodate standard baking pans and trays. Additionally, the height should be taken into consideration: A wide but short oven may have a large capacity but cannot fit a whole chicken, for example.
Size
Before purchasing an oven, the capacity of its interior is essential, as are its external measurements. Measure your counter area first so you can compare the size of each oven to that space and determine how much room you have. Don’t forget to allow for one or two inches around the oven for air circulation and safety.
The machine is likely to produce a lot of heat and may start a fire if handled incorrectly. Avoid placing it flush against the wall when it’s switched on. Make sure that you select a spot close to an electrical outlet and that the cord will be able to reach it. Lastly, remember to unplug the appliance before cleaning its insides.
Controls and Functions
Some toaster ovens are basic and just provide toasting, broiling, and baking functions. Others offer more complex features such as convection-roasting, air-frying, dehydrating, or slow-cooking. There are even some with a built-in rotisserie for roasting poultry. The simpler ovens have manual dials for mode and temperature settings while the more sophisticated ones have digital touch screens with pre-programmed options for various dishes like bagels, pizza, or chicken wings.
A machine with more features will usually cost more money, so it’s only worth the expense if you plan to make use of those extra capabilities. An interior light is often forgotten, but it can be important: Without one, you have to open the oven door to check on food and that lets out heat. Simple toaster ovens offer basic cooking options like baking, broiling and toasting while other models have a range of functions comparable to a full-size oven as well as other kitchen appliances.
Toaster ovens can be used to do more than just toast bread; they can also broil steaks, make rotisserie chickens, air fry chicken wings, and dehydrate jerky. Additionally, many toaster ovens come with convection baking capabilities. Furthermore, many models have pre-programmed settings for items such as bagels, frozen pizza, cookies and bread dough which help eliminate the need to guess the correct cooking time and temperature. Of course these settings are only beneficial if you intend to use them.
Accessories
Toaster ovens usually come with a rack, removable crumb tray and one pan for baking or broiling to make cleaning easier. Having additional accessories can be helpful since toaster ovens are often too small for standard bakeware. This could include multiple baking trays, pans and racks that fit into the oven. For those looking for even more specialized items, some toaster ovens come with rotisserie spits, pizza stones and cupcake trays.
FAQS
What is the best way to use a toaster oven?
A toaster oven is essentially a smaller version of a general oven. You select the temperature and timer, place food inside, and shut the door. Typically, toaster ovens have heating elements both on top as well as underneath the racks for food; the chosen cooking setting determines which heaters turn on.
When baking, the lower elements of the oven are heated to a moderate temperature to heat the entire oven. For broiling, the upper elements are set to a high heat in order to melt cheese or brown crusts without heating from below. Toasting utilizes both sets of heating elements in order to toast bread from above and below simultaneously.
Due to its smaller size, a toaster oven heats up faster than a regular oven but also cools off quickly when cold food is added or the door is opened. This doesn’t affect toast, but if you are baking cookies or reheating leftovers, it’s best to preheat the oven first.
Toaster ovens with more complicated automated settings will require you to read the user manual for instructions. Operating features like air-fryer, dehydrator, or steam-baking mode are usually straightforward and just involve pushing a few buttons; however, each oven has its own unique set of buttons to press.
Can you use aluminum foil in the toaster oven?
Generally speaking, you can use aluminum foil when baking in an oven, but caution is necessary. It should not come into contact with the heating elements or inner walls of the oven as this could lead to sparks or burning and be a fire hazard. However, covering a baking tray or loosely draping some aluminum foil over a dish is generally safe. (It is recommended that you consult your oven’s user manual for specific instructions.)
What can a toaster oven cook?
You can cook a variety of items in a toaster oven, such as:
- A toaster oven is ideal for producing large amounts of toast, but it can also be used to brown bagels, English muffins, hamburger and hot dog buns, as well as any other type of bread.
- The broiler setting is great for melting cheese on top of a sandwich, a tortilla, or two pieces of bread. Put the components together with the cheese facing up and then place it in the broiler to melt. To make a grilled cheese, put two slices of melted-cheese bread together and then turn it several times under the broiler to toast the outside. Keep a watchful eye on your food: Bread and cheese can both be quickly transformed from lightly toasted to severely charred under a powerful broiler.
- Cooking baked goods such as cookies, cakes, muffins, brownies and quick breads in a toaster oven is essentially the same as in a regular oven; the temperature and time for cooking remains unchanged. However, due to its smaller size and pans you may need to reduce the recipe amount or cook it in separate batches. Frozen items like French fries, chicken nuggets and mozzarella sticks can be cooked straight from frozen using a toaster oven with some even having special settings for this purpose. Allow adequate space between items to allow air to circulate, otherwise they won’t become as crispy.
- Leftovers can be reheated in a toaster oven, although an oven-safe plate should be used and the appropriate setting (bake or reheat) chosen. Additionally, a toaster oven is very useful for reheating pizza; the toast setting should be used to restore the crispness of the crust and melt the cheese again, but one must keep watch so nothing gets burnt.
- Meat items like chicken, steak, burgers, sausages, hot dogs and fish filets can be cooked in a toaster oven using baking, broiling or roasting methods. Bacon slices are especially easy to make in a toaster oven as you cannot go wrong with the results. Vegetables such as potato wedges, potatoes, carrots and asparagus can be cooked in a toaster oven without having to use a full-size oven. This is an ideal way of preparing meals for small numbers of people.
What is the best way to clean a toaster oven?
Before you begin any cleaning, disconnect the toaster and let it cool down entirely. Next, take out the crumb/drip tray, as well as any other detachable shelves and trays, then clean them using soap and water. (Certain models may have components that are safe for dishwashers—consult your manual.) Cleaning the insides of the oven is a bit more intricate since you can’t submerge the heating elements or other electrical components in water or use any scrubbers or cleaning chemicals that are abrasive.
You can generally clean the inside of a microwave using a damp cloth, and many models have nonstick surfaces to make it easier. The same cloth can be used to wipe down the controls, door, and other external parts. Grease that won’t come off with a damp cloth can be dissolved with a paste made from baking soda and water; just spread it over the affected area and leave for several hours or overnight.Finally, wipe with a clean rag (you may need to use some elbow grease).