This may sound weird, but does anybody have an opinion on toaster ovens?

I know, but it’s a serious question. Our toaster is on its last legs and never really did what we wanted to anyway; and it turns out that my wife and I both agree that it’d just make more sense to get a toaster oven to replace it. Only thing is, neither of us really know anything in particular about toaster ovens.

So. To the Internet!  I figure that somebody here has an informed opinion on the subject; and it’s always nice to give solicited advice on a slightly esoteric topic, so no worries there that I’m imposing. Price isn’t that much of a consideration, at least at the sub-$200 range. Although, at the top of that range, I’d want something that I could then take for granted for the next couple of decades…

40 thoughts on “This may sound weird, but does anybody have an opinion on toaster ovens?”

  1. I’ve got a decidedly non-fancy Oster that has served me well for the last decade or so. I forget what I paid for it, but I doubt it was as much as $60. It’s big enough that I have been able to cook a 2 lb. meatloaf in it.

  2. Toaster ovens are a bit large for making toast, but they’re a lot more convenient for re-warming pizza or take-out than heating up the full-sized oven .. especially in July when you’re paying for the heat, and then for the A/C to move the heat outdoors…
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    Unless you *know* you need an “advanced feature” already – you *did* say the toaster never did what you want, so you obviously have *something* in mind here .. four slices at once? – I’d suggest buying an inexpensive and rugged one that goes with your decor.
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    This is obvious, but .. remember that they’re *ovens*, they get *hot* .. consider how much counter real estate and overhead clearance are needed for heat dissipation – you don’t want to be re-heating pizza and have the plastic under-cabinet fluorescent fixture melt, eh?
    .
    Mew

    1. Reheating… pizza…?
      .
      I know those words individually, but together they make no sense.

    2. Yup. We got a toaster oven a few years ago, and not even a particularly expensive one, but we use it regularly for all kinds of things–I regularly make a hot lunch with it, even if it’s just heating up pizza rolls or ghetto chicken parmesan (shredded cheese over spaghetti sause on a chicken patty).

    1. True .. and make sure it’s cool *and unplugged* before sticking the vacuum nozzle in to get the crumbs that didn’t land on the tray out.
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      Also, pick one that has a “broil” option – makes very nice cheese-toast (or “Welch Rarebit” if you wanna be fancy) without burning the bread to a cinder.
      .
      Mew

  4. We have a very basic Munsey which has lasted over 12 years with absolutely no problems (unless you count the accumulated damage to the finish, which I don’t).
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    Two points already made which I endorse is the removable crumb tray and being mindful of the heat they generate (they don’t carry the insulation of full sized ovens).
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    My best suggestion is to avoid anything with digital controls. Elctro-mechanical is far more reliable and costs less. My boss replaces a lot of digital control modules on a lot of appliances. Not all of them are created equal, of course, but simple is better, IMO.

    1. Well of course Munsey toaster ovens have been discontinued. Why would anyone continue manufacturing a reliable product?

  5. The Black & Decker toaster oven we have has been nice. Simple unit, with just dial controls. Only a few years old. They do have more expensive models with digital controls.

  6. I have a Cuisinart convection oven toaster with digital controls, only toaster/oven I’ve had that actually works like an oven. It’s been years since I needed to use the full-sized oven. Never had any problems with the controls (knock on wood).

  7. While I do not have a toaster oven by this manufacturer, I do like my Kitchenaid Toaster. My other KA appliances have been good too. But I have a cheap one I got with a magazine subscription years ago that manages to work just fine even if the knob broke off (I use it in the barn and use a plier to turn it on).

  8. I’ll second everything that’s been said so far re: broiler, mechanical controls, clearance, and Black & Decker and Oster. One more thing: measure the oven’s interior space and make sure that any pans you use for baking or broiling will fit. Some models are too shallow to accommodate commonly used cooking pans. Oh, and make sure you can adjust the height level of the rack if you’re going to be heating something taller than a slice of toast.
     
    I’ve been using an Oster in my kitchen for the past ten years. I picked it up at Goodwill for about fifteen bucks, brand new. Apparently someone got it for Christmas and didn’t want it. The next few weeks would be a good time to look for one there …

  9. Obviously I am outnumbered… but why have a toaster oven?

    I just couldn’t sacrifice that much counter space.
    Real oven works great.
    Toaster works great. And pushes under the counter shelf that holds the coffee/tea canisters.

    Why don’t you try living without one for a couple of weeks or so…. and see if you enjoy the freed up space.

    1. Seconded.
      Toaster ovens are handy when you’re single, still pretty useful when you’re a couple, but once you get a couple of kids into the mix, they’re more trouble than they’re worth, and take up a lot of valuable counter and cabinet space.

      1. But they also can be handy if you’re trying to teach your kids to be independent, and have them cook their own snacks.

      2. Do you put your coffeemaker away? Your microwave?
        .
        The current gas grill has a side-burner. Not because I do any kind of fancy sauces – dry seasonings, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dash of nutmeg, unless I’m grilling chicken – but because, during a July or August heat wave, it’s cheaper to cook outside and not waste money on A/C.
        .
        The toaster oven has the same advantages .. of course, in January it’s cheaper to fire up the oven and roast a turkey..
        .
        Mew

        1. I don’t drink coffee, so I don’t have a coffeemaker. My microwave is built in so that it doesn’t occupy useful space.
          I get what you’re saying about cooking outside in the summer, it’s one of the reasons I do it so often.
          But using a skillet indoors will warm the house less than a toaster oven. And it’s as easy to make toast in one as it is the other.
          There’s also the aspect of temp over time to consider. My broiler generates a lot more heat than my toaster oven did. But the broker can easily cook six or more sandwiches at once, while the toaster oven could only handle one. Anything more than two, and the broiler has an obvious advantage, in heat produced, in convenience, and because the actual oven is much better insulated, in the rate at which the higher temperature leaches into the surrounding environment.

          1. Replaced the stove with a dual-oven model. No broiler drawer or pan storage drawer on the bottom, instead an extra half-height oven up top.
            .
            For most of what we use an oven for, it’s great, and I’ve got the full oven for a turkey. The half-oven obviously uses less energy, produces less heat, etc. etc.
            .
            Thing is .. still takes a while to heat up, compared to a toaster oven .. and is still overkill for simple stuff .. stuff a kid would need to do…
            .
            Mew

  10. Have you asked Megan McArdle? She is, after all, the Queen of the Kitchen appliances among center-right bloggers. 🙂

  11. Our toaster is on its last legs and never really did what we wanted to anyway …
     
    What do you want it to do? Toast bread? Warm up Pop-Tarts? Make grilled cheese sandwiches? Re-heat pizza? Make s’mores? Broil steaks?

  12. Moe, you’ve obviously hit upon an interesting topic, look how many responses you got!

    I love toaster ovens, have been through several over the decades. Currently we have a DeLongi which is a good brand. It’s very convenient for baking small things, melting cheese on toast, reheating leftover pizza, etc.

    That said, we still use a expensive toaster because the toaster oven doesn’t toast in exactly the same way, and using the toaster oven isn’t as energy efficient as the toaster.

    Definitely skip the digital control models. 🙂

        1. Why not kitchen appliances in science fiction movie franchises? How did they make that blue milk, anyway?

  13. We have an Oster that is also a convection oven. My wife and I live in a small cabin and don’t have room for a regular oven or stove.

    Just last night, wifey cooked a Standing Rib Roast in it, our usual new years dinner.

    We’ve never tried to toast bread in it…have a regular 4 slice toaster for that.

    We’ve had it for over 2 years now and no problems.

  14. I hates Cuisinart toaster ovens…after I tossed our last POS in the trash I did some online research and bought this Breville:
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    http://www.brevilleusa.com/the-compact-smart-oven-r.html
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    Four years on and I’m still happy with it. Might be more $$ than you want to spend but it’s reliable, looks great (has a nice heft to it, no flimsy doors or handles), multi-tasks and is easy to clean and it has a smaller footprint on the counter.
    .
    I can’t imagine that many, if any small appliances, will last decades nowadays and who even knows what food prep will consist of in the future. I’m hoping to request “Tea. Hot. Earl Grey.” before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

  16. I have a KitchenAid toaster/convection oven that I got from the Amazon affiliated Woot.com. It was “reconditioned”, but appears new. And it was $50, which was hard to beat. As a toaster, it works quite well, toasting pretty evenly wherever your toast is in on the rack. As an oven for small snacks, it works quite well also, limiting the need to fire up my gas oven. But it is a large appliance. No, really, it is quite large. Much larger footprint than the toaster oven it replaced, but it does have a much larger capacity. Removable crumb tray, two different timers (one for toast-like settings, one for longer cooking), broiler, convection fan, etc.

  17. For what it’s worth: We were able to replace not only our toaster, but also our microwave. Sure it takes a little longer, but we find that food reheated in the toaster oven tastes better than when it was reheated in the microwave.

    Ours also has a concave back so that it can accommodate a medium-sized pizza pan.

    1. KitchenAid makes a combination microwave / convection oven that mounts over the stove and also acts as a vent hood/light ..
      .
      Just remember to take the metal convection-safe rack out before turning on the microwave!
      .
      Mew

      1. I used to have a combination microwave/toaster oven that had a metal rack that was left in for microwave use. Seemed odd, but it worked just fine. Well, by “just fine” I mean that it worked without bursting into sparks and flames. As a microwave, it was just adequate and as a toaster, it worked, but left a lot to be desired.

  19. I have a $50 Black and Decker that I got from Amazon.
    It works.
    Mostly used for toasting breads and buns.
    Makes a passable grilled cheese sandwich.
    Not as good as the ones that I make in a frying pan though, but much less cleanup.
    About those grilled cheese sandwich’s, the toaster oven one is “food” and the frying pan one is a meal.
    It replaced a toaster oven that was around 20 years old.
    If it lasts half as long I will be completely satisfied.

  20. I got a Black & Decker toaster over for a Christmas gift about 10 years ago. At one point I switched it back out with a regular toaster to reclaim counter top space. But then grew to miss how the toaster over could handle thick bagels and hamburger buns. The broiler doesn’t get hot enough to use it as a salamander to quickly sear a steak. But is good for get little breaded apps and snacks to get a nice toasted crunchiness. Also really good for the Gordon’s fisherman frozen fish patties. About the fanciest thing I made it is roasted parmesan crusted asparagus. But I’ve never made a whole chicken it because I’ve got a Ronco rotisserie for that. Nor, have I had a pizza in it because I have a Presto Pizzaz Rotating Pizza Oven for that. Yes, I have way too many plug in kitchen appliances.

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