Imagine this: you want a quick snack, or maybe to reheat leftovers without firing up the big oven. But then you look at all the toaster ovens. Which one is best? It’s a puzzle, right? So many brands and features can make choosing a toaster oven feel overwhelming.
You want a toaster oven that toasts bread perfectly, bakes small batches of cookies, and maybe even roasts a chicken. But how do you know which one will actually do all that well? You don’t want to waste money on a toaster oven that just sits there, not doing a good job. That’s where knowing what the experts say comes in handy.
This post will help you cut through the confusion. We’ll look at what Consumer Reports found about different toaster ovens. By the end, you’ll understand what makes a great toaster oven and be closer to finding the one that fits your kitchen and your needs perfectly.
Top Toaster Oven Consumer Reports Recommendations
- 5-IN–1 MULTIFUNCTIONAL COOKING- Enjoy versatile cooking with Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Toast, and Keep Warm settings. Perfect for preparing a wide variety of meals from crispy fries to perfectly baked pizzas and golden toast.
- HEALTHY AIR FRYING TECHNOLOGY – Cook crispy, delicious meals with little to no oil using advanced air frying technology. Enjoy healthier alternatives to your favorite fried foods without compromising taste or texture.
- EVENTOAST TECHNOLOGY FOR PERFECT TOAST – Achieve evenly toasted bread, bagels, and more with BLACK+DECKER’s EvenToast technology, ensuring consistent results every time with no hot spots.
- COMPACT YET SPACIOUS INTERIOR – Fits up to a 9-inch pizza or 4 slices of bread, making it ideal for quick family meals, snacks, or small batch cooking while saving valuable counter space.
- USER-FRIENDLY CONTROLS & 7 ACCESSORIES – 30-minute timer with removable crumb/drip tray, bake pan, air fry mesh tray, and wire rack for easy cleanup. Use drip tray when cooking and keep food clear of heating element. See User Manual for proper use.
- ACCOMMODATES 9-INCH PIZZA OR 4 SLICES OF BREAD – Designed to maximize utility within a compact footprint, the curved interior fits a 9-inch pizza or 4 slices of bread. Place items evenly for best results when toasting, baking, or reheating.
- FOUR VERSATILE COOKING FUNCTIONS – Select from baking, broiling, toasting, or keeping food warm. Natural convection airflow circulates heat throughout the oven—preheat for 10 minutes to ensure consistent cooking and crisp results.
- PRECISION 30-MINUTE TIMER WITH STAY-ON OPTION – The 30-minute timer includes clearly marked toast settings and a stay-on function. Oven will not operate unless timer is set or stay-on is selected, ensuring controlled and safe operation.
- CONVENIENT REMOVABLE CRUMB TRAY – The slide-out crumb tray allows for quick, hygienic cleanup. To prevent spills and overheating, keep food and bakeware at least 1½ inches from the top heating elements and fully contained within the tray.
- COMPACT AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGN – Measuring 14.5" x 10.8" x 8.8", this sleek stainless steel toaster oven complements any kitchen. Outer surfaces become hot during use—always use oven mitts and allow space for proper ventilation.
- AIR FRY TECHNOLOGY - Deep fried taste without the fat! This innovative cooking method surrounds food with high intensity hot air to bake, brown, and crisp your favorite foods using little to no oil.
- 5 IN 1 FUNCTIONALITY - Choose from 5 available cooking methods: bake, broil, toast, keep warm, and air fry.
- LARGE CAPACITY - This large capacity toaster oven fits 6 slices of bread or a 12” pizza.
- PRECISION TIMER The 60-minute precision timer features stay-on functionality for long baking tasks.
- BAKE FUNCTION - The Bake function lets you make pizzas, frozen snacks, and so much more! It’s great for reheating leftovers without turning on the big oven.
- Four Cooking Functions: Choose from convection bake, broil, toast, and keep warm
- Compact Size: Easily fit a 9" pizza, four slices of bread, or a variety of other snacks and meals; Wattage:1150W
- 30-Minute Timer: The precise cooking timer features a stay-on function for longer baking tasks
- Included Rack and Pan: The included rack and bake pan fit perfectly in the toaster oven
- Natural Convection Technology - The interior is designed to circulate hot air throughout the oven for fast, even results.
- MORE COOKING VERSATILITY, LESS SPACE: Switch from the 2 slice toaster to toaster oven for 2-in-1 cooking versatility. Perfect for cooking meals, baking appetizers, pizza, chicken nuggets and fries, or reheating leftovers.
- TOAST SLOT FOR FASTER, MORE EVEN TOASTING: The toast slot on the toaster oven combo is designed for faster, more even toasting.* Bread comes out consistently browned on both sides.
- CUSTOMIZE YOUR TOAST SHADE: Choose how light or dark you want your toast made in the Hamilton Beach Toastation with the shade selector with 7 options.
- EXTRA-WIDE, EXTRA-LONG TOP TOAST SLOT: The extra-wide, extra-long slot on the oven toaster combo easily fits thick bagels and artisan breads and is also great for browning English muffins or waffles. It can toast a bagel or 2 slices of bread at once.
- ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: Get cooking right away with the included baking pan and oven rack. The slide-out crumb tray on the countertop oven is easy to empty and helps keep countertops tidy.
- VERSATILE COOKING: Cuisinart Toaster Oven Broiler with 1800 watts of high-performance power offers a wide range of cooking functions in one including toast, bagel, bake, broil, pizza, keep warm, and more.
- SPACIOUS CAPACITY: Cuisinart oven with 0.5-cubic feet interior lets you toast 6 slices of bread or 4 bagel halves, bake an 11-inch pizza, or roast a family-sized casserole.
- PERFECT TOAST: Always Even Shade Control monitors the toasting temperature to automatically adjust cooking time for consistent toast results slice after slice.
- SAFETY & CONVENIENCE: Simple to use, this countertop oven features a cool-touch handle, easy-grip dials, and automatic shutoff for safety, an auto-slide rack to remove cooked food easily, and a non-stick interior for easy cleanup.
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: Beautiful brushed stainless steel toaster oven comes with a limited 3-year warranty, is BPA free, and includes a wire rack, broiling rack, baking/drip pan, front removable crumb tray with cool-touch grip, and a recipe book.
- POWERFUL AIR CIRCULATION FOR EVENLY BROWNED FOOD WITH LITTLE TO NO OIL: This Hamilton Beach air fryer toaster oven's convection function circulates air around food as it cooks making crispy and delicious fries, chicken, steaks, fish and vegetables.
- AIR FRYER OVEN COMBO WITH 4 VERSATILE COOKING OPTIONS: Enjoy the convenience of a toaster oven and the crispy deliciousness of an air fryer in one compact appliance; this versatile combo offers the functions you love—toast, bake, air fry, and broil.
- 4 SLICE CAPACITY PROVIDES PLENTY OF COOKING SPACE: This air fryer toaster oven combo has room for everything you cook, from 4 slices of toast to a 9" pizza, a 3 lb. chicken in an 8" x 8" pan or a 9" x 5" loaf pan.
- INCLUDES METAL AIR-FRY BASKET, BAKE PAN AND BROIL RACK. The air fryer and toaster oven combo comes with all the accessories you need to air fry, bake, broil, and toast, plus a slide-out crumb tray.
- EXCELLENT COOKING AND TOASTING PERFORMANCE: Quality heating elements in the Hamilton Beach toaster oven provide precise, accurate temperatures from 200° to 450°F and even cooking without hot spots.
- 25L XL CAPACITY: Fits 6 slices of toast and cooks up to an 11lb roast. Three rack positions plus 0.9cuft capacity can fit up to a 12" pizza with interior dimensions of 13.25"x 13.50"x 8.95".
- FRENCH DUAL DOOR DESIGN allows you to open one or both doors at a time saving precious counter space. Three rack positions allow you to cook multiple dishes at once.
- PRECISION COOKING CONTROL: The built-in heat selector switch allows you to select numerous cooking features for Baking, Broiling, Toasting, Pizza and Keep Warm.
- ADJUSTABLE TIMER: The oven includes a 60-Minute timer with indicator bell and toast shade settings.
- 1500 WATTS OF POWER: Optimize your cooking needs with an adjustable thermostat from 200°F to 450°F and 1500 watts of cooking power
Choosing the Best Toaster Oven: Your Guide to Deliciousness
A toaster oven is a kitchen superhero. It toasts bread, bakes cookies, and reheats leftovers. It’s smaller than a regular oven but more versatile than a toaster. Finding the right one makes cooking easier and tastier.
What to Look For: Key Features
When you shop for a toaster oven, check out these important features.
Size and Capacity
- Countertop Space: Measure your kitchen counter. Some toaster ovens are big. Make sure it fits without crowding your kitchen.
- Baking Needs: Think about what you cook. Do you bake small pizzas or just toast bagels? A bigger oven holds more food. A small one works for one or two people.
Cooking Functions
- Toast: This is a must! Look for even browning. Some have special settings for bagels.
- Bake: This lets you bake small cakes, cookies, or even a small chicken.
- Broil: This cooks food with direct heat from the top. It’s great for melting cheese or crisping up the top of dishes.
- Convection: Some ovens have a fan. This fan circulates hot air. It cooks food faster and more evenly. It also makes things crispy.
Temperature Control
- Precise Settings: Good ovens let you set the exact temperature. This helps you cook things just right. Look for ovens with digital controls. They are usually more accurate.
Ease of Use and Cleaning
- Simple Controls: Buttons and dials should be easy to understand. A clear display helps.
- Easy Cleaning: Food spills happen. A non-stick interior helps wipe away messes. A removable crumb tray catches all the crumbs. This makes cleaning much easier.
Materials Matter: What Your Toaster Oven Is Made Of
The materials used in a toaster oven affect how well it works and how long it lasts.
Exterior Casing
- Stainless Steel: This is a popular choice. It looks good and is durable. It resists scratches and fingerprints well.
- Plastic: Some ovens have plastic exteriors. These are often cheaper. They can sometimes look less premium and might not be as strong.
Interior and Racks
- Non-Stick Interior: This makes cleaning a breeze. Food doesn’t stick as much.
- Chrome or Stainless Steel Racks: These are strong and easy to clean.
What Makes a Toaster Oven Great (or Not So Great)?
Certain things make a toaster oven perform better.
Quality Boosters
- Even Heating: The best toaster ovens heat food evenly. There are no hot spots. This means your toast is golden brown all over. Your baked goods cook through nicely.
- Durable Build: A well-built oven lasts longer. It feels sturdy. The doors open and close smoothly.
- Good Insulation: This keeps the heat inside. It also keeps the outside of the oven cooler. This is safer.
Quality Reducers
- Uneven Heating: If some parts cook faster than others, it’s frustrating. Your food might burn in one spot and be undercooked in another.
- Flimsy Construction: A wobbly oven doesn’t feel safe. Parts might break easily.
- Poor Temperature Accuracy: If the oven’s temperature is not what you set it to, your cooking will suffer.
User Experience and How You’ll Use It
Think about how you will use your toaster oven every day.
Everyday Cooking
- Breakfast: Perfect for toasting bread, bagels, and English muffins. You can even warm up pastries.
- Snacks: Make mini pizzas, toast cheese sandwiches, or heat up appetizers.
- Small Meals: Bake a single chicken breast, roast vegetables, or cook a small casserole.
- Reheating: It’s much better than a microwave for reheating pizza or other leftovers. It keeps food from getting soggy.
Convenience and Speed
A toaster oven heats up much faster than a big oven. This saves time and energy. It’s a great option when you don’t want to heat up your whole kitchen.
Toaster Oven FAQs
Q: What is the most important feature to look for in a toaster oven?
A: The most important feature is even heating. This ensures your food cooks properly and doesn’t burn in some spots while staying raw in others.
Q: Should I get a toaster oven with a convection feature?
A: A convection feature is great if you want faster cooking and crispier results. It circulates hot air, making food cook more evenly and quickly.
Q: How big should my toaster oven be?
A: The size depends on your needs. Consider how much counter space you have and how much food you usually cook. A small one is good for one or two people; a larger one is better for families or more cooking.
Q: Is stainless steel a good material for a toaster oven?
A: Yes, stainless steel is a durable and attractive material. It resists scratches and fingerprints well, making your toaster oven look good for longer.
Q: How do I clean a toaster oven?
A: Look for a non-stick interior and a removable crumb tray. These make cleaning much easier. Wipe down the interior with a damp cloth and wash the racks separately.
Q: Can a toaster oven replace my regular oven?
A: For small tasks and single servings, yes. It’s faster and more energy-efficient. However, it can’t cook large meals or multiple dishes at once like a full-sized oven.
Q: What are “hot spots” in a toaster oven?
A: Hot spots are areas inside the oven that get much hotter than others. This can cause food to cook unevenly, burning in some places and staying undercooked in others.
Q: Are digital controls better than knobs?
A: Digital controls often offer more precise temperature settings and easier programming. Knobs can be simpler but sometimes less accurate.
Q: How long does a toaster oven typically last?
A: With proper care, a good quality toaster oven can last for many years, often 5-10 years or more.
Q: What kind of food can I cook in a toaster oven?
A: You can toast, bake, broil, and reheat many things. This includes bread, bagels, cookies, small pizzas, chicken, fish, vegetables, and leftovers.