Toaster ovens are worthy of respect. They take up very little space and can be used to replace other kitchen appliances, such as your toaster or air fryer. They can also be used to bake bread, bagels, and whole chickens. Toaster ovens are great for summer when you don’t have the time or energy to heat your entire kitchen with a full-size oven. They are also more energy-efficient and consume half the power of a traditional range.
Full-size toaster ovens are available in Mini-Me versions. They can be used for more than making toast. You can use them for baking a cake or roasting a chicken.
The original purpose of toaster ovens was to make it easier to use your toaster for cooking. However, they can also be used to broil and fry. Toaster ovens can be used the same way as a countertop convection oven but don’t require lengthy preheating times. They are great for those who prefer quick meals or don’t want to heat an entire oven to make a quick snack.
Thanks to their built-in fans, toaster ovens have the same technology as convection ovens. The fan circulates hot air inside the range, which results in faster cooking times and crispier surfaces for your roasted vegetables or simple oven pizza. They often have dedicated settings that allow you to cook many different meals—for example, dehydrating fruit slices (ideal for homemade summer garnishes) or broiling your mac and cheese topping for a golden brown finish.
A toaster oven is an excellent alternative to the best air fryers because of its built-in frying pans. To help you choose the right toaster oven for you, we’ve ranked the top toaster ovens available from Breville, Ninja, and KitchenAid.
Toaster ovens are not meant to replace toasters. Some models have modes for bagels, while others can be set to a higher degree of brownness to allow you to make multiple slices at once. This is especially helpful for those who love artisan loaves of bread that may not be possible to fit in a regular toaster.
The Good Housekeeping Kitchen Appliances Lab tests toaster ovens to find the ones that produce the best golden brown toast in the shortest time. In the past ten years, we’ve tried about 60. For more information, scroll to the bottom of the article.
In the meantime, these are our top 3 picks to buy the best toaster ovens in 2022.
Breville BOV650XL compact smart toaster oven
The Breville Compact Smart Oven is the best choice for toasting. The compact size of the oven fits easily on any countertop. It also has eight settings for baking cookies or cooking chicken. It is also quick to heat up, making it ideal for everyday use.
Why We Like It: It’s a Compact Smart Oven.
The compact Smart Oven from Breville is small enough to fit on any countertop. It’s also mighty and affordable. The oven heats up quickly and uses Element IQ technology to distribute heat throughout the cooking process evenly. Breville ovens are perfect for baking cookies, pizza, and giant chickens.
Performance
Although it isn’t as powerful as the Breville Smart Oven Pro (model Breville BOV650XL), the Breville Compact Smart Oven is smaller and more convenient. Element IQ technology distributes heat evenly across the four quartz elements to ensure even cooking.
It can be used for toasting, baking, and bagging. Some options include broil, roast, bake, pizza, cookies, and preheat. It does not offer a slow cooker, convection oven, or air fry option. Amazon reviews also indicate that the toaster oven doesn’t cook evenly over time. Users have been forced to flip their bread halfway through to toast each side.
Design
Although the Breville Compact Smart Oven may be smaller than the Cuisinart TOB260N1 Toaster Oven, it can still hold a 12-inch pizza, six muffin tins, or a small roast bird. It is small enough to fit on a counter and is very practical. The oven’s interior has a nonstick coating for ease of cleaning.
Although the Compact Oven can heat with 1800 watts, some reviewers noted that the oven’s exterior heats up quickly and could cause burns to the user. The digital display on the Breville oven shows how long it has to heat up thoroughly, which is nice.
Value
The Breville Smart Oven is much cheaper than the higher-end toaster ovens. It is suitable for everyday use and offers many options compared to budget brands. The compact smart oven’s value lies in its compact size and ability to hold more significant amounts of food.
Breville provides a 1-year limited warranty on the stove, which includes a small baking sheet. Amazon reviews have noted that some customers had problems with Breville’s warranty department. Keep that in mind as you place your order. You might also consider the Panasonic PANNB-G110PW oven toaster.
Protective Wrap for Compact Smart Ovens
For those who need more counter space, the Breville Smart Oven BOV650XL can be a great toaster oven. Although it is not a top-of-the-line oven and doesn’t include an oven fryer, it has many more valuable settings than other toaster ovens. The machine can heat up, so be cautious when operating it.
More spacific:
The Breville Compact Smart Oven With Element IQ Systems includes all the features of a larger Smart Oven but in a smaller footprint. You can choose from 8 cooking functions to create your favourite dishes, from toast for breakfast to roast for dinner.
ELEMENTIQ system: Four independent quartz elements are used to control power. Intelligent algorithms direct energy where necessary to achieve perfect results every time. Fast 1800 watt preheating gets meals on the plate faster.
Eight cooking functions: This super versatile smart oven with eight cooking options to help you achieve perfection.
Medium capacity: The interior measures 16.7 x 15.6 x 10.2 inches and has enough space for four slices of toast, a 6-cup muffin tray, a 12″ pizza, roast chicken, or any other food you might need.
LCD DISPLAY-LCD display for easy access to the smart functionality. Choose from 8 cooking functions.
The oven’s walls are nonstick coated for easy cleaning.
Accessories include an enamel baking pan (10×10 inches) and an enamel broiling rack (10×10 inches).
Warranty: A one-year limited product warranty is provided. 1800 Watts of power; 110-120 Volts of voltage
Ninja sp101 digital air fry countertop toaster oven
There are many names for the Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven. It can also be called the Flip-Away Toaster oven, the Ninja 8 in-1 Air Fryer, or the Ninja SP101. It isn’t evident, I know. But they all refer to the same product. Its space-saving design is the best reason to buy this product. When not in use, it folds neatly.
Make sure your kitchen counter is at least 15 inches from the cabinet.
Before we get into the review, I want to point out that there is a new flip-away oven in town. The brand recently launched the Ninja Foodi SP301 Dual Heat Air Fry Oven.
Let’s now return to the Ninja SP101.
The Ninja Foodi SP101 is smaller than the Ninja Foodi DT251 or Ninja Foodi DT201. You won’t have enough space for a whole chicken or a decent amount of beef. The Ninja Foodi SP101 doesn’t include surround convection or an enormous fan to distribute heat evenly.
According to the SP101’s quick guide, the basket must still be rotated. This is likely due to the location of the fan on your left side and its small size. These are the factors to consider when choosing between these three ovens.
The Ninja Foodi SP101 is an excellent option for those with limited space. It won’t allow you to cook large amounts of protein. These are just a few things you should know about the flip-away toaster oven.
You can cook anything with the Ninja 8-in-1 Air Fryer.
The Flip-Away Toaster Oven can be used as a multi-functional oven. You can also roast, bake, broil, or air fry your favourite fruits.
Air Crisp
Air crisp can be described as its air fry function. The Ninja Foodi SP101 features a fan on the left to maximize heat distribution. This is ideal for making nuggets, french fries, and chicken wings.
To make cleanup easy, spray the basket with nonstick cooking spray.
Air Roast
It can’t roast whole chickens but can be used with small amounts of protein. This is the perfect place to make sheet pan meals.
Air Broil
You can bake your dish to perfection with the air broil feature. It’s an excellent tool for improving your casserole skills.
Bake
The Ninja SP101’s bake function heats evenly from top to bottom without the fan. This is the perfect place to bake cookies, cupcakes, and frozen pizzas.
Dehydrate
It is not an easy task to dehydrate fruits. It takes eight hours to dehydrate fruits in an air fryer basket. This is a great feature, but there’s little space to dry fruits or jerkies in large quantities.
Keep Warm
This setting can keep food warm if you don’t need the fan to run for more than two hours. This will ensure that your main dish is always perfectly cooked.
Toast
With the Ninja Foodi 8-in-1 Air Fryer, you can fit up to 9 slices of bread. You’ll get even browning on both sides due to even heat distribution at the top and bottom. This function is also applicable to English muffins or frozen waffles.
Bagel
Like the toast function, you can fit up to 9 slices of bagels in the Ninja SP101. To ensure that the cut portion browns, place it cut-side up.
Is the Ninja SP101 simple to use?
The control panel for the Ninja SP101 is on the right side, unlike the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven and the Ninja Foodi Smart Oven. The controls are almost identical, except that the turn dial acts as a function selector and a button to start the machine.
This oven toaster has only two racks for cooking. The bottom rack is best used for air frying or toasting, but not much else. This quick guide contains many tips and tricks to maximize the eight cooking functions available on the Ninja Foodi SP101.
check here the complete guide on How to clean Ninja sp101 digital air fry countertop oven?
More specifics:
DIGITAL CRISP CONTROL TECHNOLOGY: For maximum versatility and optimal cooking performance, precision-controlled temperature, heat source, and airflow.
The ultimate meal-making machine, 8-in-1 Versatility: Air fry and air roast are all possible with one 1800-watt appliance.
Air Fry allows you to eat all your favourite air-fried foods guilt-free. This is compared to traditional deep frying. This method is not recommended for deep-fried French fries that are hand-cut.
Cooks up to 60% faster than traditional ovens; 60-second preheat, and complete meals in as little as 20 minutes.
Larger cooking area: This pan has a larger cooking surface than the Cuisinart Toa-60 or Toa-65 pans. It can fit a 13-inch pizza, nine slices of toast, and six chicken breasts (6–8 oz. each).
Request Your Counter Space: This item takes up half the space when it is flipped up, so you can store it against your kitchen backsplash.
Select Toast Doneness-Toast or bagels made the way you want with a toast dark selector.
Easy Cleaning: It features a removable crumb tray and an easily accessible back panel that allows deep cleaning.
What’s included? A countertop oven with an air fry basket, sheet pan, wire rack, and a removable crumb tray.
Panasonic FlashXpress compact toaster oven
Toaster ovens are efficient and can be used to cook without heating the kitchen or using the excess energy of a full-size appliance. There are many options, so it can be challenging to choose. This is one option that toast-lovers and pizza-eaters love to use in their kitchens.
The Flash Xpress oven is a toaster from Panasonic Electronics, a well-known electronics and appliance manufacturer. It boasts fast and efficient cooking with near-infrared light.
The dual infrared power means there is no need to pre-heat-simply turn on the unit, and the quartz and ceramic elements heat up instantly. The heating elements are located at the back and front to cook food thoroughly. The front element heats the exterior, while the rear element heats the inside. This ensures that every meal is evenly cooked.
It features six preset options as well as five browning levels. The control settings can be found on the panel of a Stay Cool. The Flash Xpress is great for snacking. It automatically calculates the toasting time and browning levels of toast, waffles, and rolls, as well as pizza, frozen foods, and reheating.
The touch-button sensor controls the temperature manually for sandwiches, side dishes, appetizers, and other items. You can adjust the precision temperature in eight increments, ranging from 250 to 500 degF. The icons are left and right arrows.
The timer is also easy to use. It has up and down arrow icons and can be set to run for up to 25 minutes. The cooking time is displayed on a large digital display.
An electronic beep will let you know when your food has been prepared. The baking rack is equipped with a handy, transparent door. The frame opens towards you so you can easily tend to the food. The shelf can be easily reinserted into the oven by closing the door.
The double hinges of the drop-down door allow for easy opening and closing. The door opens in an open position, allowing full access to the interior.
The Xpress also has an interior light that lets you see what foods are in the oven. To turn on the lightbulb, press once, and then press again to turn it off.
The package includes a square 9×9-inch rack holding four slices of bread or a 9-inch pizza. There is also a baking tray and a removable crumb tray for cleaning.
The cord is 3 feet long and has a 2-prong plug. It draws 1300 watts of electricity. She is finished in painted silver. It’s also available in white if you wish.
PROS
The infrared elements are tailor-made for loaves of bread, pizzas, leftovers, and frozen food. They heat quickly and efficiently, with no preheating.
Preset buttons are intuitive and straightforward to use. They allow for efficient operation and precise cooking.
The unit emits very little heat, making it an excellent choice for warm-weather cooking.
It cooks evenly, so toast comes out perfectly browned on both sides. It’s also an excellent choice for toasting large slices of bread made from scratch.
Another benefit is small-batch baking. Muffins, cookies, and biscuits all come perfectly cooked with golden exteriors.
The removable crumb tray makes it convenient and easy to use. It also makes cleaning quick and easy. The interior light is another helpful feature that makes cooking easier.
Its small footprint makes it an attractive option for smaller kitchens or portioned meals for just one or two.
CONS
Amazon users have reported that the power button (and other buttons) fails after a while. Many reviewers reported repeatedly pushing, holding down, or wiggling the buttons to get them to work.
Next is the burning out of infrared elements (or “bulbs”)—often after only a few weeks of use and sometimes just before the warranty expires. The Xpress cannot be repaired at home as the infrared element can’t be changed.
Another complaint was made about Panasonic customer service. The number of complaints is lower than the positive Amazon reviews at the time of writing. However, many customers have complained about customer service representatives unfamiliar with the product or manual. This can lead to complicated questions and resistance to providing answers.
The final say
The Panasonic Flash Xpress oven is fast and even, and the infrared elements provide instant heat. Although you won’t be able to roast a chicken or broil a steak in the Xpress oven, it’s not designed to do so. For a more versatile appliance, check out the larger Breville Smart Ovens.
It’s small in size but well-organized for ease of use. You can also make a toast! It is vulnerable to failure, like all electronic devices, and must be shipped to Texas to make any repairs. This, combined with the high price tag, can make it a costly choice.
It’s still a popular choice for small kitchens or households with one or two people, despite its many online fans who consider it a top performer.
Conclusion
Here are some things to consider when looking for a toaster oven.
Think about how much space you have and what you intend to use your oven for. If space is an issue, think big. Ovens such as the Breville Smart Oven Air and the June oven can accommodate a small turkey. Many compact ranges are available, such as the Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp, which can hold six slices of bread or a 13-inch frozen pie.
Design: Your toaster oven will be used on your counter. It is essential to design well. Digital toaster ovens with stainless-steel housings are often sleeker and more modern than their mechanical counterparts.
Rack positions: Most toasters come with two rack positions. However, the largest ones have three. This rack position gives you more options and space for cooking, such as air drying or drying. The uppermost part is for broiling. The middle and bottom are for baking bread and toasting bread. The base is for large roasts and pizzas.
Additional features and accessories: Most toaster ovens include at least one rack and a baking or broiling tray. (Note: a heavier pan will reduce warping over time). Most toaster ovens have a removable crumb tray, which is also dishwasher-safe. It is crucial to be able to put them in the dishwasher. Dishwasher-safe parts are essential for maintaining your toaster oven. They prevent smoking and keep it looking shiny.
Toaster ovens can come with an air-frying rack, pizza stones, rotisseries, and an interior light that allows you to see inside the range without having to open it. This feature was handy to us. We also liked toasters with large glass doors that allowed for easy viewing.
