Welcome to my site. I know some of you are looking for best toaster oven for your kitchen, I hope your search ends here:)
I have tested and bought many types over the years. And of course, with the help of Consumer Report, Cook illustrated and Amazon user reviews, I managed to find and own quite a few of the best stoves.
Below are few that I recommend, and if you like to know more about them, you can find guides and articles too.
Cuisinart TOB-195 Review
Do you pine for a freshly-baked cupcake or a delicious pizza during your leisure time at home? A good appliances at your own kitchen will make this happens without any hassles. Different types will cater your different kinds of needs. And, considering the great deal that exist in the marketplace, you should deliberate prudentially before making any purchase decision.
During this financial turmoil, budget may become a vital issue in your daily life. To get a good quality furnace at affordable price, this model that manufactured by Cuisinart is your best choice ever.
This section provides you the details of this particular furnace in terms of its exterior and interior appearance, functionality, inbuilt safety features as well as accessories as shown in the following:
1. Exterior and Interior Appearance
Generally, this convection stove is suitable for any kinds of kitchens, even those with very little space, as it saves plenty of countertop space with its standard dimension of 16 x 17-3/4 x 9-5/8 inches.
It is housed in stainless steel and has an attractive, sleek outer appearance.
Unlike conventional furnace with manual control knobs or dials, it is fabricated with a modern LCD display and a digital control pad that is well labeled.
On the other hand, this convection furnace also has spacious interior of 0.6-cubic-foot, which is capable of fitting in a 12 inch pizza, baking a whole chicken or toasting six slices of bread at one time. For the ease of cleaning, its interior part is covered with non-stick material.
2. Functionality
One of the most significant features that this toaster oven possesses is the four versatile cooking options, which are Pizza/Bake, Broil, Toast and Convection.
Different options have different default settings. Hence, you can choose the most suitable option that will cook or heat up your dishes perfectly. Apart from that, it is featured with Bagel, Reheat and Defrost buttons, which provide extra functions in this 1500 Watts oven. Since it is a modern model, clock and timer is incorporated for users’ convenience.
Despite that, this oven has a sophisticated heat sensor that plays a crucial role in managing and determining the exact temperature in the chamber. In addition, it is set up with alarm system, which will alert you when the food in the oven is ready to be served.
3. Inbuilt Safety Feature
In order to avoid unnecessary burns, the handle of this oven is equipped with a heat resistant metal band. Hence, it is safe to open the oven with the handle, even at once right after the cooking process has ended.
This appliance is also devised to have some anti-slip features such as raised corners at the rack and a safety catch at the top rack. Thus, no pans will accidentally sliding off the rack and cause unwanted injuries to the users.
4. Accessories
For better understanding and proper usage of this stove, a thorough instruction manual is given along with a broiler tray and a baking pan. More importantly, various delectable recipes that are tailored especially for this oven can be found in the instruction manual. Last but not least, this oven has a limited 3-year warranty.
Considering function, size and price.
Breville BOV800XL Smart Review
Are you looking for a modern oven that is convenient, versatile, energy saving and having excellent safety features? This model that designed by Breville is one of the best choices!
Outwardly, it is compact and handy with the dimension of 18.5 x 16.2 x 11.2 inches. Hence, it can be fitted nicely even into the smallest kitchen. It also has a LCD readout, which enables a clear display of the information such as temperature, duration as well as different types of predefined mode. In addition, with the elegantly reinforced stainless steel finish, it will look harmony with any upholstery of the kitchen.
For the purpose of simplifying the cleaning process, the removable crumb tray is designed to be inserted from the front side of the oven. Inwardly, it has large capacity where 6 slices of bread or a 13 inch pizza can be fitted in easily. It also has a non-stick interior that eases the cleaning process after each cooking task. All in all, it is a stylish 1800 Watts oven that will get your money’s worth.
Smart Oven, as its name implies, it is an intellectualized oven. It has 9 pre-programmed settings, which are Toast, Bagel, Bake, Roast, Broil, Pizza, Cookies, Reheat and Warm. With these settings, the temperature in the oven is predefined and the length of time is predetermined. This is especially useful for those who don’t know how to cook at all or those who are new to cooking.
However, you are allowed to change or tailor the temperature as well as the period of time according to your own cooking preferences or requirements.
More importantly, the smart default setting enables this oven to remember the settings programmed by the users. Apart from that, certain settings like Broil, Bake and Toast, enable you to manage the temperature zones in the oven. This feature is extremely helpful in producing perfect dishes in accordance to one’s taste. In a few words, it is convenient and versatile.
On the other hand, this model is energy saving as it heats up much faster than any conventional oven. It also has a magnetic door that is perfectly sealed when the oven is in using.
In other words, this door will completely trap the heat in the oven as well as prevent the heat from releasing into the surrounding air. Besides, by using convection heat and with the help of convection fan, the heat in the oven or chamber is distributed evenly and consistently, which will in turn reduce the overall baking, roasting and broiling time as well as cut down the usage of electricity.
To sum up, Smart Oven is environmental friendly and energy efficient.
Regardless what kind of home appliances you are using, safety is always a critical issue in evaluating your choice. It is fabricated with an auto-eject rack, which is good at preventing undesired burns as the automatically ejecting wire rack will reduce the hassles in removing hot items or dishes.
Despite that, in order to ensure users’ safety as well as to enable fully utilization of this oven, a detailed operating manual is provided along with a 13 inch non-stick pizza pan, a 12-by-12 inch enamel baking pan and a broil rack.
Waring Pro TCO650
I was looking for a spare one to use while my old Cuisinart was being loaned out for a month to my niece. I didn’t want to spend over $100 for it because I was confident my Cuisinart has quite some years left, and I came across this unit with just a few clicks online. On a whim, I bought it.
It is great! I mean, obviously not on par with my Cuisinart but still exceeds my expectations for a $70. On first impression, it is a modern and high-tech-looking unit with digital controls in place of dials. It is not at all bulky but the interior is surprisingly roomy. It fits a 12-inch pizza with its rounded back, which means that you must allow a few inches of space between the stove and the wall. I didn’t mind that since I wasn’t going to place anything on the counter top in front of anyway.
For those who are concerned about the toxicity of non stick coatings in them, Waring models don’t have coatings. It comes with the basic set of rack, pan and tray. The digital controls and LCD display are a no-brainer unless you haven’t used an appliance or tech gadget in the past two decades. After I set it up, I was ready to test it for a thousand recipes.
Cooks Fast and Well
I tried baking first, the essential function for me. It heats up quickly enough, and the baked macaroni and cheese was done in no time. Then I roasted some chicken. The meat came out crunchy on the outside and juicy inside. Perfect! Toasted bread came out fine, albeit not perfectly even on both sides. I have long ago given up trying to toast perfectly even bread in a furnace, since only the high end models will do this unfailingly.
The convection helps a lot in shortening the cooking time.
The fan circulates the heat which means the same heat gets used up instead of having the oven produce more over a longer time. To simply put it, you save energy, cut down costs, and the kitchen won’t get heat up so much. I also love the inbuilt catch that lets the oven door stay open for one inch. This is a useful feature for some cake recipes I use that call for letting out the heat slowly after baking without removing the cake wholly. (I used to prop the door open with a butter knife)
Something that many users commented (in both positive and negative light) on is the beep when the timer runs down. It is indeed so loud that you could probably hear it in the shower. Depending whether you are a forgetful person, the beep can either be helpful or annoying.
For such a price, it is good value for money, and it even comes with a 5-year warranty! I think it was my best impulse purchase ever. Highly recommended if you are looking for a model below $100.
Waring Pro WTO450
This is one of the better 4-slice toaster which function isn’t limited to toasting bread. It is small so it suits people who:
- don’t have countertop space,
- want a budget model,
- are looking for a spare stove,
- make small meals.
Firstly the design is pretty simplistic with knob dials, nothing fancy or digital, which makes it easy to figure out for anyone. It has either a black or silver housing and a brushed stainless steel front which looks fitting in any kitchen.
The manufacturer’s description wasn't accurate about the dimensions, which is actually even smaller at 15.8-inch wide, 12.5-inch deep and 9-inch high. The interior dimensions are smaller, of course, fitting 4 slices of bread not too snugly.
This furnace even comes with a broil pan, which is a pleasant surprise, aside from the basic baking tray, rack and crumb tray. The timer has an auto shut off for easy toasting but you can also use the “always-on” mode for broiling. The timer is only for 30 minutes in any case. When the timer runs down, it emits a loud “bing” which is just so epic.
Small but Highly Functional
The things you can do with it is almost similar to any larger or regular size. Warming leftovers and cooking frozen food or pizzas are the most popular functions as now many people are shying away from using microwave ovens. You can also bake and broil with confidence with its 1500-watt power.
And while I've always maintained that a pop-up toaster is the better way to go about toasting bread, this furnace also toasts well, albeit a little unevenly. I think this is safely disregardable if you are toasting toast with toppings, since no one is going to check beneath the toppings anyway.
There are two different heights for your tray or rack to sit so that you can control the shade of your food. However, for a model at this price, they didn't bother adding the partial slide-out of the rack when you open the oven door.
The rack slides very easily so you’ll also have to be careful when pulling it out with the hot food. It is meant come out all the way so it doesn't have a catch to stop it.
The removable crumb tray is convenient. Just pull it out (use a mitt if its still hot!) and wash it in the sink. Cleaning up it is as simple as wiping it down regularly. It doesn't have a non stick coating but cleans easily.
Granted, this little oven doesn't have all the frills, but it works well and it isn't expensive. If you watch the price on Amazon, it comes down to as low as $32, which is the time to grab it. Even at normal times, $40 isn't a huge sum to pay for a decent oven like this.
Oster TSSTTVXLDG
Last Christmas my aunts decided to fly over to our family house in Chicago together with their families, so my mom suddenly had a long shopping list and a huge Christmas dinner to make, not to mention all the cookies and snacks to pacify the kids.
Besides, my mom is The Cook in our family, with a reputation to uphold. Even with me helping her, we both realized that one model could never get all of it done. It was at that notion that this furnace came to join us.
Size up Your Meals
I haven’t had experience with Oster's models before, but considering there aren't that many large models in the market, and that it has convection to help speed up the cooking, it was not a hard decision to make. In fact, this model can bake a 15-inch pizza! All the other furnaces normally take a 12-inch. We also put not one, but two large 13 by 9-inch pans in it. Most importantly, thanks to one reviewer we also used this oven for dough proofing, right in the 6-quart mixing bowl.
It is really big! If you have used a furnace before, common sense will tell you that there should be clear space on all sides of the oven, so check your countertop space before you buy. The oven gets hot on the sides, of course, and anyone who tells you otherwise must be out of his mind. That’s what mitts are for, really.
Save Time with Convection
The convection works really well. It takes a few minutes off the normal bake/cook time, and that was really helpful during that busy period! A few minutes off each dish meant hours saved.
I must also mentioned that my mom never used her wall oven all her life because she said it heats up the kitchen too much to be bearable. It moreover takes too long to heat up to the right temperature.
Speaking of preheating the oven, it has a preheat control where you can set a preheat temperature for 7 minutes. This is useful if you want to heat it up using a different temperature from your baking temperature, because it shuts off after the preheat and lets you enter a new temperature for baking. If you want to skip re-entering the temperature, simply use the bake feature and set the timer for 7 minutes extra, then put in the food after 7 minutes heating.
The timer is for 90 minutes maximum, which was not long enough for us but it wasn't hard to reset the time. Automatic shut off is a good safety feature for those who take the easy-going manner with their baking. My mom and I both like to watch the food we bake/roast/broil, so it wasn't anything especially important.
There isn’t a light in it though, which was what we would have liked.
Overall it was a good cooker for its price, and if you are looking for a stove that accommodates to big family needs or one to take the place of a full size wall oven, this might be it.
Anyway, I think different people have different needs, so my top pick might not be everyone, but as long as we get it that doesn't break down easily or toast badly, we are pretty much happy with our models. You will find more updates and recommendations coming up in my blog below, and a list of the more popular posts.
What To Look For in Your Best?
- Measure your counter space – They are usually the most space-consuming appliance on your kitchen countertop than other appliances, so consider the space you are willing to give up before getting one.
- Safety comes first Look for safety features such as auto shutoff or timer that shuts the oven off when timed cooking ends.
- Look for removable and adjustable toasting racks – Different models have different racks, some of them have 2 racks and some of them only have one. Most of them can be adjusted to different toasting heights.
- Removable crumb trays – Crumb trays that can be removed from the front are more convenient than those that must be removed from the bottom or back.
- Non-stick interior – Non stick makes the interior easier to clean, but some people are concerned about the non stick coating emitting toxic fumes while baking.
- More features – Some of them are only for toasting while others feature cooking modes such as broiling and roasting. A convection fan is not always available in the cheaper models, but if you can afford it get this feature to save cooking time.
Short Guide
- Recommended
I still remember when my friend recommends me to buy a cooker, I was having the question why buy it when I have perfectly good gas stove and oven in my kitchen. But it’s didn’t take me long before I seriously learn how to bake in order to understand how effective and efficient to use them.
- The Gourmet Book
The book is really impress me with all how to use it in the unconventional and imaginative way to prepare food.
The author Lynn Alley reveals how they are ideal for creating simple yet sophisticated meals. Well, I really don’t want to give away too much here but she simple point out that they are taking up less space, use less energy, preheat quickly and are cheaper then convection ovens. It’s just greats to cook small meals more efficient. This just make me want to buy a best stoves for my kitchen.
So what you get from this book is Alley offers not only tips how to use this ovens nicely but 50 breakfast, lunch, appetizer, dinner, and goodies recipes designed to serve two hot meal out of your cookers. Don’t you think this is just perfect for those who plan to own and own furnace? I do.
Why top brands?
My first was a mediocre one, not at all perfect. After it broke down a few months later, I went online in search of a better one that could last me longer, and that was the best decision I ever made, because there were scores of reviews and recommendations on the Internet! I searched high and low for the best stove with good reviews, while keeping in mind my needs: easy to use, easy to clean, good looking and fits into my available kitchen space.
Nowadays they have so many features compared to the old models. You can do just about anything from simple things (e.g. heating up a leftover meal or toasting bread) to serious stuff (e.g. broiling chicken or baking a cake) with the same furnace.
There are also a wide variety of brands to choose from. You will find top rated products from Cuisinart, T-Fal, Krups, Delonghi, Panasonic, Hamilton Beach and etc. You can find links to the reviews according to brand from the right hand bar on this site.
Cuisinart Models Reviews
With an aura of sheer quality, the Cuisinart ovens are certain to meet the expectations of every homemaker. These culinary experts certainly know their thing when it comes to manufacturing ovens.
Though not absent of flaws, Cuisinart models are known to satisfy most of the time, with a great amount of positive reviews from their customers. It is as if every effort in manufacturing these items were done with the customer in mind.
Ranging from a good choice of design to great performance, they are certainly to be considered. Here are my opinions on three of Cuisinart furnaces. I hope it helps you make an appropriate decision when you shop.
Cuisinart TOB-155
The TOB-155 is notably one of Cuisinart's best products. With an overwhelming number of excellent reviews, this unit never ceases to win praises for its manufacturer. Apart from its excellent design and quality which adds class to your kitchen, the TOB-155 is also frequently commended for its touch button function that makes cooking so much faster and easier.
The fact that it warms up fast makes it a perfect choice for a quick meal. Apart from the metal behind the handle that gets hot, and perhaps some minor issues with cracks that appear after more than 2 years, this unit is really a top choice. Here is something really worth considering when you shop for them.
Adding to the advantages is also the fact that the unit has a large interior size. This makes cooking a family-sized meal easier and faster. The manual that comes with the TOB-155 is also extra useful as it comes with handy tips to optimize the use of the oven. These include tips on optimal toasting and rack positioning, items that are certain to please any homemaker. Also worth mentioning is the easily removable crumb tray which takes the hassle off the cleaning up business.
Interestingly, there isn't really anything bad to say about the Cuisinart TOB-155. Apart from its large footprint, that simply isn't convenient if you have a cramped up kitchen, everything else seems rather reasonable. It should also be noted that the metal trim of the handle (not the handle itself) is not insulated, and thus may cause minor issues if you are not careful.
However, this is a problem that isn't unique to this unit nor disastrous to speak of. It is something common that can be easily overcome by being careful and perhaps using mittens when handling it. Though some customers have complained about the price being too high and cracks appearing after 2 long years, I really don't see that much of an issue.
Cuisinart TOB-50 Classic
The TOB-50 is another job well done for Cuisinart. Esteemed for its great capacity that enables you to cook larger portions, the TOB-50 also does well with toasting, especially for that great golden brown look. It also looks great and comes with high quality control knobs that doesn't feel clunky even upon regular use. This model gives you that feel of quality you deserve.
Adding to that, the unit is also commended for the easy-to-clean tray at the bottom. You should however be warned that this unit isn't really fast in toasting. Perhaps you would want to avoid expectations of a fast breakfast with this unit. Also, like many other ovens, the top does get hot while in use. Thus, precautions are always necessary. You may also want to keep the unit out of the reach of children especially when in use.
Delonghi Review
Even at the start, I must begin with mentioning that it is simply not one of the many manufacturers you may want to place in your favorite list. It would be unfair to completely deny any sign of good quality in their products.
They have come up with some items that fair well with their customers. But I guess there is more that can be done. The DeLonghi ovens certainly has a lot of improvement to be stacked up on them. With poor reviews and complaints from unsatisfied customers, here is one manufacturer that simply hasn't quite made it into the good books of a shopper looking for it.
Nevertheless, here are my reviews on a few of DeLonghi models. Be sure to make a wise decision when you pick up one of these.
DeLonghi DO1279
This DeLonghi model is one of the few DeLonghi products. It is known to be quick and browns properly especially with the fan bake mode. Thus, you can now have your meals done nicely and fast. It also comes with a light inside, enabling you to keep an eye on your food while it does the cooking.
The timer and digital readout that comes with the DO1279 makes it an even more interesting purchase as you can now easily set the right temperature and reduce the events of overcooking your food. Also to be noted is the fact that the unit comes with a quick function guide, eliminating the need for you to have your user manual around every time you're using it.
I must warn you however that there have been complaints of malfunction with it. Also, customers have expressed dissatisfaction in the fact that you may have to ship the machine to the nearest service center yourself if there are problems with it. This, however does not apply to most online buys.
DeLonghi RO2058
The RO2058 has been often commended for its solid look. It does seem nicely built on the outside, with the buttons and doors stable and intact. It is also worth knowing that this DeLonghi model comes with a convection feature option and an automatic light in it.
Take your pick: there are bake, toast, broil and convection settings. I don’t have a particular favorite as I prefer to be quite ad hoc and choose according to my whims and fancies of the day! But some really like the convection function and seem to say that this is the best of the lot.
Just a word of caution, for the rotisserie function, remember that if you’re roasting a meat item, this will not rotate the meat. So it’s not advisable to use this if you’re thinking of roasting a thick slab of lamb or pork. It is also a fact that this Delonghi product isn't a very good option for toasting as the toasts get dried up.
DeLonghi DO400
Here is a unit that is average for an oven its size, but perhaps a little more expensive than you would expect. It broils well and heats quickly, giving you better meals in less time. The fact that it is small means you will be saving more countertop space than you would with anything bigger.
However, as many customers would agree, the DO400 is certainly overpriced! Also, as it is with many other small ovens, the temperature is imprecise. There is also issues with the toaster settings, which simply isn't suitable for a mild toast. Even at the first level, some would consider the bread to be overdone.
I have a higher expectation for my toaster best toaster oven after I read the recipes cook book. Well, that’s another story. Anyway, in this site I will share my experience and reading about how to pick the right model for your home.
