The Consumer’s Guide to Toaster Ovens
More Than Toast
Two of our most precious commodities are time and space. Imagine an appliance invented with just that in mind! Designed to save you both time and space in the kitchen, a toaster oven will toast, bake, and warm up foods, and can even brown, defrost, grill, broil, and roast in a pan or on a rotisserie skewer depending on the particular model.
You will save considerably on energy bills. Not only do these compact ovens require far less energy than conventional-sized ovens to heat, they are quicker to preheat and take less time to cook in, thereby reducing meal preparation time as you prepare anything from fish-‘n-chips and pizza to luscious lasagna and coq-au-vin.
You will prize their space-saver design. If your kitchen is spacially-challenged or you reside in a cozy-sized (read: squashed) dorm room with a number of roommates, a toaster oven will serve you with unswerving devotion. The ideal office companion, it lets you keep pizza and submarine sandwiches warm for the staff luncheon. Camping out at work before the big deadline? Quickly reheat the tuna casserole you brought from home.
Even those with roomy kitchens will benefit from additional oven capacity. Your mother-in-law is coming for her family reunion. You’re not sure whose swell idea that was, but you better have everything perfectly piping hot or toasty warm – from the piquant garlic bread to the mini-quiche hors-d’oeuvre, right down to the fresh-baked apple strudel!
Toaster ovens are a kid’s best friend. Child-friendly favorites such as pizza-on-muffin and sausage-in-a-blanket can be cooked up without adult supervision, and with far fewer fumbles than stovetop or traditional oven cooking. (Remember the time you went out and they had to call the neighbor? The whole house had filled with smoke because they forgot the hamburgers on the stove.) Look for a cool-touch model which features an automatic shut-off device. (This will save them from themselves!)
By now you’re bound to want a toaster oven more than ever before, but do you know which models are available? Toaster ovens come in either the traditional mini oven or up-to-date convection oven. There are countertop /tabletop models and under-cabinet-mount designs. You will find them in gray, black, white, and even designer red in a finish of brushed stainless steel or polished aluminum.
To decide which toaster oven is the one for you, define your needs. Do you plan to use it for major meal preparation? A convection unit would be the way to go. For quick frozen pizza and toast with butter, the traditional type will suffice. (If it's toast you’re after, you will still find the best – and quickest - toasting performance in a classic toaster. See our article, The Consumer’s Guide to Toasters). Note any added features for increased versatility such as broil, grill, and slow-bake.
How many people are you cooking for? Capacities vary. From ½-cubic foot 12” x 16” x 7”-high models to .9 cubic foot 18”x 24” x 16”-high, they will cook up anywhere from 8-14 liters of your favorite food. (If you define “toaster oven” broadly enough to include any surface top oven, then you will find hefty 1.5 cubic foot 21” x 23” x 14” models among their ranks.) When verifying oven dimensions, be sure to differentiate between exterior dimensions – which affect amount of counter /table space occupied – and interior dimensions, which tell you what size pans to use. Incidentally, do not be misled by manufacturer’s claims of “6-slice capacity”. Their “slice” may be no larger than your credit card!
Check the space you have available. A more vertically shaped unit will take up less countertop area. Be sure to allow 3-4” clearance space behind the oven for heat emission, and even more if the model’s crumb tray necessitates emptying from the back Does your counter have an upturned lip? Some styles require edge-of-counter placement to allow for opening the door. Under-cabinet mounting is a welcome option available in certain styles; it can save you space that you just can’t do without.
You will undoubtedly be happiest with an easily cleaned unit. Removable racks, crumb and drip trays make clean-up a breeze. A smooth enamel interior means easy maintenance. Some boast nonstick walls and trays for a real advantage. Continuous cleaning is now also in on the act with up-to-date mini oven technology.
Traditional Toaster Ovens
The most popular cooking accessory since the toaster, the traditional toaster oven is designed for toasting, baking, and all-around basic cooking. It is perfect for toasting English muffins and puffing up French croissants. Toasty warm bagels with cream cheese, anyone? And then there’s grilled cheese on Russian onion bialys, baked Swedish salmon in dressing, and pizza napolitana (don’t worry, it’s from the freezer) followed by Dutch brownies for dessert…The list is endless - and with universal appeal!
See what the manufacturer has cooked up for you in terms of broil setting and defrost function. Whether there’s a separate browning function or not, brands which promise even browning are worth looking into. Two-shelf versions are a real convenience, especially if the heat distribution is even (that’s not always the case).
Standard accessories are a baking pan and removable crumb tray / drip pan for easy maintenance. After shaking out loose crumbs, simply wash in warm soapy water or place in the dishwasher where compatible. While you’re at it, remove the racks for scrubbing, as well. Wipe the oven interior with a synthetic scouring pad and dishwashing liquid, after unplugging the oven first and allowing to cool.
Convection Toaster Oven
This type puts toaster ovens in the major leagues. Whatever a traditional toaster oven can do, a convection oven can do better - and faster.
A fan positioned adjacent to the heating element blows the heat throughout the oven. This even heat distribution results in quality cooking performance. You pay for the privilege, but you save later as much as 40% on your energy bills. This energy-efficient technology reduces cooking temperature requirements up to 75 degrees and often cuts the time by one-third. No need to flip burgers for second-side cooking!
Two-shelf models won’t let you down in their performance, thanks to the efficient air circulation. That means you can cook twice as much at one time.
With such excellent performance, feel free to add colonial turkey dinner and Hungarian chicken paprikas to your multicultural menu.
Some convection toaster ovens now employ infrared heating, a technology which speeds up toasting.
Features & Frills
If buying yourself a toaster oven was at first only a half-baked idea, check out these impressive icings-on-the-cake.
There’s no end to what’s out there. Have you ever heard of a Combination Breakfast Maker? A 2-in-1 will give you a combination toaster oven / coffee maker; a 3-in-1 will add you a frying pan (to make the omelette, of course). If that’s not enough, spring for the 4-in-1 where the frying pan converts to a steam tray! The oven compartment in these combo machines may not offer the same capacity as in a standard toaster oven, but it wins the versatility contest hands-down. As such it is ideal for dorms, offices, and vacation homes.
The warming option keeps food warm and heats up cold food without cooking it. A warming compartment is an area on top of the oven specially designed for that purpose. A plate warmer will accept your entire plate. Any which way you can enjoy scrumptious warm streusel cake with your mid-morning tea.
An interior light permits easy viewing.
A broil setting will get your steak that perfect rare or well-done. If you’re lucky, you’ll receive a broil tray and thermal-resistant tongs in addition. (With some units, the baking pan includes a broiler insert.)
Imagine a detachable rotisserie skewer - a bonus accompanying some high-ended convection models!
The shade setting determines the toast browning level. (Did you forget we were talking about toaster ovens?)
A defrost setting specializes in defrosting frozen foods.
A reheat setting will carefully reheat the food. (“How many times do I have to call you?!” Of course, when the food was for me, it’s because I was just so busy!)
Cookie sheets are a real treat of an accessory.
Removable, adjustable racks afford you greater control in the cooking process. Varied shelf positions aid in precision cooking.
Slide-out racks slide forward automatically when you open the oven door, a smart device intended to prevent skin burns when removing hot food trays. Hopefully a safety catch holds the rack in check so that it can’t fall out. Otherwise it could cause undue mess or danger, particularly with child users.
The timer signals you to “come and get it!” Some timers determine the length of the cooking process, at the end of which the oven shuts off automatically. (In some ovens the timer ensures automatic shut-off only a few hours later.) Others merely remind you how long the food has been in. While some have a 15-minute limit, more generous ones offer 45 – 90 min., even 2 hours (convection).
Timers may tick noisily; others are soundless, such as electronic digital timers.
Cool touch exterior (often in plastic housing) prevents burns, minimizing parental concerns.
An easy to clean electronic touchpad is for preprogramming time, setting, and temperature.
A shut-off function turns the oven off automatically the moment the door is opened.
So now that you’ve seen what’s cooking with toaster ovens, the heat is on. Why settle for less? Go out and do it up brown. With your new toaster oven in hand, you’re sure to find yourself living in comfort…
