So, your toaster, or toaster oven, died or is on the way, and the available models now number in the dozens. You want the best toaster ovens for toast. Everything else is secondary, but still matters.
So, we singled out the best toaster ovens for making toast and analyzed everything else about them, including their bang for the buck. It’s like picking shoes: every foot is different, so you have to try them on. This is your virtual try-on for your next toaster oven.
Are Toaster Ovens Really Good for Toasting?
Many of them are actually great toasters. However, some are better than others and all are different. It really depends upon what you think is a great toaster. Standalone toasters are different too.
Do you want fast, convenient, very even toasting, versatility for other toasted things, or ability to toast several at once? Some toaster ovens do many of these, but none do all, just as most toasters. However the second oven is nice to have.
So, what is a great toaster? It is the one that makes your toast the way you like it easily and consistently.
What should I look for in The Best Toaster Oven For Toasting Bread?
You should decide first which functions you want in addition to toasting. Then plan and measure where you will put it in your kitchen. If your kitchen space is small you may want ovens with more functions to eliminate extra appliances, such as air fryers.
If you do not have air conditioning you might want one that almost replaces you regular oven, as these make less heat and use less power also.
The followings are the key consideration of selecting a best toaster oven for making great toast:
- Decide which functions you might use a lot. If you bake a lot of cookies and muffins, and speed is important, then opt for one with glass elements that need no preheating.
- It must have excellent construction, be easy to use, and do everything you need.
- The heating elements must be the right distance to toast without burning or drying. Too close burns and too far dries before browning.
- The elements must be calibrated for the exact temperature. Check this when you get your oven at home with a thermometer. Small differences can just be noted and just know that your oven is X degrees hotter or cooler. You can find the right setting and mark it.
- The controls should be easy to set so your toast is exactly as brown as you like it. Remember your own setting and let the rest of the family remember theirs.
- Different kinds of things should be marked, such as bagels, pastry, turnovers, waffles and crumpets.
- It should toast only one side for things like bagels and scones, and have a setting for that.
- The slots should allow everything you want to toast. Thin rye to fat bagels should all fit.
- The crumb tray should be external and easy to remove. (one of these is internal but still easy to remove. However, you have to wait until the oven is cool to clean it.
- Finally, the lifters on top slot types should push the toast up higher for access. You should not have to fiddle like I do with my stand alone toaster to get the raising bread out.
Top 7 Best Toaster Ovens For Toast Reviews
We picked out the 7 best models for toasting, plus baking and other functions. All include separate toast function control. We included everything you need to know in our reviews, using combined customer reviews from different sources, plus information from manufacturers.
All of these are good, but one is best for you.
1. Panasonic FlashXpress Toaster Oven: Fastest Toaster Oven
The Panasonic FlashXpress is one of the most compact toaster ovens available now. It's a great buy if you've a limited counter space. This smaller 13 x 12 x 10.25” toaster oven uses only 1300 watts for 250° F to 500° F (121° C- 260° C) cooking using either infrared element or both. It is $100 cheaper than many, with no air fryer or convection.
It has double infrared high efficiency quartz and independently controlled ceramic infrared heating elements front and back. You can toasts 6 slices whole grain bread (in both sides) perfectly in just 2.5 minutes. Although, the square shape allows fewer items.
There is no preheating needed on a 25 minute timer, but longer cooks, like potatoes, require resetting it. There are 6 autocook buttons and a 9.2” cooking tray in a 4.1” high interior. Rack attached to door pulls out for easy access.
You can also access the full size crumb tray from outside. It’s really great for toast and very affordable.
Reviewers said containers get very hot. Use mitts and let plates cool or transfer the food. Switch contacts wear out after 2-3 years, but could be fixed easily even by a DIYer. Flashing light from one of the heating elements bothered some people, while others found it helped them time the cooking. Buyer pays shipping for service within one year warranty. Illustrated manual is easy to understand.
2. Hamilton Beach 31156 Toaster Oven: Best Toaster Oven With Toaster on Top
This 20.25 x12.75 x 14.63” top slot toaster oven has 1450 watts controlling 200° F- 450° F (93° C-232° C) cooking. The oven and broiler make small baked goods or a 9”pizza, and the footprint is tiny.
You can easily collapse the toast holder with a lever to bake cakes, pies and casseroles. It toasts 40% faster than a regular toaster and more evenly. It's one of the fastest toaster oven in its range.
With a 60 minute timer and two interior racks it is a great combination under $100. This toaster heats fast and radiates more heat than many others, and for a simple 2 in 1 appliance, it is a good buy.
Hamilton Beach offers good warranty service, but you might pay return shipping. Always check electric appliances right away to detect flaws early, especially if your retailer offers a 90 day in-store or online return. This is a wonderful little brunch machine and is great for the dorm.
Reviewers advise using empty to eliminate burnt plastic smell right away. Some said, “customer service dept. is amazing”. Complaints about rear element not working are only appearance. The even toasting proves this. Fries and other things fall through the racks. We’ll illustrated manual with cooking charts is helpful.
3. Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Oven Air fryer: For Versatile Cooking
This air fryer toaster oven is 15.5 x 16 x 14” outside ( interior 3. 390 cu ft.) (Chef’s Version is 20.87 x 16.93 x 11.42”), and uses 1800 watts for with 450° F (233° C). Air fryers and convection ovens use higher temperatures to crisp food in no time. This makes it a great toaster oven for toasting.
Reduce temperatures by 25° to 50° F (10°-20 °C) and cooking time for convection. No preheat required and timed auto-shutoff. These are the best selling points of this unit.
It’s a good size, toasts 6 items at once, and includes all the right accessories so that, you can start toasting right away. There is no rotisserie, because convection and air fryer modes work better. Controls and crumb tray are easy to use. You can control the toasting with a separate knobs for even result.
Reviewers said toasting is perfect, “better than any other toaster oven.” It works as a broiler, convection oven and air fryer. It doesn’t steam, pressure or boil, but your stovetop does. Many of them like it for its multi-purpose usability. It can make great French fries which are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Read the well written manual/cookbook thoroughly. Three year warranty is good, though maybe slow if you need repairs, so calibrate everything right away.
4. Breville BOV450XL Mini Smart Oven: Best Small Toaster Oven For Toasting
The Breville Mini Smart Oven with Element iQ System offers 8 pre-programmed cooking functions with a 16.1” x 14.2” x 10.4” (14.25” x 16 x 8.5” interior”) using 1800 watts to provide instant 4 slice toasting.
It has 4 independent quartz elements that heat faster but also make it hot on the outside. Despite the small cavity, it can hold 6 muffins or a small cookie sheet and includes enamel baking tray and bottom crumb tray. Wattage is reduced after preheat, saving energy.
This smart oven can bake an 11” pizza, or 16 x 10” sheet cake. Controlled by LCD display or push buttons. The Non-stick interior makes cleaning easy. It also includes a nice external top warming tray, so you can reheat and cook at the same time. It’s great to warm flatbreads and tortillas.
Reviewers noted that quartz elements are breakable, while metal, though slower to heat, is not. However, they were still happy, and had not broken any.
10"x10.5" is the most common size for lasagna and comes with the product. “And yes, you can bake a cake and roast a chicken in this. I'm very happy with it.” The well written and illustrated manual includes recipes.
5. Hamilton Beach 31127D 6 Slice Toaster Oven
This 15.24 x 18.74 x 9.41” oven doesn’t burn you, in price or by function. The top flipping door allows easy access to your food but requires more clearance. You’ll never burn your arms on the door. It toasts 6 slices perfectly, bakes 12” pizza and includes a 9 X 11” bake pan.
Grippable (even with mitts) contoured knobs control 150° F-450°F (65.5° C-232°C) cooking at 1400 watts. Three rack positions would allow a separate rack for extra cookies or other flat stuff. Rounded rear allows you to bake a 12” pizza and larger pies and cakes. There are two more models like this with convection, rotisserie, and oven fry functions, all under $130.
Reviewers said, “traditional pull down door (ovens), worked ok except for the few times my arm hit the door when removing food. The roll top door on this oven is fantastic.” The double walled unit only gets warm on the outside. “Perfect for someone cooking for one or two!”
6. Oster Digital Toaster Oven
This 16.3 x 19.7 x 11.3’’convection toaster oven uses 1300 watts to provide 150° F-450°F (65.5° C-232°C) cooking in an interior that can accommodate a 12 “ pizza or a 10 x 2 x 12” baking pan without handles. It does 6 slice toasting, including bagels and English muffins. Convection works well.
The chicklet keyboard seems to be better than previous types and offers 7 auto-functions, but still has problems. Ordinary design at a great price wonderful alternative to using the oven and keeping a standalone toaster. Allows tall cooking or two racks with one provided (You kept the racks from old ones, right?)
Digital manual is a copy of the small folding two pager and is hard to read. Good thing you don’t need it.
Reviewers did not like the keyboard, “BUTTONS SUCK!”. Some noted that Amazon sells extra racks. Most are positive with little complaints. Great for one or two and in summer heat.
7. BLACK+DECKER 02648008504 Toaster Oven
At 22.8 x 13.4 x 15.5”, this budget friendly convection toaster oven is the largest of our offerings. It is also the least money per square inch. It has bump out back to allow 12 “pizza and two rack levels. 1500 watts provides cooking temperatures to 400°F (193°C), which with convection is all you need.
This brand is old reliable and reviews support this. It isn’t fancy, but it has 8 programmed functions using the digital dials (not chicklet), plus ability for manual setting.
It toasts 6 slices at once, but takes longer than others as the elements are metal and have to preheat, which is why it was not our first choice. However, users have been very happy with other functions, and well under $100 is a bargain.
The manual is well written and illustrated with recipes and an excellent cooking chart.
Reviewers complained the controls are hard to read, but as you learn them it becomes moot. The outside can get very hot. However, many said they seldom or never use their regular oven, especially in summer heat.
Final Words:
It is nearly impossible to give a definitive “best” rating of these toaster ovens, because everyone’s needs are different. However, we can select a winner based on our own research. So that, you can invest on that confidently.
The Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Oven perform better than many air fryer toaster ovens that we've reviewed so far. This one is the best toaster ovens for toast according to our in depth research and analysis.
FAQ's:
Q1: Can you toast bread in a toaster oven
Definitely, you can toast bread slices in your toaster oven. Most toaster oven come with dedicated Toast setting (at 450°F) for more even baking. If you need more control over browning, you can also get a model with preferred toast shade setting like- Breville BOV650XL.
Q2: How Much Time A Toaster Oven Takes To make Great Toast?
Depending on the model and the type of bread, a toaster oven usually takes 2-5 mins to toast your bread.
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