Like the Panasonic, this toaster oven was one of the fastest at preheating to 350 °F in our tests. Since this model is so large (it measures roughly 20.5 by 13.25 by 11.25 inches), we recommend frigidaire gallery dishwasher it for households with ample countertop space. Although the Cuisinart is not marketed as such, it can also be used to air-fry food (pod-shaped air fryers are simply mini convection ovens).
This convection toaster oven has a slightly more powerful fan for air frying than the Cuisinart, plus convenient markings on the door and the easiest-to-clean interior. It also has additional settings for proofing bread, slow cooking, and dehydrating. The Hamilton Beach has manual knobs that adjust the temperature (from 150 °F to broil/toast mode), the function , and the 30-minute timer. The biggest drawback to this model is the toast shade setting on the timer dial.
But the warping didn’t make the tray overly difficult to pull out or to clean. We noticed that crumbs tended to accumulate on the inner ledge at the base of the oven’s door. However, we found it easy to brush them onto the crumb tray using a pastry brush or a paper towel. We also ran a bonus round to evaluate how well each oven could crisp up the skin on chicken thighs—a very telling test, as very few models excelled at this task. The knowledge gained from hundreds of hours of testing since 2013 has helped us identify the most promising models to test each year. We’ve been long-term testing our picks to see how they hold up over the long haul—we’ve been using some models in our own homes since 2017.
The large Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven (TOB-260N1) has nearly all of the capabilities of a full-size oven. It delivers even heat to up to nine slices of bread and can easily hamilton beach 1000 watt microwave handle a 13-inch frozen pizza or a whole roast chicken . The Cuisinart’s three-year warranty is outstanding, as are its impressive accessories, which include a ceramic pizza stone.
This chart featured in the Balmuda manual is misleading. Surface browning begins at a much lower temperature than the 320 °F indicated above. And at 428 °F, toast would be burning, not beginning to brown (on a medium setting, the toaster didn’t even reach 428 °F).
A plus-30-seconds button may seem trivial, but it makes a huge difference — it allows you to quickly start or add more time without having to press a series of buttons. Desertcart provides a seamless and secure shopping platform with 100 million+ products from around the globe delivered to your door. ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY This is the only express warranty for this product and is in lieu of any other warranty. This product carries a warranty that it will be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase.
Front panel includes a digital clock and touchpad that easily wipes clean with a damp cloth. Inside, a glass turntable is removable for easy cleaning. Balmuda’s The Toaster is a $300 appliance that’s different from most other toaster ovens because it steams bread while it toasts. In theory, it’s supposed to help keep the “inner moisture and flavor from escaping,” but we’re not convinced it makes a difference. In fact, we weighed white sandwich bread and rustic sourdough bread before and after toasting to see how much moisture the bread retained.
The Breville Pro is also a bit roomier—it can fit a 6-quart Lodge Dutch oven without a lid, or a 5.5-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven with a lid . Just avoid using the lid if it has a non-metal knob that could be damaged by close contact with the heating elements . To test how well the toaster ovens maintained a set temperature, we stuck an air probe thermometer into their cavities and monitored them for 20 minutes. We also tested the unique features on certain models, such as dehydrate modes or the steam feature on Balmuda’s The Toaster. Additionally, we took note of any excessively loud beeps and evaluated the usefulness of each model’s accessories.
We also offer expert advice on what to look for when shopping for a countertop microwave at the end of this guide. Some toaster ovens, like our budget pick, are equipped with only two heating elements. But fewer heating elements aren’t necessarily an indication of poor toasting performance. If the oven cavity is small, two elements are enough to regulate heat. That said, avoid larger toaster ovens with only a couple of elements because they won’t be able to distribute heat evenly. The more heating elements a toaster oven has, the bigger and more expensive it will be.
The FlashXpress made crispy-yet-melty Bagel Bites that were more consistently browned from one edge of the pan to the other. Some ovens’ results weren’t dark enough; others were overdone or unevenly cooked. This was also one of the only models in this price range that could bake chicken thighs with a golden brown, crispy skin.