Were you ever forced to cut a whole pizza in half and heat it over two cycles because your toaster oven was too small?
If you have, we’ll help you ensure it doesn’t happen again. If you haven’t, we’ll make sure it stays that way.
Here are the top qualities you should factor in when buying the perfect toaster oven.
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Wattage
When eyeing a product, wattage is something you want to pay attention to. In short, wattage is how much power your oven uses.
If an oven operating at 1100 watts takes thirty seconds to soften the cheese in your sandwich, another oven operating at 1500 watts for the same amount of time will completely melt it.
An increased power consumption, however, means more electricity and higher electricity bills; and that too is something you should consider when making your decision.
It all goes back to how fast you want your food cooked and how much you care about the environment.
Low wattage products consume less electricity, and so they take a little longer to achieve what products of a higher wattage can do.
Nevertheless, low wattage products are also easy on the wallet and the planet’s resources.
Presets
Presets are commonly undervalued but don’t fall for the trap. Having a comprehensive set of presets on your toaster oven isn’t something to take for granted.
Picture a perfectly toasted bagel or a perfectly warmed pizza slice. With the right presets, you can perfect the process every time.
You can also depend on the presets if you’re after a rotisserie chicken with just the right crisp texture or an evenly baked cookie tray.
They control how fast your food gets cooked, at what temperature, and whether or not it should be evenly heated.
Your perfect toaster should contain some presets, but not to the point where it contains everything.
It should depend on what you mainly use your oven for. There’s no need to pay extra for something you won’t use.
Dimensions
The importance of a toaster oven’s dimensions goes back to two things. First, the space in which it will be stored.
If you have a small kitchen, you’ll want to take a tape measure to your countertop and take some measurements.
As per instructions, you’ll need two to three inches of empty space between the top of your oven and the overhead cabinets. For the exact distance, check your prospect toaster’s manufacturer’s website.
The second reason contributing to the importance of your oven’s dimensions is what you’ll be cooking/heating in it. If you’re living alone and you mostly cook small things, a small oven will do.
However, a small family, often heating whole chickens and 12” pizzas, will need a bigger oven to meet their needs.
Durability
A long-lasting product is one thing you shouldn’t compromise on, whether it’s with toaster ovens or anything else.
Even if you were to pay a higher price for the more reliable product, don’t hesitate to make the purchase. While you’ll be paying a large sum, it will only be a one-time payment.
On the other hand, think of how many times you’ll have to pay for your cheap and unreliable toaster oven to get it fixed.
That said, keep in mind that not all expensive toaster ovens are good and not all cheap ones are bad.
It’s essential to do your research, even if it’s a quick read about the best toasters reviewed here, as it’s the only way to know what you’re buying.
The last thing you want to do is to opt for a low-quality product only to have it break down a couple of months later. If you do so, you’ll just end up buying the higher-quality one anyway, so why not save yourself the hassle!
Ease of Cleaning
If you don’t already know, cooking equipment is never easy to clean. Especially when dealing with oil, grease, and food juices, the job is particularly hard, but it’s then when it’s most important to clean your toaster oven.
The best thing you can do is to save yourself some trouble and get yourself a product that’s easy to clean. The two features you should be looking for are a removable crumb tray and a non-stick interior.
The non-stick interior will make cleaning the insides as easy as wiping a countertop. The removable tray will collect all the grease and crumbs left behind. Come cleaning time, take out the tray and wash it in the sink.
Pro tip: when cleaning a tough, greasy stain, a mix of baking soda and water will do wonders.
Extra features
Some of the additional features will provide you with little benefit, but others will make your life a whole lot better.
Let’s start with the one most people assume is there in a toaster oven: convection heating.
If you want your food cooked evenly, the convection fan will circulate the hot air around the chamber making sure every bit of your food is receiving a relatively equal amount of heat.
Another feature is an internal light bulb that shows you what’s going on inside the oven.
If you’re particular about the shade of your toast or the color of your chicken’s skin, you’ll want the feature to be able to closely keep track of your food’s progress.
Screen displays aren’t at all essential, but they do have some benefits like showing how much time is left or displaying the exact settings of the current cycle.
If you’re a perfectionist, having a screen will allow you to keep pictures of all your favorite settings on your phone.
Choosing the right toaster oven is far from complicated, but it takes some planning. After initially browsing the market, take the time to know what you want in a toaster.
Remember that sometimes you can’t tell what you want until you see what’s available. After you’ve identified your needs, set a budget based on your research and start narrowing down your options.
Finally, don’t neglect reviews since they shed light on the pros and cons only known to experienced users.