Are Toaster Ovens Worth It? A Look At The Pros And Cons

With the advent of new appliances and gadgets, homeowners now have the opportunity to multitask in the kitchen.

The toaster oven is an example of this technology, but its misleading name may lead some to believe it has a single use when it is a multipurpose kitchen appliance.

Although to some, toaster ovens are a kitchen staple, they should not be taken for granted.

No matter the cooking need, toaster ovens are versatile enough to be used for everything from reheating a snack to cooking an entire dinner or baking and broiling.

So, perhaps you’re hesitant to add this appliance to your kitchen toolset; Continue reading as we explain the benefits and drawbacks of owning a toaster oven that you probably didn’t know about.

What are Toaster Ovens?

Toaster ovens are compact electric countertop appliances that resemble mini ovens but combine the cooking capabilities of both toasters and conventional ovens.

This electric oven/toaster hybrid can toast bread or reheat leftovers.

How Do Toaster Ovens Work?

Toaster ovens are similar to regular toasters in that they use radiant heat.

This device converts electrical energy into thermal energy using wires and nickel/chromium metal alloys.

When a toaster oven is switched on, infrared radiation is produced by the heating components, typically metal coils.

Several toaster ovens provide a low-heat cooking mode or dual racks to facilitate the uniform cooking of various meals and customized heat distribution.

Can A Toaster Oven Replace A Conventional Oven?

The answer depends on the customer’s needs. However, a toaster oven can be used instead of a conventional oven because of its numerous advantages over the conventional oven.

AHow Are Toaster Ovens Different From Regular Ovens?

In contrast to conventional ovens, toaster ovens are designed to circulate heat throughout the oven.

The device disrupts the delicate barrier of chilly air typically surrounding the meal, causing it to warm unevenly. This allows the food to be exposed to hotter air and cook faster.

Other differences are highlighted in the table below.

Features	Toaster Oven	Wall Oven	Range Oven
1)      Size	Smaller than wall oven and range oven.	Bigger than a toaster oven and similar in size to a range oven.	Bigger than a toaster oven and maybe similar in size to a wall oven.
2)      Installation	Installed on countertop	Built into cabinets	Free standing or between cabinets
3)      Energy Consumption	Efficient energy consumption.	Consumes energy.	Consumes energy.
4)      Cost	Very affordable	Expensive	Expensive
5)      Integrated cooking top	No	No	Yes

Pros of Toaster Ovens

A toaster oven’s many benefits over a regular oven allow for a wide range of exciting new uses. Below are some more pros of owning a toaster oven:

1)    Portable

In today’s world, convenience is key, and the toaster oven’s rise to prominence may be directly attributed to its compact, portable design.

The versatility of a toaster oven makes it a must-have appliance for whipping up quick bites before work or school.

Compared to conventional ovens, the toaster oven can be placed just about anywhere in the kitchen, easily moved to another room, and taken on camping trips.

2)    Takes up Less Space

Due to its modest size, the countertop is the most common location for the kitchen appliance as it may be conveniently installed on a home cook’s choice of kitchen counter space.

Compact and portable, Its size makes it ideal for homes or flats with little counter space eliminating the need to prioritize between the toaster and other appliances while cooking.

3)    Easy To Use

The convenience and simplicity of toaster ovens are one of their most noticeable qualities.

Simple two- or three-button controls allow you to easily adjust the temperature, time, and other settings on your toaster oven.

4)    Heats Up Quicker Than A Convectional Oven

Quick preheating is another hallmark of toaster ovens, and this characteristic can be attributed in large part to their compact design.

This rapid heating procedure results in a significant reduction in energy use and further reduce your financial outlay.

In a conventional oven, cooking times might be rather lengthy as they take a long time to complete even the simplest of culinary tasks, such as bread toasting or reheating supper leftovers.

5)    Easy To Clean With Removable Parts

When using an electric cooking appliance, cleaning up is stressful, and if there’s no solution, it can cause anyone to dislike cooking.

A toaster oven, however, eliminates this issue. Due to its compact design and removable racks and trays, washing it is a breeze.

6)    Doesn’t Overheat The Cooking Area Like Conventional Ovens

Those who have used both traditional and toaster ovens will attest to the former’s propensity to generate unwanted heat in the kitchen during the warmer months.

With a toaster oven, you can relax and enjoy preparing various meals without worrying about overheating in the kitchen.

7)    Energy Saving

The high quantity of energy required by most alternative cooking appliances is a significant drawback.

Extra costs for utilities like electricity or gas are never welcome, especially when they are more than necessary.

According to the Energy Star Market & Industry Scoping Report, a toaster oven uses less energy since it heats up and cools down faster than a regular oven.

When compared to the 2,000 to 5,000 watts needed to operate a conventional oven, a toaster oven emerges as the obvious energy-saver.

8)    Budget Friendly

Toaster ovens are less expensive than standard ovens, and their low energy usage contributes to total cost savings (though availability and pricing may vary by location and product specs).

Another plus is that setting up your toaster oven would save you money as it is easy to set up. However, installing a wall oven might cost anywhere from $1,500 to $2,500.

Cons

Some drawbacks of toaster ovens include.

1)    Faster Cooking Isn’t Always Better

One drawback of the toaster oven is that you must closely check your food since it cooks faster than a conventional oven.

However, If you want to multitask while the food is cooking, turn down the temperature on the toaster oven, so it takes longer to cook the items.

2)    Can’t Cook Every Dish

A toaster oven won’t cut it if you’re planning on using it to cook some dishes like big cakes, many batches of cookies, large pizzas, and thanksgiving turkey.

Due to its size, If you have a small family or live alone, a toaster oven is probably your best choice for cooking needs.

3)    Food Can Be Cooked Unevenly

Bread toasts are when the toaster oven’s inconsistencies in cooking become most apparent.

Toaster ovens may produce varying degrees of crispiness between two bread slices from the same loaf. Sometimes subtle distinctions like these can be the most telling.

Types of Toaster Oven

Toaster ovens come in different varieties, and the four most popular types include.

Convection Toaster Ovens.

Standard toaster ovens with an added fan are known as convection toaster ovens. Its purpose is to direct a hot air flow onto the food, facilitating more rapid and uniform cooking.

Consequently, this reduces your toaster oven’s environmental effect and monthly energy costs.

Rotisserie Toaster Oven

There is a large variety of rotisserie toaster ovens available on the market.

Cooking things like whole chicken in one of these is a breeze, and you can get incredible results that would be unattainable in a conventional oven.

Infrared Toaster Oven

When compared to the other toasters, the food is heated rather than the air surrounding it in this sort of toaster oven.

Due to this, preheating the appliance is unnecessary, which is another reason why it is so excellent.

Convection Toaster Oven

The most outstanding features of a conventional toaster and a toaster oven are combined in a single appliance.

This means that there will be a toaster oven beside the enclosed space where you put your food to cook.

Best Toaster Oven Brands

The best toaster oven brands in the market include.

Compact Smart Oven, Breville

Sure-Crisp Air Fryer Toaster Oven, Hamilton Beach

TOA-65 Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven, Cuisinart

FlashXpress Compact Toaster Oven, Panasonic

Who Should Buy Toaster Ovens?

Toaster ovens are helpful in so many ways that they should be included in most kitchens.

They’re catching on as a must-have item for homes everywhere because of their many advantages over time.

Toaster Oven vs. Air Fryer

While air fryers are ideal for rapid and crispy frying of small dishes, toaster ovens are more versatile and provide more precise temperature control for cooking bigger meals.

Below is a comparison of the pros and cons of each of them.

Pros of Using an Air Fryer

• Normal fried dishes benefit significantly from rapid, focused heat
• Quicker cooking times since less food needs to be heated.
• Comparatively less expensive than conventional ovens
• Take up little space
• Can easily be cleaned

Cons of Using an Air Fryer

• Because of the size of the cooking basket, you can usually only cook a small amount of food at a time.
• More components to clean

Pros of Using a Toaster Ovens

• More space for cooking
• Fewer moving parts means less maintenance.
• Can cook more dishes

Cons of Using a Toaster Oven

• Large cooking space means more time spent cooking
• More space is required for cleaning, and some areas are more difficult to reach.
• Less affordable than air fryers

Toaster Oven vs. Microwave

Almost similar in size but vary in the benefits and drawbacks.

Pros of Using Toaster Oven

• Useful for retaining warmth in meals
• Ability to caramelize, toast, brown, and crisp meals
• Low energy usage

Cons of Using Toaster Oven

• Took much longer to cook
• Capable of evaporating moisture from food
• Can’t defrost food properly.

Pros of Using Microwave

• Lessens the amount of time spent in the kitchen
• Quickly re-warms beverages and food
• makes popcorn
• Allows for processing of larger food amounts while reducing energy consumption

Cons of Using Microwave

• Neither crisps nor browns food
• Avoid if your meal consists primarily of low-fat or dry items.
• Not best for bread as it produces dry and chewy bread after heating.

Toaster Oven vs. Conventional Oven

Pros of Using Toaster Oven

• It takes up less room
• Can be stored easily when not in use
• Free of charge setup
• Low-energy consumption
• Both the initial investment and ongoing expenses are reduced.
• Saves power while reheating meals

Cons of Using Toaster Oven

• rack positioning options are constrained
• Can’t make big meals at once
• Is inoperable during blackouts
• Affordable and requires no special setup

Pros of Using Conventional Oven

• Prepares a lot of food at once
• Versatility in rack location
• Possible addition to a range that provides more cooking choices
• There are now potentially more viable options for fueling vehicles during a blackout.

Cons of Using Conventional Ovens

• Using more energy than necessary
• More expensive to acquire, set up, and run
• Requires more room
• Extremely uncomfortable to use in the heat of summer

Toaster Oven vs. Electric Oven

Pros of Using Toaster Oven

• It takes up less room
• Can be stored easily when not in use
• Free of charge setup
• Low-energy consumption
• Both the initial investment and ongoing expenses are reduced.
• Saves power while reheating meals

Cons of Using Toaster Oven

• rack positioning options are constrained
• Can’t make big meals at once
• Is inoperable during blackouts
• Affordable and requires no special setup

Pros of Using Conventional Oven

• Prepares a lot of food at once
• Versatility in rack location
• Possible addition to a range that provides more cooking choices

Cons of Using Conventional Ovens

• Using more energy than necessary
• More expensive to acquire, set up, and run
• Is inoperable during blackouts
• Requires more room

Toaster Ovens FAQS

Can You Roast In A Toaster Oven?

Yes, you can roast in a toaster oven, although the meal size will be limited.

What can you not cook in a toaster oven?

Big meals cannot be cooked in a toaster oven due to the size of the gadget.

Can you bake anything in a toaster oven?

You can use a toaster oven to bake delicious, savory, and sweet treats. Nonetheless, the small space poses a problem. Toaster ovens that can fit a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and a quarter sheet pan of equal size are suggested for baking.

How long does a toaster oven last?

By keeping it clean regularly, you may extend the life of your toaster oven to as many as five years.

Do toaster ovens use a lot of electricity?

No, they don’t, as they are energy efficient.

Can you put metal in a toaster oven?

While practical and safe in a toaster oven, metal plates should be used carefully.

Can I put glass in a toaster oven?

Toaster ovens are not safe for use with any dish made of glassware or ceramic because of the risk of cracking caused by the elements’ inability to heat the meal evenly.

How do you keep a toaster oven clean?

Take out the parts that can be removed and clean them thoroughly.

Can I reheat food in a toaster oven?

The toaster oven is the go-to reheating appliance in the kitchen, and it is suitable for reheating leftovers.

Conclusion

Despite their growing popularity, toaster ovens are vastly underappreciated kitchen appliances.

However, the best toaster ovens are more cost-effective than their conventional counterparts and have a wider range of uses, including toasting, baking, and broiling.

So, If you want to create a whole dinner or simply reheat some leftovers, you can acquire a toaster oven from a reputable brand and watch as your food is cooked to perfection.