When it comes to kitchen convenience Small Toaster Ovens are an ideal appliance to have sitting on the kitchen countertop when space is tight.
Not only will these machines toast your favorite bread and bagels – many will also broil, bake, heat pizza and pastry dishes and main entrees as well as reheat leftovers and frozen cookies and snacks.
As with any smaller appliance which look to save on space and budget it important to ensure they do not overly compromise on features.
Best Small Toaster Ovens
The following products provide a selection of the most popular small Toaster ovens available today.
Although footprint of the appliance is of prime concern, ensure you keep an eye out for the following features:
Small Toaster Oven Features and Benefits
- Small toaster ovens are built for making small portions of food. If you are making a small portion for food for yourself, need a quick snack or just want some light-bites for friends then this appliance is ideal.
- Small toaster ovens will heat up much faster than trying to heat up a larger conventional family oven. For small cooking tasks this saves on time, energy and money.
- The fact that they are small appliances means they will not over-heat your kitchen area in the warmer months. This is also an advantage if your kitchen is small or shared with your living area.
- They save on space in small tight kitchens but also give you additional capacity should your conventional oven not be enough.
- As well as kitchen use, their size and versatility makes them ideal for use in remote vehicles, caravan and trailers.
What Food can a Small Toaster Oven Make
The range and size of foodstuffs that can be accommodated will vary depending on the make and model you choose however in general small toaster ovens are designed to make light work of simple heating tasks.
Foodstuffs that can usually be accommodated in a toaster oven include:
- Toasted bread, sandwiches and bagels
- Will unfreeze and then toast bread, muffins and waffles
- Broiling small portions of meat (heating from above)
- Broil the tops of casseroles and gratins
- Bake fish
- Bake small chicken pieces
- Bake pizza and melt cheese toppings
- Bake cakes, brownies and pastries
- Ideal for making pre-frozen meals such as lasagnas
Key Buying Selection Points
There are a huge number of models on the market offering a diverse range of functions. Here are some of the buying points to think about and look out for:
- Automatic cooking mode. For example, these may include settings for slow bake, broiling, defrosting and warming
- Audible beep(s) when the cycle has competed
- Automatic turn-off on completion.
- Racks which will pull out on opening the door.
- Toast shade settings
- Slice capacity (usually 2 to 4 slices for smaller toaster ovens)
- Cooking options such as baking, broiling, convection or rotisserie
- Temperature controls as dials or as digital input.
- Check out if temperature is measured in Celsius or Fahrenheit
- Non-stick broiler/bake pan
- Number of wire racks included
- An interior light for easy viewing of food as it is cooking
- How much space does it take up on the counter-top. Check the height, width and depth
- Check the weight of the machine as this will determine how portable it will be
- The length of the appliance guarantee
A Selection of the Best Small Toaster Ovens
Cuisinart TOB-80 Compact Toaster Oven Broiler
Key Features:
- Has Keep Warm, Toast, Broil and Bake dial functions
- Temperature control dial
- Toast shade control with automatic shut-off
- Oven rack comes out on opening the oven door
- Variable rack positions depending on cooking options
- Broiler rack included
- Comes with small baking rack to hold cookies, fish and meat
- Has a 3 year limited warranty
- Dimensions are 15 (W) x 13 (D) x 8 1/4 (H) inches
The following demonstration video from Cuisinart provides and overview of the small Cuisinart Toaster/Oven Broiler.
Breville BOV650XL the Compact Smart Oven Stainless Steel
Key Features:
- Features Brevilles own “Element IQ” cooking technology which directs heat to the required area
- Time and temperature dials deliver up to 1800 watts of power
- Easy to navigate digital controls for cooking
- A range of toast browning selections
- Can bake cakes, brownies, muffins and pastries
- Settings for roasting, broiling, baking and heating
- Three alternative rack positions for broil, toasting and baking.
- amend temperature to Fahrenheit or Celsius settings
- Easily accessed crumb tray for cleaning the unit
- Dimensions are (W) 11¾ x (D) 10 x (H) 4¼ in
Black and Decker TO1303SB 4-Slice Toaster Oven
Key Features:
- This is one of the best-selling compact toaster ovens on Amazon.com
- Slick and efficient design which comes in stainless steel or black
- Very small footprint (15.5 x 10 x 8.4 in)
- Large window to easily view food as it heats
- Uses “EvenToast Technology” which will toast 4 slices of bread uniformly.
- Has capacity to cater for 4 bread slices and a 9” pizza
- Provides for toasting, baking, broiling, and keeping food warm heating functions
- A stay on heat setting which allows you to bake to your exact requirements
- In-built 30 minute timer with accurate timer toast settings
- Removable crumb tray which allows the unit to be kept clean at all times.
The post Small Toaster Ovens appeared first on The Crusty Loaf.
