Toaster or Toaster Oven ?

Or Both ? - What Are Your Needs ?

"A Toaster Oven is neither a good toaster, a good oven, nor a good broiler." -- Consumer Reports test toaster-ovens, 1990

I have to admit, I like cooking tools, kitchen gadgets and appliances, but I do not always like shopping for toasters, probably because my expectations are too high. My mother had her Sunbeam toaster for 35 years!

My hope is that someone will design, engineer and build a reasonably compact toaster-oven that will not only toast, bake, convection bake and broil but will also have a rotisserie AND last for a while.

My son and daughter-in-law tell me they use their toaster-oven everyday, sometimes several times a day. They have never had a problem. I haven't been that fortunate.

I have a toaster, so why consider a toaster oven? My toaster is under-utilized and I have a need for another (smaller) oven when I have guests at my home (often).

With a toaster oven I should be able to prepare anything from a piece of toast to a full meal. In addition, if I find a good one, I may end up using it more than my full-size oven when I am only cooking for myself and my husband.

If you’re looking to purchase a toaster instead of a toaster oven, hang on ...I'll get to that also. First, some information about toaster ovens I have researched.

The smallest toaster ovens have a capacity for four slices of toast. Sizes go up from there. Some of the larger toaster ovens can accommodate a twelve inch pizza.

Some come with digital controls. Those that still have manual controls mean you have to adjust the temperature dial to find the right heat setting for a particular item. These are less expensive than those with digital controls.

A toaster oven can also defrost, bake and brown items and some, I have read and been told, make great compact broilers.

If what I've researched and been told is true, if I want to bake or broil something small I will use the toaster oven to conserve electricity and to get the job done more quickly.

What criteria did I set for researching a toaster-oven? I want one that has about 1/2 cubic foot capacity, large enough for that small pizza or an entree for two. This size would allow me to toast at least 4 pieces of bread at the same time, toast bagels and English muffins and toast other very thick breads. I want one with a toast color selector with an automatic shut-off allowing me to choose from light to dark for toast. A heavy non-stick interior would make cleanup quick. I want to view the entire cooking process so there should be an interior light. The machine I want will be designed so that the dual oven racks automatically advance when I open the door. The machine must have truly cool-touch sides. It must also have an easily removable crumb tray. It should have reasonably easy-to-use cooking controls. Since this machine will sit on my counter, I need it to be reasonably attractive.

Like I said, maybe I expect too much. But there are toaster ovens on the market that apparently meet these criteria.

I have narrowed my preference down to the Cuisinart TOB-175BC Convection Toaster Oven/Broiler pictured on the left. The only criteria this unit doesn't meet is that there is no rotisserie. Can't have it all, I guess.

"Foreman" has an "8-in-1" oven (with a rotisserie) but I am staying away from that appliance because I have heard from a couple of people that it gets hot on the exterior and just isn't made very well ($84 USD might explain why).

Even though a recipe booklet comes with this appliance I am also going to buy a recipe book called Pop It in the Toaster-Oven. It was recommended to me by a cooking friend and I am always trying to learn more and more about cooking.

If you're ready to "go hunting" for a good appliance that meets your criteria, start with the reliable resource below.

What if you really only want a regular toaster?

You can purchase a toaster at any discount store or online for less than $20 USD like the Proctor-Silex 22450 Cool-Touch 2-Slice Toaster pictured to the left. It measures approximately 12 by 7 by 9 inches and has a 1-year limited warranty (clue). It is a 2-slice toaster with wide slots that should accommodate a variety of breads (Note: even though a toaster may have wide slots, don't think it has long enough slots for some breads!).

It has a cool-touch exterior and automatic shut-off (important for safety but I have read that the exterior parts CAN get "warm-hot"). It has a slide-out crumb tray for quick and easy cleaning.

If this is really all you want or need, buy it at a nearby discount store and save the shipping costs.

Or you can purchase a "retro" DeLonghi Metropolis CTM2023 2-Slice Toaster for about $50 USD. Now you're starting to pay for style.

The DeLonghi Metropolis CTM4023 4-Slice Toaster is about $70.

Want a 4 slice toaster that will do its job properly and last a long time? The Waring Pro WCT800R Heavy-Duty 4-Slot Toaster is what I have at the restaurant (as well as a commercial rotary toaster). The Waring toaster can be purchased for a "mere" $300 USD! :-O

Online Resource for Small Kitchen Appliances Research Toasters at Amazon

I hope you found this information helpful. Since I am in a business that uses kitchen appliances and I love to cook at home, I will be updating this page frequently. Don't forget to Bookmark Real Restaurant Recipes.



Donna
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