The Best Toaster Ovens Will Transform the Way You Cook

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A toaster oven (this Breville, in case you were curious) is what got my family through our kitchen renovation. We reheated our share of pizzas, but I also pulled off taco nights, burger stations, and baked salmon.

Your toaster oven should produce golden brown toast and waffles that aren’t squidgy. Beyond that, you should expect more from the oft-overlooked appliance because toasters today are capable of so much more. You can broil a whole chicken, enjoy crisp vegetables cooked on an air fryer setting, and make a day-old chocolate croissant taste freshly baked.

Whether you’re looking for a smart appliance or a toaster oven that can stand in for your full-size oven, I’ve put together a list of six models that will come in handy every meal.

Best Toaster Ovens

• Best Full-Size Oven Replacement: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

• Best Smart Toaster Oven: Tovala Smart Oven

• Best Small Toaster Oven: Panasonic FlashXpress

• Best Basic Toaster Oven: Cuisinart Custom Classic Toaster Oven Broiler

• Best Toaster Oven Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven

• Best Toaster Oven for Pastries: Balmuda The Toaster

What to Consider When Buying a Toaster

A toaster oven is a chef’s little buddy. Unlike a pop-up or slotted toaster, a toaster oven reheats, broils, and sometimes doubles as an air fryer (if it comes with a convection setting).

Start with your available counter space and budget. Just you and a partner? Opt for a smaller appliance. Families should think about exactly how many slices of bread you need to brown at once.

At the low end of the price range, you’ll find manual controls and the familiar tick of a dial timer in lieu of a digital one. As a toaster’s capacity and functions increase, the price tag creeps over $100.

Jot down what you have for dinner in a week to think about how a toaster might make your life easier. Look at the number of functions (like a broil setting for browning a casserole), accessories (baking sheets or air fryer baskets), and temperature range to find a model that matches up with what you regularly cook.

Pay attention to wattage, too. A higher number (1,800 watts is standard on higher-price models) translates to rapid pre-heating and means a toaster oven will be powerful enough to have multiple functions.

How We Evaluated

Although there’s always a stack of kitchen appliances waiting to be tested in my home office, cooking dinner for my family of four usually involves relying on tools I know will work. And our current toaster oven—the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro—often plays a part in that meal. To find other recommendation-worthy models, I combed through articles on Wirecutter, Consumer Reports, Epicurious, and Popular Science. I cross referenced the toaster ovens that performed well with Amazon reviews and watched videos online of the appliances in use. I then considered the cost and size of each model. These are the six toaster ovens that should be your trusty dinner (or snack) sidekick.

Best Full-Size Oven Replacement

BREVILLE SMART OVEN AIR FRYER PRO

Wattage: 1,800 w | Dimensions (W x H x D): 21.5 x 12.7 x 17.5 in. | Number of Cooking Modes: 13

When you don’t want to turn on your oven because it’s summer or you’re in pajamas, turn to the stainless-steel embrace of the Breville. The smart toaster with two convection settings (four words: air fryer tater tots) preheats quickly and automatically adjusts the internal temperature to ensure even cooking. A little bit boxy and roughly the size of a microwave oven—you’ll love it secretly like a minivan—it can fit nine slices of toast and up to a 14-pound turkey with the adjustable rack.

Best Smart Toaster Oven

TOVALA SMART OVEN

Wattage: 1,525 w | Dimensions (W x H x D): 18.5 x 11.75 x 12.3 in. | Number of Cooking Modes: 5

The Wi-Fi–enabled Tovala will make you want to geek out about your toaster. The app-controlled appliance toasts, bakes, broils, and steams. The app includes recipes and ingredients lists, too. You can also opt into a meal delivery plan. Like a robot sous chef, the toaster stores your favorite recipes and even scans a frozen meal from Trader Joe’s to determine how long it needs to cook. Good-bye, burnt toast.

Best Small Toaster Oven

PANASONIC FLASHXPRESS

Wattage: 1,300 w | Dimensions (W x H x D): 13 x 12 x 10.25 in. | Number of Cooking Modes: 6

The Panasonic is a little dynamo meant for daily use. The compact toaster, a solid choice if counter space is tight, has a timer (up to 25 minutes), six presets from hash browns to waffles, and a pair of infrared heating elements that crank up the interior to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. No more burned knuckles as the fixed rack slides forward when you open the door.

Best Basic Toaster Oven

CUISINART CUSTOM CLASSIC TOASTER OVEN BROILER

Wattage: 1,800 w | Dimensions (W x H x D): 17 x 8.4 x 11.7 in. | Number of Cooking Modes: 5

For anyone looking to make the jump from a slot toaster to a toaster oven, this Cuisinart model is a great first step. With a non-stick interior for easier cleaning, a slide-out rack, and automatic shutoff, this toaster admirably handles its business. A series of three manual knobs dial in the browning on your toast, and the broil function evenly melts a fat slice of cheddar atop your tuna sandwich.

Best Toaster Oven Air Fryer

NINJA FOODI DIGITAL AIR FRY OVEN

Wattage: 1,800 w | Dimensions (W x H x D): 19.7 x 7.6 x 15 in. | Number of Cooking Modes: 8

This Ninja Foodi has all the bells and whistles of an old-school infomercial. It stores upright! A back panel opens for easy cleaning! The long, sleek toaster oven will ultimately win you over with a straightforward interface, an air fryer setting that bakes 4 pounds of chicken wings at a time, and a set of included accessories (a 13-by-13-inch sheet pan and air fryer basket).

Best Toaster Oven for Pastries

BALMUDA THE TOASTER

Wattage: 1,300 w | Dimensions (W x H x D): 14.1 x 8.2 x 12.6 in. | Number of Cooking Modes: 5

The Balmuda toaster is out of a Pixar film. The charming Japanese appliance with rounded edges comes in four colors and introduces steam into the equation (via a small vent at the top) to produce toast and pastries with crispy edges and chewy interiors. With five modes and three temperature settings, this personal toaster can revive croissants or reheat pizza for breakfast.

Expert Jonathan Bender on Melting Cheese for Nachos, Deciding Between Air Fryers and Toaster Ovens, and Cleaning Techniques

PM: Besides toasting, what’s your favorite use for a toaster oven?
JB: Nachos. I’ve done my share of microwaving nachos—and as the parent of a preteen, I’ll do it again—but toaster-oven nachos are superior. The cheese is more evenly melted. The chips crisp up beautifully. Most toasters preheat quickly, key when you’re craving nachos.

PM: Do you recommend people invest in a toaster oven that can also function as an air fryer, or is it better to invest in two purpose-built machines?
JB: If you have room on budget and space, you could likely find separate appliances with specialties. But since I’ve been using galley kitchens for the past two decades, I’d opt for a toaster oven with air fryer functionality to save on space without sacrificing my options.

PM: What’s the best way to clean a toaster oven?
JB: Unplug your toaster. Make sure it’s cool to the touch. Remove the crumb tray. Rinse and dry it with a soft cloth. Turn the toaster upside down and gently shake the crumbs loose. To clean the outside, add a squirt of dishwashing liquid to a half cup of water and mix them together. Dip a soft cloth, like a Swedish dish cloth, into the cleaning solution. Gently wipe down the toaster before drying with a clean, dry cloth.

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