To invest in a toaster oven…or not? After 16 years of marriage, a choice had to be made. To clarify, our toaster hadn’t been married for 16 years. Matt and I had been married for 16 years. We had been given the beloved toaster as a wedding gift. It lasted for precisely 16 years, four children, and 5,702 pieces of toast. Then, it decided to retire and its heating coils failed to ever turn orange again.
Thus we found ourselves faced with this very difficult decision about whether we should simply buy another regular toaster, or if we should invest in a nice toaster oven. This ranked right up there with other decisions we have faced over the years like, “should we purchase a house?” and “should we home school our offspring?”.
Okay, totally not really. Not even close.
But we did have to figure out how, pray tell, we were going to make toast. Grim reality hits when you’re standing in the kitchen with your butter knife and jelly, and you are suddenly faced with absolute toastlessness. Emotions can run amok.
Okay, totally not really. Not even close.
In actuality, our family doesn’t really even eat very much toast anymore. But shucks, wasn’t it fun to picture my husband and me standing sadly with our un-toasted bread in the kitchen, heads bent over in deep contemplation, as together, we looked through toaster catalogs?
We finally did decided to go ahead and purchase a toaster oven to replace our regular ol’ toaster. Because we no longer use a microwave, we have found our toaster oven to be a wonderful addition to our kitchen for warming up leftovers quickly. In addition, we chose a toaster oven that was big enough to bake a small pan of brownies or cookies, bake a small pizza, or warm up several burritos at once. We use it all the time and absolutely love it. I would not want to go back to regular toaster now that I’ve experienced how great and versitile a toaster oven is.
Many of you have asked which toaster oven we have and recommend. Well, it would appear that the toaster oven we own, a Euro-Pro Convection 6-Slice Toast R Oven, is no longer available at Amazon (which is where we purchased it a year ago). It seems that the Oster 6-Slice Convection Toaster Oven is comparable to what we purchased, and if I needed to buy one for my family at this point, that is likely what I would choose.
So how about you? Do you use a toaster or a toaster oven? If you have a toaster oven, in what ways do you use it?
Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it and in case you were wondering, our toaster oven does also make toast. Yes indeed. We are no longer toastless.
My toaster oven is the most used appliance in my kitchen! We have a small family, so it suits our needs well. Yes, I do bake in it. I reheat with it. I make croutons in it. I use it as a warmer when I lose my mind while making supper and something finishes way ahead of time. I bake potatoes in it. so much quicker than my oven. I even do my bacon in it.
Mine is a Kenmore and I think I would shed tears if it decided not to retire ;)
**if it decided To retire. goodness gracious.
I don’t want to have to pick another one! :)
How funny….
A few weeks ago, we lost our microwave due a mistake I made that resulted in destroying a microwave that was less than a year old (apparently I have microwave destroying skills…). So I (we) decided I was not interested in getting a new microwave. So we are actually thinking about upgrading from our little toaster oven, to something of a larger capacity. So happy you brought this topic up! I am looking forward to everyone’s responses.
Your post is perfect timing for my husband and I. As we are in the process of getting rid of our microwave and replacing it with a toaster oven. Thanks for the encouragement.
You’re so funny! We have a toaster oven but can’t use it right now. Not only do we not have counter space but I think the inside is non-stick which is bad for my pet birds to breathe when it heats up. When we move to a bigger place, hopefully we’ll be able to use it again!
I was looking at these with the idea that it would be convenient for large family meals (like Christmas) but was unsure if I could really bake anything in them. Thank you for posting!
I have been begging my husband for a toaster oven for years and he will not allow me to purchase one b/c he says they are a fire hazard. I try my hardest to not use the microwave, but since we still have one the other members of the family still do…I would love to replace it with a toaster oven! Sometimes I feel like they think I am crazy and won’t even look into the research of a food-related topic :(
Hi Laura,
We use our toaster oven daily usually to reheat pizza, make chicken cutlets, toast garlic bread, warm italian bread, etc. We love it!! I however need a new one so thank you for the Oster recommendation. Our toaster oven does not stay on any longer unless you prop a jar of sauce in front of it to hold the door closed :)
We are still using the toaster oven we were given as a wedding gift 13 1/2 years ago. When we were first married, I often cooked in that instead of the regular oven to keep from heating up the house in the summer. Now we use it for toast and to heat up leftovers since we got rid of our microwave a few years ago. I would love to get a new one, but until ours quit, I’ll have to keep the old one.
Hi Laura! We are in the same boat. My toaster only comes on when it wants to and then you have to push it down a couple times to get nice golden toast. I am wondering if I would like a toaster oven more then a toaster because I could stop using my microwave so much(I hate the microwave). After reading threw the comments above I think a toaster oven is the way to go! Now just to find one that we will like and is not too expensive.
We had a toaster oven for many years and finally threw it out when we moved in September, because, even though it would still toast, it would no longer bake. We have yet to replace it, because we try so hard not to purchase items made in China. We have yet to find a toaster oven made anywhere else…. So, we have been “toasting” bread and leftover waffles on a broiler pan in the oven. Not quite the same…
My aunt and uncle gave us a toaster oven for our wedding gift, 14 1/2 years ago. Still using it and I love it! My oven has been out a couple times and it came in very handy on these occasions.
We are looking to replace our microwave with a toaster oven, but I have a few practical questions, if you don’t mind! :)
How long does it take to make toast with it? About the same as a regular toaster?
Can you put a cup of water in there, to get it hot for making a hot drink? And how long would that take?
Could you soften butter with it?
Sorry for all the questions, I’m just trying to see if it would work well for our family. I love all that I’m hearing about them and look forward to trying one out. I just need to know the answers to these questions, because I know my husband will ask!
Thanks!
Totally LOVE my toaster oven and it’s a cheap ALDI buy. Nothing like reheated pizza in a toaster oven. Microwaved it gets sweaty–yuck bluck. Trying to get away from the microwave, too. Although I do heat the kids’ corn bags that they sleep with in the microwave. I don’t think the toaster oven would be the same with that!!
Love my Aldi toaster oven too! I keep my microwave for our rice bags but little else also.
I just use my regular oven for cooking, baking, reheating and making toast. For me there is no reason to have an extra appliance that does the exact same thing as my oven. I like having the counter space for other things. :)
Aside from toast, I use mine for reheating pancakes and waffles… :) 350 for about 8 minutes reheats nicely.
I wouldn’t trade my Breville for anything; I use it for everything, including defrosting, reheating – and so easy to clean; the tray slides out the front so you don’t have to pull the appliance out and reach around the back. They have 2 sizes; I bought the big one and love it!
My parents bought me a Breville for my birthday and I love it! I use it everyday to reheat breads and to bake whatever will fit in the toaster oven.
We use a regular toaster for toast. We are very frivolous that way.
And we use our toaster oven for, ANYTHING-we-can-cram-into-it-so-not-to-use-electricity-to-heat-up-the-big-oven. :)
Our MUCH used warming appliance gem is on its last leg (I’m anxiously waiting for its untimely death so I can get a new one). Thanks for the recommendation!
I love my toaster oven. I have used it to make pies, bake bread, roast meats. It’s actually a convection so it does everything from dehydrate to broiling. It’s not huge and I kinda wish it was a bigger size do I could roast a whole chicken. We like on propane so there have been times when we have been out of propane and I have had to use it to cook my meals. A lifesaver! I bought my toaster/ convection oven at a garage sale a couple of years ago for a couple of bucks. I was brand new. I don’t think anyone has ever used it. I would recommend searching your local thrift stores or garage sales because you can get some really good deals. I had already had one so I didn’t buy but I found another brand new toaster oven at a thrift store a while back that was $10. It was a Wolfgang Puck model. The one I have is a Welbuilt. I think it’s an older model but I haven’t had any problems with it and it works great.
We have been considering a toaster oven. We really don’t have the counter space but it would come in handy here in Arizona. I usually wont use the oven From May to September because it is just too hot here. A friend of mine has a toaster oven and uses it all of the time without it heating up her kitchen.
When we made a location move this past summer, I knew we needed to also make a change in toaster oven as the door on ours wouldn’t stay shut anymore. After much contemplation I got one larger than what I have ever had. After it arrived I wondered if I went too big as it took up more room than the previous one. But I can say that it was one of the best purchases I have ever made in small appliances!!! You can fit family size corning ware dishes in it, a large pizza and much more. It works splendidly and as we are living rurally now I choose to do most of my cooking in it as electric is cheaper than propane! We love it! I bought it at Wal-mart online for just under $100 and it is still available for that price. It is the Oster Extra-large Convection Toaster Oven. Here is a link to check it out:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Oster-Extra-Large-Convection-Toaster-Oven/13729291
Happy Toasting/Baking!
Forgot to mention that I have baked Banana Bread in it and it didn’t burn.
My toaster oven is a Black and Decker…large like yours. I couldn’t do without it. It’s my baby. I recommend them to everyone!
They are so frugal…and better for you. And plus, they just make food taste so much better – instead of all rubbery like in the microwave.
I love your sense of humor. You crack me up :0)
oh, right – the Breville is a convection oven too!
I can imagine the great versatility of a toaster oven and maybe someday I’ll have one of my own. But being toasterless isn’t so bad if you want toast. Just put however many bread slices you need toasted onto a cookie sheet. Into the oven with the broiler on they go. Watch carefully – it’s easy to leave them too long and then you’ll be scraping the charred blackness away. When the first side has reached the desired browness, flip them over and return them to the oven. This whole process doesn’t take any longer than the actual toaster, on the contrary, you can do a whole sheet full in the amount of time it would have taken to toast two or four pieces in a regular toaster. :O)
We so love our toaster oven too – we use it in place of our micro too :)
I purchased a Maxi-Matic ETO-730B Elite several month ago from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TEZCHM/ref=wms_ohs_product
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to use it regularly yet, because the spot on my counter where I wanted to put it is next to the refrigerator. Not good. I didn’t think ahead.
We have been slowly remodelling parts of our home, and the kitchen/dining area is next, so I plan to purchase a microwave cart if I can’t find a spot on my counter.
We don’t have a microwave anymore, so I’m using my stove top and oven to reheat everything. I can’t wait to use my toaster oven though, and am happy to read how much everyone here loves them.
I also meant to say that one of the reasons I chose this oven is because it is NOT coated with Teflon.
We had always been toaster oven people, but ours died recently. We used to use it all the time when we had just 1 kid, but with 3 kids and 1 on the way we found that we were always using the oven for things that we would have put in the toaster oven in the past. Since we weren’t using the toaster oven for anything but toast we decided to switch to a traditional 4-slice toaster. Maybe we just didn’t have one that was big enough, but with our tiny kitchen I just don’t know where I would put a larger one :(
I just wanted to state that your euro-pro is available for free shipping to both Sears and Lowes. It may be available at your stores just not at mine.
I just recently found your blog & I wanted to tell you that you are hilarious! This post made me laugh out loud. I appreciated the tip on the toaster ovens too.
We use our toaster oven for everything. I don’t have a stove because we live in a basement apartment that has a kitchenette, so I’ve adjusted a bit. I have a double burner to replace a stovetop, and our toaster oven to bake, broil, toast, and whatever I would need my oven for. I love it! Ours is big enough to fit a 9×13 pan with no handles, so it works for our family of 5 well. Thanks for sharing about yours!
I have a Hamilton Beach toaster that is also a rotisserie and a convection oven. It cost less than 80.00 and it was a great investment. I mostly bake in it and it’s significantly faster than my regular convection oven. When it’s hot, I like to take it out on my deck along with my electric griddle and cook outside instead of heating up the house.
I have a toaster oven, but I don’t use it. The problem I have with it is the space it takes on the counter. However, I don’t want to be a day without my toaster! We LOVE toast! Toast with butter and jam is like dessert to me!
Oh my goodness. Our toaster oven is older than our firstborn son (who is now 13). It is a Black&Decker and came with a wonderful hood that allows it to be mounted under the cabinet, off the countertop. I love this appliance. (So much that we’ve moved and installed it in 3 different homes!) We’ve reheated pizza, toasted untold numbers of loaves of bread, baked potatoes, heated lasagna, brownies, fruit crisp, and lots more. The only days when it doesn’t get used are when we are out of town. We use it that much. But I’ve begun to notice–it takes longer to bake and needs the heat turned up. I think its age is catching up to it and before long it will need to be retired to the home of aged appliances. I will push that day off as long as I can. And meanwhile, watch for another that can be mounted under the cabinet!
We have a small toaster oven, mostly because I am gluten free and my husband is not. A toaster oven is “safer” (than a reg. toaster) because the tray can be cleaned.
We also have 4 slice toaster – 2 slices for me and 2 slices for him. We have and use a microwave, too. I think all 3 appliances serve different purposes for us and I’m happy to have them all! I try not to get bent out of shape about something like a microwave – I just don’t buy into the “hype” over their dangers. :)
We are a toaster oven family. We love to make tortilla pizzas, tuna melts, garlic bread, toast English muffins & bread, bake mini batches of cookies and much more. It’s so handy :)
We love our toaster oven. We have a Cuisenart (got a good deal on CraigsList). It is awesome. Like yours, it’s big enough for a pizza or for a small batch of cookies. It keeps us from using the microwave and is also more energy efficient than the oven. It would be hard to do without our toaster oven.
We used to go through toaster ovens like people go through socks! It didn’t matter which brand and how swank it looked at first, eventually it would just look terrible sitting there on the counter. Pathetic really. The glass would become a discolored brown and even the top some, and I “hear” that is b/c of burning things, which totally sounds right with me, so if you really pamper it you may not have that problem. We had several and finally just coveted the space on the kitchen island that it was using up. We do not use the microwave – we heat things up on the stove as you wrote in an artice recently. We used to eat a lot of egg/melted cheese sourdough sandwiches so it definitely made lunch an easier task! After a few years, I just wanted the space back. But we loved the functionality and basically bought mid-range price, or one up from the cheapest. :)
Nickole
i love our toaster over. ours is actually a bit larger than the norm its also a roteserie too. we love it! you can bake pretty much anything uses less wattage and doesnt heat the house up like the large oven. we use it to heat up the leftovers just on the regular ceramic plate. i never use the microwave my husband does sometimes we use it so much that qwe keep it underneath the cabinets. the food tastes much better in toster oven when heated. it takes a little bit longer but we just put it on broil it heats up quickly. ouras also has a keep warm, broil, bake, toast and rotisserie. and a timer ours is a euro pro
I could put a large toaster oven where my microwave currently sits, but we have 5 growing children and I want the largest possible. The only thing the microwave is used for these days is to reheat the occasional cup of coffee. If we didn’t have a microwave, how would my husband warm a cup of coffee? Any suggestions from you creative ladies? Does any one else reheat a cup of coffee later in the day?
I reheat half cups of coffe that have gone cold and I don’t feel guilty about it as I hate cold coffee. It is the only food I still microwave as my only other option would be a saucepan.
I have two beverage prongs on a cord. All you do is put them in the cup and it reheats quickly!
most stores such as Walmart have them.
Oh thank you for that reply! I have one of those as well and I forgot about it!
I have a digital Oster convection toaster oven I picked up at Target http://www.target.com/p/Oster-Digital-Toaster-Oven-Stainless-Steel-Black/-/A-13773422. I love it.
I was given an ugly toaster oven about 23 years ago. I often shopped for a prettier one until Veggie Tales came along and Madame Blueberry showed me that since I really didn’t USE the ugly one, I really didn’t NEED an new prettier one! When I was given a large slice toaster (that’s all we used the oven for anyway) Hubby took the ugly one to work for the break area, thus freeing up valuable counterspace at home. Recently the toaster died and I was actually given a pretty white toaster oven! Thanks to Laura’s last post, my eyes were finally opened to the dangers of microwave use, so now the microwave is sitting in the floor and I am rediscovering all the uses for a toaster oven! We didn’t use the microwave all that much, but I don’t want to sacrifice the value of any food for convenience’s sake! I was horrified to realize what I miss the microwave most for is heating baby food! Shame on me! The microwave might live in an obscure corner somewhere in the basement so that hubby can reheat his coffee…:(
as my children (19 & 17!!) are HUGE fans of Veggie Tales (and can pretty much sing all of the silly songs w/ Larry) I had to share your reply w/ my son — we both howled! We know that story very well! I love how kids programs have a way of speaking to us as adults.
i dont use either i butter both sides of bread and fry in a hot cast iron pan not hard and cruncher like a toaster
i just wanted to say that we owned at oster toaster oven in 2008-09 and it did not even last a year. it would get so hot on the outside that it would have easily burned skin and we were also afraid it would burn our counter. when we did toss it out we cut the cord just in case someone should find it and try to use it. i do not recommend oster at all. recently in june 2011 we bought an Oster microwave and now this past February we had to replace it because it completely stopped warming. i have found oster to make unreliable products. we replaced the toaster oven with a black and decker and it worked fine.
Our family is new to the toaster oven scene, but I just purchased one last year and now wonder how I lived without it. We have the Breville BOV800XL. I bake potatoes, “fry” bacon, toast, make cookies and even roast chicken. Living in the south where summers are sometimes unbearably hot, not having to heat up the big oven for dinner is a lifesaver. It’s easier and somehow seems safer for my 13 year olds to pop something in the “oven” too. I can’t imagine not having my Breville!
Shortly after we got married, someone blessed us with some money. We bought a toaster oven — 10 years later, my husband still says that was the best thing we’ve ever invested in!
We have a toaster oven. I like the toast it makes. I also like to heat up small portions of leftovers in it.
I don’t think my husband likes it as much, but I think he would miss it if we tried the other kind.
I often make toast in my skillet as well. Butter both sides of bread and toast!
I JUST bought a toaster oven the other day! My husband had only been using the microwave to heat up water to make tea in the morning and after numerous suggestions to “just put the kettle on” he started doing just that. I asked if I could buy a toaster oven and get rid of the microwave and he said yes. We found a Black & Decker at a kitchen store for $60 – it’s also a convection oven. After wanting one for months I have yet to have a chance to use it! LOL
I have been shopping for a good (decent) convection toaster oven for a long time, but cannot find one that is NOT made in China. In fact, it looks impossible because I’ve been to so many stores as well as online stores looking for one. Is there any counter-top convection toaster oven that’s NOT made in China today? I am willing to pay MORE for an oven that’s made in the USA or in any country that is not China! Please help!
Oh no, too funny! We do not have a microwave, either, and only have the toaster oven (wonderful invention)…ours has the quirky habit of shutting off or mysteriously turning on! I figured out that its got a short somewhere above the circuit board…if anything is placed on top (we keep our wok up there) then it happens…as long as the wok is off to the left side we’re good…no mysterious on/offs!
Breville BOV800XL Smart Oven 1800-Watt Convection Toaster Oven.I already invested on it.here is another great list about best toaster oven.http://besttoasterovenreviewshq.com/
I too am looking for this. I have a small kitchen and don’t use the toaster very often so I just keep it in the cupboard until I need to use it. It’s kind of a hassle, but I enjoy the extra counter space.