A Breville toaster oven is an excellent choice when you want a small countertop cooking appliance that can do much more than just make toast. As a respected manufacturer, Breville makes toaster ovens that are reliable and easy to use.
Before buying, you’ll need to think about what you want from a toaster oven, whether that's the most features possible or a compact footprint. If you're looking for a high-end toaster oven, the Breville Smart Oven Pro is the top choice.
Toaster ovens come in various sizes, and Breville's offerings range from roughly 16 by 14 by 10.5 to 21.5 by 17 by 12.5 inches. The smallest can fit four slices of toast, while the largest can fit nine pieces. When considering what size toaster oven you'd like, think about how much you want to fit in the oven and how much counter space you have. Sometimes you'll need to compromise and either opt for a smaller capacity than ideal or use more counter space than you'd like to.
Most Breville toaster ovens have an Element IQ system. Rather than having a single large cooking element, they have four to six smaller cooking elements that can work individually from one another. This allows the toaster oven to sense where more power is needed and adjust accordingly to create the ideal cooking environment. While the system isn't perfect, it generally gives extremely even results.
Breville toaster ovens offer a range of cooking functions. You’ll usually find eight cooking functions on basic models, while the higher-end options have as many as 13. The eight basic cooking functions you'll find on all Breville toaster ovens are toast, bake, roast, bagel, broil, cookies, pizza and reheat. Higher-end models have some or all of the following: proof, warm, air fry, slow cook and dehydrate. Consider which functions you'd like and choose a toaster oven accordingly. However, even basic Breville toaster ovens can do much more than toast bread, so you don't need to spend a fortune to get a model that can bake and broil.
A handful of Breville toaster ovens have a convection cook button that lets you toggle between regular cooking and convection cooking. Convection cooking uses a fan to circulate heat around the oven space. It helps food to cook more quickly and evenly.
Toaster ovens aren't just for toast, but if you are regularly toasting bread in yours, choose a model with easy-to-select toast shade settings. This lets you select from a range of shades between light and dark, so you can easily toast your bread just how you like it.
Only one Breville toaster oven features an air frying function, but this can save you money and counter space if you're interested in buying an air fryer as well as a toaster oven since you'll only need one appliance.
Depending on its size and features, a Breville toaster oven can cost anywhere from $150-$400.
A. You can find cheaper toaster ovens, but is it worth splurging on a model from Breville? If you have the budget for a Breville toaster oven, it's worth spending the extra cash. Not only is Breville a trusted manufacturer with decades of experience, but these appliances also have excellent customer reviews and most owners are satisfied with their purchase. Of course, if you're looking for a particular feature or function that Breville toaster ovens don't offer, they might not be the best option for you, but in general terms, they provide excellent value for the money.
A. The average lifespan of a toaster oven is around five years. That said, Breville toaster ovens are high-quality appliances and can last significantly longer. It depends on a range of factors, such as how often you use your toaster oven and how well you store, clean and maintain it. What's more, if your Breville toaster oven breaks after five or more years, you can always have it repaired to save money and reduce waste.
What you need to know: A high-end toaster oven that has an impressive 10 cooking functions.
What you’ll love: The convection setting helps cook foods faster, while the slow cook function is great for dishes best cooked low and slow. It has a large capacity, with enough space for a 13-inch pizza or 4.4-quart Dutch oven.
What you should consider: The large capacity gives it a relatively large footprint, so it isn't ideal for small kitchens.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
What you need to know: This affordable compact toaster oven is ideal for people with limited counter space.
What you’ll love: You can select from eight cooking functions, including toast, bake and broil. The nonstick cavity coating makes cleaning up messes a breeze. It's easy to use with a clear LCD display.
What you should consider: The compact size means it only fits four slices of toast, which is a little small for some buyers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Breville The Compact Smart Oven
What you need to know: A mid-sized toaster oven that's not too big or too small.
What you’ll love: With enough space for a 12-inch pizza, a six-cup muffin tray or equivalent, this is a good choice for many households. It has eight cooking functions and can do much more than just toast.
What you should consider: The exterior gets hot, so you need to be careful not to scald yourself while using it.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
