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Best Toaster Ovens of 2026

Updated February 2026
How We Tested

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

First Reviewed
September 12, 2021
32
Models
considered
18
Hours
researched
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Buying guide for best toaster ovens

Written by Jennifer Blair, and fact-checked by Andrea Boudewijn
Updated February 2026

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Few kitchen appliances are as versatile as the toaster oven. It can serve up golden brown toast and bake casseroles and roast chicken. Some high-end models offer additional cooking options like air frying and rotisserie cooking.

Most toaster ovens resemble a mini oven that sits conveniently on the countertop. They have a large glass door with a handle, providing easy access to the inside. Some also have a built-in slot toaster on top. Depending on the size, a toaster oven can have one to three racks for cooking, and they’re typically sturdy enough to hold heavier foods like a whole chicken. You can also find models that offer convection cooking. These move hot air around the food to cook it more efficiently and evenly.

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is our favorite toaster oven because it’s large enough for a family and offers a wide range of functions, so you can air fry, broil, dehydrate and more. 

Expert tip
Never put food directly on the rack(s) in the oven. They drop crumbs and drip on the elements, creating a mess or, worse, a fire.
BestReviews Cooking and Baking Expert

Editors' picks

Breville Mini Smart Countertop Oven and Toaster Oven

Editors’ Favorite 

Dimensions: 16” W x 13.6” D x 8.8” H | Capacity: 0.45 cu ft | Temperature Range: 120-450 degrees | Settings: Toast, Bagel, Bake, Broil, Pizza, Roast, Cookies and Reheat

The Breville Mini Smart Countertop Oven and Toaster Oven doesn’t take up much space on your counter, but still delivers plenty of cooking power and versatility. It features five independent quartz elements that enable algorithms to direct heat where and when it’s needed, giving you precise control over your cooking results. It has a temperature range of 120 to 450 degrees, which supports eight cooking functions, including baking, broiling, roasting and reheating, and allows you to prepare everything from toast to muffins. 

Its user-friendly, backlit LCD display makes it easy to access all the oven’s presets and features. The dial control lets you choose your cooking function, while you only have to press a few buttons to adjust the cooking temperatures and time. It also has an “A Bit More” button for occasions when your food needs a little more time to finish cooking.

While the Breville Mini Smart Countertop Oven has a small footprint, it still offers a 0.45-cubic-foot capacity, allowing it to hold up to four slices of toast, an 11-inch pizza or a 6-cup muffin tray. The interior cavity also features a nonstick coating, so it’s easy to clean after cooking. 

Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Countertop Toaster Oven and Long Slot Toaster

Great Value 

Dimensions: 12.05" D x 17.8" W x 10.24" H | Capacity: 0.6 cu ft | Temperature Range: 250 to 450 degrees | Settings: Bake, Broil, Toast and Shade Selector

When you need a reliable toaster oven to get the basics done, the affordable Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Countertop Toaster Oven and Long Slot Toaster is your answer. 

The long slot on top of the oven can quickly toast two pieces of bread at once. But toast isn't all it can do. The oven's 16.5-liter interior can fit a 9-inch pizza and can bake and broil your favorite dishes to perfection. 

It features two rack positions and comes with a bake pan, oven rack, and slide-out crumb tray. It also has a keep-warm function, so your food stays warm until you're ready to eat. Plus, its attractive stainless steel finish goes well with any decor.

Emeril Lagasse Extra-Large French Door Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo

Best Large-Capacity Toaster Oven Combo

Dimensions: 15.8” W x 16.9” D x 14.8” H | Capacity: 0.87 cu ft | Temperature Range: 75-500 degrees | Settings: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil, Toast, Rotisserie, Grill, Dehydrate, Reheat, Proof, Slow Cook and Keep Warm

The Emeril Lagasse Extra-Large French Door Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo is an excellent option if you want a toaster oven that can cook for a group. It’s large enough to fit a 6-pound chicken or a 12-inch pizza, so it can easily feed four to six people. It also features a French door design that opens with a single pull, making it easier to place and remove food from the oven. 

In addition to its large capacity, this oven also offers plenty of cooking versatility. It has 24 one-touch cooking presets, including air-fry, bake, roast, toast and broil. Its air-frying function is powered by a dual-speed fan that circulates heated air throughout the oven, ensuring crisp, even cooking. It also includes a rotisserie spit, so you can roast a whole chicken and achieve a crispy exterior and juicy, tender interior.

While this Emeril Lagasse toaster oven combo takes up a good deal of space, it has an attractive stainless steel finish that looks great sitting out on the counter. It also has an interior light that makes it easy to keep an eye on your food as it cooks.

BLACK+DECKER Crisp 'N Bake Air Fry Countertop Convection Toaster Oven

Best Basic Toaster Oven 

Dimensions: 15.5” W x 22.5” D x 8.2” H | Capacity: 0.45 cu ft | Temperature Range: 250-450 degrees | Settings: Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Toast and Keep Warm

The BLACK+DECKER Crisp ‘N Bake Air Fry Countertop Convection Toaster Oven features a simple design, but still offers many convenient features that make cooking your favorite meals easier. It has five cooking functions, including toast, bake, broil and air-fry. Its air-fry setting lets you enjoy healthier versions of your “fried” favorites, while the toast function provides evenly toasted bread and bagels every time with its EvenToast technology. 

It’s an ideal model for small kitchens because it has a compact design that takes up little counter space and does the work of both a toaster oven and an air fryer. However, despite its smaller size, it’s still large enough to hold up to four slices of bread or a 9-inch pizza, so you can cook for two to four people.

The BLACK+DECKER Crisp N’ Bake also has user-friendly controls that make operation a breeze. It has dials for adjusting the cooking temperature and time and even features a 30-minute timer that automatically turns off the oven when cooking is done. The oven is also easy to clean, featuring a removable crumb and drip tray and dishwasher-safe racks. 

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

Most Powerful and Reliable

Dimensions: 21.5” W x 17.1” D x 12.7” H | Capacity: 1 cu ft | Temperature Range: 80-480 degrees | Settings: Toast, Bagel, Broil, Bake, Roast, Warm, Pizza, Proof, Air Fry, Reheat, Cookies, Slow Cook and Dehydrate

There are few toaster ovens that combine versatility, excellent capacity, user-friendly operation and sleek aesthetics as well as the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. It is one of the largest toaster ovens on our list, with an internal capacity of 1 cubic foot. 

During testing, we easily fit an entire 2-pound bag of french fries in its air-fryer basket and a 12-inch frozen pizza on the baking rack. This increased capacity does mean that it takes up more counter space than the average toaster oven, but its stainless steel finish looks great sitting out in nearly any kitchen.

In addition to the basic cooking functions of toasting, baking and broiling that most toaster ovens have, it offers 10 additional modes. These include air-frying, slow-cooking and dehydrating, so it can replace several appliances on your countertop. We were especially impressed with how well it toasted bread, getting a perfect golden brown in just a few minutes. It was also impressive in our air-frying tests, so we enjoyed deliciously crispy french fries in just 14 minutes, chicken wings in 20 minutes and bacon in 10 minutes. 

The Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro’s large LCD display and control knobs make it very easy to use. It’s backlit, so we could easily read it even when not standing directly in front of the oven. It also has an interior oven light that turns on automatically at the end of each cooking cycle but can be turned on at any point to check your food’s progress. 

Cuisinart Air Fryer + Convection Toaster Oven

Best Multi-Function Oven

Dimensions: 15.75" W x 12.25" D x 13.75" H | Capacity: 0.6 cu ft | Temperature Range: Warm to 450 degrees | Settings: Air Fry, Toast, Convection Bake, Bake, Convection Broil, Broil, Grill and Warming

The versatile Cuisinart Air Fryer + Convection Toaster Oven doesn’t just stand out for the number of cooking functions it offers but also the uniqueness of its settings. It has the typical toast, bake and broil, but it also allows for convection cooking, so it can convection bake, convection broil and even air-fry your favorite recipes.

However, its stand-out setting may be its grill function. It has a reversible grill pan and griddle, so you can get grill marks on burgers and steaks just as you would from your outdoor grill. 

It can also prepare plenty of food despite not being the largest toaster oven on our list. With a capacity of 0.6 cubic feet, it can toast six slices of bread, air-fry 3 pounds of chicken wings or roast a 4-pound chicken. Overall, though, it has a fairly compact design and can maximize space on your counter by replacing several other appliances. 

This toaster oven is easy to use, too. It has intuitive knob controls that allow you to choose a function, select a temperature and set the oven timer as soon as you take it out of the box. The included racks and baking pans aren’t dishwasher-safe, but the interior of the oven has a nonstick coating that makes wiping it clean after cooking a breeze. 

 Panasonic Flash XPress Toaster Oven

Best Compact Toaster Oven

Dimensions: 13" W x 12" D x 10.25" H | Capacity: 0.04 cu ft | Temperature Range: 250 to 500 degrees F or 120 to 260 degrees C | Settings: Toast, Waffle Frozen, Roll Reheat, Pizza Frozen, Quick Reheat, Hash Brown Frozen

If you’re not accustomed to cooking with the Fahrenheit temperature scale, which is only used in the United States and a handful of other countries, the Panasonic Flash XPress Toaster Oven is for you. Its manual temperature control is clearly marked with both Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures, so you never need to do any conversions. 

This compact model is also easy to use. It has six push-button controls to whip up some of your favorite frozen foods to perfection. Its shade control lets you select how light or dark you want your toast. And, thanks to its high-efficiency infrared heating elements, no preheating is required. 

It also comes with plenty of other nice-to-have features that make it a joy to use. An easy-to-read screen shows you how many minutes are left on the timer, and the oven beeps and turns itself off when it’s done cooking. The interior light lets you check on your food while it cooks, and the connected baking rack pulls out when you open the door, so you don’t have to worry about burning your fingers.   

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer and Convection Oven

 

Best for Families

Dimensions: 18.9” W x 15.9” D x 10.9” H | Capacity: 0.8 cu ft | Temperature Range: 120-500 degrees | Settings: Toast, Bagel, Broil, Bake, Roast, Warm, Pizza, Air Fry, Reheat, Cookies and Slow Cook

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer and Convection Oven stands out for its large capacity and sleek, elegant design. Its interior is large enough to fit six slices of toast, a 13-inch pizza, a 9-cup muffin tray and a 4.4-quart Dutch oven, making it ideal for family cooking. While it’s bigger than some other toaster ovens, it has a classic stainless steel exterior that complements a wide range of kitchen decor, so it looks great sitting out on the counter. 

This countertop oven is also incredibly versatile. It offers 11 cooking functions, including air fry, bake, toast, broil and roast, and even has presets for commonly prepared foods like pizza and cookies. It features super convection technology, too, which reduces cooking times by up to 30%, so you can get dinner on the table faster. 

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer features an easy-to-read, backlit display and dial controls that let you select your settings. The display also lets you know when the preheating cycle has ended by changing from red to blue, so you know at a glance when it’s time to add food. You can turn on the interior light with the press of a button, too, allowing you to check your food’s progress.

Hamilton Beach Countertop Toaster Oven & Pizza Maker

Best for Toasting Bread 

Dimensions: 14.9" W x 11.5" D x 8.7" H | Capacity: 12 L | Temperature Range: 150-450 degrees | Settings: Toast, Bake and Broil

If you’re looking for a simple but solid toaster oven, the Hamilton Beach Countertop Toaster Oven & Pizza Maker definitely fits the bill. It doesn’t have all the cooking functions that higher-end models do and instead offers just three settings for toasting, baking and broiling. You can then manually set the temperature and cooking time to cook nearly any dish you could prepare in a full-size oven. 

Because it has only a few cooking functions, the oven’s controls are extremely easy to use. It has three knobs: one for choosing the function, one for the temperature and one for the time. Its timer can be set for cooking times up to 30 minutes, but it also has a Stay-On feature for dishes that require more time. When your food is finished cooking, the oven chimes a ready bell to alert you, so your food doesn’t burn. 

Its compact size allows it to fit easily on most countertops. It also has a sleek stainless steel exterior that looks good with nearly any kitchen decor, so you won’t mind it sitting out, either.  It has a more limited capacity than most of the other models on our list, but it can still fit a 9-inch pizza or four slices of toast, so it’s ideal for one to two people.  

Our Place Wonder Oven

Best Design 

Dimensions: 11.5” W x 10.6” D x 11.6” H | Capacity: 0.43 cu ft | Temperature Range: 200-450 degrees | Settings: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Toast, Broil and Reheat

The Our Place Wonder Oven is a toaster oven designed with aesthetics in mind. It’s one of the most attractive models on our list, so you’ll definitely want to show it off on the counter. It comes in several colors, too, including blue, pink and tan, so you can choose an option that matches your kitchen decor. Best of all, it’s compact enough to fit easily in even smaller kitchens. 

The oven’s compact design doesn’t mean you can cook for a group. It’s large enough to fit a 4.5-pound chicken and offers two cooking levels, so you can prepare meals for two to four people. It also offers six cooking functions, including air fry, bake and toast, so you have plenty of cooking flexibility. It even features a steam-infusion function that lets you add moisture to food with water, so you can refresh leftovers or stale bread. 

The Wonder Oven is also an ideal toaster oven for anyone looking to cut down their cooking time. It preheats up to 75% faster than a traditional oven and features a powerful 360-degree convection system that also reduces cooking time.

Cuisinart TOB-260N1 Convection Toaster Oven

Best Large Toaster Oven

Dimensions:  20.87" W x 16.93" D x 11.42" H | Capacity: 0.95 cu ft | Temperature Range: 150 to 450 degrees | Settings: Toast, Bagel, Waffle, Dual Cook, Bake, Broil, Roast, Pizza, Sandwich, Keep Warm and Leftovers

If you are looking for a toaster oven large enough to cook for a family, the Cuisinart TOB-260N1 Convection Toaster Oven is definitely worth considering. With a capacity of nearly 1 cubic foot, it can fit nine slices of toast, a 13-inch pizza and a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. It even includes a 13-inch pizza stone and a 9-by-13-inch enameled baking pan to prepare your favorite dishes. 

This toaster oven is also highly versatile, boasting 15 cooking functions and a temperature range of 150 to 450 degrees. The user-friendly selector dial makes choosing a program and adjusting the time and temperature as easy as can be, while the large backlit LED display allows you to check the oven’s settings at a glance. 

However, the oven’s two most impressive features are its Dual Cook and Speed Convection settings. With Dual Cook, you can combine two different cooking functions or temperatures within one function to prepare a wide range of meals. And the Speed Convection button lets you use super-fast convection cooking technology without any preheating necessary, which is perfect when you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table. 

Breville Smart Oven Compact Convection

Easiest to Use 

Dimensions: 17" W x 16” D x 10" H | Capacity: 42.59 cu cm  | Temperature Range: 150-500 degrees | Settings: Toast, Bagel, Bake, Roast, Broil, Pizza, Cookies and Reheat

The Breville Smart Oven Compact Convection features the brand’s unique Smart Element IQ to ensure more precise heat. It transfers heat across four quartz elements to ensure the heat is directed where and when you want it. It also preheats very quickly, so you can get dinner on the table more quickly. Its built-in convection fan circulates the hot air inside the oven, too, which further aids in reducing cooking times. 

With eight cooking functions, this toaster oven is also pretty versatile. It even has settings for commonly made foods like bagels, pizza and cookies, which take all the guesswork out of the cooking process. Its maximum temperature of 500 degrees also enables the oven to successfully roast and broil foods, creating a nice sear or char on their exterior. 

We also love this oven’s compact size because it can fit well in most kitchens. However, despite its smaller dimensions, it’s still large enough to fit four slices of toast or a 12-inch pizza. It includes a 10-by-10-inch enamel baking pan to prepare a wide range of recipes, too. While none of the oven’s accessories are dishwasher-safe, its interior has a nonstick surface, so it’s easy to wipe clean after cooking.

Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro

Best Smart Oven

Dimensions: 21.5” W x 17.1” D x 12.7” H | Capacity: 1 cu ft | Temperature Range: 80-480 degrees | Settings: Toast, Bagel, Broil, Bake, Roast, Warm, Pizza, Proof, Air Fry, Reheat, Cookies, Slow Cook and Dehydrate

The Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro is very similar to the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. It offers the same 1-cubic-foot capacity, which meant we could fit nine slices of toast, a 13-inch pizza and 2 pounds of french fries during our testing. It has the same backlit LCD display and knob controls, too, so adjusting the functions, temperature and time settings is straightforward. 

The oven offers 13 cooking functions, including settings for proofing dough, making cookies, slow cooking and dehydrating. We were especially big fans of its air-frying function, which allowed us to make deliciously crispy french fries in just 13 minutes. The cookie function also worked well, turning store-bought cookie dough into cookies that had crispy edges with a slightly soft center in just 11 minutes. 

The main difference between the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro and the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is its Wi-Fi connectivity. It can link to the Breville+ app, which not only sends an alert when the oven is preheated or your food has finished cooking but also provides access to over a thousand recipes. Its Auto Pilot feature even guides you through the steps for some recipes and automatically switches cooking functions as necessary.

During testing, we used it to make the Extra-Crispy Bar-Style Tortilla Pizza and were very pleased with the pizza’s perfectly melted cheese and crispy brown edges.

Panasonic Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo

Fastest to Heat Up  

Dimensions: 16.9" W x 15.8" D x 13.9" H | Capacity: 28 L | Temperature Range: 80-445 degrees | Settings: Toast, Air Fry, Reheat, Bake, Broil, Dehydrate, Roast, Air Roast, Bagel, Pizza and Steak

With 1,800 watts of power and dual heating elements, the Panasonic Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo heats up very quickly, so you can get dinner on the table sooner. It has a temperature range of 80 to 445 degrees, which means it can prepare a wide array of recipes. The oven’s 11 cook settings include basics like air fry, toast, bake and broil, but its temperature also goes low enough for dehydrating foods and hot enough to get a delicious sear on your steaks. 

This toaster oven has a large LED display with push-button and dial controls that make cooking easier. It also features a smart sensor that automatically adjusts the heat to maintain the right temperature and prevent foods from burning. Plus, the oven automatically turns off when your food is finished to prevent overcooking. 

You can prepare enough food for a family, too. It can fit four slices of toast, a 12-inch pizza or a small chicken. The oven also includes a mesh basket for dehydrating and air-frying and an enamel tray for baking, broiling, roasting and more. All the components are PFAS-free, too, despite having a nonstick interior. 

Cuisinart TOA-65 Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven

Versatile Functions 

Dimensions:  21.73” W x  17” D x 15.75” H | Capacity: 0.6 cu ft | Temperature Range: 80 to 450 degrees | Settings: Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Toast, Bagel, Pizza, Roast, Dehydrate, Proof, Low, Dual Cook and Reheat

We love the user-friendly Cuisinart TOA-65 Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven because of its many functions and extra-large capacity. It’s large enough to hold six slices of toast, a 12-inch pizza or a 4-pound chicken and can fry up to 3 pounds of food at a time, so you can make enough french fries and chicken nuggets for the whole family. 

You can also toast, bake, broil, roast, dehydrate, reheat and warm your favorite foods. It has a setting for proofing dough, making it a perfect choice for bakers. Its large viewing window and interior light allow you to watch the food’s progress, too. The nonstick interior helps you make quick work of cleanup. 

During testing, we loved that this oven didn’t require any preheating, so we could get to cooking as quickly as possible.  The Dual Cook setting was another favorite feature of ours. It allows you to start a recipe with one cooking function and switch to another to finish the dish. We used it to bake a creamy chicken casserole and then switch to broil to get the top nice and crispy. 

Brava Oven Chef’s Choice Set

Advanced Features 

Dimensions: 16.4” W x 17.3” D x 11.3” H | Capacity: 0.6 cu ft | Temperature Range: 80-480 degrees | Settings: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Sear (Broil), Toast, Reheat, Rice Cook, Dehydrate, Slow Cook and Keep Warm

The Brava Oven Chef’s Choice Set is the priciest on our list, but it’s more advanced than probably any other toaster oven on the market. It takes the guesswork out of cooking with more than 7,000 customizable, downloadable cooking programs available through the connected mobile app. 

Our testing revealed that it’s easy to use and can prepare many popular foods like steak, chicken, fish and eggs faster than other types of toaster ovens. It can cook eggs and toast at the same time, so we found it especially convenient for breakfast recipes. 

Offering 10 cooking functions, including baking, roasting, rice cooking, dehydrating, slow cooking and air-frying, it has plenty of versatility. The “set it and forget it” operation also makes it an excellent choice for anyone who doesn’t have much time for or interest in cooking. This set also comes with pans, trays and a probe thermometer.

Expert Tip

Racks are an important consideration, with most models ranging from one rack to three for cooking and baking flexibility.
BestReviews Cooking and Baking Expert

How we tested

After researching various toaster ovens, we tested several, including the Cuisinart TOA-65 Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven, Brava Oven Chef’s Choice, Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro and Breville Joule Smart Oven Air Fryer, to see how they performed in the following areas.

Ease of use 

  • Setup: Starting with opening the box and plugging in the oven and finishing with choosing a recipe, we went through the entire setup process to see how clear and easy it is to follow the instructions. 
  • Cleanup: We paid close attention to the cleanup process, as well as the other maintenance that each toaster oven requires. 

Performance

  • Recipe options: We prepared a range of recipes in each oven, including three-zone meals, steak, chicken, fish, veggies, eggs/breakfast and baked goods, to assess its versatility. 
  • Cook time: We noted the cooking time for various types of foods to see whether each toaster oven could save time in the kitchen. 
  • Food results: We considered the finished results of the recipes we prepared in each oven to see how they compare with other cooking methods.

Other features 

  • Capacity: We evaluated the capacity of each model to determine for which size household it works best. 
  • App: If a toaster oven included an app, we used it during cooking to see how effectively it monitors the food and helps ensure the desired cooking results. 

What to know before you buy a toaster oven

Size and capacity

Before you buy, check the exterior dimensions of the toaster oven. Not every kitchen has a lot of open counter space. Fortunately, compact, midsize and large toaster ovens are available.

The Our Place Wonder Oven and the Panasonic FlashXPress Toaster Oven take up the least counter space of all the models on our list, making them ideal for smaller kitchens. On the other hand, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro and the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo have the largest footprints on our list, so they work best for kitchens with more counter space.

Bear in mind that you must leave enough surrounding space to avoid overheating nearby items and overhanging cabinets. Measure your counter space first to make sure you have enough room.

Check the capacity of a toaster oven, too. Is it spacious enough to prepare the foods you enjoy? You don’t want food to become misshapen because you have to force it into the interior.

With a capacity of 1 cubic foot, our largest pick, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, can hold a 14-pound turkey. The Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo is another large-capacity option, so it can fit a 13-inch pizza or a 6-pound chicken.. Our smallest pick, the Panasonic FlashXPress Toaster Oven, only holds about half the amount of these models, so it’s best for smaller households.

Temperature range

The best toaster ovens have the flexibility to lightly toast a piece of bread at a low temperature or heat up small pizzas at high heat. Because toaster ovens can be used to cook a wide range of foods, they have a variety of temperature settings, from 150 to as high as 500 degrees.

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro has the widest temperature range among the models on our list, going from 80 to 480 degrees. However, the Panasonic FlashXPress Toaster Oven and the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo have the highest maximum temperature, with both ovens hitting 500 degrees for better broiling and roasting.

Settings

Common settings on toaster ovens include broil, toast, dehydrate, convection bake and warm. If one of these settings stands out for you — perhaps you’re intrigued by the idea of dehydrating fruit, for example — keep an eye out for it. Some toaster ovens offer food-specific settings, such as temperatures perfectly suited to heating pizza, baking cookies or toasting bread. Multifunction toaster ovens may cost a little more than entry-level models, but many people find the extra cost worth it.

Some toaster ovens, such as the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo, the BLACK+DECKER Crisp ‘N Bake and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, double as air fryers. In addition to baking and other functions, these toaster ovens use hot air to produce crispy foods like french fries and chicken wings. When it comes to “frying” with minimal oil, they work as well as some of the best air fryers on the market. While these toaster ovens typically fall on the higher end of the price scale, their versatility stands out.

Timed cooking functions are also handy. Some toaster ovens, including the Breville Mini Smart Countertop Oven, the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro and the Panasonic FlashXPress Toaster Oven, offer a variety of useful functions, such as a 30-minute timer for defrosting or longer times for specific types of food, so you can quickly begin the cooking process with a simple turn of a knob or press of a button.

Visibility

How easy is it to see inside the toaster oven to check on your food? Most of these appliances have a broad glass window that lets you view your food’s progress. But keep in mind that the glass may cloud with use over time, especially if the toaster oven is a lower-quality product.

An interior light can make your food even easier to see. You only have to press a button to turn on the light and illuminate the oven, so you can keep an eye on your food without opening it and letting heat escape. Some of our top picks with this feature include the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo, the BLACK+DECKER Crisp ‘N Bake and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

Safety

Toaster ovens get hot quickly, which makes them handy. Food particles trapped inside the appliance or food left inside too long could cause a fire. Read customer reviews to see which appliances have a great safety record. And when the toaster oven is in use, don’t leave it unattended for an extended period of time.

Some toaster ovens, including the Breville Mini Smart Countertop Oven, the Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Countertop Toaster, the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo, the BLACK+DECKER Crisp ‘N Bake and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, are equipped with an auto-shutoff feature that turns the oven off after cooking, so you don’t have to remember to do it yourself. After you choose a cooking time, the oven counts down and automatically turns off when the timer runs out.

Racks and accessories 

Toaster ovens all include oven racks like those found in full-size ovens. You can place food directly on the racks, such as bread for toasting, or place it on a pan or in a baking dish to set on the rack for cooking. Some ovens are more versatile than others and allow for multiple rack positions, like the Breville Mini Smart Countertop Oven, which offers three. In addition to racks, most models feature a pull-out crumb/drip tray that catches crumbs and drips from your food, making cleanup easier. 

Some toaster ovens come with additional accessories to aid in cooking. Many models, such as the Breville Mini Smart Countertop Oven, the Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Countertop Toaster, the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo, the BLACK+DECKER Crisp ‘N Bake and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, include a baking pan, while models with an air fryer function, including the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo, the BLACK+DECKER Crisp ‘N Bake and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, also come with a mesh air-frying basket that allows air to circulate around the food evenly. Some high-end models, like the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, include specialized accessories, like a pizza pan and a broil rack. 

Cleaning and maintenance

Most toaster ovens have a removable tray at the bottom to catch crumbs and drips. If not removed, these crumbs and drips will burn, causing odors or even fire. Always use plastic or wooden utensils to remove stubborn crumbs or larger pieces of food stuck inside the oven. It’s best to clean the tray once a week. Wash it by hand or on the top rack of the dishwasher, and dry it thoroughly before replacing it in the oven.

Always unplug your toaster oven before cleaning it or performing any kind of repair. Never stick a metal utensil in your toaster oven. Metal tools can scratch the interior, and, of course, a metal instrument in an electric appliance can produce a nasty shock.

Expert Tip
If you’re toasting nuts, remember that they have oil within them so heat and brown fast, which means they can burn fast. Never walk away from a tray of toasting nuts.
BestReviews Cooking and Baking Expert

Make movie night snacks in your toaster oven

  • Kale chips: Roast kale spritzed with lemon and top it with parmesan cheese.
  • Homemade pizza bagels: Feed your inner kid with a half of a bagel, cheese, sauce and your favorite toppings.
  • Toasted coconut: Enjoy some ice cream sundaes topped with toasted coconut.
  • French fries: Frozen french fries cook nicely in a toaster oven and make a delicious crispy snack.
  • Veggies: Toss frozen veggies with olive oil and spices and roast on a sheet pan.

FAQ

Q. How much does a toaster oven cost? 

A. It depends on its size and features. A basic, small-capacity model that holds two to four slices of bread and doesn’t have many special features typically costs $20 to $60. If you want room for six slices of bread and larger dishes like casseroles, as well as features like convection cooking and multiple racks, expect to pay $60 to $100 for an oven like the BLACK+DECKER Crisp ‘N Bake and the Hamilton Beach 31401 Stainless Steel 4-Slice Toaster Oven.

Models that offer a capacity large enough to feed a family and include high-end features like air-frying, dehydrating and higher temperatures, such as the Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Countertop Toaster Oven and Long Slot 2 Slice Toaster,  can cost more than $100.

The largest or most feature-packed toaster ovens, including the Breville Mini Smart Countertop Oven, the Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Countertop Toaster, the Emeril Lagasse 26-Quart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer Combo, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, the Cuisinart T0A-70 Air Fryer Oven, the Panasonic FlashXPress Toaster Oven, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer and the Our Place Wonder Oven, typically cost $150 to $500.

Q. Why would I choose a toaster oven over a conventional toaster?

A. A conventional toaster only has slots for bread, while a toaster oven opens up lots of cooking possibilities for cooking pizza, snacks, meats and more. You can also get more creative with toast than you can in a toaster. For example, you can melt cheese on toasted bread using the broiler function.

Q. When should I use a toaster oven instead of a regular oven?

A. A full-size oven can take a long time to heat up. It’s great for preparing large, multi-course meals and holiday dinners when you need to cook more food than there is space in a toaster oven. A toaster oven is ideal for quick meals, reheating leftovers and preparing small portions.

Our expertise

Jennifer Blair has researched and evaluated kitchen and home products for BestReviews since 2017. She has written more than 100 articles on everything from ice cream makers to robot vacuums. She has personally tested several toaster ovens for BestReviews, including models from Breville and Cuisinart. At home, she uses a Cosori toaster oven with an air-frying function that she loves for preparing quick meals and snacks.

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