How to Buy the Best Countertop Toaster Oven

A countertop toaster oven is a great appliance to own, not only is it great to have in the summer, but having a countertop toaster oven allows you to cook small amounts of food without wasting energy (and money) using your regular oven. When choosing a countertop toaster oven there are some important features to look for, let's go through them.

Make sure the countertop toaster oven has a convection setting

What is convection? Well, that means the countertop toaster oven has a small fan inside that circulates the hot air around the food. The end result is the food cooks much quicker and more evenly. A countertop toaster oven with a convection feature will cost a bit more, but it will shave off up to 25% of the cooking time.

What's a good power range for a countertop toaster oven?

For the most versatility choose a countertop toaster oven in the 1400 watt range. Not only will it come up to temperature quicker, buy it'll be able to hit 450-500 degrees, crucial for some kinds of cooking.

What other features should I look for in a good countertop toaster oven?

Here's a list of some common features found in todays countertop toaster oven models.

• For easy cleaning make sure the countertop toaster oven has a chrome or stainless steel finish. If you'll do lots of broiling that produces splatter which can be difficult to clean.
• For rock solid temperature control choose a countertop toaster oven with electronic temperature control. This will free you from having to check if the food is done all the time, great for foods with longer cooking times.
• If you'll be making pizza, then choose a countertop toaster oven that is at least 9 inches deep.
• Of course, for ease of cleaning make sure it comes with a removable tray and rack.
• The absolute best countertop toaster ovens have a self cleaning feature
• If space is an issue, consider a space saver toaster oven, no pizza though.
• If your kids will be using the countertop toaster oven then make sure it has an auto off feature.

Here's an example of a great countertop toaster oven available on Amazon.

How much does a top quality countertop toaster oven cost?

Well, that depends on many things; power, features, finish and if it's on sale or not. I suggest reading toaster oven reviews on sites such as ConsumerSearch or ConsumerReports. Toaster oven reviews on these sites are written by unbiased users just like yourself. You will, of course find many useful links on this page to help you find the best countertop toaster oven too.