jak of in Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I have been looking at them and considering getting one. But I don't know if it will be something I will use or not. If you have one...do you love it? And what kind should I get? The main thing for me is it needs to make toast! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I have the Oster - larger model- so a 9 x 13 pan fits in there. I use it every single day. It's a convection oven so food gets done much faster and I don't have to fire up the larger wall oven. Also, when you have larger gatherings it's the second oven you always needed. And yes, it makes toast too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Yes I have one. Yes we use it but for more than toast. I'm a weirdo and don't use a microwave so steaming and toaster oven are how we reheat. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Toasters make the best toast, honestly. I use our toaster oven for baking smaller things, particularly in the heat of the summer. It's great for things like a couple of servings of french fries, a few cookies, naan bread, small pizzas, a half dozen cupcakes. Edited to add that we also have an Oster toaster oven. I really like it. But I've never toasted bread in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I have one and I LOVE it. The one thing I wanted it to do was bake something in a 9 x 13 pan...so that I could make supper in the summer time without having to heat up my whole kitchen. I can put a lot of little things in mine too....including a pizza. I LOVE it. It's a Oster brand, I bought it at Walmart. As far as making toast...it takes longer to toast bread than your regular everyday toaster...but you can toast a lot more at once...so that is your choice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bensonduck Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I grew up with one and can't imagine my kitchen without one. It takes the guesswork out of toast. You can butter your toast and put it back in allowing the butter to sink in and the bread to crisp up more. it's simple to melt cheese for cheese toast or tuna melts or whatever, you can warm smaller things up without having to heat the whole oven, reheating a slice of pizza, etc. I'm always so confused when I go to my in laws and they don't have one. I joke to my MIL, "how can you live like this?" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We use our toaster oven pretty much daily, and for more than making toast. (We don't have a regular popup toaster, so we use the toaster oven to make toast too, and it's fine for that.) I wish I had gotten one that fits a 9x13 pan - ours is a little smaller - but it's still very useful. The kids use it to heat up frozen pizza or other frozen convenience foods for lunch. Cheese toast, yeah! Leftover biscuits, buttered and put in to toast - a favorite of everyone here except me. I'd hate to have to heat up the large oven for the things we heat in the toaster oven. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We use ours constantly. We do not have a microwave. And do live in a hot climate. Most of the year I don't want to heat up the house with a hot oven, so use the toaster-convection oven instead. Great for broiling fish and meat, good for baking. We recently got a new one. It is a large Breville Smart Oven. Best one ever. Not cheap, but worth it IMO. Bill ETA: When I was looking for a new one I noticed there was a Hamilton Beach model that got great reviews (for a cheap one). I believe they run $60. The large Breville is about $250. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyco Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I love my toaster oven, I've had it over 20 years. It won't fit a 9x13 pan and isn't convection, but it's fab. It's great for bagels with all kinds of toppings on them that are too thick to put in a regular toaster, and all the other things people have said. I'd choose it over my microwave (in fact I got mine in college when I only had counter space for one appliance, so chose this instead of a microwave. I didn't drink coffee lol). I do not like regular toasters because I find it hard to tell if the toast is done. My in-laws' toaster usually burns the second piece. Mine has a clear glass door and I can tell when the toast is just the right toasty-ness. It's also good for toasting nuts or coconut for recipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solascriptura Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We use ours daily and not just for toast. I want a bigger one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jak of in Posted April 7, 2015 Author Share Posted April 7, 2015 Thanks for the replies! You all have convinced me...I'm getting one! Now to decide which one....time to do some research! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I used to have one that had a convection oven and a rotisserie. It was great for everything BUT toast. I only got rid of it when I got a new stove with a regular oven plus a half-sized oven and that took its place. It had a pizza stone and little pans. It held my square corningware casserole dishes. We used it almost daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I don't have one but I'd really like one. I think I would use it a lot, probably several times/day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I have one and we don't use it for toast. It drys it out too much for us (think croutons) but mine is a convection so that might be why. We use it mainly for the rotisserie function and for melting cheese on stuff. I hate waiting for the oven to heat up so yeah, I love mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I have a Hamilton Beach four slice toaster oven. My boys use it to make cheese quesadilla, pizza and to heat up waffle fries, chicken nuggets and fish fillets. I have a big oven which I use only when I need to bake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We had one for along time and used it daily. Toast, reheating, baking small items. Then it died and I didn't replace it and...I didn't miss it. Except for toast because we don't have a toaster. But everything else was easily transferred to the oven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Our oven is broken, so I'm happy we have a toaster oven. But, if I could affordably have a working oven, I'd gladly get rid of the toaster oven. It takes up so much counter space. My in-laws sent us an even bigger toaster oven for x-mas this year (ours already fits a frozen pizza, but only has one rack; the one they sent has two racks), and we returned it to BB&B because we really just don't have the space for it in the kitchen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I don't have room for one, but I still don't think I'd get one. My reasoning is that my oven takes less time to heat up and it runs on gas which is much cheaper than electric. So I can't imagine when I'd really need to have a toaster oven. I suppose I like the idea of not heating up the house with the oven, but on those days I can also do stuff on the grill outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 It makes lousy toast. Toasters are so cheap too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Mine is too small to actually cook things. I can fit two slices of pizza in it at one time, or two pieces of bread for cheese toast. I'd love one that fit a 9 x 13. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I used mine about 20 times more than my regular oven. It fits a 9x13 pan and I can fit a 12" pizza in there. I use it to heat up sandwiches (open faced with cheese on top on hoagies) a lot too. I researched them and got the best I could afford. I have the Breville. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 It makes lousy toast. Toasters are so cheap too. Mine doesn't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I didn't even know I needed one, but after reading this thread I found myself looking at toaster ovens on amazon. Thanks hive. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pehp Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I had one for years and quit using it about 6 months ago. I just was tired of it taking up valuable real estate on the kitchen countertop. I haven't missed it a bit, so I have decided it is unnecessary! I just use my oven. It does the job perfectly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I have had one - purchase after friends rave about how handy it was. I don't understand the toaster oven love. Cheese-toast? Reheat Pizza? Toast? Use the broiler on the regular oven. I don't have the counter space for another large appliance that essentially duplicates what I already have. Ditto the above comment about electric vs gas. Seems a waste. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I got rid of my eons ago. We don't eat toast more than once a month. We don't eat frozen convenience foods very often. We use the microwave to heat things like leftovers quickly. In the summer if Idon't want to heat up the house with cooking, I use the gas grill or crock pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocassie Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 My toaster oven will fit a whole frozen pizza, and it does make toast. I prefer a toaster oven over a microwave, although I do have one of those for reheating most leftovers. It's great in the warm months when I don't want to heat up the house with the oven. Also, it is easy for the kids to operate it, and size wise easier (and safer) for them to use. Oh, and I don't need to preheat mine. Many things will be done in less time than if I were to use the oven often before the oven is done preheating. Ours does not do baked goods very well, but we have managed cookies okay after a lot of tweaking of the settings. These are the things we make in ours: Toast, frozen pizza or fresh homemade pizza, frozen fish, reheat leftovers, sandwiches, roast vegetables, keep a plate of food warm, and other frozen prepared food. We will make a large batch of homemade chicken nuggets and then freeze them (we do this with a lot of things actually). The kids can then go and make themselves several when they want. If all you want is toast, I think I would just get a toaster as a toaster oven can be overkill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I like mine for lots of little things. It makes absolute crap toast if you use the pan but I find the toast without the pan quite ok. It is lovely for toasted cheese open-faced sandwiches (gently toast bread, then top with cheese and re-toast), cheeseburger toast (same as above but top with raw hamburger, re-toast until cooked, then add a little cheese and re-toast -- caveat, spread the hamburger to the edge of the toast or the edges will burn) and similar things. I also use it for very small portions of tater tots or the like -- I know if I cook a whole pan in the oven they will all get eaten, but in the toaster oven it is easier to control portions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We use ours heavily. Lots of toast and bagels (definitely no pan for toasting - the pan wouldn't make sense for that IMO). I often reheat pizza slices for the kids (I just set it right on the rack). Some types of frozen, prepackaged food (think costco, spring rolls and such), I often cook by microwaving first for a bit and then putting in the toaster oven. We typically buy a small, cheap Black and Decker from Target though how long they last seems to vary, maybe 3 years, sometimes longer if we're lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I had one for 15 years and when it broke, I didn't replace it. The only thing besides toast that I used it for was reheating pizza every other week. It took up too much counter top space for me to want to get a new one. I don't miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I like my bread toasted on both sides without having to turn it over, so I never make toast in my toaster oven. I use it for small things, and teenage ds uses it a lot. We bought a new stove/oven 2 years ago. I wish I had chosen one with a double oven, then I'd use the top small oven and get rid of the toaster oven. Mine is pretty big (Cuisinart with convection and "brick" sides). I want my counter space back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I like my bread toasted on both sides without having to turn it over, so I never make toast in my toaster oven. Does your toaster oven not have heating from both top and bottom? Or does it heat unevenly on top vs bottom? We have never, ever turned toast over, though a toaster oven that's wearing out may heat unevenly. Maybe the bigger ones aren't as quick with toast? Just thinking out loud... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Does your toaster oven not have heating from both top and bottom? Or does it heat unevenly on top vs bottom? We have never, ever turned toast over, though a toaster oven that's wearing out may heat unevenly. Maybe the bigger ones aren't as quick with toast? Just thinking out loud... Yah, mine heats from both top and bottom -- just the bottom gets strips from the metal rack, but that's ok by me. Are there ones that don't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We use ours far more often than our regular oven. It preheats much faster. It doesn't heat up the kitchen. It's counterheight, so you can glance into it at your food without having to bend over and turn on the oven light. It's great for making toast or for one or two servings of the leftovers that you don't want to microwave, like pizza or waffles. It's totally awesome for heating up a tray of hot appetizers--just enough for one plateful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I'm surprised by those who say their toaster ovens make lousy toast. I can't disagree with others' experience, but ours toasts great. We just put the bread on the rack and it gets toasted from both top and bottom. There are enough settings we can get it just how we like it. My in-laws' makes great toast too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I guess I should add that ours is also a convection oven, that might make a difference in terms of how well it cooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer&Mom Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We have a crappy old electric wall oven that doesn't maintain a consistent temperature, so we use our toaster oven *all the time*. Baked potatoes. Baking bread. Frozen pizza. Garlic bread. Toast. It's really our main oven, and for almost everything it's great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 PS Pampered Chef has a stoneware tray for toaster ovens. I have one but have not tried it yet. I plan to use it mostly for single servings of fresh cookies from frozen dough. How cool it is to imagine making personal cookies whenever I want to serve them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Yes, I love mine. It fits a frozen pizza and for the two us, the toaster oven works great. I don't think I've had my regular oven on since we bought it this winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I have been looking at them and considering getting one. But I don't know if it will be something I will use or not. If you have one...do you love it? And what kind should I get? The main thing for me is it needs to make toast! :) I did not have one when I was growing up. I did not have one until my dc were mostly grown up. What I use it for now is stuff that empty-nesters use it for: cooking one single corn dog, cooking two frozen cookie-dough cookies, and so on. If I can cook something for Mr. Ellie and me in the toaster oven instead of in the big oven, I will do that. But I don't know how useful it would have been when I had a family. We use a toaster for, you know, toast, even though the toaster oven can do that. It doesn't feel right to me, lol. I would like it better if it didn't take up counter space. Proctor Silex? Black and Decker? someone used to make a toaster oven (and a 4-slice toaster, and a coffee maker) that could be mounted on the bottom of a wall cabinet. I'd like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Does your toaster oven not have heating from both top and bottom? Or does it heat unevenly on top vs bottom? We have never, ever turned toast over, though a toaster oven that's wearing out may heat unevenly. Maybe the bigger ones aren't as quick with toast? Just thinking out loud... Are there toaster ovens with both top and bottom elements? I've never seen one. Mine will heat evenly and the bread will not be soft on the bottom, but it won't be golden toasty colored. I've never had a toaster oven that did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Are there toaster ovens with both top and bottom elements? I've never seen one. Mine will heat evenly and the bread will not be soft on the bottom, but it won't be golden toasty colored. I've never had a toaster oven that did that. Mine has golden toasty colors on the top and bottom, except for grill-mark-looking parts on the bottom where it was resting on the wire rack. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Empty nesters here, however I use it equally as much when the kiddoes are all here. I have a cuisinart convection oven. It will hold a large corningware casseriole, but not a 9x13. I can cook a casserole for 12, 4-6 slices of toast, trays of nachos, bake potatoes, etc. I had a black and decker toaster oven when my kids were all still at home. I wish it had been the convection oven. The shelf is more stable and it bakes faster. It's somewhat portable and I have been known to move it to my 3 season porch when it's hot and humid and I don't want to turn on the big oven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Mine doesn't. I find it comes out way too crunchy. I like crunchy, but I don't want to break my teeth either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMom Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I have always had a toaster oven. I love it. I rarely use it for toast, though. We toast bagels (big family here so it saves time), bake mini pizzas, a small batch of biscuits, corndogs, etc. It also keeps my house cooler in the summer. I hate using the big oven in the summer because we live where it is very hot in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Ours is one of the most used appliances in the kitchen. we use it every day, multiple times . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I would like it better if it didn't take up counter space. Proctor Silex? Black and Decker? someone used to make a toaster oven (and a 4-slice toaster, and a coffee maker) that could be mounted on the bottom of a wall cabinet. I'd like that. And they do still make one that mounts! Check it out! http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-TROS1000-SpaceMaker-Digital/dp/B001HSMW82/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428584175&sr=8-1&keywords=black+and+decker+spacemaker+toaster+oven This is one I could stand, though I probably won't get one until my kids leave home. I hate appliances on the counter. However, I would have to convince my dh to drill holes in the cupboards....which he can't STAND doing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5of5 Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I don’t have anything to contribute to this topic except that I am strangely gratified to see that WTM forum has appropriately warned me that this thread is HOT. :smilielol5: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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