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Cheap Toaster Ovens, Best Toaster Oven Reviews
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Cheap Toaster Ovens Buying Guide
A toaster oven can be an energy-efficient and cost-saving alternative to a traditional oven or stove. With the range of products on the market today, it's easy to find a good quality toaster oven for less than $50 dollars. Black & Decker, Proctor Silex, and Hamilton Beach dominate the low-cost segment of the toaster oven category. In this highly competitive market, manufacturers struggle to stand out by offering a wide variety of models with varying features and novel designs. To help thrifty shoppers find the best-value toaster oven without getting burned, we've prepared a rundown of the features commonly found on economical toaster ovens and a summary assessment of functionality and performance.
Back to top »What To Look For: Cheap Toaster Ovens Features
Cheap Toaster Ovens Capacity.
Toaster ovens come in many sizes, ranging from ultra-compact 10-inch cubes like the Sanyo SK-7S (starting at $36, Amazon
) to the more spacious Black & Decker CTO6120B (starting at $38, Amazon
), which measures 18.5(w)x13.5(d)x11(h) and could be used as a small second oven. Most standard-sized cheap toaster ovens can toast four slices of bread at once or bake a nine-inch pizza. Depending on your needs and preferences, especially if you're cooking in a small kitchen or dorm room, a compact two-slice model like the Sanyo SK-7S may be most suitable. With its large capacity and bargain price, the Oster 6071 6-Slice Toaster Oven (starting at $40, Amazon
) is an option if you want to bake family-sized casseroles or 12-inch pizzas, according to a cheap toaster oven review on Amazon.
Budget Toaster Ovens Cooking Power.
For budget shoppers looking to do more than toast bread or the occasional pastry, cooking power is key. Many baking recipes call for a temperature setting of 450° F, although some models, like the Black & Decker TRO964 (starting at $40, Amazon
) max out at 400° F. So if baking is your thing, make sure to look for a low-cost toaster oven with a higher maximum temperature; both the Proctor Silex 31955 (starting at $39, Amazon
) and Black & Decker CTO6120B , for example, range up to 450° F . The Oster 6071, also topping out at 450° F, features convection technology that uses a fan to circulate the heat and speeds the cooking and browning processes. Convection cooking is unusual in the budget end of the toaster oven category and generally reserved for higher-priced models, like the Cuisinart TOB-195 Exact Heat Toaster Oven Broiler (starting at $130, Amazon
).
Most bargain toaster ovens have an internal thermostat and a temperature control knob that lets you adjust the heat setting. With the 950-watt Sanyo SK-7S, however, the heat settings are determined by which, and how many, of the three heating elements you turn on; toaster oven reviews by users on Cooking.com say it takes a while to figure out the right combination for whatever you're toasting or baking, but the compact size more than compensates for the limited controls. The DeLonghi DO400 (starting at $59, Amazon
Bargain Toaster Ovens Controls
. Despite the proliferation of touch-pad electronic controls in modern kitchen appliances, low-cost toaster ovens still rely on old-fashioned knobs and dials. Most, like the Proctor Silex 31115 (starting at $30, Amazon
), have two knobs: one for temperature and broil, and one for toast, which usually lets you choose a finish ranging from darktolight; the toast knob on the Proctor Silex 31115 also has a stay-on setting. The Oster has three dials: one for toast, bake, broil, and keep warm; one for oven temperature; and one for the 60-minute timer. Ditto for the Black & Decker CTO6120B, although one user post on Amazon warns that it's easy to inadvertently leave the oven on because the off setting is so close to the stay-on setting.
Not surprisingly, a timer with automatic shut-off that kicks in when the timer runs down is popular with consumers. This critical safety feature is found on the Proctor Silex 31955, the Black & Decker CTO6120B, and the Hamilton Beach Toastation 22708H (starting at $37, Amazon
Cheap Toaster Ovens Crumb Tray
. Crumb trays catch food that would otherwise fall to the bottom of the toaster oven and stick to various parts of the appliance. Many inexpensive toaster ovens, like the Proctor Silex 31955 and 31115 and the Hamilton Beach Toastation 22708H, come with a pull-out crumb tray for easy cleaning. The Sanyo SK-7S has a pull-out crumb tray, but one consumer goes into great detail in a posting on Amazon about a design flaw that leaves more crumbs on the door and in other inaccessible places than in the tray. A second best alternative, because it's more awkward to clean, is the drop-down, or hinged, crumb tray that you find on the Black & Decker CTO6120B and TRO964. Indeed, some experts advise value shoppers to avoid models with difficult-to-remove crumb trays because cleaning is much harder. And cleaning out the crumbs is necessary: they can be a fire hazard.Inexpensive Toaster Ovens Non-Stick Interior
. A non-stick interior is another useful feature. The Proctor Silex 31955 is one of the few inexpensive toaster ovens with a non-stick interior, which makes for easy cleaning and maintenance.Discount Toaster Ovens Frills and Thrills
. For shoppers who prefer fancier features on their toaster ovens, there are dozens of models to choose from. Many mid- to high-end toaster ovens, including the DeLonghi Convection Toaster Oven RO2058 (starting at $75, Amazon
), offer convection fans that speed the baking process and circulate heat more evenly. Other expensive features range from infrared cooking technology (Black & Decker InfraWave Countertop Oven FC150B, starting at $95, Amazon
) to rotisserie cooking ( Hamilton Beach 31197, starting at $95, Amazon
) to self-cleaning ovens ( Krups FBC4-13, starting at $196, Amazon
) . These frills will certainly appeal to some customers, but frugal shoppers will probably decide they're not worth the higher price tag.
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What to Expect: Cheap Toaster Ovens Performance
There are few controlled tests of low-priced toaster ovens now on the market. Toaster oven reviews and ratings by users are incomplete and skew towards the negative; revenge for spending money on a product that disappoints is often a stronger motivation for reviewers than satisfaction with a purchase that delivers. That said, many users of inexpensive toaster ovens seem pleased with the performance of their low-cost kitchen appliance.
Cheap Toaster Ovens Cooking
Performance
. Given the range of functions available in affordable toaster ovens, it seems surprising that some aren't very good at their most basic task: toasting bread, bagels, and English muffins. Even low-cost models that are otherwise well-reviewed by users and experts generally get mediocre marks for toast. One user post on Amazon about the Proctor Silex 31955 says toasting takes way too long although the oven gives good results; another user on Epinions complains about toast being underdone, burnt, and/or uneven throughout. Many users likewise pan the Hamilton Beach Toastation for toasting that requires multiple cycles. One post on Buzzillions adds that toasting bagels in the oven compartment is tricky, given that the inner rims don’t toast as quickly as the outer edges. The Sanyo SK-7S, intended primarily to function as a toaster, does a decent job on that score but you may have to wait eight minutes for your morning bagel, writes a reviewer on the blogspot Maceratingshallots. An expert toaster oven review on Howstuffworks.com commends the Black & Decker CTO6120B for consistent heat and its ability to turn out cakes and muffins, but suggests keeping an eye on the toast's progress to make sure it comes out as desired. Cheap toaster oven reviews on Amazon about the Black & Decker TRO964 consistently report burned toast, burned food, and misleading knob settings.Almost all user reviews of inexpensive toaster ovens say the best thing about the appliance is being able to do more with it than just toast bread. Indeed, expert toaster oven reviews point out that toaster ovens are multi-tasking and relatively efficient appliances designed to save counter space and money on energy bills. Most positive comments are reserved for the oven function, which may suggest this is the domain in which these thrifty appliances shine. Experts at Howstuffworks.com like the Oster 6071 for the oven's large capacity and strong performance when baking and broiling. Even the compact toast-oriented Sanyo SK-7S earns praise from consumers for turning out a decent burger or hot dog. Still, many grumble that the ovens tend to run hot – so adjust the temperature downward – and food that sits too close to the heating elements will burn. (Use a mitt to remove items from the oven; those heating elements can also burn your hands.)
Budget Toaster Ovens Maintenance
. Users tend to be satisfied with the ease of cleaning most inexpensive toaster ovens. Removable crumb trays on some newer models have a lot to do with this; the crumb trays on older low-cost toaster ovens typically were attached by hinges to the interior of the appliance, or had to be accessed from below or behind. Some high-end toaster ovens have a self-clean function similar to many traditional ovens, although this feature is hard to find in inexpensive models. The good news for thriftyconsumers is that the self-clean function is not universally praised and users say toaster ovens with this function still require some amount of interior cleaning.Cheap Toaster Oven Durability
. Another topic of contention among users of cheap toaster ovens is durability. Most of the models we researched get dinged from any number of users for plastic parts that break, fall off, or melt; electrical components that malfunction; ovens that won't turn off; doors that stick; and insulation that doesn't contain the heat. The average life of a toaster oven is uncertain, although many users report older models lasting as long as 15-20 years. The usual warranty for low-priced toaster ovens is one year. Back to top »
Best Cheap Toaster Ovens
Proctor Silex 31955
Rounded sliding-door design saves counter space without sacrificing cooking capacity; model features bake, broil and toast functions, non-stick interior, and timer with auto shut-off and bell; users appreciate the simple and affordable design but give mixed reviews on the toasting.
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Good Cheap Toaster Ovens
Black & Decker CTO6120B Countertop Oven
A roomy model with four cooking modes (including keep warm) and 60-minute timer with automatic shut-off; some users report bread doesn't toast to specifications but many like the variety of functions.
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Oster 6071 6-Slice Toaster Oven
Spacious model with lots of features, including bake, broil, toast and dehydrate functions, convection fan, glass view-top and interior light; some users complain about fragile knobs but most appreciate the large capacity and low price.
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Inexpensive foods
Cheap Organic food
Mission impossible: organic produce that doesn't break your budget. Never fear, the mission can be accomplished. Consumer Reports Health tells you how.
Inexpensive Bordeaux wine
Deflate those smarmy wine snobs at your next dinner party with budget Bordeaux wines. Read this piece from The Epoch Times and discover which labels pass the test--for $15 or less.
Products Mentioned in This Review
Black & Decker TRO964Hamilton Beach 22708H Toastation
Black & Decker CTO6120B Countertop Oven
Oster 6071 6-Slice Toaster Oven
Proctor Silex 31115
Proctor Silex 31955
Sanyo SK-7S
