While this wasn’t billed as a toaster, it is the “multi-use” recommendation in The Spruce Eats’ list of best toaster ovens, so I tested what it could do with pale bread and bagels. I cooked bagels on the broil setting and toasted the bread using convection. I got a reasonably even toast, although I had to watch the browning since I wasn’t sure how long it would take. The Hamilton Beach Air Fryer Sure Crisp Toaster Oven is considerably smaller and less expensive than the other models we tested. It doesn’t sport electronic controls or a lot of fancy features and settings. While it’s baking performance was disappointing and it’s not large enough to roast a chicken, it shines at toasting and does a credible job of air frying.
It holds the same quality as similar high-end models but for a fraction of the price. That also does away with the possibility of spilling hamilton beach air fryer food on the door and having to clean it up. The roll top door appeared to be slightly safer than the traditional fold-down style.
I found the toaster ovens with digital displays easiest to program since you dial into your preferred level of doneness on a six- or seven-point scale rather than guesstimating with a timer knob. My favorite display was on Breville’s Mini Smart Oven, which was simple and easy to use with dials that accurately adjust the cooking time for both doneness and number of slices. This model also has an “a bit more” button and a cool-down mode to stop cooking faster. If you like the functionality of an old-school toaster but also want a mini oven for heating up leftovers and cooking smaller items, the 2-in-1 is perfect for that. I have teenagers, so the oven gets used a lot for cooking frozen pizza and entrees as well as breakfast fare like cinnamon bread and frozen waffles. The oven operates on a timer that you have to set past 10 minutes for it to start and it automatically shuts off after 60 minutes.
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only. None of the parts are coated with a nonstick finish and hand washing is recommended. The aluminum baking pan became quite stained and we weren’t able to get it completely clean.
Smart ovens often include built-in cameras, probe thermometers and complex, integrated cooking programs you can control from your smart device. Fancier toaster ovens have special cooking modes including broil, roast, dehydrate and air fry. Don’t expect the same sort of proficiency as with a big oven. That said, the Ninja Foodi oven (from previous testing) came the closest to imitating those high-heat cooking methods with any type of success. The most basic toasters such as the Comfee use an electric or infrared heating element from above and below to toast, warm and bake.
The kitchen was barely big enough for one person to maneuver and you had to access the oven at an angle. This product comes with a rotisserie spit and forks that hold the food on the spit. The included rotisserie spit removal tool worked, but I felt it was a bit silly.
Open and close the doors, adjust the racks and look for the little things. For instance, the wire rack that came with the Oster oven felt cheap. Upon closer examination, one of the wires had already snapped off in transit. After the pizza bites finished cooking, there was inevitably some spilled sauce and cheese left on the sheet. I allowed the pan to cool enough to handle without gloves and then scrubbed it vigorously for one minute using a sponge, hot water and Dial dish soap. The easiest baking sheets to clean belonged to the Breville Mini Oven (which is black, so that probably helps), the Panasonic FlashXpress and the $43 Comfee toaster.
Your actual savings will vary based on use, and will likely be a lot less than $40. After all, most people who own toaster ovens will continue to use their full-size oven sometimes, if not most of the time, and hardly any of us will stop using our ovens altogether. Figure out what size you’ll need so you don’t waste precious counter space. If you enjoy using your main oven for most baking, broiling and roasting then stick to a smaller unit. If you want a countertop oven you really cook with, consider spending a bit more on a bigger unit.
At just 9 x 18 x 14 inches, it easily fits under a cabinet and doesn’t take up excess countertop space. I had the same toaster oven for about 13 years, and I loved it. It was the Hamilton Beach Toastation, a combination mini-oven and toaster. What made the Toastation unique is that it had a slot on top like a standard toaster but it was also a small oven that could bake or broil.
The Comfee and Oster cords were both only 2 feet long while the rest were 3 feet or longer. It certainly isn’t the worst failing for a toaster but, depending on your kitchen layout, can be an annoyance. Beyond performance, there are several considerations to make before buying a toaster such as size, functionality, design and hamilton beach overall value. Be sure to consider the toaster’s size carefully before you buy. Here’s the big Oster, large enough to roast a small chicken, next to the itty-bitty Balmuda. My least favorite display was on the Oster, which had one-dimensional backset buttons and a wonky digital screen that offers very little information.