It also comes with an air fry/dehydrate basket rack and a broiling rack that fits inside its enamel roasting pan. But we still prefer the Cuisinart’s ceramic pizza stone over the Breville’s nonstick pizza pan (though Breville does sell a pizza stone separately for around $30). To test how well the toaster ovens maintained a set temperature, we stuck an air probe thermometer into their cavities and monitored them for 20 minutes. We also tested the unique features on certain models, such as dehydrate modes or the steam feature on Balmuda’s The Toaster. Additionally, we took note of any excessively loud beeps and evaluated the usefulness of each model’s accessories. Some brands will advertise the material of their toaster oven’s heating elements, and generally, ovens using quartz or ceramic will cost more than those using Calrod.
However, neither chicken wings or French fries came out with the kind of results we’d expect from fried food. The Hamilton Beach has manual knobs that adjust the temperature (from 150 °F to broil/toast mode), the function (broil, toast, and bake), and the 30-minute timer. The biggest drawback to this model is the toast shade setting on the timer dial. You have to turn the knob past the 10-minute mark and then reverse it to the desired shade setting.
It also had a very noisy convection fan that sounded like it was struggling to operate with every rotation. In our last round of testing, in April 2021, we hamilton beach toaster tried out two trendier models that ultimately couldn’t compete with our picks. The time it takes to toast a full batch of bread at the medium setting.
The FlashXpress’s one annoying quirk is that you can’t add time or change the temperature midway through a preset cooking cycle (although you can change the toast shade settings). This means you have to turn the Panasonic off and back on again to adjust it. That said, the controls are clearly labeled and straightforward to use, so we’re willing to overlook this drawback. We’d also prefer dial controls over the FlashXpress’s blister-push buttons, but they’re perfectly usable and not as glitchy or mushy as others we tested. Toaster ovens by Hamilton Beach only take up a small amount of counter space and have a variety of uses. This countertop oven is available in several different variations.
Some ovens’ results weren’t dark enough; others were overdone or unevenly cooked. This was also one of the only models in this price range that could bake chicken thighs with a golden brown, crispy skin. Up against bigger, more expensive toaster ovens, the FlashXpress more than held its own. With a large toaster oven, you’ll be able to handle most of your cooking hamilton beach mixer tasks without ever switching on your regular oven which can save you money on your energy bill. Also, our large capacity toaster ovens heat up quickly so you can get to cooking right away, and clean-up is simple with the removable crumb tray. However, you won’t get the stellar performance and extra features that you find on the more expensive models.