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Betty Crocker Countertop Review

Aside from the affordability, this is an extraneous gadget for making pizzas
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Betty Crocker Countertop Review (This basic, countertop pizza maker doesn't offer much outside of convenience of making pizzas at home.)
This basic, countertop pizza maker doesn't offer much outside of convenience of making pizzas at home.
Credit: Aaron Rice
Price:  $54 List
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Manufacturer:   Betty Crocker
By Aaron Rice ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jan 5, 2024
34
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#15 of 15
  • Cooking Performance - 30% 2.0
  • Output Power - 30% 3.0
  • Control - 25% 2.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 9.0

Our Verdict

The Betty Crocker Countertop is undoubtedly a convenient solution to making pizzas at home. However, convenience without quality is often not worth the investment. This electric, hot-plate-style pizza pan is capable of cooking fresh and frozen pizza, as well as an array of easy-to-make foods. But even for small kitchens, it is a bulky appliance that doesn't lend itself well to storage. The sub-par quality of the pizzas coming from this pan, combined with the questionable quality of construction, gives us pause. Affordability aside, if you want the best pizza oven to make pies at home, there are much better options, even for small, barebones kitchens.
REASONS TO BUY
Affordable
Convenient preset option
REASONS TO AVOID
Lack of control
Poor pizza quality
Slow cook time

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards   Best Buy Award
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Best Buy Award
Best Overall Value
 
Price $54 List
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Overall Score Sort Icon
34
83
79
72
65
Star Rating
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Bottom Line Affordability and convenience aside, there are much better options for easy pizza-makingA well-designed oven capable of producing beautiful pizzas, whose main detractor is an expensive price tagThis price point pizza oven performs well above its weight class in terms of power and performanceAn affordable, but impressive indoor option for those not interested in investing in a new applianceThis steel is perfectly suited to create NY-style pizzas, just don't expect it to produce a Neapolitan-style pie in your oven
Rating Categories Betty Crocker Count... Solo Stove Pi BakerStone Original NerdChef 3/8" Steel... The Original Baking...
Cooking Performance (30%)
2.0
9.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
Output Power (30%)
3.0
9.5
7.0
7.0
5.0
Control (25%)
2.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
Ease of Use (15%)
9.0
5.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
Specs Betty Crocker Count... Solo Stove Pi BakerStone Original NerdChef 3/8" Steel... The Original Baking...
Fuel Type Electric Propane Gas N/A N/A
Maximum Pizza Diameter 12" 12" 13" 14" 14"
Average Pizza Cook Times 19 min 2.6 min 4 min 3.1 min 5.6 min
Average Stone Temperature 212 °F 776 °F 732 °F 686 °F 479 °F
Average Oven Temperature 208 °F 800 °F 780 °F 637 °F 497 °F
Size of Firebox N/A 128 cu. in. N/A N/A N/A
Power Output 1440 W 15,000 BTU 25,000 BTU N/A N/A
Footprint 219 sq. in. 637 sq. in. 345 sq. in. 228 sq. in. 228 sq. in.

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Betty Crocker Countertop is an electric, hot-plate-style pizza maker with convenience at the forefront. The non-stick surface can bake 12-inch pies, and the 5-inch inset even allows you to bake deep-dish pizzas. Although the footprint is relatively large — which isn't great for small kitchens — the compact, turtle-shell design does help with storage.

Performance Comparison


betty crocker countertop - even though it can accept up to 12" pies, it was difficult to get...
Even though it can accept up to 12" pies, it was difficult to get the size just right to maximize the space.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Cooking Performance


The Betty Crocker pizza maker is more of a baking appliance capable of baking fresh pizzas in your kitchen than a true pizza oven. It operates like a hot plate, and a preset “power-on” indicator light tells you exactly when to load and when it is finished. It is certainly versatile and could easily double as a panini press or quesadilla maker. It simply lacks the performance we hope for to produce pizzas with any semblance of quality.

Despite using our normal dough recipe, this maker reduced it to a...
Despite using our normal dough recipe, this maker reduced it to a tough, dense crust akin to a frozen pizza.
A giant chocolate chip cookie was a slight improvement over the...
A giant chocolate chip cookie was a slight improvement over the pizza, but even this turned out much tougher and chewier than it would just straight from the oven.

We tested this pizza maker side-by-side with a high-end outdoor oven, using the same dough recipe and process for the fresh pizza. While the outcome of the other oven was a respectable pizza from any angle, the Betty Crocker oven managed to reduce that same pie to something akin to a subpar frozen pizza. The convenience of this oven is undeniable, but one of the joys of baking pizza at home comes from producing a pie you're proud of, and that simply isn't the case with this pizza maker.

betty crocker countertop - a side-by-side comparison of the same dough recipe, from the betty...
A side-by-side comparison of the same dough recipe, from the Betty Crocker (left) and the Ooni Karu 12G (right.) Aside from the leopard-charring, characteristic of a Neapolitan-style pizza, notice how much fluffier the crust is on the right.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Output Power


Power is not exactly the word of choice to describe the output of the Betty Crocker pizza maker. It's tough to judge against other comparable options because everything is run on a single preset — even the other hot-plate style pizza maker we tested can be slightly adjusted. We regularly had to bake pies for a bit longer than the allotted 15-minute timer. The oven could be hotter and may even benefit from the decreased cook times by improving the quality of a fresh crust.

betty crocker countertop - despite the posted caution sign, we had no problem lifting the lid...
Despite the posted caution sign, we had no problem lifting the lid of this oven with our bare hands, an obvious sign that it doesn't heat up very well.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Control


Control, or the lack thereof, is the most frustrating part about this preset pizza maker. We find great joy in having a hand in the baking process — from making dough through tweaking the temperature of an oven to baking the crust and toppings exactly to our liking. Due to the preset nature of this oven — and a single preset, at that — all of that joy is eliminated. We would trade a bit of convenience back for some of that joy any day.

betty crocker countertop - aside from pitching a pie and removing it once it's finished...
Aside from pitching a pie and removing it once it's finished cooking, this pizza maker doesn't require much input.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Ease of Use


Despite any other hesitancy in recommending this electric oven, we can admit it is easy to use. As long as it is packed away clean, all you have to do is pull it out, plug it in, allow it to preheat, and bake until the indicator light lets you know it's finished.

betty crocker countertop - scrubbing a pan clean while avoiding water is an awkward assignment.
Scrubbing a pan clean while avoiding water is an awkward assignment.
Credit: Aaron Rice

Clearing this appliance is the one point of contention. Instructions explicitly state that you shouldn't immerse in any liquid, making scrubbing awkward. Although bulky, its compact design makes it easy to store in places like the drawer underneath an oven. However, if you have an oven, we highly recommend considering a pizza steel for a much more satisfying experience.

We also had a tough time trying to figure out how best to pull a...
We also had a tough time trying to figure out how best to pull a giant cookie from the hot plate.
It took some time to figure out if we could just slide it onto a tray?
It took some time to figure out if we could just slide it onto a tray?
Ultimately, some quick work with a thin spatula and a very gentle...
Ultimately, some quick work with a thin spatula and a very gentle touch was able to remove the cookie from this deep-dish pan. But it wasn't nearly as easy as we hoped.

Should You Buy the Betty Crocker Countertop?


If affordability is your primary concern, with the secondary caveat of a lack of an oven, then the Betty Crocker pizza maker may find a place in your kitchen. But despite its undeniable user-friendliness, the complete lack of performance across the rest of the board makes it difficult to recommend this appliance.

betty crocker countertop - for convenience, this pizza maker is unbeatable. for everything...
For convenience, this pizza maker is unbeatable. For everything else, we suggest looking elsewhere.
Credit: Aaron Rice

What Other Pizza Ovens Should You Consider?


If your kitchen, or lack of kitchen, dictates buying an electric pizza maker, even the Presto Pizzazz Plus is an improvement over the Betty Crocker Countertop. But if you do have an oven and can step up to that next price point, then you should consider investing in a pizza steel like the NerdChef 3/8" Steel Stone or slightly more affordable Original Baking Steel. These steels can produce high-quality pies on par with the high-end outdoor ovens.

Aaron Rice