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A toaster oven should pack multiple functions and multi-purpose cooking options into a single unit. The best toaster ovens on the market can toast, bake, broil, reheat, and air fry without sacrificing taste, while taking up minimal real estate in the kitchen.
Over the years, we've bought and tested 11 of the most compelling toaster ovens on the market to compare head-to-head in our test kitchen. We've used these machines to bake and eat hundreds of cookies, dozens of frozen pizzas, and toasted countless bagels and slices of bread. We evaluated everything from basic toasting capabilities to advanced baking functions, temperature accuracy, and ease of use.
We found that the Ninja Foodi Digital Oven is the best toaster oven for most people, offering consistently great-tasting fried chicken thighs and hearty veggies, and additional functions such as dehydrating and air frying. For a fraction of the price, the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach is easy on the wallet and bakes yummy sweets and frozen pizza.
Editor's Note: We updated our toaster oven review on October 13, 2025, to include new models from Ninja, Our Place, and Elite Gourmet.
Interior height restricts whole chickens and tall foods
How the Ninja Foodi Digital Oven performed in taste tests: The Ninja Foodi delivered outstanding results in our taste testing, consistently producing food with excellent texture and flavor across all our cooking trials. We were impressed by the remarkable evenness of cooking—golden-brown toast emerged uniformly colored from edge to edge, pizza crusts crisped evenly without burnt spots, and chicken thighs developed beautifully bronzed skin while maintaining juicy interiors. “I was genuinely surprised when batch after batch of cookies came out with perfectly golden edges and soft centers across the entire baking tray—that's the kind of consistency you usually only see in full-size ovens,” noted our lead tester.
SPECIFICATIONS
Max number of toast slices
9
Max Pizza Size
13"
Toast Time on Medium
3.8 min
Included Accessories
Baking Pan
Air Fry Basket
Dedicated Bagel Setting
Yes
Where the Foodi truly excelled was in its exceptional temperature accuracy and lightning-fast preheating capability, achieving 98% temperature accuracy while reaching 350°F in just 1.8 minutes—one of the fastest times we recorded. The flip-up storage design proved to be more than just a clever gimmick; it's a genuinely transformative feature that addresses one of the biggest complaints about countertop ovens taking up valuable kitchen real estate. “The first time I flipped this unit up after cooking dinner, I wondered why every toaster doesn't have this,” our kitchen experts remarked. Beyond the space-saving design, we loved the bright interior light that made monitoring food progress effortless, the intuitive digital controls that eliminated any learning curve. We also love the versatility of having air frying, dehydrating, and traditional cooking modes in one compact appliance.
Despite its impressive overall performance, the Ninja Foodi's limited interior height proved frustrating when we attempted to roast larger items — a whole chicken simply wouldn't fit comfortably, forcing us to spatchcock or use chicken pieces instead. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro handles these larger cooking tasks with ease thanks to its more spacious interior, and it actually achieved even better temperature accuracy, maintaining precisely 350°F when set to that temperature. While the Ninja Foodi's compact design is generally an asset, those who regularly cook for large gatherings or prefer preparing whole roasts might find the Breville's superior capacity and slightly more sophisticated cooking programs worth the significant jump in price.
How the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro performed in taste tests: The Breville Smart Oven Pro impressed us with its ability to deliver consistently delicious results across every food we taste-tested. From perfectly golden toast with edge-to-edge browning to frozen pizzas with genuinely crispy crusts, this oven produced food that tasted like it came from a full-size oven rather than a countertop appliance. We achieved uniform browning on all six slices of toast simultaneously. “I couldn't tell which slice came from which position in the oven; they were that consistent,” said testers. The convection fan further enhanced this evenness, ensuring our cookies baked to soft, moist perfection and our chicken thighs developed that coveted crispy skin and juicy interior.
The Smart Oven was among the best we've measured in temperature accuracy. The intuitive interface, featuring a backlit LCD display and smart presets, made switching between ten different cooking functions effortless. One tester commented, “It's like having a sous chef who always knows the right temperature for whatever you're making.” We particularly loved the magnetic auto-eject rack that slides out smoothly when you open the door, preventing those awkward moments of juggling hot pans while trying to check your food, and the spacious interior that easily accommodated a 13-inch pizza or six-slice toast capacity.
SPECIFICATIONS
Max number of toast slices
9
Max Pizza Size
13"
Toast Time on Medium
4.8 min
Included Accessories
Pizza Pan
Broiling Rack
Roasting Pan
Air Fry/Dehydrate Basket
Dedicated Bagel Setting
Yes
That said, the 5.4-minute preheat time tested our patience, especially when compared to the Breville Mini Smart Oven, which reached temperature in just 1.7 minutes. The substantial footprint also became a genuine concern in our test kitchen, dominating counter space that smaller households might not be able to sacrifice. Most notably, while the Breville delivered excellent results, the Ninja Foodi Digital Oven offered comparable temperature accuracy with the added versatility of a dedicated air fry function at a lower price point — making it worth serious consideration for those who want maximum functionality without the premium price tag.
Removable door design makes deep cleaning effortless
CONS
Cramped interior limits you to personal-sized portions
Unmarked control dials require guesswork and memorization
How the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach performed in taste tests: The Hamilton Beach Easy Reach delivered mixed results that reflected its budget-friendly positioning. While the food we cooked generally tasted good, we consistently noticed uneven browning patterns across all our tests — from simple toast to frozen pizzas and roasted chicken. The back of the oven ran noticeably hotter than the front, creating distinct hot spots. “I had to spin pizza slices and flip tater tots to avoid burnt edges while the centers caught up,” testers noted. Despite these challenges, once we learned to work with its quirks, the final taste of most items was even and crispy.
Though there was some unevenness in heat distribution, the Easy Reach impressed with its exceptional temperature accuracy—maintaining an average temperature of 345°F when set to 350°F. We were surprised to see this budget model matched or exceeded the precision of toaster ovens costing three times as much. The 2.4-minute preheating time meant we could go from cold oven to cooking faster than nearly every other model we tested, making it ideal for quick weeknight meals. “The removable door was a game-changer for cleaning—I could finally scrub away every crumb and splatter without contorting myself or missing spots,” testers observed after weeks of daily use. Combined with its compact footprint and rock-bottom price, these strengths make it an outstanding value for anyone with basic toasting and reheating needs.
SPECIFICATIONS
Max number of toast slices
9
Max Pizza Size
13"
Toast Time on Medium
3.8 min
Included Accessories
Baking Pan
Air Fry Basket
Dedicated Bagel Setting
Yes
The Easy Reach's diminutive size proved to be its most significant limitation during testing, restricting us to personal-sized pizzas and forcing us to cook chicken thighs just two at a time. The unmarked control dials created daily frustration, leaving us guessing at temperatures and toast settings while developing an improvised system of tape markers to remember our preferences. The mechanical timer's loud ticking and weak completion ding also detracted from the overall user experience. For those who need more capacity and precision, the Ninja Foodi Digital Oven offers digital controls, even cooking throughout its spacious interior, and the ability to prepare family-sized meals while maintaining similar temperature accuracy. Though it costs more, its versatility and consistent results make it the better choice for anyone who plans to use their toaster oven for more than occasional snacks and reheating.
The Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice has very consistent temperatures, so you can trust it to properly cook chicken, fish, and red meat while retaining moisture and flavor.
How the Ninja Double Stack Oven performed in taste tests: The dual-compartment design proved its worth when we prepared complete meals, with chicken thighs emerging golden and juicy while vegetables roasted to tender perfection in the separate compartment. Toast showed good browning overall, though we noticed slight unevenness near the edges, particularly in the upper compartment. “I was genuinely impressed when I pulled out a batch of chocolate chip cookies from the lower compartment while garlic bread crisped above. The cookies were moist with perfect golden-brown bottoms, and the bread achieved just the right amount of crunch,” noted our lead tester. The convenience of preparing multiple items without flavor transfer between compartments largely compensated for the minor inconsistencies in browning patterns.
The Ninja's ability to maintain two different temperatures simultaneously while cooking completely different dishes sets it apart from the competition. “Everything finished at the same time and tasted fantastic,” testers remarked. We particularly appreciated the thoughtful design elements like the backlit display showing both compartments' settings simultaneously and the magnetic door closures that felt secure yet easy to open. The temperature accuracy, while not class-leading, proved consistent enough that we could easily adjust our cooking accordingly. We also appreciated the 4-minute preheat time, which is faster than most competitors.
SPECIFICATIONS
Max number of toast slices
4
Max Pizza Size
11"
Toast Time on Medium
2.5 min
Included Accessories
Baking Pan
Dedicated Bagel Setting
Yes
Where the Ninja Double Stack struggled most was in achieving the intense crisping power of dedicated air fryers and maintaining the exceptional temperature precision of premium models. Our frozen tater tots and chicken wings, while certainly acceptable, lacked the extraordinary crispiness we achieved with the Ninja Foodi Digital Oven. The substantial footprint also proved problematic in our smaller test kitchen setups, consuming nearly twice the counter space of compact options.
Smart presets with intuitive dial controls eliminate guesswork
Lightning-fast preheat saves time and energy
Space-saving design
CONS
Lacks convection fan
No air frying capability unlike similarly-priced competitors
How the Breville Mini Smart Oven performed in taste tests: This pint-sized oven delivered remarkably uniform browning from edge to edge, with only slight shade differences between the top and bottom of each slice — exceptional performance for a non-convection model. The frozen pizza emerged with perfectly melted cheese and a pleasantly crispy crust, while our cookie batches achieved that coveted combination of crispy edges and chewy centers. “After testing over a dozen toaster ovens, I was genuinely surprised by how evenly the Mini toasted without convection — it rivaled much larger and more expensive models,” noted our lead tester.
Where the Breville Mini truly shined was in its lightning-fast preheating and rock-solid temperature accuracy. Reaching 350°F in just 1.7 minutes made it one of the fastest ovens we tested. We particularly loved the magnetic auto-eject rack that slides out automatically when you open the door, preventing countless potential burns during our weeks of testing. The intuitive three-dial control system with backlit LCD display made operation effortless, with smart presets that actually delivered appropriate time and temperature combinations for each cooking mode. “The auto-eject rack alone makes this worth considering — we can't count how many times it saved our fingers from getting too close to heating elements while checking on food,” testers said.
SPECIFICATIONS
Max number of toast slices
4
Max Pizza Size
11"
Toast Time on Medium
2.5 min
Included Accessories
Baking Pan
Dedicated Bagel Setting
Yes
However, the lack of convection proved to be the Mini's Achilles heel during our roasting tests, particularly with chicken thighs, where achieving uniformly crispy skin required more attention and rotation than fan-equipped models. The compact capacity also limited us to smaller portions, making it less suitable for families or those who like to meal prep in larger batches. During our side-by-side testing, the Ninja Foodi Digital Oven consistently outperformed the Breville in these areas, delivering crispier chicken skin thanks to its convection fan while maintaining even better temperature accuracy.
The Breville Mini only fits four slices of toast, but delivers fast, consistent results.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Compare Product Specifications
Specifications
Breville Smart Air Fryer Pro
Ninja Foodi Digital
Cuisinart TOA-70
Ninja Double Stack XL DCT651
Breville Mini Smart
Panasonic FlashXpress
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 31156
Black+Decker Extra Wide Crisp N' Bake
Our Place Wonder
Elite Gourmet ETO236
Awards
Best High-End Toaster Oven
Best Toaster Oven for Most
Best Dual-Oven
Best Bang for the Buck
Max number of toast slices
9
9
6
6
4
4
4
2
8
4
2
Max Pizza Size
13"
13"
11"
11"
11"
9"
9"
9"
11"
7"
5"
Toast Time on Medium
4.8 min
3.8 min
5.0 min
2.8
2.5 min
2.5 min
4.1 min
3.3 min
4.0 min
5
3.8 min
Included Accessories
Pizza Pan
Broiling Rack
Roasting Pan
Air Fry/Dehydrate Basket
Baking Pan
Air Fry Basket
Baking Pan
Air Frying Tray
Grill Pan
Baking Pans
Air Fry Basket
Baking Pan
Baking Pan
Baking Pan
Baking Pan
Baking Pan
Air Frying Tray
Baking Pan
Air Fry Basket
Baking Pan
Dedicated Bagel Setting
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Toast Shade Settings
7
6
3
7
7
5
By Time
5
6
By Time
By Time
Heating to 350 F
5.4 min
1.8 min
2 min
2.8
1.7 min
1.6 min
2.4 min
2.8 min
2.6 min
5
3.8
Accuracy
98.6%
98.0%
93.7%
96%
96.3%
94.6%
98.6%
96.3%
91.4%
89.10%
75.40%
Average Temperature Deviation from 350 F
5.2
7.3
21.7
14
13.3
-24.4
-5.1
-13.5
-30.3
-38
86
PFAs?
Yes, In Coating on the Pizza Pan
None
None
None
Optional Pizza Pan
None
None
None
None
None
Yes, PTFE
Time to roast chicken thighs to 175 at 450
22
22
20
22
20
20
23
25
20
20
21
We put each toaster oven to the test by cooking, baking, and toasting all manner of foods.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
How We Test Toaster Ovens
We analyzed hundreds of toaster ovens and purchased the top 11 to test side-by-side in our test kitchen. In that time, we made hundreds of cookies, dozens of frozen pizzas and chicken thighs, and toasted more than 500 pieces of toast. Plus, we whipped up baked goods, crisped tater tots, and generally made meals the entire family could enjoy. We tasted each one to see which oven produced the most appetizing outcome, evaluating how delicious, crispy, and evenly browned the results were. This diverse range of foods tests how well each model handles different textures, cooking times, and temperature requirements. Our baking and roasting tests push these ovens through real-world cooking scenarios that busy home cooks face daily.
Toaster Ovens are tested across 4 metrics:
Toasting Performance (30% of overall score weighting)
Baking/Roasting Performance (30% weighting)
Ease of Use (25% weighting)
Temperature Accuracy (15% weighting)
We performed more than 15 individual tests on each toaster oven. For toasting tests, we use standard white bread set to medium shade, placing slices in the center of each oven and evaluating them on a scale from terrible (burnt or barely toasted) to perfection (evenly golden with ideal crispness). We also create heat maps by filling each toaster to maximum capacity, revealing how evenly models distribute heat across their entire cooking surface.
Temperature accuracy testing involves setting each oven to 350°F for 30 minutes while monitoring with calibrated temperature probes positioned in the center of the cooking chamber, tracking how closely each model maintains its set temperature over time.
For more on our toaster oven testing process, check out our full How We Test article.
From pizza to chicken, cookies, toast, and more we know that a good toaster oven needs to provide consistency and versatility.
Why Trust GearLab
Our test team brings together food science professionals with more than ten years of hands-on experience evaluating kitchen appliances. This combination of scientific training and practical expertise ensures rigorous, unbiased testing across the hundreds of home and kitchen products we've analyzed. We don't just understand the technical specifications—we're passionate about food and how these appliances perform in real kitchens every day.
Mallory Paige earned her Food Science degree from Colorado State University, giving her the analytical framework to evaluate both culinary results and technical data with scientific precision. Over the past decade, she's developed comprehensive testing methodologies and authored detailed reviews that help consumers navigate complex purchasing decisions. As a mother of three young children, Mallory brings invaluable real-world perspective to our testing. She personally uses a toaster oven nearly every day and understands that when a finicky three-year-old expects perfectly golden-brown toast or a quickly delivered frozen pizza, consistency isn't just nice to have, it's essential.
Lesley Robinson combines her food science education with extensive professional experience from her previous career in the food and supplement industry. She's become our resident kitchen appliance expert through personally testing and evaluating hundreds of devices in GearLab's test kitchen, preparing everything from delicate pavlovas to perfectly poached eggs. Robinson's dual perspective as both a trained baker and methodical tester ensures our evaluations consider both technical performance and culinary excellence, with every creation taste-tested to verify that great specifications translate to delicious results.
We brought together a panel of taste-testing judges to identify which units toasted, baked, and roasted the most delicious meals.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Analysis and Test Results
Compared to basic toasters, toaster ovens represent a significant leap in versatility and complexity—combining multiple heating elements, convection fans, and sophisticated controls within a compact countertop footprint. These miniature marvels perform genuine culinary transformations, not just converting bread into golden-crispy toast, but also baking cookies to perfection, roasting chicken until the skin crackles, and reviving leftover pizza to its former glory. Our comprehensive tests cut through the marketing claims and technical specifications to help you find the right oven for your needs.
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
The budget-friendly Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice proves you don't need to spend a fortune for reliable toasting performance. During our testing, this affordable model consistently produced evenly golden toast with a satisfying crunch, and its roll-top door design made it incredibly easy to clean crumbs and access food without reaching over a hot door. While it lacks some advanced features of pricier models, it handles basic toasting and reheating tasks with aplomb, making it perfect for households that primarily need a dedicated toaster with occasional light baking capabilities.
The Breville Smart Oven Pro packs a lot of functionality into a small package.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Sometimes the best value relates to versatility and finding something that can handle multiple kitchen tasks, potentially replacing several appliances. If that's your priority, the Ninja Foodi Digital Oven and Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro are both worth considering despite their higher price tags. These multi-talented workhorses could replace your air fryer, dehydrator, and even your conventional oven for many tasks. The Ninja Foodi impressed us with its ability to produce incredibly crispy, golden tater tots that rivaled deep-fried versions, while the Breville's smart features and exceptional baking performance made it feel like having a professional kitchen assistant. Though they cost more upfront, their ability to streamline kitchen tasks and consistently deliver delicious results makes them smart long-term investments.
Toasting Performance
The Cuisinart TOA-70 also consistently produces near-perfect golden-brown toast with an ideal balance of crispiness and a tender interior. Meanwhile, the Our Place Wonder Oven's steam function helped to produce crunchy, medium-golden-brown toast that was soft and delicious on the inside.
Toasting Tests: Single Piece
Product
Evenness
Color
Ninja Double Stack Oven DCT651
9
10
Our Place Wonder Oven
9
9
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1
8
8
Black+Decker Extra Wide Crisp N\' Bake
8
7
Cuisinart TOA-70
9
6
Ninja Foodi Digital Oven
7
8
Panasonic FlashXpress
8
7
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
7
7
Breville Mini Smart Oven
6
7
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice
6
7
Elite Gourmet ETO236
6
7
Black+Decker 4-Slice
6
3
The consistency results when toasting a single piece of white bread.
Toasting Tests: Single Piece
Product
Evenness
Color
Ninja Double Stack Oven DCT651
9
10
Our Place Wonder Oven
9
9
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1
8
8
Black+Decker Extra Wide Crisp N\' Bake
8
7
Cuisinart TOA-70
9
6
Ninja Foodi Digital Oven
7
8
Panasonic FlashXpress
8
7
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
7
7
Breville Mini Smart Oven
6
7
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice
6
7
Elite Gourmet ETO236
6
7
Black+Decker 4-Slice
6
3
The consistency results when toasting multiple pieces of white bread.
The Easy Reach delivered good results, whether toasting one or four slices of toast.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
When we filled these ovens to maximum capacity for our heat map testing, the Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 and Hamilton Beach Easy Reach both demonstrated impressive consistency across multiple slices. The Easy Reach particularly stood out for maintaining even browning whether toasting two or four slices, never leaving us with that frustrating scenario of perfectly golden toast alongside pale, barely warmed bread.
The Ninja Foodi delivered impressively even toasting.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Ninja Foodi Digital Oven showed excellent center toasting but exhibited slightly lighter results near the door, though the difference was minimal, and all slices remained thoroughly enjoyable.
The Wonder Oven looked great on our counter, but had obvious hot spots during testing.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Ninja Double Stack Oven DCT651 presented an interesting case with its dual-chamber design, allowing us to toast different items simultaneously at different settings—a game-changer for households with varied breakfast preferences. We could achieve dark, crunchy toast in one compartment while gently warming pastries in the other, though this versatility came with a learning curve as we adjusted to managing two separate cooking zones. Overall, the models that excelled in toasting shared common traits: precise temperature control, well-designed heating elements that distributed heat evenly, and consistent browning whether toasting one slice or a full batch.
Baking and Roasting Performance
We put each toaster oven through its paces with our standard baking tests: frozen pizza, prepared cookie dough, frozen tater tots, and chicken thighs. Following our testing protocol of preheating for five minutes (or the oven's preset time) and adhering to package directions, we evaluated how well each compact oven handled real-world cooking tasks.
Baking and Roasting Taste Results
Product
Frozen Pizza
Cookies
Chicken Thighs
Tater Tots
Ninja Foodi Digital Oven
9
7
8
10
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
9
7
8
9
Ninja Double Stack Oven DCT651
8
9
10
6
Breville Mini Smart Oven
6
8
8
7.5
Cuisinart TOA-70
6
5
9
9
Panasonic FlashXpress
5
7
8
6
Black+Decker Extra Wide Crisp N\' Bake
4
9
6.5
6
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice
6
6.5
7
6
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 31156
4
8
6
6.5
Our Place Wonder Oven
4
6
5
7
Elite Gourmet ETO236
5
2
7
7
The Ninja Foodi Digital Oven proved to bake and roast the most delicious meals, particularly excelling with frozen foods that typically challenge toaster ovens. Tater tots came out spectacularly crispy with fluffy, steaming interiors that had us wondering if we'd accidentally deep-fried them. The air fry function transformed mundane frozen items into crave-worthy snacks and meals, while the dedicated roast setting produced chicken with skin so perfectly rendered and meat so succulent that it became our go-to method for weeknight dinners.
The Ninja Foodi really excelled when cooking tots and frozen pizza, while also holding its own with sweet treats like these perfectly golden brown cookies.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro absolutely dominated our baking and roasting tests. Frozen pizzas emerged with perfectly crispy crusts and bubbling, evenly melted cheese that had us reaching for second slices. Cookie dough transformed into bakery-worthy treats with golden-brown edges and delightfully chewy centers, while our chicken thighs developed a gorgeous, crackling skin that sealed in incredibly juicy meat. The convection fan circulated heat so effectively that we achieved these exceptional results consistently, batch after batch, making this model feel more like a compact professional oven than a countertop appliance.
Breville Smart Oven Pro baked beautifully browned cinnamon rolls that were perfectly moist and gooey on the inside.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Cuisinart TOA-70 required slightly longer cooking times than advertised, but we were able to achieve optimal browning on cookies and a perfect crispy-bottom on pizzas. The chicken thighs were absolutely delicious, with a succulent, juicy interior and crispy, browned skin.
The Breville Mini Smart Oven, despite its compact size, surprised us with its baking prowess, particularly with cookies and smaller portions. The Element IQ technology genuinely seemed to understand where heat was needed most, adjusting power to different heating elements throughout the cooking cycle. This resulted in remarkably even baking that eliminated the need for rotating pans mid-cycle.
The chicken thighs that emerged from the Double Stack were particularly impressive, with crispy, golden-brown skin and juicy meat.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Ninja Double Stack Oven's dual chambers initially seemed gimmicky, but we appreciated being able to bake cookies in one compartment while roasting vegetables in the other, though managing different cooking times required attention. And the chicken we made in the Double Stack wowed us with a crisp exterior and moist interior.
Ease of Use
During our ease of use tests, we evaluated the user interface, the internal capacity, and how easy each oven is to clean. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro and Breville Mini Smart Oven set the gold standard for user interfaces with their intuitive LCD displays and perfectly responsive control dials.
Pizza Pan
Broiling Rack
Roasting Pan
Air Fry/Dehydrate Basket
Digital
1800 W
Cuisinart TOA-70
Toast, Bake, Broil, Convection Bake, Air Fry Grill, Warm
Baking Pan
Air Frying Tray
Grill Pan
Analog
1800 W
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 31156
Toast, Bake Broil
Baking Pan
✖
Analog
1450 W
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice
Toast, Bake Broil
Baking Pan
✖
Analog
1200 W
Ninja Foodi Digital Oven
Toast, Bagel, Air Fry, Air Roast, Air Broil, Bake, Dehydrate, Keep Warm
Baking Pan
Air Fry Basket
Digital
1800 W
Panasonic FlashXpress
Toast, Waffle, Roll, Pizza, Reheat, Hash Brown
Baking Pan
Digital
1300 W
Elite Gourmet ETO236
Bake, Broil, Toast
Baking Pan
✖
Analog
650 W
Ninja Double Stack Oven DCT651
Broil, Toast, Bagel, Bake, Reheat, Keep Warm
Whole Roast, Air Roast, Air Fry, Conv. Bake, Pizza, Dehydrate
Baking Pans
Air Fry Basket
Digital
1800 W
Our Place Wonder Oven
Roast, Toast, Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Reheat
Baking Pan
Air Fry Basket
Analog
1400 W
Right out of the box, we could navigate their extensive functions without consulting the manual, thanks to clearly labeled buttons and a logical menu structure. The backlit orange LCD remained easy to read even in bright kitchen lighting, and the smooth-turning function dial with its satisfying clicks made selecting cooking modes feel premium. Both models include thoughtful preset programs for common foods, but what really impressed us was how easy it was to customize settings—the interface remembered our preferences and made adjustments straightforward.
Size
Size
Exterior Dimensions
H x W x D
Max Pizza Size
Black+Decker Extra Wide Crisp N' Bake
Large
11.4" x 21.4" x 14"
11"
Breville Mini Smart Oven
Small
8.5" x 16" x 14"
11"
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
Large
12.5" x 21.3" x 17"
13"
Cuisinart TOA-70
Large
13.7" x 16.5" x 15.1"
11"
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 31156
Small
10.2" x 17.7" x 11.7"
9"
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice
Small
8.8" x 15.7" x 11.4"
9"
Ninja Foodi Digital Oven
Medium
7.5" x 19.7" x 14.4"
13"
Panasonic FlashXpress
Small
10.2" x 12.6" x 11.7"
9"
Elite Gourmet ETO236
Small
6.4" x 13.3" x 7.5"
5"
Ninja Double Stack Oven DCT651
Large
13.3" x 18.6" x 16.4"
11"
Our Place Wonder Oven
Medium
12" x 11.4" x 12.8"
7"
We loved the turn dials and easy-to-read display on the Breville Smart Oven Pro.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Ninja Double Stack, despite its dual-chamber complexity, managed to keep controls relatively intuitive with its Smart Finish feature that synchronizes cooking times so both compartments finish simultaneously—though we did find ourselves occasionally confusing which controls operated which chamber during our first week of testing.
Even with dual ovens, the interface on the Double Stack was very easy to use.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Black+Decker Extra Wide Crisp N' Bake represented the no-frills approach with simple manual dials that anyone familiar with a traditional toaster oven could operate immediately. While it lacks digital precision and preset programs, its straightforward design meant zero learning curve and no fussy electronics to potentially malfunction. Setup for all these models proved refreshingly simple, typically requiring just the removal of packaging materials and a quick initial heating cycle to burn off manufacturing residues.
The knobs on the Crips N'Bake are simple, but functional.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Temperature Accuracy
Temperature precision can make or break a toaster oven's performance, so we conducted extensive testing using calibrated probes to measure actual cavity temperatures against the set point. We also looked at the preheat performance for each oven, because no one wants to listen to hungry kids whine for an extra 10 minutes.
Time to preheat to 350 F
Product
Time to Preheat
Panasonic FlashXpress
1.6
Breville Mini Smart Oven
1.7
Ninja Foodi Digital Oven
1.8
Cuisinart TOA-70
2
Elite Gourmet ETO236
2.3
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice
2.4
Black+Decker Extra Wide Crisp N\' Bake
2.6
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1
2.8
Our Place Wonder Oven
3
Ninja Double Stack Oven DCT651
4
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
5.4
Average Temperature Deviation
Product
Average Off
Elite Gourmet ETO236
86
Cuisinart TOA-70
21.7
Ninja Double Stack Oven DCT651
14
Breville Mini Smart Oven
13.3
Ninja Foodi Digital Oven
7.3
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
5.2
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice
-5.1
Hamilton Beach 2-in-1
-13.5
Panasonic FlashXpress
-24.4
Black+Decker Extra Wide Crisp N\' Bake
-30.3
Our Place Wonder Oven
-38
The time to preheat proved to be a superpower of the Breville Mini, which showed the ability to reach 350°F in just 1.7 minutes. This could be important for anyone who hates waiting around for their oven to heat up. It also had decent temperature accuracy, running a bit warmer than the display temp.
The Breville Smart Oven Pro has excellent temperature accuracy, which makes it easy to succesfully cook new foods.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Conversely, the Breville Smart Oven Pro was among the most consistent we've tested temperature-wise, but has an annoyingly long preheat time of 5 minutes.
The Ninja Foodi Digital Oven impressed us with some of the most consistent temperatures we've seen.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Ninja Foodi Digital Oven displayed an impressively short preheat time, reaching 350°F in just 1.8 minutes. It also earned high marks for temperature accuracy, running about 7.3 degrees hot and maintaining great consistency throughout a heating cycle.
The FlashXpress preheats incredibly quickly, but consistently runs at least 20 degrees cool.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Cuisinart TOA-70 demonstrated solid temperature stability once it reached the target temperature, though it took slightly longer to preheat than advertised. The Panasonic FlashXpress's infrared heating technology provided incredibly fast preheating but showed more temperature variation during extended cooking sessions.
Temperature variation can really make or break a recipe. And after testing each model, we've rated them based on temperature accuracy in the chart below.
How to Pick the Best Toaster Oven
Whether you need a toaster oven for your morning bagel or a new oven for reheating leftovers, we've compiled a summary of our complete buying advice to help you narrow your options.
Capacity
The capacity consideration involves more than just interior volume—it's about finding the sweet spot between cooking capability and counter footprint. Compact 4-slice toasters work perfectly for couples or small kitchens where counter space is precious, handling everyday toasting and reheating without overwhelming your workspace. Models like the Breville Mini Smart Oven prove that smaller doesn't mean less capable, fitting a surprising amount of food while maintaining a footprint barely larger than a traditional toaster. Larger 6-slice or double-rack models provide family-friendly capacity for batch cooking and can accommodate 12-inch pizzas, 9x13 baking dishes, or even small roasts, essentially functioning as second ovens. However, these space requirements are permanent—unlike occasionally-used appliances you can store away, your toaster oven will likely live on your counter full-time, so honestly assess whether that extra capacity justifies the real estate.
Being able to roast an entire chicken or toast nine pieces of bread simultaneously could be an important feature for large families.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Functionality
Multi-function versatility versus focused simplicity represents a crucial decision point that significantly impacts both price and daily usability. Models with air frying, dehydrating, proofing, and rotisserie capabilities can genuinely replace multiple appliances, streamlining your kitchen and expanding cooking possibilities—the Ninja Foodi and Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro exemplify this Swiss Army knife approach. However, added functionality means more complex controls, longer learning curves, and higher prices, which might frustrate users who simply want perfectly golden toast without navigating through multiple menus. Single-purpose or limited-function models excel through simplicity, often producing superior results for their core functions while remaining approachable for all family members. Consider whether you'll realistically use special features—air frying capabilities are genuinely transformative for healthier cooking, while rotisserie attachments often gather dust after the novelty wears off.
What About the Display and Controls?
The control interface impacts your daily interaction more than any other feature, making the choice between digital precision and analog simplicity surprisingly important. Digital controls offer exact temperature settings, countdown timers, and preset programs that remove guesswork from cooking, particularly valuable for baking where precision matters. LCD screens clearly display all settings at a glance, and memory functions can recall favorite settings, though these interfaces can feel overwhelming initially and may suffer from longevity concerns in steamy kitchen environments.
Simple dials get the job done, but aren't always the most precise.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Analog dials provide immediate, intuitive control that anyone can understand instantly—there's something satisfying about the tactile feedback of turning a dial and hearing mechanical timers tick down. While lacking precision, analog controls prove remarkably durable and never suffer from electronic glitches or confusing error codes. Hybrid approaches, combining digital displays with physical dials, often provide the best user experience by merging precision with intuitive operation.
Conclusion
After extensive testing and hundreds of meals, we're confident these findings will help you select a toaster oven that transforms your daily cooking experience. The exceptional performers in our lineup prove that modern toaster ovens have evolved far beyond simple toasting, now capable of producing genuinely delicious meals that rival full-size ovens while saving time, energy, and counter space. Whether you choose the versatile excellence of the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, the budget-friendly reliability of the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach, or any model that aligns with your specific needs, investing in a quality toaster oven based on thorough testing ensures years of satisfying meals and perfectly golden toast. The right toaster oven doesn't just heat food—it becomes an indispensable kitchen partner that makes cooking more enjoyable and eating more delicious.
We bought and tested dozens of toaster ovens in our test kitchen to help you pick the right one.