But fewer heating elements aren’t necessarily an indication of poor toasting performance. If the oven cavity is small, two elements are enough to regulate heat. That said, avoid larger toaster ovens with only a couple of elements because they won’t be able to distribute heat evenly. The more heating elements a toaster oven has, the bigger and more expensive it will be. If you need a slightly smaller machine, we think you’ll be happier with the Cuisinart—it performed just as well and it’s also more affordable.
You’ll find the Hamilton Beach 31344D Roll Top Toaster easy to clean after each use thanks to the included bread crumb tray and the removable glass roll top door. The unit is smaller than other models on the market, but still cooks up to four slices of toast at a time, as well as a 9-inch pizza. There are also two rack positions, so you can bake or broil your favorite foods. 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.
Cooking large dishes or gourmet meals will never happen with the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4-Slice. It’s compact design lends itself to one-and-done, single-serving dishes. You should buy this toaster if you’re looking to save money and don’t need a large, multi-function oven.
We felt that the larger size would save on heating up the big oven for some smaller side dishes. While the timer is loud, you get used to it like everything hamilton beach air fryer else and it’s really nice to have a built-in timer aside from our oven timer. This oven is not “intuitive”; it definitely takes some getting used to.
For instance, our budget pick, the Hamilton Beach, has the same quartz elements as the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven, which costs more than $200. And the Wolf Gourmet Countertop Oven we tested, which normally costs over $700, uses Calrod elements, which are typically found in cheaper models. So, it’s not always worth paying more for certain elements, as performance varies with every oven. Generous size can hold 6 slices of toast, a 9 x 11-inch baking pan, or even a 12-inch pizza.
Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections. Sharon Franke is a journalist who specializes in testing and writing about kitchen equipment. A thirty-year veteran of the Good Housekeeping Institute, Sharon also worked as a professional chef in New York City restaurants for seven years. In her free time, she is an avid home cook who is in the process of mastering the art of baking sour dough bread.