Toaster Ovens

Toaster ovens use less energy than conventional ovens and don’t heat up the kitchen as much as a full-size oven. They’re handy for heating small amounts of food and take a minimum amount of counter space. These are some of the reasons toaster-oven-broilers have remained popular for 30-odd years--even in this age of the microwave oven.

The models haven’t changed a great deal through the years, but just how well do the multiple functions of these appliances actually perform?

To find out, we borrowed four popular brands from the manufacturers for testing. Suggested retail prices range from $66.98 to $110.

None of the toaster-oven-broilers toasted bread as well as did standard toasters. The top side of the bread toasted satisfactorily, but the underside was lighter and had striped marks from the rack. Toasting times often varied between different trials. Where the ovens did show superiority was in accommodating odd-sized and unusually shaped items.

The broiling results were also disappointing. The ovens didn’t have enough power to sear the meat on the outside; however, the finished products did remain moist. Most models cooked hamburger patties to a medium doneness when broiled five minutes on each side.

Baking tests produced the best results. Although variances were found between the actual oven temperatures and the dial settings, baked foods from all models were satisfactory. We also found temperature fluctuations as the appliances cycled on and off, but these did not adversely affect the cooking of frozen entrees. (It’s a good idea to test a new oven with an oven thermometer and adjust temperature and timing accordingly.)

During usage, the tops of all the models became hot enough to be a safety hazard. The metal trim below the doors on some models also becomes very hot, and care needs to be taken to avoid contact with this area when moving foods in and out of the ovens.

Although the models tested have continuous-cleaning interiors, you still need to regularly remove the crumbs from the bottom and wipe with a damp cloth.

Each of the models carries a two-year warranty.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Each model was evaluated on the following criteria:

Toasting:

Commercial white bread (one slice and the maximum slices the unit could hold) and a sliced bagel were toasted at the medium setting in each oven. The breads were judged for evenness of browning.

The difference between the lightest and darkest settings was evaluated.

Consistency for successive batches of two bread slices was checked.

Broiling:

The maximum number of quarter-pound, four-inch-diameter hamburgers the unit would hold were broiled five minutes per side.

Baking:

A glass-tube oven thermometer was used to check the accuracy of the temperature settings.

Six-cup muffin and eight-inch-square baking pans were used to evaluate capacity.

The same size and variety of frozen entree was baked an equal amount of time in each oven.

Other

The ovens were also rated for ease of cleaning--exterior, interior surfaces and crumb removal.

RESOURCES:

BLACK & DECKER--Capacity: four slices bread (tight fit), three hamburgers, 7x10-inch muffin pan. Could not accommodate eight-inch-square pan. Bake/broil assembly is made of lightweight aluminum. Both top and bottom elements are activated to different degrees when top browning--this was the only oven tested that didn’t recommend using the bake/broil assembly to protect the bottom of the food during this function.

Available at: Call (800) 552-0553 for nearest store.

DE LONGHI--Capacity: four slices bread, four hamburgers, 7x10-inch muffin pan, eight-inch-square pan. The bake/broil assembly is made of the heaviest-gauge metal of the models tested. Having to use the separate handgrip for sliding the hot rack in and out was inconvenient. This model showed the greatest difference between light and dark toast settings.

Available at: Montgomery Ward & Co., Sears Roebuck and Co., Robinson’s and Price Club.

PROCTOR-SILEX--Capacity: four slices bread, three hamburgers, 7x10-inch muffin pan, eight-inch-square pan. The bake/broil assembly is made of lightweight aluminum and is used to protect the bottom of food during top browning. Depressing the on and off buttons for the toasting cycle caused the unit to move when it was not anchored on the counter. This model showed the least difference between the light and dark toast settings; however, the baking temperature tended to be much higher than indicated on the dial, and the frozen entree container partially melted during testing.

Available at: Call Proctor-Silex Customer Service at (800) 851-8900 for the nearest store.

TOASTMASTER--Capacity: four slices bread, four hamburgers, 7x10-inch muffin pan, eight-inch-square pan. The bake/broil assembly is made of medium-weight metal and is used to protect the bottom of food during top browning.

Available at: Sears Roebuck & Co., J.C. Penney Co., Fedco Inc. and Adray’s.

Caption:

Make & Model: Black & Decker, Toast-R-Oven Broiler, Model TRO510 Price: $66.98 Features: Rack advances when door is opened. Bottom opens for crumb removal and cleaning. Comments: Best Feature: Oven baking temperature matched dial setting. Biggest Drawback: Variances found between different batches of toast. Make & Model: DeLonghi, Alfredo Toaster-Oven-Broiler, Model XU-18 Price: $110. Features: Separate handgrip for sliding rack in and out. Bottom tray removes for cleaning. Comments: Best Feature: Sturdy construction. Biggest Drawback: Makes audible sound throughout toasting cycle. Make & Model: Proctor-Silex, Electronic Toaster Oven/Broiler, Model 03030 Price: $81.95 Features: Rack advances when door is opened. Electronic toast sensor. Bottom opens for crumb removal and cleaning. Comments: Best Feature: Held most constant baking temperature of models tested. Biggest Drawback: Electronic toast sensor, advertised to provide more consistent toasting, didn’t show significant improvement over other models tested. Make & Model: Toastmaster, Toaster-Oven-Broiler, Model 339 Price: $85.25 Features: Rack advances when door is opened. Bottom opens for crumb removal and cleaning. Comments: Best Feature: Ease of operation. Biggest Drawback: Audible signal at end of toast cycle malfunctioned on model tested.