If you’re low on kitchen space, an under the cabinet toaster oven may be a better solution than a large, traditional oven. It makes good use of space that you otherwise wouldn’t be using – while also helping your kitchen appear more organized.
But even if you have a spacious kitchen and lots of kitchenware, you’ll probably want to spare some space for a toaster oven that can heat food faster than a traditional cooker – and make amazing pizzas.
We’ve all seen celebrity chefs using them on TV. Have you noticed how convenient it is to have an oven at eye level? And it doesn’t have to be expensive at all.
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Which Under Cabinet Toaster Oven to Choose?
There are millions of under the cabinet toaster oven models on the market, and they differ tremendously in their features, quality, and price.
We’ve handpicked the most popular toaster ovens by trusted brands, such as Panasonic, Black+Decker, and more to offer you a reliable buying guide.
1. Panasonic FlashXpress Toaster Oven
The Panasonic FlashXpress is a super-handy small toaster oven with a double infrared heater. While this may sound complicated, it essentially means simply that you don’t have to preheat your food.
You can set the temperature to anything between 250 and 500 degrees Farenheit, and set timers. Or if you’re unsure how long you should bake your bagel or frozen pizza, you can choose between six pre-set cooking functions (defrost, reheat, and more). A reminder beep will give you the signal when the baking is over.
Inside the oven, you’ll find a rectangular inner tray, on which you can bake a 9-inch pizza or up to 4 slices of bread. There’s also a convenient crumb tray that you can take out and clean. The interior has a non-stick cover, and the entire oven is easy to keep tidy.
This oven has some unique safety features as well. The baking rack is attached to the oven door, which enables you to pull it out easily, thus preventing hand exposure to high temperatures inside the oven. Also, the auto shut-off feature is designed to minimize the chance of overcooking or burning your meal.
Lastly, this toaster oven is compact– which makes it a great addition to any kitchen, big or small. It is powerful, reliable, safe, and you’ll use it day after day for all kinds of fancy dishes or baking goods.
Specifications
- Color: Silver
- Pattern Name: Toaster Oven
- Product Dimensions: 12 x 13 x 10.25 inches
- Internal measures: 4.1-inch (H) by 10.2-inch (W) by 9.8-Inch (D)
- Item Weight:7.5 pounds
- Manufacturer: Panasonic
- Pattern Name: Toaster Oven
- Brand: Panasonic
- Material: Stainless Steel
2. Instant Pot Omni Plus 11-in-1 Toaster Oven
This oven has a larger capacity than the Panasonic oven, and it has 11 smart programs rather than just 6. (This is still an under the cabinet toaster oven – Instant Pot is just the name of the brand.)
The Instant Omni Plus Toaster Oven and Air Fryer is a multifunctional device that allows you to prepare a wide range of nutritious meals easily. It has a large capacity (6 slices) and different operating modes. In addition to baking, you can use it to air fry, roast, dehydrate, and grill various types of food.
You don’t have to be an expert to start using this oven. With the 11 smart cooking programs, theres no anxiety about the exact time and temperature that your perfect dish requires. Just pick a program and touch the button.
These pre-set programs also won’t limit the more experienced cooks. You can use the time and temperature dials to adjust and customize any of these settings, and the oven will work just the way you want it to.
The large capacity allows you to bake a 12” cake or pizza, or toast 6 slices of bread. On top of that, you can use the rotisserie function to prepare a whole chicken in this convection oven. The rotisserie cooking accessories are included in the package. All you need is the Omni toaster and your chicken, and a fantastic dinner is already half done.
Specifications
- Brand: Instant Pot
- Color: Stainless Steel
- Material: Stainless Steel, Plastic
- Product Dimensions: 17.68 x 16.34 x 14.39 inches
- Item Weight: 26.1 pounds
- Manufacturer: Double Insight FOB CNBIJ
3. BLACK+DECKER TO3250XSB 8-Slice Extra Wide Convection Countertop Toaster Oven
This BLACK+DECKER oven has a large interior – so large that you can put a 13”x9” pan with handles in it. Actually, you can use most of your existing bakeware, and everything will fit well – even a 12” pizza pan.
Preheating is a thing of the past. With this oven, you just need to set the desired temperature, choose one of the four functions (bake, toast, broil, and keep warm), and the estimated time that it’ll take for your meal to be done. Place the food inside, and it will start baking instantly.
This model features convection technology. The air circulates within the oven, and as a result, your meal gets baked evenly and quickly.
The package includes a baking and broiling pan, a roasting rack, and a removable crumb tray. A dedicated toast timer helps you get perfect toast by allowing you to choose the shade every time.
It is good to know that the temperature inside the oven will not exactly match your set point. It will actually be lower, and that’s by design because of the advanced heating technology. You can expect results that are just as good (or better) than those achieved at higher temperatures in an ordinary oven.
Even though this type of oven is typically set to turn itself off after a while, if you’re baking something that requires time, use the stay-on functionality with the 60-minute timer.
Specifications
- Brand: BLACK+DECKER
- Color: Stainless Steel/Black
- Item Dimensions: LxWxH 14.5 x 22 x 11.5 inches
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Item Weight: 0.17 Pounds / 2.72 ounces
- Manufacturer: Spectrum Brands
4. Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven
The Calphalon Countertop Oven is designed to keep cool on the outside. That’s possible thanks to the quartz heat technology. No matter how hot the interior is, the outside surface will be about 75% cooler. At the same time, your food will be heated and baked evenly.
The oven has 12 precision cooking functions and a Step Cook feature that enables programming back-to-back cooking functions.
In addition to being a useful addition to your kitchen, this oven will also make it look better, thanks to the sleek glass door, touchscreen buttons, and high-contrast LCD screen.
The capacity is large enough for a 12” pizza or a whole chicken. And you don’t have to worry about cleaning the interior. It is covered by a non-stick layer that makes cleaning a breeze.
When compared to ordinary tube heating elements, this oven preheats faster and emits about 40% more evenly distributed heat
The preset functions include Toast, Broil, Bagel, Bake, Roast, Cookies, Pizza, Dehydrate, Reheat, Defrost, Keep Warm.
Specifications
- Brand: Calphalon
- Color: Black/Silver
- Item Dimensions: LxWxH 21.6 x 20.3 x 15.8 inches
- Item Weight: 36 pounds
- Material: Glass
5. BALMUDA The Toaster | Steam Oven Toaster
The BALMUDA toaster is a steam toaster. Instead of dry, hot air, your food gets enveloped by a thin layer of steam. This oven is not as versatile as the previous ones, but it is perfect for bread baking.
Before you put a loaf inside, pour 5cc of water into the toaster oven with the cc cup that’s included in the package. The steam heats faster than air, resulting in perfectly baked bread with a crisp, lightly toasted surface and a fluffy and moist interior.
The oven has three temperature zones, and you can control each one of them every minute. It is perfect for various kinds of bread, but other kinds of food are also possible– such as gratins and lasagna. It also looks great and fits every kitchen – even the smallest ones.
The package includes the toaster oven, a 5cc cup, baking pan, toasting rack, and a manual.
Specifications
- Brand: BALMUDA
- Color: Gray
- Item Dimensions: LxWxH14.1 x 12.6 x 8.2 inches
- Item Weight: 13.72 pounds
Buyer’s Guide
These five toaster ovens are all fantastic, but it doesn’t mean that you should buy any of them. We’d like to help you find the one that’s best for you, so here are some things to consider before purchasing.
The price comes first. A toaster oven can cost anywhere between $50 and $500 – or more. Define your budget first, then look into other characteristics.
Next, define your expectations. Do you need a simple oven without advanced features, or would you like to have lots of options that allow you to express your creativity in the kitchen? This will reflect in the price, of course. Make sure to pay exactly for the functionalities that you will be using.
Size matters, too. If you have a big family, it’s not a great idea to buy an oven that’s half the size of what you need. As you’ve seen, we’ve included toasters with an inner surface that can accommodate 4 to 8 pieces of bread.
What will you be preparing in it? Breads and cakes? An occasional roasted chicken? Some of the models that we’ve tested are more versatile, and others are better for specific use. Some are convection ovens that can disperse heat evenly throughout the oven, and one item on our list uses steam for the same purpose. Keep this in mind when making your decision.
Here are our top picks, based on features and price.
Best compact toaster oven: Panasonic FlashXpress Toaster Oven – in addition to its space-saving design, this toaster is also super-fast and efficient.
Best convection oven: Instant Pot Omni Plus 11-in-1 Toaster Oven – the best choice for roasted chicken lovers.
Best steam toaster: BALMUDA The Toaster – perfect for aspiring bakers.
Best value: BLACK+DECKER TO3250XSB – great, spacious, and not too expensive
Best overall: Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven – premium experience + cool touch.
We hope we’ve made it easier for you to make your decision. If you are looking for more great products for your kitchen, see what we’ve prepared for you in our other reviews.
