Convection Toaster Ovens

Top-rated toaster ovens use convection heating

With bake, toast, broil and convection settings, today's toaster ovens are giving full-size ovens a run for their money. Convection cooking uses a small fan to circulate hot air throughout the oven. Experts agree that convection is superior to coil heating when it comes to even cooking and more even browning.

The Cuisinart TOB-175BC (*Est. $180) is a large-capacity, four-slice convection toaster oven with a brushed chrome exterior. With a 14 inch by 18 inch footprint, it is fairly compact for its capacity. The Cuisinart toaster oven can broil, bake or toast, and features an heat sensor that lets you choose function and temperature, then beeps when the food is ready. You can also use the timer function to cook food.

The Cuisinart TOB-175BC toaster oven finishes first in one expert test, beating all other models tested in toasting, baking, broiling and ease of use. It also earns the highest rating among toaster ovens by consumers posting to Amazon.com, with 4.5 stars out of five in about 550 reviews. The TOB-175BC toaster oven is top-ranked more times in the professional reviews we found than any other oven. However, Cook's Illustrated isn't as impressed as others, finding that the Cuisinart TOB-175BC browned toast somewhat unevenly on medium and burned toast on its darkest setting. But Cook's Illustrated seems to be the lone detractor among expert reviewers.

Sam Gugino of Wine Spectator magazine reports in a Dec. 2003 review that the Cuisinart TOB-175BC roasted a four-pound chicken to perfection and excelled at baking frozen fries and pizza. Many owners like the TOB-175BC's defrost/toast feature, which allows you to defrost a frozen bagel and toast it in a single cycle. This model also has a broil function and a convection setting that allows you to bake a potato in about 45 minutes. Its three-year warranty trumps the one-year guarantee most other toaster ovens carry.

We did find a few small quibbles. The Cuisinart TOB-175BC's most commonly mentioned drawback is its timer, which beeps but doesn't actually turn the oven off. It goes on beeping and only shuts off automatically after four hours. Professional testers also report that the TOB-175BC toaster oven doesn't accommodate a 12-inch pizza, and they complain that the toaster oven's pans are hard to clean. The Cuisinart TOB-175BC's crumb tray must be emptied from the back, which some owners find inconvenient. Like most other models of toaster ovens, a small handful of owners complain of defective units that don't heat properly or break soon after purchase.

Cuisinart makes a few other toaster ovens; for about $50 less, you can get a similar convection oven in white as the Cuisinart TOB-165 (*Est. $130). A few owners reporting at Amazon.com, however, say that the white finish can crack and discolor. Also available are the Cuisinart TOB-195 (*Est. $165) with a stainless steel exterior and convection cooking, and the non-convection TOB-155 (*Est. $135) with a black painted steel exterior and stainless highlights. Both these models are slightly larger to accommodate a 12-inch pizza and have metal surrounding the control panel to help prevent cracking.

The Krups FBC2 Digital Convection Toaster Oven (*Est. $160) also fares well in professional reviews. Food writer Melissa Clark calls it a "workhorse" and notes that its big buttons make it easy to toast a bagel "before you even drink your coffee." Real Simple likes its "fast-acting" heating elements and heavy racks. This toaster oven has a digital timer and readout, which many owners prefer to a ticker. Owners posting to Amazon.com award the FBC2 toaster oven an average of four stars (out of five) in over 165 reviews. Although many owners are pleased with the Krups FBC2, a few say that it beeps annoyingly when timed cooking ends. There are several reports of the glass shattering on broil or bake, and several reports that the oven turned on the heating elements randomly, when it wasn't being used. And, there are several consumers who report that there is a design flaw with a plastic part in the door that causes it to break.

Krups also makes a slightly larger, heavier model, the Krups FBC4 (*Est. $200), a convection toaster oven which scores highly in several professional reviews. The Krups BFC4 receives high average ratings in more than 70 owner reviews posted to Amazon.com. There are a few reports that the coating on the nonstick baking pan flaked in a few spots, however. The Krups FBC4 costs $40 more than the FBC2, mainly because it includes six temperature presets and nine levels for toasting. There are a few owner reports of defective units or ones that malfunctioned soon after purchase, as well as complaints about extremely hot exterior surfaces.

If you are trying to decide between the Krups FBC4 and the Cuisinart TOC-175BC, either would be a solid choice as far as features, professional testing and owner satisfaction. However, the Cuisinart TOC-175BC is rated higher by owners than either Krups toaster oven and is top-ranked by more of the most credible reviews. Many say that the Cuisinart's size and performance makes it more suited to function as a second oven than a less substantial toaster oven.

If you don't want to spend so much but still want convection, reviews indicate that the Sanyo SK-VF7S Digital Convection (*Est. $70) toaster oven offers good performance at a lower price. It was ranked highly in one professional review, just under the top-ranked Cuisinart TOB-175BC, which costs twice as much. And it earns an average of four out of five stars in 200 owner-written reviews posted to Amazon.com. It also receives high marks from a handful of consumers at Epinions.com.

At a little less than 16 inches wide, the Sanyo toaster oven is at least an inch narrower than most of its competitors. Owners say that it's sturdy, and many praise the automatic shutoff safety feature. They like the stainless steel and retro-modern styling. Owners also report that the Sanyo SK-VF7S browns toast well and heats up quickly. Some owners wish this oven had a temperature-selector knob rather than presets that are set to temperatures that don't correspond to American recipes, such as 180, 320 and 470 degrees Fahrenheit. The SK-VF7S convection toaster oven lacks a broil setting, which frustrates some owners. However, most owners are happy with the Sanyo SK-VF7S. Many like its design and the majority say it makes evenly browned toast quickly and easily.

The Hamilton Beach 31197 (*Est. $110) is one of a handful of toaster ovens capable of rotisserie cooking. Although this model has not been professionally reviewed, it earns good scores in owner-written reviews at Amazon.com. At nearly 19 inches wide and 15 inches tall, it's bulky, but it's also capable of cooking two 12-inch pizzas at the same time - a rare feat for a toaster oven. Owners say the Hamilton Beach 31197 toaster oven cooks quickly and they like its versatility. A few complain that the door does not seal properly and the instruction book is vague. Some owners report uneven heating and reliability problems, but if you're looking for a large-capacity toaster oven that's capable of roasting a whole chicken, the Hamilton Beach toaster oven is worth a look.