Life

Every Lazy Cook Needs A Toaster Oven In Their Kitchen — & These 4 Are Under $100

by Kim Quindlen

When you're cooking on a budget, delightful meals such as a rotisserie chicken or artisanal pizza sound like the stuff of fantasies — unless you have a toaster oven capable of bringing those fantasies to life. Whether your kitchen actually lacks a standard oven or you’re simply looking for a cheaper way to prepare dinner, the best toaster ovens under $100 will help you whip up delicious, sizzling entrees in a compact and energy-efficient manner.

If counter space is an issue for you, fear not: Even the smallest toaster ovens can expertly cook food with ease. While a conventional oven cooks your food by surrounding it with hot air, most modern toaster ovens use a convection method in which a fan placed at the back of the oven blows warm air directly onto the food to promote rapid and even heating. Using large-capacity toaster ovens — or even one of the best mini toaster ovens — you'll be able to roast, broil, toast, reheat, and bake. As a bonus, many of them come with additional features like baking pans, removable tongs, or even rotisserie skewers.

From the best toaster oven for cooking two casseroles at once to the magical combination device that provides you with your very own griddle, here are four of the best budget toaster ovens to help you prepare the delicious and high-quality meals you've been craving.

1

The Overall Best Toaster Oven Under $100

Rated as the No. 1 bestseller in "convection ovens" on Amazon, this is one of the best toaster ovens on the market for multiple reasons. With 20 percent faster cook times than previous models and a 120-minute timer that includes an auto-off functionality, this is an ideal toaster oven for anyone who’s looking to prepare meals on the fly without having to worry about burning anything. The digital panel allows you to have precise control over the time, temperature, and cooking functions (bake, broil, toast, bagel, reheat, etc.). This oven can fit up to a 12-inch pizza or six slices of bread, and it includes three different rack positions for cooking flexibility so you can prepare a wide variety of meals just like its 2,000+ satisfied fans.

2

The Best Large-Capacity Toaster Oven

Whether you're hosting a small dinner party or you're just trying to get your weekly meal prep done all at once, this large-capacity toaster oven will be your dream come true. Featuring two spacious oven racks, two baking pans, and a removable drip tray, it can literally cook two casseroles at the same time without issue. This oven also features a revolving rotisserie function and skewer, so you can treat yourself to a sizzling roasted chicken whenever you want. Its timer can go up to two hours and users love the size and functionality of this Hamilton Beach appliance. One fan praised the fact that they "can now roast an entire chicken without having to cut it up into smaller pieces to fit inside the oven," while another celebrated that "it is as good as my full-sized oven, better in fact." Just keep in mind that several users, though very satisfied with the oven, did note that it takes up a lot of room, so if you are lacking in counter space, you might want to look at one of the smaller options on this list.

3

The Best 2-In-1 Toaster Oven With A Griddle On Top

If your breakfast is a little more complicated than a couple slices of toast, this toaster oven and griddle might be the one for you. Thanks to a nonstick grill and griddle feature (plus a dome lid) that rests directly on top of the oven's body, you can prepare eggs, pancakes, sausages, and all sorts of other foods in addition to the typical items that you'd bake or broil in a standard toaster oven. The MaxiMatic has an adjustable temperature control knob that ranges from 150 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as a 60-minute timer with auto shut-off and a signal bell that'll alert you when your food is ready. A happy Amazon customer said they "love the little handy compartment on the top [because] it keeps food nice and warm," while another fan used it for steaming veggies. Of the multiple five-star reviews, one satisfied user summed up this device up, writing: "This is easily worth every penny that we paid for it."

4

The Best Mini Toaster Oven With The Lowest Price

For under $35, this affordable toaster oven will not only toast, bake, and broil anything you need — it will also use up to 75 percent less energy than a typical kitchen oven and work 28 percent faster. Although it doesn’t have as large of a capacity as the other options on this list (it's technically a mini toaster oven designed for a 9-inch pizza or four slices of toast), it does takes up less counter space. Despite its small size and its unbelievable price, this Hamilton Beach oven includes a baking pan, a 30-minute timer with an auto-off function, three different cooking settings, and two rack positions to accommodate whatever item you're preparing.

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