A convection toaster oven is a powerful kitchen appliance packed with multiple functions. You can bake, reheat leftovers, roast and let’s not forget – it’s a significant upgrade from traditional ovens as it utilizes less energy.
We have gathered the 5 best convection toaster ovens along with a buying guide and answers to several essential questions like:
- Does an air fryer work the same way as a convection toaster oven?
- What are the benefits of a convection oven?
- How often should you clean our toaster ovens?
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
Ninja DT201 10-in-1 Convection Toaster Oven
- Air frying capability is excellent
- Provides excellent cooking space with 12 lbs. capacity
- Touch controls are easy to understand and navigate
The 10-in-1 Ninja DT201 is a sleek and modern convection toaster oven that can suit any contemporary décor. Moreover, the design is backed by a powerful and versatile performance, courtesy of its 1800 watts power.
What we like:
Touchscreen display: The oven features a touchscreen display, making the oven ten times more convenient than any other traditional oven.
Design & structure: The overall design and structure of the oven allow the user to customize the oven according to different meals. The oven includes two sheet pans, wire racks, an air fryer basket, etc.
10-in-1 Mode: The oven features a total of ten modes, including whole roast, air fry, dehydrate, reheat, bake, and more. A spacious capacity of 12 lbs further backs it.
Pros
- Air frying capability is excellent
- Provides excellent cooking space with 12 lbs. capacity
- Touch controls are easy to understand and navigate
Cons
- Not as ideal for budget-conscious buyers due to its expensive price tag.
Is an air fryer the same thing as a convection toaster oven?
Not at all. Although they share certain features & similarities, air fryers & convection ovens highly differ in terms of size, performance, and more. Both are considered countertop appliances, but air fryers are much smaller in size. Even in terms of heat, air fryers usually release heat from the top, and meanwhile, convection ovens do so from both the top & bottom.
Air fryers come with more accessories than convection ovens like trays, skewers, fryer baskets, etc. It requires very little tossing/flipping. However, preparing massive batches of food remains quite limited with air fryers, unlike convection ovens.
Are there any advantages of Convection Ovens?
Despite their heavy price tag, convection ovens are known for excellent performance & versatility, thus, offering users tons of advantages. To name a few:
- Convection toaster ovens can dehydrate & cook food at a faster speed due to its hot air circulation around the chamber, resulting in the oven being faster than most traditional ovens.
- It’s air circulation helps maintain a steady temp within the oven, allowing even toasting.
- Convection oven cooking technology ensures your meals are cooked without rotating the trays & pans.
- Convection ovens are also more energy-efficient thanks to their minimal temperature and faster cooking time.
- Most high-end convection ovens offer special features like slow, air fry, etc., which can help cut down the cost of purchasing other appliances with similar functions.
Should we clean convection toaster ovens frequently?
When it comes to cleaning convection toaster ovens, the more, the better for both you and your appliance. This is because lack of cleaning can lead to food residues that can highly burn & influence the flavor of your food, so it’s crucial to clean your oven frequently.
As convection toaster ovens are no strangers to crumbs, cleaning your oven frequently can help reduce the chance of your appliance catching on fire. Plus, it extends product longevity as well.
Are convection toaster ovens worth buying?
Yes, absolutely! And there are many reasons why. Convection toaster ovens operate and use less energy than their traditional counterparts. Additionally, its air circulation also aids in cooking food much more evenly with no burnt spots or cold patches. So, as long as you’re not overlooking the essential features of a convection toaster oven, this is a product worth investing in.
What kind of food can you cook in a convection toaster oven?
The toaster ovens we have in the market today are highly advanced. Hence, the cooking options are pretty expandable. In fact, some toaster ovens come with more options than a full-sized oven. The best part is, as long as the food item can fit with enough airflow around the food, you can pretty much cook anything from meat to pastries.
Can you toast bread in a convection toaster oven?
Yes. If you’re looking to get an even toast, a convection toaster oven is one great way to do so. You can efficiently utilize the high-heat setting, allowing quicker toasting and using less energy by shifting the toast close to the heating source.
Factors To Consider to Select the Best Convection Toaster Oven
Every buyer purchases with a different need in mind. Hence, selecting the right appliance requires more than just buying the top-rated product. So, to ease the buying process, especially for those not well-versed with the product, this buyer’s guide can help highlight some essential factors to look out for.
Heating options
Apart from basic presets like pizza, bake, broil, and bagel, good convection ovens will also provide additional settings like:
- Air fry: this feature fries your meal to make it crispy & crunchy via intense heat circulation around the chamber. Moreover, as the food is fried without any oil, it results in a much healthier meal.
- Rotisserie: convection toaster ovens with this option will allow you to roast chicken through consistent heating as it spins the meat in a steady manner, which results in a more even roast.
- Steam: the steam heating function will help cook the food through steam instead of hot air, which retains the moisture & juices of the meat.
- Proofing: this is another excellent option in a convection oven that can help bake homemade bread as it makes doughs rise much more quickly.
- Warm: the warming option works like a microwave, which helps keep the food item warm without cooking.
- Dehydrate: the dehydrate option is a feature that allows users to dry meat, snacks, and more.
Countertop vs. Wall
The countertop models are inexpensive, compact, and more functional than wall-mounted ovens. However, since wall ovens are considered full-sized ovens, it offers more cooking capacity than a countertop convection toaster oven.
It can also function similarly to a traditional oven, providing certain advantages over the countertop models. So, the choice mainly falls on the functionality you expect from the device and the amount of space your kitchen offers.
Size & capacity
The hot air circulation of your oven will depend on the interior space, so more space will mean much freer circulation, which will cook the food more evenly. However, an essential factor when getting an oven is how the device suits your living situation. If you live in a small-sized apartment or an RV, compact models are better recommended.
Plus, it is also essential to consider your kitchen’s counter size as you wouldn’t want a product that clusters up the counter space. And finally, if you’re looking for more, you can look for a convection toaster oven with features like adjustable racking positions to make more interior space.
Price
Price is always an essential factor when purchasing home appliances. While there are convection toaster ovens with high-end pricing that feature outstanding qualities, budget-friendly ones offer great qualities.
One essential reminder is choosing an oven that appeals to you through the qualities instead of splashing out on expensive ones with features you may not even use.
Ease of use & cleaning
An excellent convection toaster oven will prioritize easy usage as part of the package since these appliances are meant for daily use. So, make sure to look for features like removable trays that catch crumbs, nonstick interiors, etc., which can offer convenient usability and maintenance.
Additionally, go for ovens that feature straightforward details like LCDs and digital controls, which offer a more effortless operation.
Energy efficiency
All convection toaster ovens generally save energy as they are much more energy-efficient, but some can save more energy than others. Ovens with higher wattage are even better as they can cook faster, thus, saving more energy. You can also lookout for more efficient models by choosing an oven with a minimum of 1300 watts.
Just make sure your electrical outlet can handle the wattage of the oven; otherwise, it can result in dangerous hazards, whereby your appliance may even catch on fire.
This 8-slice countertop convection toaster oven comes with 4 cooking options. It features 7 shade settings toast control to get that perfect crunchy toast, while its quartz & tourmaline heating elements ensure consistent cooking results.
What we like:
Large built: The TO3240XSBD is a wide convection countertop top oven with a larger capacity than any ordinary toaster oven.
Even heat circulation: Backed by the convection heating tech, the oven ensures an even air circulate to allow even & perfect cooking.
Durable stainless steel construction: The stainless steel construction of the oven offers excellent product durability and prevents scratches.
Pros
- Features a wide door that opens & swings easily to allow easy access
- Its interior lighting allows easy cleaning
- The top heating elements remain hidden from view
Cons
- Some find the oven’s touch control quite challenging to navigate.
The air fryer convection oven from CHEFMAN features variable temperature controls of 200 – 450° along with various cooking functions like bake, toast, air fry, and more to enable versatile and efficient usage.
What we like:
Extra-large capacity: This toaster oven is thoughtfully designed with a 20-liter capacity to accommodate a whole chicken easily.
Dual Function Cooking: It comes with dual function tech that allows the oven to cook with a single preset and automatically switch to another.
Auto shutoff & easy cleaning: It is supported by advanced overheating protection to increase safety measures, while its nonstick interior makes cleaning a breeze.
Pros
- It comes with large visible buttons & displays to increase easy usability.
- The oven has a durable build & structure.
- It is backed with multiple cooking options.
Cons
- The oven can get a bit noisy.
This one comes in a stainless steel black finish with a massive interior that can fit anything from muffins to a 4-lb. chicken. Along with its 10 cooking settings, it also features tons of accessories, including a baking pan and a rotisserie kit.
What we like:
Easy to read LED display: Its large backlit blue LED display menu allows you to easily read and adjust different cooking modes, temperatures, and times.
Easy maintenance: The nonstick interior and the removable crumb tray help simplify the cleaning process.
Multi-functionality: This device can easily complete any cooking task with ten different settings, including defrost, bake, toast, and broil.
Pros
- Easy to use with precise controls & settings.
- Modern black stainless steel design with digital controls.
- Multiple preset options are a massive advantage for any compact convection toaster oven.
Cons
- It lacks a preheat option or a beep to notify the correct temp setting.
The Calphalon 2109246 is a great option with a stylish dark stainless steel finish. Supported with versatile cooking options, tech, and functionality, it will provide an outstanding performance – all jammed in one compact device.
What we like:
High Tech: This one utilizes turbo convection and quartz heat technology that allows faster air circulation.
Versatile cooking functions: It features about 11 precise cooking functions to support different cooking modes.
Easy to clean: The device is relatively easy to clean, further enhanced by detachable accessories like wire rack, crumb tray, air fry basket, and more.
Pros
- Although compact-sized, it can still feed a mid-sized dinner gathering.
- Its turbo heating tech allows food to cook 40% faster.
- The internal lighting system allows close and detailed monitoring.
Cons
- The timer has to be set after it preheats.
Verdict
It’s a reasonably challenging task to choose the best convection toaster oven that matches your needs and provides a great cooking experience. However, the task is not an impossible one. From high-tech features to budget-friendly, there is an appliance for every individual.
That being said, with its touchscreen display and versatile cooking options with a sleek modern design, the Ninja DT201 is one great, if not the best, convection toaster oven to own. If you’re willing to match its expensive price tag, the appliance surely deserves a shiny spot on your kitchen.