Counter/toaster oven help!
My MIL will be without her oven for about two months or so due to remodel. Hubby and I want to get her a good toaster oven (I cook over there for them alot, so I also have a hidden agenda), but I don't have experience with the ones on the market today. I'd like it to be a fairly large size, with a broiler feature, if possible. Any SEers have one that they love, or hate?? All advice on this appreciated.
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14 Comments:
We have a Hamilton Beach that's nice. I really don't recall spending this much for it but this is the one on their site:
http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/toaster-ovens-ensemble-6-slice-toaster-ovenbroiler.html
arm1970 at 6:12AM on 03/17/09
Ooo, I LOVE mine. It's a Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven
http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/product.php?product_id=506&item_id=617&cat_id=15
and it's wonderful! We use our more than we use our regular oven, it's so great. The convection makes things cook evenly, thank goodness, so we can even bake in it. (No, I don't work for Cuisinart. I'm just really in love with my toaster oven.) It's a bit pricey at $179 on the Cuisinart website, but you could probably shop around online a bit and find a better deal.
orangemiles at 9:11AM on 03/17/09
costco always have some toaster model on sale... lately I have seen cuisinart and panasonic. Mine is a black and decker and it's always been reliable.
MadelynRodriguez at 10:07AM on 03/17/09
this one's a bit pricey but i really like it:
http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-SK-VF7S-Stainless-Steel-Digital-Convection/dp/B000260JLC
sloppy at 12:18PM on 03/17/09
I have a Delonghi toaster oven with a rotisserie feature. I LOVE it. I use it all the time, prefer to use it than my regular oven. What I really love about it is that it can hold a really low temp, unlike my oven which can't seem to go below 300*. Low temps are great for stuff like confits, braises or bbq. The broiler works very well and gets up to about 500*, not as powerful as my oven but pretty much sufficient for most broiling needs, and the rotisserie spit is just super cool, even though it can only handle smallish things, like a 4 pound chicken max. I definitely recommend it. I'm looking into finding some unglazed terracotta tiles to put into the bottom to increase the thermal mass of the oven, so that it doesn't loose temp so rapidly when I open the door, the only drawback of cooking in toaster ovens. A light inside the oven would be nice too...
simon at 12:31PM on 03/17/09
I second the Cuisinart convection recommendation. I love mine, and can do almost anything in it that I would in a regular oven.
annatr at 12:43PM on 03/17/09
I bought Hamilton Beach 31199 Counter Top Rotisserie Oven about a year ago, and it's fantastic. It is relatively large, it has regular bake along with convection, broiler and rotisserie features. I haven't used rotisserie, but everything else works absolutely great. It's been subjected to very heavy use (often several times a day) and meets all my baking/broiling/roasting needs (of which there are many).
I bought this oven because I hate my "regular" one that would burn the bottom of whatever I was baking but leave the tops pale. I never looked back. In fact, I love it so much that I bought one as a gift for my in-laws, who enjoy it as well. I bought mine on Amazon, but they don't seem to have one available now.
brooke29 at 12:46PM on 03/17/09
I third the Cuisinart. It's indespensible in my house!
soozm32 at 1:22PM on 03/17/09
@brooke29: OMG, I want one now! I love my Delonghi but sometimes wish it was a bit bigger... Hmmmmm, now trying to figure how I can rationalize having two auxiliary ovens......
simon at 1:39PM on 03/17/09
@simon: that's exactly it! I love the fact that it's so big (even though it still fits nicely under one of my cupboards) - I could even roast a largish turkey breast in it!
Now, I'll give you an excuse or two - having two auxiliary ovens is still cheaper than buying a "regular" one; it will allow you to do several things at once - you can roast a chicken in one, and bake a cake in another one at the same time, for instance...how am I doing there?:-)
brooke29 at 2:16PM on 03/17/09
I'm sold.
simon at 3:01PM on 03/17/09
the best present I ever got was a GE toaster oven from my Dad~it's over 20 years old~used alot~my regular oven doesn't work
salemslot9 at 10:26AM on 03/18/09
Love my Krups convection toaster oven; use it 3 x day, so it's a workhorse. Convection feature is fantastic, and the toast function is actually pretty decent for a toaster oven (though you do have to flip the bread mid-cycle). If you buy it at Amazon or Bed Bath & Beyond, they both have really good return policies in case you don't love it.
serious1 at 10:28AM on 03/18/09
Hey @simon, it's only $96.95 at Amazon, $30 cheaper than Housewares world. You could do 25% less rationalizing. Just sayin'.... @brook, I like how you think.
I've been thinking about getting a toaster oven for a while and was actually going to ask you guys your opnions myself, but @Karencooks totally beat me to it.
I'm toying with the idea of the Hamiltonbut need to read/look a bit more.
chisai at 3:59PM on 03/18/09