It seems like fancy new kitchen appliances come out every month these days. But in most kitchens, the tried and true appliances are still the ones that get the most use. If you’re shopping for a new toaster oven, the expert product reviewers at BGR are here to help you choose the perfect model for your needs. We’ve tested 79 different models over the past few years, so we know exactly which toaster ovens offer the best performance for any budget.
Our top picks
- Best overall: Cuisinart TOA-70 Toaster Oven + Air Fryer
- Best cheap toaster oven: BLACK+DECKER TO1787SS Crisp ‘N Bake
- Best toaster oven & air fryer: COSORI Smart 11-in-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo
- Best mini oven: Breville Mini Smart Oven BOV450XL
- Best no-frills toaster oven: Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Toaster Oven
Out of the dozens of toaster ovens we’ve tested, these are the models that outshine the competition. If you want to learn more about what makes each of the toaster ovens above so impressive, keep reading down below.
1. Best overall: Cuisinart TOA-70 Toaster Oven + Air Fryer
Pros: Easy to use, excellent toasting and air frying, fits in tight spaces
Cons: The oven could use more vertical space
Out of all the toaster ovens we tested, the Cuisinart TOA-70 Toaster Oven + Air Fryer was our favorite overall model.
This best-selling Cuisinart model is a multi-function device, just like most of the toaster ovens you’ll find in this guide. We found that this model outperformed the rest when it comes to the two most popular functions right now: Toasting and air frying.
Cuisinart’s TOA-70 has precise temperature control and all of the accessories you need to make the most of each cooking mode. In addition to toast and air fry, you’ll also find six additional cooking modes, including convection bake, bake, convection broil, broil, grill, and warm.
In our tests, we were able to get consistently perfect results when toasting room-temperature bread as well as frozen bread straight out of the freezer. The controls are very easy to use, which is also important. After all, what good is a multi-function toaster oven if you can’t figure out how to use it?
This model is pretty compact for a toaster oven this size, and it’s big enough to fit a personal 12-inch pizza. However, the only real complaint we had does involve this size. While the oven does have decent capacity overall, it doesn’t offer much vertical space. That means you won’t be able to fit as many different food items and dishes, especially when you’re using it to bake.
2. Best cheap toaster oven: BLACK+DECKER TO1787SS Crisp ‘N Bake
Pros: Compact, very easy to use, solid construction, inexpensive
Cons: Some people say it burns food easily
Anyone in search of a cheap toaster oven that still offers great performance and multiple functions will find perfection in the BLACK+DECKER TO1787SS Crisp ‘N Bake.
This model retails for just $40, yet it’s still nice and solid as far as build quality goes. It toasts evenly and thoroughly, and it couldn’t possibly be any easier to use. After all, the BLACK+DECKER TO1787SS only has two knobs.
In addition to the toaster function, there are also four other cooking modes: Air Fry, Bake, Broil, and Keep Warm. We found that they all worked well in our tests, though the limited capacity does restrict your baking options.
As far as downsides, the only thing worth mentioning is that some user reviews mention burning food easily. We didn’t have that problem, but we also likely paid closer attention to the toaster than most people would, seeing as we were doing a thorough product review. If you’re concerned, you might want to keep your eye on it until you get used to this model.
3. Best toaster oven & air fryer: COSORI Smart 11-in-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo
Pros: All cooking modes work well, easy to clean, large capacity, great price
Cons: Takes a while to preheat, could use a deeper air fry basket
Just about every toaster oven these days also has other cooking modes, and air frying is the most popular one. But if you’re specifically on the lookout for the best toaster oven that’s also an air fryer, our top recommendation is the COSORI Smart 11-in-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo.
This model can do it all. With 11 different cooking modes, you can prepare just about any type of food you can think of. But it definitely shines brightest in toaster oven and air fryer modes, which is the focus of this category.
COSORI’s combo device has tons of interior capacity at 26 quarts. That’s big enough to cook a whole 5-pound chicken and vegetables all at once. In fact, our only real complaint with this model is that we wish the air fry basket was deeper or that there was a second basket with taller walls. There’s so much space inside this oven, but the basket is very shallow.
This model does take longer than some others to preheat, but the large capacity has a lot to do with it. It’s very easy to clean, and it’s also very affordable for a unit with so many features. You can even connect this model to your smartphone and use in-app recipes to automatically set cook times and more.
4. Best mini oven: Breville Mini Smart Oven BOV450XL
Pros: Consistent cooking, full oven functionality, easy to use, great value
Cons: No air fryer mode
Some people want more than just a toaster oven. They want a full-fledged oven that can fit in tight spaces. If that describes you, the Breville Mini Smart Oven BOV450XL is the best in the business.
This great device is an oven first and a toaster oven second. It can do everything that a massive conventional oven can do, but it fits right on your countertop and obviously doesn’t need any complicated gas or high-voltage electrical connections.
Breville’s “Element iQ System” uses four quartz heating elements along with special algorithms to cook perfectly in each of this model’s eight different cooking modes. They include Toast, Bagels, Bake, Broil, Pizza, Roast, Cookies, and Reheat.
You’ll probably notice that one of the most popular cooking modes is noticeably absent from that list. Unfortunately, the Breville Mini Smart Oven doesn’t include a dedicated air fryer mode. Of course, most people already have a dedicated air fryer these days, so that might not be a deal-breaker.
This model is very easy to use, and it delivers consistent cooks across all the different modes. It’s also easy to clean, and it packs a lot of punch for its price.
5. Best no-frills toaster oven: Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Toaster Oven
Pros: Simple, fast, preheats quickly, separate 2-slice toaster on top
Cons: None
Anyone in search of the simplest possible no-frills toaster oven will find exactly what they’re looking for in the Hamilton Beach 2-in-1 Toaster Oven.
This compact countertop toaster oven is built to toast, and that’s it. It has three knobs and a switch, so it couldn’t be easier to use. Just dial in the temperature and time, and you’re done. Or, you can flip the switch and use a special built-in 2-slice toaster on top of the unit.
The top toaster is perfect for quickly toasting two slices of bread or a bagel that’s cut in half. You also get that satisfying pop when it’s done toasting, and it ejects your bread. There’s a shade selector dial so you can easily choose how dark you want your bread or bagel to be toasted.
The internal oven compartment and the top toaster are both very consistent. They also preheat quickly, which is great for when you’re in a rush. In fact, we had no complaints about this toaster oven. It’s super simple, and it does exactly what it needs to do.
