Best Toaster Oven with Convection
Toaster ovens are versatile, compact, and powerful units that can ease the burden of preparing the most complicated meals. If you have a toaster oven with a convection oven setting, then you have even more in store for your cooking capabilities as it allows for faster and more even cooking.
This article puts toaster ovens with convection in the spotlight to look at the pros and cons in detail. Just how good are toaster ovens with convection, and should you buy one? Let’s find out!
- 0.95 Cu Ft oven capacity
- 15 cooking functions
- Takes a 13” pizza with ease
- 2 convection settings, including “Speed convection”
- Includes an oven rack, Baking pan, and pizza stone
- Dimensions: 20.87 x 16.93 x 11.42
- 32.4 lbs
- Takes a 12” pizza or 6 slices of toast
- Temperature ranges from 150 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cooks casseroles, roasts, broils, bakes and toasts
- 90-minute timer
- Easy to use digital controls
- Dimensions: 15.4 x 19.8 x 11.4
- 20.3 lbs
- 1500-watts of cooking power
- Easy to use digital controls
- Bakes, broils, roasts, toasts and keeps warm
- 120-minute timer
- Takes a 12” pizza with ease
- Dimensions: 22.8 x 13.4 x 15.5
- Weight: 15.76 lbs
- Extra wide oven takes 8 slices of bread
- Fits most standard size pans and baking trays
- Has a keep warm facility
- 6-minute timer for convenience
- Convection oven cooks faster and more evenly for a better bake
- Dimensions: 14.8 x 23.5 x 12.5
- Weight: 17.5 lbs
- Element IQ ensures power is distributed evenly whatever the setting
- 9 preset programs
- 1800-watts of cooking power
- Keep warm facility
- Takes a 13” pizza or 6 slices of bread with ease
- Dimensions: 18.5 x 16.25 x 11.25
- Weight: 22.5 lbs
- Rotisserie function with skewer provided
- Fits 2 12” pizzas at the same time
- Cooks roast chicken to perfection
- Bakes, broils, roasts, and toasts
- Includes drip tray, skewer, 2 baking pans, and 2 racks
- Dimensions: 16.5 x 20.6 x 13.1
- Weight: 22.9 lbs
- Integrated temperature probe for perfect meats
- Convection oven without any hot spots
- 6 cooking modes
- 3 rack positions for multi-level cooking
- Fits most standard stoneware 13” dishes
- Dimension: 22.5 x 22 x 12.5
- Weight: 40 lbs
- Easy access to get food in and out of the oven (door slides right back)
- Bakes, broils, roasts, and toasts
- 30-minute timer for cooking convenience
- Includes the baking tray
- Fits a 12” pizza with ease
- Dimension: 16.8 x 10.8 x 19.9
- Weight: 13.4 lbs
- Takes 6 slices of bread or a 10” pizza
- Has a 3 rack position for multi-level cooking
- Easy to clean
- Bakes, broils, roasts, and toasts
- Keep warm function
- Dimensions: 18 x 12 x 11
- Weight: 21 lbs
- Convection function ensures even baking and faster results
- Separate Pizza drawer for multi-purpose cooking
- Separate top and bottom crumb trays for easy cleaning
- Includes the baking pan
- 60-minute timer for convenient cooking
- Dimensions: 15.5 x 18.3 x 10
- 21 lbs
This Cuisinart cooks more evenly and faster than standard toaster ovens, so you get better results within a more convenient time frame. The “Speed convection” setting adds real punch to your cooking, delivering even quicker food. The Cuisinart has 4 rack positions for multi-level cooking, and when it’s done, it shuts itself off to save power. It’ll handle a 7 Lb turkey breast, or a 5 Lb chicken with ease, and 9 (That’s right) slices of bread in one go.
Pros
- Takes 9 slices of bread
- Speed convection cooking for faster results
- Auto shut off after the meal is cooked
- Includes extras like the oven rack and pizza stone
Cons
- The timer isn’t very easy to use
- Can be difficult to clean away the spills and splatters
This Oster countertop oven is so versatile that it even cooks casseroles. With the convection feature, any food you cook should enjoy a nice even bake. This model comes with a 90-minute timer for more extended cooking or roasting recipes. It handles a 12” pizza or 6 slices of standard size bread with ease, and it has a temperature range from 150 degrees Fahrenheit to 450 degrees Fahrenheit to handle almost any dish that you throw at it.
Pros
- Excellent 90-minute timer
- Takes 6 slices of bread
- Has a wide temperature range with no loss of power on the lower settings
- Defrost function before cooking
Cons
- Buttons hard to use and don’t light up
- Doesn’t turn off automatically when the door opens
The sheer number of Black+Decker products featured in the toaster oven market should give you some idea of how popular they are at making toaster ovens. This model has 1500-watts of cooking power, so the convection oven will perform well, and it has easy-to-use digital displays that are easy to master. This model comes as a two rack system, but it is available as a three rack model for a little extra money. Even more fantastic is its 120–minute timer. Now that’s got to add convenience to cooking in your kitchen, right?
Pros
- 1500-watts of cooking power
- 120-minute timer
- Easy to use digital controls
- Great styling and design
Cons
- Convection only works after the preheat is done
- Screen not backlit so is hard to see
- The unit gets hot when in convection mode
This Black+Decker model takes a massive 8 slices of bread, or a 12” pizza, and because the interior is so spacious, it will accommodate most standard sized pans and baking trays. The convection setting on the oven circulates air throughout the oven for an even bake, and the 60-minute timer makes cooking even more convenient. Not everyone will have the countertop space to house this rather substantial oven, but if you do have space then this model is a great option.
Pros
- Large oven capacity
- Dedicated toast timer for perfect results
- Keep warm facility
- 4 cooking functions
Cons
- Temperature settings aren’t that accurate
- Noisy during operation
The Breville BOV800XL boasts a heating element with smart IQ, which figures out how to distribute the heat evenly no matter what the setting. That’s impressive, especially when you consider that a standard convection oven circulates the heat evenly via the fan anyway. This oven has 9 presets, and 1800-watts of power, and best of all it handles a 13” pizza with ease. Like Black+Decker, Breville dominates the toaster oven market, and this model is very popular.
Pros
- Smart IQ element for heat distribution
- 1800-watts of cooking power
- 9 presets for easier results
- Can handle 6 slices of bread
Cons
- Controls aren’t excellent quality and can be unresponsive
- Expensive compared to similar models
Hamilton Beach is another brand that does well in the toaster oven market. This particular model features a rotisserie function to cook juicy roast chicken, and thanks to its removable shelf it can handle two 12” pizzas at once. It comes with an impressive array of extras, like the drip tray for the rotisserie feature, two baking pans, and two racks. All in all, this Hamilton Beach toaster oven is a great addition to the kitchen and will save you time and stress.
Pros
- Rotisserie function is really useful, not just for chicken, but for other meats too
- Impressively takes two 12” pizzas
- Lots of accessories
- Great styling and design
Cons
- Temperature settings inaccurate
- Top of the oven gets hot
- Chicken must be perfectly balanced for the rotisserie function to work well
At just under $600, the Wolf Gourmet Convection Toaster Oven tops it’s competition in price but also offers some great features. It has a built-in temperature probe that tells you when your food has reached the correct temperature. It also boasts a convection oven with no hot spots, and with six cooking modes and a three position rack system, multi-level cooking should be a breeze. The oven capacity fits most standard size 13” dishes, and it looks good too. But then again, it should look good for the price tag.
Pros
- Built-in temperature probe for perfect cooking results
- No hot spots in the convection oven
- Looks good
- Multi-positional rack system
Cons
- Massive price tag
- Oven only auto shuts off in toaster mode
This Easy Reach model, the second Hamilton Beach offering to be featured on this list, has a door that slides almost entirely open to allow the removal of hot food without the risk of burns. It takes a 12” pizza easily, has a 30-minute timer, and offers great curved lines. We figure if you want a toaster oven, and it’s going to sit on your countertop, it should be functional and look good, right?
Pros
- Easy to remove hot food without burning yourself
- Removable crumb tray
- Great design and sleek lines
- Comes in funky colors too
Cons
- Gets super-hot during use
- Convection feature noisy
This Chefman is an easy clean oven, with a three rack position system that makes multi-level cooking easy too. It can handle 6 slices of bread in one go, so there’ll be no arguments over breakfast, and because it has a keep warm facility, anyone running late for dinner won’t suffer from cold food.
Pros
- Three rack positions
- Handles 6 slices of bread
- Removable crumb tray
- Roasts whole chickens easily
Cons
- Display buttons have small lettering and numbers
- No interior light
We loved this toaster oven for its feature of a separate pizza drawer, although it is important to note the top and bottom ovens cannot be operated at the same time. It also has a separate top and bottom crumb tray for easy cleaning. The Oster boasts a 60-minute timer too, so once the oven is on you can walk away and let the timer do its job and know that the toaster oven can turn itself off once the food is cooked.
Pros
- Separate pizza tray
- 60-minute timer with auto shut off
- Great for casseroles and pies
- Looks stylish in the kitchen
Cons
- Cannot use the pizza drawer and the oven at the same time
Buyer’s Guide Toaster Oven with Convection
Not all toaster ovens come with a convection setting, but it is a great feature to have. It will enhance what you cook, speed up the process, and free up your time to do other things. What do you need to consider, though, when looking at a toaster oven with convection? Let’s look at some of the key points to keep in mind:
Size
First, look at the size of the oven. Decide how much space you have on the countertop and find a model that fills the space nicely. You should also consider the internal oven space as much as the external footprint.
Functions
These ovens are pretty sophisticated when you look at all the technology they have. In some cases, they’re better equipped than your standard oven. Breville makes an oven with an IQ element, which auto adjusts the heat no matter what the setting, so you get the best tasting food possible. Other models come with auto shut off and 30, 60 and 120-minute timers to enable you to set the cook time and get on with something else.
Power
Using a convection oven will require more power, so convection toaster ovens come with a higher wattage than standard. Expect somewhere between 1500-watts to 1800-watts, depending on what you are spending.
Styling
Toaster ovens look good, and they come in some great designs: Breville, Hamilton Beach, and Black+Decker all invest time and energy into getting the look just right.
And while it may not be as important as how the machine performs, how it looks is key to whether you want it, love it, and keep on buying it.
Clever Technology
Look for dedicated toast settings, presets, auto shut off and sensor cooking that meets your expectations. What the manufacturers claim isn’t always the reality, though, so read those reviews and do your homework.
Product Warranty
As with all things electrical, someday something will malfunction, and when it does you’ll want to know what recourse you have. Some manufacturers, like Breville, Chefman, and Black+Decker publish their warranties openly, but others are a little more secretive about it. Black+Decker offers a limited 2-year warranty, while Chefman and Breville offer a 1-year limited warranty. By limited, they mean it’s subject to repair first, and then, if no misuse is suspected, and you’ve met the terms of the warranty usage, they’ll replace the item at no cost to you.
Reliable Brands
Always do your due diligence to make sure the brand you want to buy will be able to perform. Look at the numbers getting sold online and then read the reviews. If a product is getting a 70 percent plus approval rating, you should be fine, barring the odd manufacturing mishap. Breville, Black+Decker, Hamilton Beach, and others have built a loyal following for their products over the years, so there’s a good chance someone you know has one. Ask them what they think, because there’s no more natural way of getting to the truth than asking a friend or family member who uses and lives with the product on a daily basis.
FAQ
Can I use foil in the toaster oven?
It isn’t recommended as it may cause the oven to heat above the maximum temperature of the oven. Use parchment paper instead.
What is the maximum time I can set for cooking a dish?
It depends on the timer. Some have 30-minute timers and some have 120-minute timers. There isn’t any limit on how long the oven can run; if you need it for a longer timespan, just keep resetting the timer.
Can you rest the toaster oven on top of a microwave?
No. Both the toaster oven and the microwave require air clearance.
Final Thoughts
Whether you have a small space kitchen, or acres of countertop that needs filling, get a convection toaster oven. They make mealtimes easier, tastier, and more manageable, whatever your circumstances. Do your homework though! Don’t buy a toaster oven if all you want to do is make toast; in that case, just get a toaster. You should consider a toaster oven with convection settings, though, if you want back-up when the everyday oven is maxed out or want to heat a pizza with the minimum of fuss and energy needed.
Our favorite in this list is the Cuisinart TOB-260N1 Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven. We loved this oven for the capacity. It takes 9 slices of bread! Couple that with the fact that it has a perfect convection setting, as well as a speed convection feature, and we were sold. Sure, there are toaster ovens out there with higher sales figures, but we felt that the way toaster ovens are adapting, it wasn’t just about how well it made toast anymore; calling them a toaster oven downplays how versatile these things are.
