Convection Oven Buying Guide
How to choose the best convection oven
Breville Smart Convection OvenIf you’re in the market for a new oven, then you’ve most likely heard about convection cooking and how it’s working wonders in the kitchen. In order to help you decide which is the best convection oven for your needs, this website has a buyer’s guide, lots of helpful tips and unbiased reviews.A countertop convection oven is one that has a fan to help disperse the heat inside evenly. There are actually 2 different types: (1) Fan-assisted Convection, where as the name suggests, convection cooking is achieved with a fan that circulates the air, and (2) True Convection (also called European Convection Oven) is one where there’s a heating element placed near the fan so that air the blown by the fan is recently preheated. You’ll get more even cooking with the True Convection type, but they cost a lot more and are only available in wall and range types, not the countertop ones.
Convection Microwave vs Toaster oven
Countertop ovens these days have multiple functions, making them a very versatile kitchen appliance. Some toaster ovens have an added rotisserie feature, and can even steam. Microwave ovens also double as a grill. Despite all these functions, convection oven can be differentiated into two: toaster and microwave oven.Toaster ovens have heating elements at the top and bottom, which heats up and toast/cook food. A microwave oven, on the other hand, heats up the water molecules in the food and is great for reheating soups and liquid-filled dishes. It’s also perfect for heating up your cold tea or coffee.
So which one do you choose? Which one is better? Use the following as a guide, if you’re undecided between the two.
Purpose – If you’re in need of one mainly for reheating food and leftovers, better get a microwave oven, but if you want to replace your wall/freestanding oven with something smaller that you can use on daily basis for cooking, baking and broiling, then a toaster will do the job.
Cooking Time – A microwave will heat up foods in half or even a third of the time it takes a toaster oven. So if you want to heat up food quickly, you’d be better off getting a microwave oven. It also uses up less energy as it consumes up to 1200 watts whereas toasters use up 1500 to 1800 watts, making it more energy-efficient.
If you’re concerned about the health risks associated with microwave cooking, then read this post.
What is a convection toaster oven?
Basically, they’re toaster ovens with fan-assisted convection capability. There are loads of different models available on the market, with varying prices and with different features. To help you decide which one is best suited for your budget and needs, consider the following factors.Factors to consider when buying a convection toaster oven:
1. Countertop Space – Convection ovens require some clearance space in between walls and other kitchen appliances as they tend to get really hot, especially when you use them for long periods, like when you’re baking or roasting. If you have a small kitchen, you can store it under a cabinet and then just take it out when you use it. Leave it to cool down for about an hour or so before storing it again. Typically, you need to have at least 4 inches of space on all sides, and a clearance of 10 inches above the oven will ensure that your under-cabinet won’t get damaged. Take these into consideration when you look at the external dimensions of the model you want to buy.2. Cooking Capacity – Perhaps even more important than the external footprint is the actual cooking space or the interior dimensions of the oven. There are small ovens that have a large capacity. Take a look at our comparison page for the best countertop convection toasters – we’ve provided the cooking capacity in terms of cubic feet, # of slices (of toast), max pizza size, and also the actual usable internal height, width and depth. If you’re cooking for the entire family, get one with a larger interior space. If you’ll be using be using it for baking, see if your pans will fit. We included this info on individual product review pages to help you decide. One that has an interior space larger than your average toaster oven is the Calphalon XL. On the other hand, if you don’t mind a bigger footprint and want something spacious enough to roast a small to medium-sized turkey, then I recommend the T-fal convection toaster with rotisserie.
3. Cooking Options – Ovens come with a set of pre-programmed functions relating to all the cooking capabilities the oven has. Bake, broil, toast are the most basic and are included in most models. Some have warm, keep warm or reheat settings. Other have a pre-set pizza function for added convenience. The more cooking options you have, the more it’ll take to get you used to setting it up so bear that in mind when buying it for someone else. When buying for an elderly relative, it might be better if you stick to simple controls with only the most basic functions available. Easy to remember, easy to use.
Some units also have a rotisserie feature like the the Hamilton Beach 31197 and the T-fal OT274E51, although the 31197 has no pre-set toast function. The Cuisinart CSO-300 has the capability to steam foods on top of being a convection toaster. These added functionalities make your toaster an all-around kitchen appliance that will literally replace everything else.
4. Clean-up – Okay, so these nifty devices can cook nearly everything, but how easy is it to clean? Most models have a non-stick interior which help with the clean-up. Just wipe them with a damp cloth with mild detergent and they’ll be sparkling clean. Also, some oven racks, pans, drip and crumb trays are dishwasher-safe – just check if they really are before putting in the dishwasher. Both the Breville Smart Oven and KitchenAid KCO273SS have non-stick pizza and baking pans included. If you’re wary of the risks associated with teflon and PTFE’s, and you’re looking for a toaster oven with no non-stick or teflon coating on the interior, then I suggest you get the Waring Pro TCO650.
4. Interior light – This may seem like a basic feature but you’ll be surprised to know that out of all the top 10 convection toaster ovens I’ve reviewed, there’s only one that has a interior light function which you turn on and off and that’s the Cuisinart CSO-300 Combo Steam Oven. Of course, you can still somehow see what you’re cooking since the heating elements glow red or orange (and sometimes blue too, depending on the type), but it’s really different when you have a separate oven light which you can control.
5. Ease of Use – Take a look at the controls. You can see whether its easy operate just by looking the pre-set programs available and the mechanism by which you set the time and temperature. Some units have knobs or dials whereas others have a touchpad. Just note that even if its easy to set up and use, it may take time to get the actual cooking settings right through trial and error, especially with the convection feature cutting down cooking time. Certain cooking options also require different rack positions for optimum results.
6. Warranty – Most manufacturers offer a 1-year limited warranty on their kitchen appliances, but some offer up to 2 or 3 years. Knowing how long the product will be covered for is important as there can be some unforeseen circumstance where the unit fails and you need a replacement. A longer warranty can give you added security. The Black & Decker CTO6335S has a 2-year warranty period, longer than most other toaster brands on the market. If there’s a toaster which you really like but only has warranty for a year, you can buy a SquareTrade appliance protection plan for for $50 (which extends the warranty up to 4 years for appliances costing between $200 to $250). There are various options suited for different budgets, ranging from 2 to 4 years of extended protection.
Best Convection Toaster Oven Brands
Okay, so Breville may be the best convection toaster oven brand with its Smart Oven, but if you’re looking for other options before parting with your hard-earned cash, here are other brands which also produce quality ovens at varying price points.Cuisinart – With several models available all costing under $200, Cuisinart provides you with different options to suit your budget. Featuring a dial knob, its great for those who are used to conventional oven controls. It has a high-end premium product available with a steam function.
KitchenAid – This well-known stand mixer brand also has a line of countertop ovens. It’s earlier attempt of a convection oven (the KCO223CU) was a bomb, but its newest model, the KCO273SS, looks promising with 5-star buyer reviews. Costing just about the same as the Smart Oven, it’s a great alternative with its Even Heat technology working very much similar to Element IQ of Breville.
Black and Decker – A big-name tool brand, B&D has also manufactured some of the best kitchen appliances and has a wide range of toaster ovens. Its convection line is available with varying interior capacity from 4 slice to 6 slice toasters.
Waring – Although it has a few models on the market, its best-selling and highest rated model, the TCO650, stands out from the rest and also from other brands due to its nontoxic interior. It is, so far, the only large oven without nonstick coating.
Hamilton Beach – They have lots of options with their convection ovens, with different cooking capacities and added features like rotisserie. Most models have control knobs, apart from the Set and Forget Toaster which has a touch button panel. It is only the brand which offers a unit with 2 racks where you can cook 2 12-inch pizzas.
Calphalon – The Calphalon XL (Model No: 1779209) has the largest interior capacity relative to its overall unit size.
T-fal – For a countertop oven, its rotisserie toaster oven is so large you can actually fit a turkey in it. Great if you want an all-around oven to use for baking and roasting.
Oster – With various models to choose, you have the option of getting one either with black or stainless steel finish. It is a dependable yet affordable toaster brand, with most units costing under 100 dollars.
Frigidaire – Infrared technology is incorporated into its programmable mid-priced toaster ovens making convection cooking even more efficient.
Krups – Its toaster oven broiler has quartz heating elements with a high-end finish, hence the higher cost. It’s a more high-end model costing over $200 – although they have other units which cost less BUT they all sell for over a hundred bucks.
What is the best convection toaster oven to buy?
If the Smart Oven is too big for your needs, they have a Compact and Mini versions available, although they both don’t have the convection feature. Still, with Element IQ technology, they’re both worth considering. If you’ve tried a Breville and didn’t like it, then perhaps you’ll like the KitchenAid KCO273SS.
For those on budget, I’ve provided a great alternative below.
Best budget convection toaster oven under $100
If you’re still undecided and would like to see more options, you can read our reviews and guides here, or use the convenient comparison chart where you can compare and contrast each product feature all in one place.