If you've never used a toaster oven before, you may not understand the benefit of owning one. You're probably used to using your big, bulky oven for most of your baking needs. It gets the job done, right? Maybe you live in small apartment or college dorm and don't even have the space for an oven. The fact is, modern toaster ovens are a wonderful addition to any kitchen, and in many cases can replace the utility of a regular, full sized oven.
Here are some things you may not have considered:
Size - They are compact little units that generally take up a very small amount of space in your kitchen. They are meant to sit on a kitchen counter, and can fit in almost any living area. They come in a variety of sizes, but even the largest models are many times smaller than a conventional oven. If your kitchen space is at a premium, you may consider one of these over owning a standard oven.
Heat - If you've ever roasted a chicken in your oven in the middle of summer, you probably know just how hot your kitchen can get. Conventional ovens give off a tremendous amount of heat by virtue of how they work. Conversely, most toaster ovens are far more efficient in this area, and give off very little extra heat while cooking your food. Why turn your kitchen into a sauna? These units can cook your food without making you crank the air conditioner due to the heat.
Utility - A convection toaster oven of large enough size can replace much of the function of your standard oven. You can bake cakes, roast chickens and other various meats, bake potatoes and casseroles, or practically anything you can cook in your regular oven. On top of this, they are perfect for toasting a quick breakfast of toast or a bagel or two in the morning. There is so much utility to be found in these little units
Energy efficiency - Even a top-end toaster oven draws far less energy than a standard oven. By virtue of them being smaller, they cook much quicker and efficiently, and use much less electricity than their big, bulky brothers. Whether you're trying to be "green" or would just wouldn't mind having a lower electricity or gas bill, they are very energy-efficient appliances.
Cost - A full-sized oven can run into the 00+ price range. Not so with a toaster oven; most higher-end models are around the 0 range, which is considerably more affordable especially considering the fact that they can cook almost anything a standard oven can.
Kid-friendly - A great thing about these ovens is that many of them are simple enough to use that you can even teach your child to use them. If your children are growing up and want to experiment with cooking, a toaster oven is the perfect thing for them to practice with. There are no open flames and no need to light the burners, and most come with easy-to-use cooking settings as well as safety features such as auto-shutoff timers.
Hamilton Beach Toaster Oven
Toaster ovens come in a variety of sizes, styles and prices, and no matter what your needs are, there is surely a model that will fit the bill.