Toaster or Toaster Oven?

[Anonymous]

My 15 year old two slice toaster is dead. Deader than dead, it almost caught fire. So I need to get a new one. Should I get a toaster oven instead? I don't know what to make in it other than toast and maybe pita pizza. What do you all prefer? And if you have a toaster oven, what types of things do you make in it?

[Anonymous]

I would get a toaster, if you need something big enough for a toaster oven, you may just use your regular oven.

[Anonymous]

I really recommend getting a decent ($50-100) toaster oven. When our old toaster bit the dust I am so glad that I got a toaster oven. It is especially great in the summer in DC when you really don't want your whole oven on. I use it all the time, often in lieu of the microwave. Even medium pizzas will fit in the toaster oven. I do little casseroles in there all the time, broiling fish, chicken, etc. Now I view turning on the big oven a complete waste of energy. The only time I use the oven is for baked goods or a whole bird--not even once a month.

[Anonymous]

We have a toaster oven. The downside is this. It seems to take longer to cook toast than the toaster. But, unless we are cooking a big meal, we cook just about everything in the toaster oven. Baking potatoes doesn't work. Nor does cinnamon rolls (they burn on the top). But, fish, chicken breasts, pizza bagels, etc. work just fine and are faster than heating up the oven.

[Anonymous]

Toaster oven. Bagels do not fit in a toaster. I use it to reheat everything from pizza to pasta. I don't use it to cook or bake.

[Anonymous]

What brand of taoster oven Is it convection?

[Anonymous]

I use my toaster oven every day. And before I gave up baked potato, I baked regular and sweet potatoes in it.

[Anonymous]

I have one that's both. It's awesome. I use the toaster part for toast (pops out of the top). I use the toaster oven part for baking small things (close the top and bake).

[Anonymous]

I totally bake potatoes (regular and sweet) in my toaster oven! Love my t.o.!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally bake potatoes (regular and sweet) in my toaster oven! Love my t.o.!

totally???

[Anonymous]

we just got a new Black & Decker convection toaster oven at Target. It is big enough for a single serve pizza. It probably fits 6 slices of bread for toasting. We also use it for cooking chicken nuggets, heat & eat rolls, veggie burgers, etc. A regular toaster is better at toasting bread. But a toaster oven is incredibly handy as a parent or a single person. And since I don't eat toast all that often, I prefer a toaster oven.

[Anonymous]

I would get a toaster, if you need something big enough for a toaster oven, you may just use your regular oven.

No, get a toaster oven.

Why would you waste all that time and electricity heating your full-size regular oven when your toaster oven heats up so much faster with much less energy consumption? We have a convection toaster oven and it's great for regular toasting (bread, frozen waffles) and also for cooking and reheating (chicken nuggets, fish sticks, leftover slice of pizza, frozen french fries).

During my kitchen reno when I had no working oven, I was able to cook 2 chicken breasts at a time in my toaster oven to make dinner. Really, you can bake anything that you can fit into it, just like a regular oven. Mine is large enough to fit a small pie plate or small gratin dish, so I've used it for baking appetizers like baked brie in pastry and hot artichoke dip, when I am using the oven for the main meal.

[Anonymous]

I only have a toaster oven, which is designed to also be a convection oven. I do a lot of my cooking in it. It heats up so much quicker than the oven and it heats up the house less. Plus, I feel it's safer with a small child and dog (hard to keep them both away when I open up the big oven door).

And I use the convection part to bake potatoes. They are so good, I can't go back to the microwave.

[Anonymous]

To all of you who have toaster ovens- which brand to you have? All of the brands seem to get bad online reviews or have design flaws (like the handle getting very hot) which seem to be a problem with young children.

[Anonymous]

Agree with everyone who recommended the toaster oven. I love mine and use it all the time. I've got a Krups convection toaster oven, and have had it for three or four years now. It's been great.