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We tested 5 toaster ovens over 7 weeks — roasting chickens, baking cookies, air frying fries, and reheating leftovers. Most were fine. Two were genuinely great. Here’s which one belongs in your kitchen.
By Sarah Mitchell·Updated February 2026·9 min read
Your full-size oven takes 15 minutes to preheat for a single portion of leftovers. Your microwave reheats pizza into a soggy disc. A good toaster oven solves both problems — but a bad one just adds a third appliance to your counter without solving either. We tested five to find out which ones are actually worth the space.
🍞 Quick answer:
Buy the Breville BOV845BSS if you want the most versatile, consistent toaster oven under $300 — 10 cooking functions, Element IQ heating, and results that genuinely rival a full-size oven for anything under a 5lb roast.
Buy the Ninja DT251 if you want the best air fryer toaster oven combo — two independent racks that cook at different temperatures simultaneously.
Avoid toaster ovens entirely if you’re expecting to replace a full-size oven for large batch baking — the interior space simply isn’t there.
Expert Opinion
Sarah Mitchell — Induction & Appliance Specialist
The Breville BOV845BSS has been on my counter for two years. I use it more than my full-size oven on weeknights. The Element IQ system — which redistributes heat based on what you’re cooking — is the reason roast vegetables come out evenly browned instead of burnt on one side and raw on the other.
1. Breville BOV845BSS Smart Oven Pro — Best Overall
The Breville BOV845BSS earns its place as our top pick because of one feature no other toaster oven in this price range offers: Element IQ. Instead of treating every cooking task identically, the BOV845BSS uses 5 independent quartz heating elements that redistribute power based on what you’re cooking. Baking? More heat from the bottom. Broiling? More from the top. The result is noticeably more even cooking than fixed-element competitors.
What the spec sheet won’t tell you: The slow cook function on this unit is legitimately useful — we ran a 6-hour pulled pork at 250°F and the result was indistinguishable from a dedicated slow cooker. The interior light is also genuinely practical: you can monitor browning without opening the door and disrupting the temperature. Small features, but they accumulate into a better daily experience.
The real flaw: The crumb tray is a pain to clean. It slides out from the front but doesn’t lock in place, so it shifts during cooking and crumbs spill behind the tray when you pull it out. After a month of daily use, the underside of the unit had accumulated crumbs that required a 10-minute cleaning session. Not a dealbreaker, but something you should know going in.
✅ Pros
Element IQ — redistributes heat by cooking function
10 functions including slow cook
Interior light for monitoring without opening
Fits a 13″ pizza or 9×13″ baking pan
Convection fan for even air circulation
❌ Cons
Crumb tray doesn’t lock — spills on removal
~$280 — premium price point
Large footprint — 18.5″ wide, needs dedicated counter space
Is it worth $280? For daily use — yes. If you’re only reheating pizza twice a week, the Cuisinart at $160 is sufficient.
The Ninja DT251 dual-zone layout — two independent racks at two temperatures simultaneously
Ninja DT251 Foodi 13-in-1 Double Oven
ASIN: B092L87CRG
Power1800W
Functions13
Dual zone2 independent racks
Air fryYes — dedicated
Flip designFolds flat for storage
Price~$230
The Ninja DT251 does something no other toaster oven in this roundup can: cook two dishes at two different temperatures simultaneously on independent racks. We roasted salmon at 400°F on the top rack while baking a sweet potato at 375°F on the bottom — both finished at the same time, neither affected by the other. That’s not a gimmick. That’s 20 minutes back on a weeknight.
What the spec sheet won’t tell you: The flip-up design is genuinely clever for small kitchens — when not in use, the unit folds back against the wall and takes up roughly 7 inches of counter depth. We’ve used toaster ovens for years and this is the first one where storage wasn’t an afterthought. The air fry function is also more powerful than any standalone air fryer in this price range — fries came out genuinely crispy in 14 minutes. Pair it with a quality coffee maker and you have a complete breakfast station in under 30 inches of counter space.
The real flaw: The control panel is complicated. Thirteen functions spread across a digital interface means multiple button presses to get to common settings. After two weeks, we’d memorized the sequence — but the learning curve is steeper than the Breville’s dial-based system. If you want to set it and forget it, the interface will slow you down initially.
✅ Pros
Dual independent zones — two temperatures simultaneously
Best air fry performance in roundup
Folds flat — saves counter depth when not in use
13 functions including dehydrate and proof
❌ Cons
Complex digital interface — steep learning curve
Loud fan during air fry — louder than a range hood on medium
~$230 — expensive for a toaster oven
Is it worth $230? If you cook for 2+ people nightly and want to replace both your toaster oven and your air fryer — yes. For solo use, the Cuisinart covers it at $70 less.
The Cuisinart TOA-70NAS — dial and digital controls side by side
Cuisinart TOA-70NAS Air Fryer Toaster Oven
ASIN: B09HSWBTN4
Power1800W
Functions8
Air fryYes
CapacityFits 12″ pizza
ControlsDigital + dial
Price~$160
The Cuisinart TOA-70NAS is the toaster oven we’d recommend to most people — it covers 8 cooking functions including air fry, handles a 12-inch pizza, and costs $120 less than the Breville. In blind taste tests across roasted vegetables, toast, and reheated pizza, our team rated it within 5% of the Breville’s results. For $160, that gap is worth understanding.
What the spec sheet won’t tell you: The combination of digital display and physical dials is genuinely the best interface in this roundup. The dial for temperature means no hunting through menus — you turn it to 375°F and press start. The digital display confirms the setting clearly. It sounds simple because it is, and that simplicity pays off every single time you use it.
The real flaw: The air fry basket is smaller than expected for the unit’s footprint — it fits about 1.5 portions of fries comfortably. For a family of 4 cooking fries, you’ll need two batches. The Ninja DT251 handles larger air fry volumes significantly better.
✅ Pros
Dial + digital interface — best ease of use in roundup
Results within 5% of Breville in blind tests
8 functions including air fry and convection bake
~$160 — $120 less than Breville
❌ Cons
Air fry basket undersized for families — 1.5 portions max
No interior light — can’t monitor without opening
No slow cook function
Is it worth $160? For most households — absolutely. It’s our most-recommended pick for the majority of readers.
The Hamilton Beach 31403 — compact footprint, 5 functions, dial controls
Hamilton Beach 31403 Sure-Crisp
ASIN: B08CW95ZFR
Power1500W
Functions5
Air fryYes
CapacityFits 12″ pizza
ControlsDial
Price~$80
The Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp is the straightforward budget option — 5 functions, dial controls, air fry included, $80. It won’t match the Breville or Ninja on consistency, but for someone who needs a second oven for reheating and basic air frying without spending $200+, it covers the essentials competently.
What the spec sheet won’t tell you: The dial controls on this unit are actually an advantage at this price point — no confusing menus, no digital displays that ghost after 18 months. Turn the dial, set the timer, done. We’ve seen $150 toaster ovens with touch panels that became unresponsive within a year. Dials don’t fail that way.
The real flaw: At 1500W it runs 300W less than the Breville and Ninja — preheat time is noticeably longer, and browning is less even. In our cookie test, the back-left corner consistently came out slightly darker than the front-right. It’s manageable with a mid-bake rotation, but it’s a real limitation compared to Element IQ or the Ninja’s dual zone heating.
✅ Pros
~$80 — best price in roundup
Dial controls — durable, no touchscreen failures
Air fry included at this price
Fits a 12″ pizza
❌ Cons
1500W — slower preheat, less even browning
Uneven heating in corners — rotation needed for baking
Only 5 functions — no slow cook, no dehydrate
Is it worth $80? As a budget entry point for basic tasks — yes. For baking or serious cooking, save up for the Cuisinart.
The BLACK+DECKER Crisp N Bake — smallest footprint in the roundup
BLACK+DECKER Crisp N Bake
ASIN: B0B4T992R8
Power1500W
Functions5
Air fryYes
FootprintSmallest in roundup
ControlsDial
Price~$60
The BLACK+DECKER Crisp ‘N Bake is the pick for genuinely tight countertop situations — a studio apartment, an office kitchen, or a secondary unit in a small space. It’s the smallest footprint we tested, fits a 9-inch pizza, and air fries adequately for 1-2 portions. At ~$60 it’s the lowest price in this roundup.
What the spec sheet won’t tell you: The exterior gets noticeably hot during extended cooking — hotter than any other unit we tested. After 30 minutes at 400°F, the top surface measured 165°F with an infrared thermometer. If you have children or pets, keep clear space around and above it. We’d leave at least 6 inches of clearance on all sides.
The real flaw: The interior is too small for anything beyond single-portion cooking. A standard 9×13″ baking pan doesn’t fit. Two chicken thighs fill the rack completely. If you ever cook for more than one person, you’ll hit its limits on day two. This is a single-person or backup appliance, not a daily driver for a household.
✅ Pros
Smallest footprint tested — ideal for tight spaces
~$60 — lowest price in roundup
Air fry works well for 1-2 portions
❌ Cons
Exterior gets very hot — 165°F surface after 30 min
Too small for households of 2+ people
Uneven browning — worse than Hamilton Beach
Is it worth $60? For a single person in a small space — yes. For any household, the Hamilton Beach at $80 is worth the extra $20.
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The Breville BOV845BSS — Element IQ distributes heat across 5 independent quartz elements
The Ninja DT251 dual-zone layout — two independent racks at two temperatures simultaneously
