As you probably know, the cost of electricity seems to always be going up and up. Mounting costs of electricity, gas and other aspects of the home are causing home owners to really take another look at how they do things. One major change that they are making is that they are cooking more efficiently than they used to.
If you want to join in on the trend and save yourself some money in the process, a toaster oven can be a great way to go. Toaster ovens are much smaller and much more efficient than standard ovens. They’re perfect for a small meal now and then or all the time, if you happen to live alone.
Choosing the perfect toaster oven is not all that easy. There are a lot of things that need to factor in. For example, you should consider the following:
• Heating Method
• Size And Capacity
• Easy Adjustments
• Easy Cleaning
Heating Method:
As far as the heating method is concerned, the most important thing is not to get a traditional coil-heating toaster oven, if you want to save time and energy. A convection oven is much more efficient and will work fine for most average home owners.
The Breville BOV800XL is an example of a convection toaster oven. The idea of a convection oven is that it contains fans that help to circulate the heat. A traditional coil system tends to cook food in an uneven fashion. Convection toaster ovens, like the Breville BOV800XL, help to avoid that problem
Size And Capacity:
Of course, another toaster oven consideration is size and space taken up, which are not the same things at all. Of course, most toaster ovens are small and compact, but some are easier to fit in tight spots than others. Think about these things:
• How Much Counter Space You Have
• Any Heating Vents That Would Require The Toaster Oven To Be Away From The Wall
A toaster oven with a vent system in back is not necessarily a bad thing, but that does mean that you’ll need to use up more open counter space and keep it away from walls. So, that’s certainly something that you should factor in.
One example of a compact toaster oven is the Breville BOV650XL. Its exterior measures 16-1/2 by 14-1/4 by 10 inches. Of course, you also have to consider its interior capacity, not just its exterior counter top “foot print” size. It can hold a 12-inch pizza and even toast 4 slices of bread at a time.
Easy Adjustments:
The next consideration is that you should be able to make easy adjustments to your toaster oven’s settings. It should be relatively easy to set the oven to toast, bake, broil, reheat or defrost. The Cuisinart TOB-155 features a high-tech, yet easy to understand, touch pad control system. That allows you to monitor and change the settings at any time.
Easy Cleaning:
One of the great things about toaster ovens, no matter which one you choose, is that they provide some excellent conveniences. One of them is that they are much easier and faster to clean than traditional ovens. That’s partially due to their size, but it could also be due to certain features. For example:
• Removable Crumb Tray
• Dishwasher-Safe Baking Dish
• Non-Stick Interior
Other Toaster Oven Considerations:
There are, of course, other toaster oven considerations. For example, there is new technology that exists to make toaster ovens even more versatile and easy to use. That technology comes in the form of an infrared toaster oven.
Infrared technology can heat the toaster oven to a precise temperature almost immediately. That means that you can cut back on the time that you spend and on the energy that you waste. Also, infrared technology in a toaster oven allows you to forgo the usual processes of defrosting and preheating.
Appearance:
Another consideration is the appearance of the toaster oven. Obviously, appearance should be a secondary consideration. However, there are some elements of appearance that are both fun and practical. For example, the Cuisinart TOB-195 is stainless steel with brushed chrome accents. That will look clean and neat in most kitchens. It can give the appearance of what it is, state of the art technology. However, it’s also practical, since stainless steel is extremely easy to clean.
Shopping For A Toaster Oven:
It’s important to think about not just the toaster oven itself, but also the shopping process. There are several tips that could help. Some of them include:
• Recommendations From Friends
• Internet Comparisons
• Reading Reviews
Recommendations:
If you’re going to go the recommendations from friends route, be sure to ask some specific questions. For example, what does your friend cook in the toaster oven? Different people like different foods. Your friend’s toaster oven might be great for baking, but not as good for broiling, for example. So, make sure that their recommendation fits your needs.
Internet Comparisons:
Internet comparisons can be a very effective way of narrowing down your toaster oven options. That’s because the Internet allows you to compare toaster ovens in a side-by-side manner. If you’re not sure where to begin, it’s always best to compare trusted brands.
Reading Reviews:
The best thing to do, if you really want to find a great toaster oven, is to read toaster oven reviews online. There’s nothing quite like getting advice from consumers just like you. Just remember to look for honest reviews, not one-sided company testimonials. No product is perfect. So, no true review of a toaster oven should make the product sound perfect.