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Toaster Oven Recommendations?
The old toaster oven has to be scrapped--won't reach higher temps,
won't hold any temp with consistency, takes too long to toast. What brands or models should I go look for? We don't need it to be particularly large or of heavy duty quality. We do want it to be reliable and capable of holding an accurate temperature. The old one, not expensive to begin with, lasted more than ten years. Are there any "gotta have" new bells and whistles in design now? Thanks for your suggestions. -aem |
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All depends on what you want the toaster oven for.
It's been my experience that toasters ovens that are designed to do things other than toast bread and other things may do the other things just fine, but they do not function well as a toaster. And the reason for this is that the elements are too far from the object being toasted. That being said, the smaller the toaster oven, the better it toasts. Look for a toaster oven that is short. This will bring the heating elements close enough to the bread to be efficient at making toast. I have a rather large toaster oven but I don't like it because it just takes too long to toast bread, english muffins, bagels, etc. I think the fewer "bells and whistles" a simple appliance, the less that can go wrong. I have a DeLonghi, but it's HUGE and not terrific at making toast, though it does bagels and english muffins reasonably well, and I can make garlic bread in it, too. Were mine to go tomorrow, I'd get a Toastmaster or GE. They are good reliable brands...GE, under it's Black and Decker label 30 years ago, invented the Toast-R-Oven. |
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aem wrote: > The old toaster oven has to be scrapped--won't reach higher temps, > won't hold any temp with consistency, takes too long to toast. What > brands or models should I go look for? > > We don't need it to be particularly large or of heavy duty quality. > We do want it to be reliable and capable of holding an accurate > temperature. The old one, not expensive to begin with, lasted more > than ten years. Are there any "gotta have" new bells and whistles in > design now? You've offered not the slightest bit of useful info for making suggestions... you don't say what you will use it for or your price range. Toaster ovens are not for toasting bread (get a bread toaster), they are more adept at light broiling, the more expensive ones at baking.... "toaster" is a misnomer, they are in fact a portable broiler-oven. I don't own a toaster oven... my full size gas oven broils and bakes wonderfully well, and cost of energy use is lower than any electric toaster oven.... for toasting breads of all types I have a very nice Kitchen Aid bread toaster. Anytime someone hasn't a clue which small appliance to buy I strongly suggest the very least expensive name brand one they can find... you should be able to pick up a Black & Decker (or equivalent) in the housewares aisle of your favorite stupidmarket for under $30. |
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"aem" > wrote in message oups.com... > The old toaster oven has to be scrapped--won't reach higher temps, > won't hold any temp with consistency, takes too long to toast. What > brands or models should I go look for? > > We don't need it to be particularly large or of heavy duty quality. > We do want it to be reliable and capable of holding an accurate > temperature. The old one, not expensive to begin with, lasted more > than ten years. Are there any "gotta have" new bells and whistles in > design now? Thanks for your suggestions. > > -aem I have a DeLonghi that has been going strong for over 15 years now. That is with heavy usage too. For my money, I wouldn't have anything other than DeLonghi. The one I have is the larger model. The temperature control is outstanding. For about 5 years, it was the only oven I had. I have cooked cakes, lasagne, and almost anything else needing baking. It broils very well. I broil steaks, fish, kebabs, etc. with it. The only thing it doesn't do very well is make toast. That's ok as my $9.00 Rival toaster does that fine! Charlie |
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"Sheldon" > wrote in
oups.com: > > aem wrote: > > The old toaster oven has to be scrapped--won't reach higher temps, > > won't hold any temp with consistency, takes too long to toast. What > > brands or models should I go look for? > > > > We don't need it to be particularly large or of heavy duty quality. > > We do want it to be reliable and capable of holding an accurate > > temperature. The old one, not expensive to begin with, lasted more > > than ten years. Are there any "gotta have" new bells and whistles in > > design now? > > You've offered not the slightest bit of useful info for making > suggestions... you don't say what you will use it for or your price > range. > > Toaster ovens are not for toasting bread (get a bread toaster), they > are more adept at light broiling, the more expensive ones at baking.... > "toaster" is a misnomer, they are in fact a portable broiler-oven. I > don't own a toaster oven... my full size gas oven broils and bakes > wonderfully well, and cost of energy use is lower than any electric > toaster oven.... for toasting breads of all types I have a very nice > Kitchen Aid bread toaster. > > Anytime someone hasn't a clue which small appliance to buy I strongly > suggest the very least expensive name brand one they can find... you > should be able to pick up a Black & Decker (or equivalent) in the > housewares aisle of your favorite stupidmarket for under $30. > > My toaster oven is a combo microwave/convection full sized counter top job. It does whatever I need to do and allows me to have room for a real toaster. -- No Bread Crumbs were hurt in the making of this Meal. Type 2 Diabetic 1AC 5.6mmol or 101mg/dl Continuing to be Manitoban |
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I would buy the cheapest Black and Decker Toaster Oven you could find.
One word of caution. Before using the oven for the first time calibrate the temperature control to a good oven thermometer. My B&D was 50 degrees too high. PS. I love making rack of lamb in my toaster oven, Bruce On 7 Feb 2005 09:33:32 -0800, "aem" > wrote: >The old toaster oven has to be scrapped--won't reach higher temps, >won't hold any temp with consistency, takes too long to toast. What >brands or models should I go look for? > >We don't need it to be particularly large or of heavy duty quality. >We do want it to be reliable and capable of holding an accurate >temperature. The old one, not expensive to begin with, lasted more >than ten years. Are there any "gotta have" new bells and whistles in >design now? Thanks for your suggestions. > >-aem |
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Alex Rast wrote: > >PENMART01 wrote : > >aem wrote: > >> The old toaster oven has to be scrapped... > >> > >> We don't need it to be particularly large or of heavy duty quality. > >> We do want it to be reliable and capable of holding an accurate > >> temperature.... > > > >Toaster ovens are not for toasting bread (get a bread toaster), > > I disagree - it is the bread toasters that are useless at toasting bread > because they won't accomodate anything other than a standard-size > commercial loaf slice (a-la-Wonder Bread). In other words, something small > and thin. If your loaves are taller, or if you cut thicker slices, toasters > aren't very useful. I've also *never* found a toaster with accurate control > over toasting level. Um, you need to spend more than $10... and toaster ovens toast only one side, they make the lousiest toast. My single-slot Kitchenaid Ultra Power Plus does all anyone can ask of a bread toaster and more and does it all exceptionally well... I have it more than 3 years now, paid $69 at ChefsCatalog.com. Will accomodate breads 1 1/2" thk X 6 1/2" hgt X 10 1/2" lgth, perfect for rustic slices, although only a pinhead will toast good home made/rustic bread... has a defrost n' toast cycle... will easily accomodate two full sized bagels. I often have an abundance of bagels (visiters bring me dozens) so I freeze some... but again, only a pinhead toasts a fresh NY bagel. http://tinyurl.com/3oxuk Sheldon |
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Thanks for the input. As it happened, I was in Fry's for some other
things and checked out their kitchen appliances section. They had about 8 models and brands in prices from $30 to over $100, DeLonghi and Cuisinart at the high end. (If anyone's curious, Fry's is a high volume computers and consumer electronics chain on the west U.S. coast, which carries a wide variety of other semi-related stuff. Sale prices are okay, weekends feature big loss leaders, ordinary prices are -- ordinary.) I rejected the convection combo and the combo oven and coffee maker (!), and another for a timer, and another for being taller than it needed to be (thus more problematical for toast). They didn't have either Toastmaster (the worn-out-after-many-good-years one was a Toastmaster) or Black & Decker. Ended up with a Hamilton Beach toward the lower price range. It has a timer, but you don't have to use it: there's a "Stay On" switch. If I hadn't needed to go to Fry's I probably would have looked at the hardware store. This looks like it will serve our needs. The regular oven is quite large, gas, very old, so I use the small unit frequently for a wide variety of things. In recent memory: a meatloaf, corn muffins, baked chicken thighs, baked potatoes (which I pre-zap but then bake for better skins); frozen french fries, re-heated pizza slices; toast, bagels, English muffins. Thanks again, -aem |
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