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Mine is an Oster toaster/oven/convection/broiler; I use it nearly every day for everything from toast to pizza to roasts. I think I paid 40 bucks for it.
For what I do with it, the counter space it takes up -- not much, really -- is well worth it. That was never a consideration.
I had a cheapo model once, and the whole outside of the thing got so blazing hot, I tossed it. I kept worrying about touching it, or having it catch something on fire.
The thing that has always cracked me up about toaster ovens is that they are misnamed. For starters they are pretty much universally inferior for making toast. They take far longer than a toaster to make toast, and the toast is rarely uniformly toasted. It's almost always darker on one side than on the other. For toast, real toast, I'll take a good wide-mouth toaster any day.
And then ther is the fact that they are not good ovens, either. The heating elements are too close and the heat is direct, unlike an oven in which the heat is indirect. You can easily scorch the outside of a piece of meat without fully cooking the inside. That's my point.
What they are, really, is a small broiler. And for things like open faced grilled sandwiches they are very good.
As for quartz tube vs wire coil heater, the quartz tube is much easier to clean, and that's key to minimizing smoking. So is a removable bottom.
Convection is an entirely different beast... the forced air blast of heat warms up food faster. For things like heating up pizza or frozen dinners, convection is superior.
I love my toaster oven. I have had one ever since I first moved out a 23, so it's sort of like a main appliance to me...couldn't be without one! I cook toast, pizza, baked potatoes, cookies, whatever...anything I can cook in the oven, that is small enough, I do it in the toaster oven. MUCH more convenient and less energy as well. Also use it in addition to the oven when I am cooking several things, so it's very handy. My BF doesn't have one at his house and it drives me nuts.
The one I have now is the best one I have ever had. It's a Breville, and was about $180 I think. Worth every penny.
OpenD, thanks for the info on the tubes. Later I will try and decide which brand. We'll take a vote, all I see from other people's experience is positive. Main drawbacks to me are the space. I think it'll be a good replacement for the main oven. IE using the oven in summertime.
I guess my next question is which wattage would work best? 1500? 1800?
Mine looks like eggalegga's but pretty sure it's not a Kenmore, maybe Black and Decker?
We use it alot but are thinking sometime of getting a replacement. Toast - even on lightest setting/toast still at times comes up burnt. It's been in the house for a few years, at least. We've used it ALOT. Most often for toast, muffins, bagels, little pizza bites/rolls, re-heating pizza slices (at times), what else? Hmm, well, that's all I can think of for the moment, anyhow.
We don't have a toaster, so we use that as our toaster.
We do have a micro-oven/convection oven combo.
I don't use our oven all that much. I have used it for big pizzas, some fish that baking worked better (supposedly). Most of the time we just use our George Foreman mini grill for our fish, burgers, panini, etc.
we'll start with the Cadillac, Seriously steam? As he said great for moist chicken, fish and rice?? Seriously rice? I have a hard time wrapping my mind around that! I hate appliances that leak water.
Seriously, exactly how much money is too much money? Apparently 299.00
so later I'll look at the common poor man's toaster! And see how they weigh in. Thanks to everyone who it participating in the toaster oven review! !
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