★★★★★ 3
Cheap but must babysit your food (TL;DR: spend a bit more for a better one)
Size: Medium Capacity
I have the “Medium” size of this and have now had it for a year and a half. It basically does what a toaster/convection oven is supposed to do, but I do keep encountering issues with burning food. There is very little space between the coils and the rack so even thin things like slices of bread are very close to the heating elements. As there is no way to only use the lower coil, any toasting or cooking requires preheating so the coils aren’t all at full capacity for 5+ minutes. If you essentially preheat it, you can then toast or cook, but keep a close eye on it as even with preheating, you may need to turn and flip what you’re toasting every 30-90 seconds or the section under the coils will burn while the rest remains pale. When you’re making toast, it’s a lot of effort and practice to get your bagel or toast just right. As there is very little space and the elements are intense, even if you force the rack below where it’s meant to go (you can kind of wedge it between the guide and the bottom heating element cover), you can only fit things that are about 2-3” tall and those may still be a challenge. If you want to put a fairly tall piece of frozen lasagne in, for instance, the top will burn to a crisp before the center is even thawed. I’ve never had issues like these with previous toaster ovens, even small ones. I think they really did everyone a disservice by not making it about an inch or two taller inside.
I also find it extremely challenging to clean. I’ve had many toaster ovens over the years and none have stained and discolored this easily. It’s an issue partly because of the small size inside, so you can’t reach everywhere, but even the glass door has gotten stains I cannot remove despite trying everything from lemon juice and baking soda to Ajax and Bar Keeper’s Friend.
Overall, can you find ways to make it work as long as what you’re cooking is short? Yes. Is it convenient or ideal or a great toaster or toaster/convection oven? No.
Update: About a month after I reviewed this, it caught on fire. I had about a teaspoon of oil on a baking sheet and when I flipped the piece of chicken halfway through time, a tiny bit splattered and because the top coils are right there, it burst into flames. I know enough to close the door and unplug immediately so it burned itself out. Now, the fact that oil splattered a bit is my carelessness, but as I said, it was only a teaspoon of oil so it’s not like it was being deep fried, and I have done the same thing with every toaster oven I’ve owned and never had that happen, because the coils shouldn’t be so darned close that they touch the food. So that was it for me. I spent about $25 more for a Hamilton Beach Easy Reach that I LOVE. It has enough space, doesn’t take up much counter space, and is a breeze to keep clean. I wish I had just spent a little more the first time and gone with what I have now. Save yourself my mistake and a toaster oven ending up in a landfill and spend the extra $$ to get one that works better and is safer. My parents have the older model of what I now own and have had it for over a decade, using it at least once a day, often twice a day.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2025
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