Toaster Ovens Are a Great Idea But Are They Really Economical?

 That’s the question lots of people ask themselves each year as they think about replacing a cooker in their kitchen or maybe fitting out a recreational vehicle for vacations. With its combination of facilities a toaster oven seems it may be the smart way to economise both on the initial purchase price, and on those ever-increasing energy costs. And you easily buy them online now. But before you sign up for one, consider first what sort of cooking will be done with it.

Because that’s the key to whether a toaster oven is truly a good idea. It is if it can cope with all that’s required of it. But if it can’t, and it needs to be supplemented with another oven, then it isn’t a good buy. Don’t imagine that full roast dinners can be done properly with a toaster oven: they don’t roast meat properly.

How do they work? Basically they are the same as a toaster. But because the elements are horizontal and there’s a glass door the oven can also cook small meals. Their size varies, from ones that just take a few slices of bread to ones which can accommodate a full 12-inch pizza.

So who are they suitable for? First and foremost, singles. Living in an apartment, often eating out or at friends’ houses – they need a facility which will enable them to cook quick meals for themselves, and extend that to something a bit bigger when a friend stays over. In this situation, a toaster oven is often a great way to cope – and it will fit in the limited space many apartment kitchens have.

Many parents also find that even though they have no use for a toaster oven in their own homes, it’s an ideal purchase to make when they are sending their son or daughter off to college and where they are living has no proper cooking facility. Teaching them a few basic meals and taking the cooker with the rest of their stuff when they go is a sure way to help them get into eating properly and not relying on junk food. That in itself will save them (and you!) money.

Finally, consider what features you really need and what size is best. Generally, it’s not a good idea to pay a lot more for fancy extras that you will never use. After all, this is an oven. It shouldn’t be complicated. Digital control panels which wouldn’t look out of place on Star Trek, for example, aren’t necessary a salesman may tell you that it means the oven can now defrost or brown, but in fact a manual control can handle those as well. But it is useful to have a model which shows when it has reached the heat you want, because this enable you to avoid wasting electricity at the pre-heating stage. And it is usually worth paying more for the biggest model which can be accommodated in the space you’re going to use, because that will extend its usefulness and make sure that, yes – you really have made a economical buy.