
Your first decision will be whether to buy a basic pop-up toaster or a countertop toaster oven that can do more. Think about your cooking habits and your budget. If counter space is a concern, a two-slice toaster is the most compact choice. But if you often cook for a crowd and need extra oven capacity, a toaster oven can assist. Use this toaster and toaster oven guide to make your decision.
Toasters and toaster ovens will brown a piece of bread. If that’s all you want, go with a basic toaster. Most toaster ovens, on the other hand, will melt a cheese sandwich, broil a hamburger, or roast a 4-pound chicken. But toaster ovens generally don’t toast bread as well as toasters do. They leave stripes on one side and take longer—4 to 6 minutes, versus 2 to 3 minutes for a toaster on a medium setting.
Toaster ovens are generally more expensive than toasters because they’re bigger and can do more. If you want to economize, you’ll find top-performing toasters for as little as $15. Low-priced toaster ovens that did well in our tests cost about $70 to $80.