1. Wattage power
Toaster ovens are known for having very powerful wattages, especially when compared to regular microwaves which only offer about 700-1000 watts. The more basic toaster ovens start at about 1500 watts and can go up to 1800 watts or more. The high wattage of a toaster oven provides enough power to generate a temperature range of 150-450 degrees-Fahrenheit. You can cook a variety of foods (both thawed and frozen) with such a wide temperature range.
2. Cooking functions
Toaster ovens have a lot of cooking functions, including presets. At the bare minimum, a toaster oven can convection bake, broil, toast, or just keep foods warm at a low temperature until you are ready to eat. Some of the presets include functions like “Cookies,” “Bagel,” and “Pizza.” These presets are convenient because you do not need to experiment with heat or time. More advanced ovens can have as many as 8-9 presets, and are also able calculate the cooking time for breads and frozen foods.
3. Oven size
When you are looking at toaster ovens, the oven size determines what kind of food you can cook. Most toaster ovens are measured by bread slices, so a 4-slice oven is on the smaller size. 4-slice ovens can also hold an 11-inch pizza. Larger ovens can hold 6 slices, 12-inch pizzas, or even a 13×9 casserole dish. Keep in mind that a larger oven means it takes up more counter space, and will be trickier to store underneath a cabinet.
Toaster ovens tend to be heavier when they have larger ovens. Weight can be a concern if you are moving or need to transport the oven. Smaller ovens can weigh as little as 7 ½ – 13 pounds. Larger ones can be pretty heavy and get to 20+ pounds.
5. Crumb tray
All toaster ovens come with a crumb tray which is usually removable. This way, the oven catches crumbs from pizzas, bread, and so on. The crumbs will not fall into the oven and burn. To remove, you simply slide out the tray and toss the crumbs way. Cleaning is very easy. Be sure to wait till your oven is cool before attempting to remove the crumb tray. You don’t want to burn yourself and spill the crumbs everywhere.
6. Digital display
In order to choose the toaster oven’s cooking functions, the timer, and so on, toaster ovens have digital displays. Most toaster ovens have pretty advanced LCD displays that are easy to use, and often include an orange light during preheating and a blue one once the oven is ready. The less expensive toaster ovens have basic timers, so you can only set a cooking time up to 25-30 minutes. The more advanced the oven gets, the more time you can add, as in the 90-120 minute range. This greatly expands the kinds of foods you can cook in your toaster oven.
A good toaster oven needs to be durable since it is exposed to high levels of heat all the time. You also do not want to be dealing with scratches or dings on the exterior. Most toaster ovens are made from reinforced or powder-coated stainless steel. The interiors should have a non-stick coating. The heating elements on toaster ovens are usually metal, like steel, that can manage and retain high heat levels over time.