The 5 Best Toaster Ovens Under $100

Best Toaster Ovens You Can Buy for Under $100 — Photo:
AllRecipes / Marcus Millan

From toasting bread to cooking full meals, a toaster oven can (pretty much) do it all. It's easy to find the traditional toaster oven that can bake, roast, and, of course, toast, but there are also many with advanced features. With so many options available, it can feel overwhelming trying to find the perfect option for your cooking needs—especially when you're on a budget.

Our Top Picks

Our Top Pick:

Black+Decker Toaster Oven at Amazon $69

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Best Large-Capacity:

Hamilton Beach 6 Slice Convection Toaster Oven at Amazon $100

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Best with an Air Fryer:

SALE

Black+Decker Crisp 'N Bake Air Fry Toaster Oven at Amazon ~~$100~~ $52

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Best for Frozen Food:

Black + Decker Convection Toaster Oven at Amazon $90

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Best Roll-Top Door:

Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Toaster Oven at Amazon

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Our Top Pick

Black+Decker Toaster Oven

PHOTO: Amazon

$69 at Amazon $90 at Sears.com

Why It's Great: Good performance; great price; toasts evenly

Grain of Salt: Timer is only for 30 minutes; no special features

This inexpensive toaster oven from Black+Decker can toast four slices of bread at once or perfectly cook a 9-inch pizza. It might not have all the bells and whistles, but it'll perform great at the right price. During its three cooking functions (baking, broiling, and toasting), the appliance's EvenToast technology ensures evenly toasted bread and bagels with each use.

Along with cooking, you can keep food warm, with the temperature range going up to 450°F. One downside is the timer is only for 30 minutes at most. But the stainless steel design will look good in practically any kitchen, while its removable crumb tray makes cleanup mess-free.

The Details: 16.4 x 11.3 x 9.4 inches; 1150 watts; includes bake pan and broil rack

Best Large-Capacity

Hamilton Beach 6 Slice Convection Toaster Oven

PHOTO: Amazon

$100 at Amazon View on Newegg.com

Why It's Great: Convection setting; two rack positions; compact and lightweight

Grain of Salt: Timer is only 30 minutes

This 6-slice toaster from Hamilton Beach proves you can even get a durable large-capacity toaster oven on a budget. The spacious interior features two rack positions, so you can get extra close when broiling. It also has a convection bake setting for faster, more even cooking, like when you want to make individual lasagnas.

We love that it has a roll-top door, a feature that's becoming harder to find on toaster ovens. Roll-tops really help when you're cooking something melty or saucy, like a 12-inch pizza, since any drips will get on your plate, not on the glass door. Even though this is large-capacity, it's still relatively compact, at only 9.4 inches high. We just wish it had a longer timer!

The Details: 18.7 x 15.2 x 9.4 inches; 1400 watts; includes bake pan and broil rack

Best with an Air Fryer

Black+Decker Crisp 'N Bake Air Fry Toaster Oven

PHOTO: Amazon

Orig. $100 $52 at Amazon $100 at Walmart $100 at Wayfair

Why It's Great: Large capacity; 60-minute timer; external crumb tray

Grain of Salt: Can't choose air fryer temperature

We're always big fans of a 2-in-1 appliance, and this is the rare inexpensive toaster oven with air-frying capabilities. The Black+Decker 6-Slice Crisp 'N Bake has all the regular functions: bake, broil, and toast. But on the cooking dial, between the maximum temperature setting (450°F) and broil is the setting to air fry.

Like higher-end toaster oven-air fry combos, this comes with a separate air fry basket, but you might need to stir your food mid-cooking for even crispiness. Since you can't select the air-frying temperature, you'll modify your cooking times or cook at the correct temperature as a toaster oven. This does have a full-hour timer for any longer bakes and an external crumb tray for easy cleaning.

The Details: 14.5 x 17.75 x 11.25 inches; 1500 watts; includes air fryer basket, bake pan and broil rack

Best for Frozen Food

Black + Decker Convection Toaster Oven

Black + Decker Countertop Convection Toaster Oven

PHOTO: Courtesy of Walmart

$90 at Amazon $90 at Walmart $89 at Home Depot

Why It's Great: Convection baking; digital interface and presets; 2-hour timer

Grain of Salt: Can get very hot; not the highest-quality build

This Black+Decker model proves you don't have to spend a ton of money for a convection toaster oven. The built-in convection heating fan here cooks your meal quickly and evenly, no matter what setting you choose. Speaking of, there are eight different preset cooking programs, including the one you'll want most: Frozen snacks.

The programs are easy to find on the control panel, and each can be modified to fit your needs. The digital interface is also backlit for any midnight snacking. Reviewers warn that the exterior can get pretty hot during cooking. and the construction doesn't appear to be of the highest quality.

The Details: 13.4 x 22.8 x 15.5 inches; 1500 watts; includes dual-position rack, bake pan and broil rack

Best Roll-Top Door

Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Toaster Oven

Hamilton Beach 31344D Easy Reach Toaster Oven

PHOTO: Amazon

View on Amazon View on Wayfair

Why It's Great: Roll-top door is removable; cooks evenly; easy to use

Grain of Salt: Smaller capacity

Like our large-capacity pick, this option by Hamilton Beach features a handy roll-top door. This innovative design saves you counter space and helps prevent unwanted messes from occurring on the appliance's door (which is removable in case you do need to do a deep clean).

Off to the side, you'll find the toaster oven's contoured dials that are easy to grip and set. This does come with the basic cooking functions—bake, broil, and toast—and reviewers claim that all cook quickly and evenly. One downside is that this only fits about four slices of toast.

The Details: 16.12 X 11.9 x 8.97 inches; 1200 watts; includes bake pan and broil rack

Our Takeaway

Good performance and a great price make the Black+Decker 4-Slice Toaster Oven our top pick. For something that can fit a bit more food, try the Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Roll-Top Toaster Oven.

What To Consider When Buying a Budget Toaster Oven

Size

Size and capacity vary greatly across different toaster oven models, ranging from your standard 4-slice toaster ovens to large-capacity toaster ovens that can fit a full 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. All of our recommendations can fit four or six slices of toast (or 9-inch or 12-inch pizzas).

Regardless of size, your toaster oven is probably going to live on your countertop full time, so you'll need to factor in buffer area along with any size constraints. Every toaster oven should be about four to six inches away from walls and cabinets to allow for air circulation and to lessen damage should any crumbs catch fire.

Controls

Budget toaster ovens tend to have knobs or dials for controlling the cooking temperature and time, though a few have preset buttons or even touchscreens. The latter is going to be easier to use and allows for better temperature control, but they can fall off or otherwise break in the future. If you do opt for buttons and/or a digital screen, be sure to keep your warranty information and consider an extended warranty in case the electronics fail.

Features

Every toaster oven will have the standard bake, broil, and toast, with at least a 30-minute timer. Extra features and functions like air frying, convection, and defrost capabilities are really what make a toaster oven "top tier." Some even go as far as to feature one-touch presets for pizza, cookies, frozen food, or baked potatoes, taking the guesswork out of cooking your favorite foods. An automatic shut-off and oven light are also useful features to look out for.

Common Questions

How do you keep a toaster oven clean?

Since toaster ovens are a fire hazard if they're dirty inside (whether that's crumbs or grease), they need regular maintenance. Frequently clean off the crumb tray, ideally after every use. If food begins to build up inside, it's time to deep clean your toaster oven. That involves unplugging it and cleaning any removable parts with warm, soapy water. Then, using a sponge dipped into a vinegar-water mixture, gently wipe down the interior walls and exterior. Then use a damp (with water) cloth to gently wipe the heating element. Allow everything to dry thoroughly before reassembling.

Is it safe to put a toaster oven in a cabinet?

If you're short on counter space, a cabinet might be one of your options, but there are a few safety concerns. The main requirement is that you have enough room around the toaster oven for proper airflow while in use. You'll also need to keep any clutter or food away from the toaster oven to minimize fire hazards.

Why Take Our Word For It?

Rebecca Carhart was our senior e-commerce reviews writer and strategist. Melanie Fincher is a Birmingham, Alabama-based food writer who loves to cook, eat, and test out new kitchen gadgets.