Discover the best toaster oven under $100 on this page. We did a lot of research to help you choose. This is a long read, but certainly worth it. So grab a coffee or tea and let’s get to it. By the end of this page, you will know which toaster oven is right for you.
You can use the table of contents below to navigate a lot quicker.
A toaster oven is, for many, an essential kitchen appliance. A good toaster oven can nearly replace your full sized oven. And it will also come in handy during those hot summers when you don’t want to warm up the whole house. But, finding the best toaster oven under $100 can be a challenge. With so many companies making these machines, it can be downright confusing trying to decide between them.
A toaster oven offers a solution to folks whom have space constraints and/or want another oven to prepare large meals for holidays and get together occasions. A toaster oven may ideal for people whom live alone or couples.
Don’t worry, we’ve done a lot of research for you. Below, you will find 4 of our picks for some of the best toaster ovens that we’ve come across that are priced affordably.
Oster TSTTVMNDG Toaster Oven | Black & Decker CTO6335S Countertop Convection Oven | Hamilton Beach 31104 Countertop Oven | Cuisinart TOB-40N Toaster Oven | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Convection: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Digital Controls: | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Preset Functions: | bake, convection, broil, toast, pizza, defrost and warm | bake, broil, toast, bagel, pizza, frozen snacks, potatoes, and cookies | bake, broil, convection, and rotisserie | toast, bagel, bake, and broil |
Pizza Size Capacity: | 12 | 12-inch round; 11-inch square | 12-inch | 11-inch |
Degree Range: | 150-450 degrees; broil | 200-450 degrees; broil | 150-450 degrees; broil/rotisserie | 150-450 degrees; broil |
Timer: | 90-minute with auto shutoff | 2-hour timer | 2-hour timer | Timer is only for toast function |
Accessories: | removable crumb tray, enamel baking pan, integrated broil rack | removable crumb tray, baking pan | two cooking racks, two broiling pans, broiling rack and rotisserie accessories | oven rack, baking/drip pan, crumb tray, recipe booklet |
Wattage: | 1300-watts | 1500-watts | 1500-watts | 1800-watts |
Unique Feature(s): | Adjustable temperature broil | 5-degree temperature increments; pizza, frozen snacks, potatoes, and cookies presets | Rotisserie | "Always even" toast shade control |
Warranty: | 1-year | 2-year | 1-year | 2-year |
Price: | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Oster TSSTTVMNDG Convection Toaster Review
This option should find you right at the top of your budget, maybe a little more, if it is not on sale (you might find it to be a lot less expensive when it’son sale). But, I still included this model on the list because it is such a great product. From microwaves to hair clippers, I have owned many Oster products and overall I find their products to be very well made, and nice to look at.
Design & Size
The black and stainless face of the machine makes it sleek and modern-looking. The curves and rounded corners give this unit a unique look that you don’t find on the other machines on this list. Its exterior dimensions measure about 20-inches wide by 11.5-inches tall and about 15.5-inches deep. The interior dimensions make it large enough to fit up to a 12-inch pizza, which is kind of the sweet spot for frozen pizza.
You can fit up to six toast slices and the interior height is high enough to fit a roast, for example, of the taller variety.
Power and Performance
At 1300 watts, the Oster is a little underpowered compared to the 1500 and 1800 watt machines on this list, yet it is still powerful enough to reach up to 450 degrees (broil can reach 500-degrees) by increments of 25 degrees. While those degree increments don’t give you as much flexibility as the Black and Decker CTO6335S (5 degree increments), most people seem to be satisfied.
The digital controls are very simple, straight forward and easy to understand. The digital controls are responsive, include a clock, a timer (90 minute auto shutoff), and even a light. Compared to some of the other machines, this unit is very intuitive.
There are a variety of cooking functions on this machine, including; Bake, Convection Bake, Broil, Toast, Pizza, Defrost and Warm. The “toast” and “pizza” functions are the only food specific presets but those are probably the most common foods most will prepare in a countertop oven. Other food items can easily be cooked using the bake and broil functions.
This machine is the only one on the list that gives you control over the broil temperature. This is important to some because it gives you flexibility. You might want to gently brown bruschetta with a lower temp broil or sear a steak at a higher temperature.
If I were in the market for a countertop oven, I’d definitely want a model with a convection functionality. The convection component ensures an even browning and flakier crust.
Accessories
Removable crumb trayEnamel baking panIntegrated broil rack
Warranty
Comes with a 1-year warranty
Pros
- Easy to understand digital controls
- Nice design
- Temp controlled broil
- Large interior
Cons
- The rack does not have a stop and could cause your food to fall out
- Outside of unit gets hot to the touch (this is not exclusive to just this model)
BLACK+DECKER CTO6335S Countertop Convection Oven Review
The Black and Decker CTO6335s countertop convection oven is definitely worthy of your consideration. It is a beautiful machine that has many intuitive features. It is priced so that most can afford it. Take a look below for more details on this little oven.
Design and Size
This machine is very good looking, in fact, it looks like design cues were taken directly from Breville (a company known for making very beautiful machines). It has rounded edges and beveled buttons. Its interface is digital with buttons that are labelled for different cooking functions.
The display is very large but not backlit (despite the image), unfortunately, and some customers pointed to this as a potential con. Black letters on a gray background display is not as effective as having the background illuminated. Others have no problem with this.
The outer dimensions are 12.4 x 21.8 x 14.5 in and the inner dimensions are W: 13.5” H: 6” L: 11”. This space is large enough to accommodate a 12-inch round pizza. There is a bump on the back of the machine that allows for a round pizza not a square one (this is important to remember), if you get square pizza then you will only be able to fit an 11-inch.
Power and Performance
With 1500 watts, you have plenty of power to cook any meal. The temperature ranges from 200 to 450 degrees with 5-degree increments. This gives you a lot more control over the temperature, some models are actually in 25 degree increments.
The convection feature, which is very important, circulates air around the interior helping the unit to heat up even quicker. The convection feature also lends itself to more evenly cooked foods.
A feature that I really like about this model is that there are many preset cooking options. There are eight total: bake, broil, toast, bagel, pizza, frozen snacks, potatoes, and cookies. This allows you to quickly choose a cooking option with a single touch of a button instead of having to fiddle around with the settings.
I found that lots of people really praise this model for its toasting ability. This is a very important feature to many.
The timer is maxed out at two hours or 120-minutes and will sound when the timer expires.
The dual position rack allows you to move your food closer or farther away from the bottom heating unit which can have an effect on the crispiness of pizza crust for example.
You won’t need to worry about cleanup so much with this unit as the interior is nonstick and the crumb/drip tray will catch most spills.
Accessories
Removable crumb tray
Baking pan
Warranty
This machine comes with a two-year limited warranty
Pros
- 5- degree increments
- Beautifully designed
- Large digital display
- Many presets for easy operation
Cons
- Display is not backlit
- If you prefer square pizza to round then the max size is 11-inches
- The buttons beep every time you press them and some folks say that they are too loud
Hamilton Beach 31104 Countertop Oven Review
The Hamilton Beach 31104 is a modestly priced little versatile machine that might have wondering why you ever bothered with a standard sized oven in the first place. It is a decent looking machine that places function over appearance which is what we really want here.
Design and Size
While this model is not the most aesthetically pleasing on the list in my opinion, it certainly won’t be an eyesore either, some have called it good looking. The front of the housing is stainless steel while the sides are black.
It has three analog dials (some folks prefer digital controls) that you use to control your temperatures and the time and a large plastic handle. You might note that many customers actually prefer a larger handle because it makes it easier to remove and add meals to a hot oven.
The oven is actually a very good size as the exterior dimensions are 20.62 x 16.54 x 13.11 in, and the interior is large enough to fit to 12 inch pizzas. The pizza capacity is actually a feature that many folks look for when searching for a countertop oven because it’s such a popular food.
Controls
Three dials control the different functions of the convection oven. The top dial is there to select the temperature which ranges from 150-degrees to 450-degrees, then broil/rotisserie. While the middle controls are there for the function, you can choose bake, broil, convection, and rotisserie.
Power and Performance
With 1500 watts of power, this little baby can cook whatever meal that you would put in a regular oven (as long as it fits). It has a bake, broil, and rotisserie with a 2-hour timer. The oven will shut-off when the timer sounds but there is also an option to have it stay on.
Due to the convection feature, the interior heats even faster because of the fan that circulates the hot are inside. After researching lots of small toaster ovens, I can tell you that you should definitely go for a model that has the convection feature. Sure, this feature will bring you closer to that 100 dollar limit you’ve set, but it’s certainly worth it. I’ve come across some of the cheaper options that don’t include this option.
What we really love about this model is that there is a rotisserie option. Yes it includes the spindle, drip pan and all. It can handle a 5 pound chicken.
Although this machine comes with the very cool and useful rotisserie functionality, absent is a toast function, which is standard on many other machines.
Accessories
This unit includes the following accessories: 2 cooking racks, 2 broiling pans, broiling rack and rotisserie accessories.
Warranty
This unit comes with a standard 1-year warranty
Pros
- Easy on your wallet
- Decent looking
- Good Size – big enough to fit two 12-inch pizzas
- Self-basting rotisserie
Cons
- Some complaints of the machine getting too hot on the outside.
- Some complaints of inaccurate temperature, i.e. 400 degrees is really more like 350 degree
- Although you can toast in it, there is no specific toast setting
Cuisinart TOB-40N Custom Classic Toaster Oven Broiler Review
The Cuisinart TOB-40N is another great choice for a budget friendly toaster oven. It is a good looking machine with plenty of great features. It is a very powerful machine and is certainly worthy of your consideration.
Design & Size
You won’t find a fancy digital display on this machine. Everything is analog here. But a digital interface isn’t really a necessary feature. If you choose this machine, you are sure to appreciate its beautiful stainless steel exterior.
This machine has a capacity that can fit an 11-inch pizza. So, keep that in mind if you go for this oven as you will be limited in the size of the pizza’s that you can heat up or bake in the oven.
I like that there are little rubberized feet on the bottom of this model. That means that when you move it intentionally or accidentally, you won’t have to worry about it scratching your countertop.
Power and Performance
This model is one of the more powerful mini ovens as it is packed with 1800 watts. There are two heating units, one on the top and the other on the bottom. It has what is called an “always even” shade control that monitors the temp and adjust timing to ensure that the toasting is consistent.
Like the Hamilton Beach 31104 (listed above), there are 3 knobs that you use to control the temperature and settings. The top knob controls the function: toast, bagel, bake, and broil. The middle one controls the temperature, which ranges from 150-degrees to broil. And finally, the bottom knob controls the toast brown setting.
There is also a button that you press for toast or bagel (in bagel mode, the top heating element stays on while the bottom turns off). But there are some shortcomings as it relates to the controls.
One of the problems is that the labels for the knobs are very small, making them hard to read, I found that several customers complained about this. Next, if you want to make toast, you have to select three different settings on three different knobs, and press a button. Some may find that process annoying.
Unlike the two models listed above, there isn’t a convection feature, getting a little more power means that you will have to give up some features. To me, this is a deal breaker. I do believe that this model is a decent choice, but I would definitely go for an oven with convection.
Accessories
You will get a variety of accessories here including: Oven Rack, Baking/Drip Pan, Crumb Tray, Recipe Booklet.
Warranty
2-year limited warranty
Pros
- Very good looking machine
- Very good price considering the power
- Designed to fit up to six slices of toast
- Rack pulls out when you open door, a convenient feature
- Cool touch handle
Cons
- No convection
- There is no timer except for the toast function
- No presets for pizza and other common foods
- Not as flexible as other models on this page
- Can only fit an 11-inch pizza
- Knob labels are very small
- Some say that the controls are confusing
Other Inexpensive Toaster Ovens to Consider
While the four toaster ovens listed above are some of the best options for most people. Other shoppers might have unique needs or wants that don’t make those units optimal. While many shoppers would find the units listed below to be undersized, underpowered or just not as feature rich.
These options could be just “what the doctor ordered” for the right person, perhaps a college student living in a dorm, or a hipster living in a cozy studio apartment. Some of the units below might also be ideal for small office kitchens.
Black & Decker TO1303SB Toaster Oven Review
If are looking for an economic toaster oven that looks good and has a little more than bare minimal features then you might want to check out the Black and Decker TO1303SB.
Design and Size
I really like the black and stainless steel look of this machine. Like the Hamilton Beach 31401 listed just above, this model has three knobs that are black and chrome. It looks really good.
The contemporary look and feel of this machine will have you confused about its price. This compact toaster is very small as its dimensions are 15.5 x 10 x 9. You won’t have any problems finding a spot for it even in a small kitchen.
There are some subtle things that you may not immediately appreciate about this toaster oven, but I like that the door handle runs the length of the toaster oven door and that the feet are exposed.
Power and Performance
I like that there is decent range to choose for your toast shade as most people are very particular about their toast. Also, I was surprised to learn about the even toast technology which is a feature that’s often found on much more expensive toasters. This unit has a 30 minute timer that automatically turns off when it sounds.
There are 3 knobs that you use to control your food settings. The top one controls the temperature (the range is 0 to 450 degrees) while the middle one is there for the functions which include warm, bake, broil, and toast. On the bottom is where you’ll find the timer, which is also the on/off as well as the shade control.
The interior is about 11 x 9 x 7 which is large enough to fit a 9-inch pizza or 4 slices of toast. The controls are more user friendly than many of the units that you’ll find in this price range. There are icons that help you to more easily understand which cooking functions you are selecting.
Accessories
You get a baking pan, rack and crumb tray as the accessories
Pros
- Intuitive control panel
- Very good looking
- Great for small living spaces
- Many satisfied customers
Cons
- Not easy to remove hot food from oven
- Some complain that toast shade is inaccurate
Hamilton Beach 31401 Toaster Oven Review
This model wasn’t designed for the family of four. It’s way too small for that. However this thing is like the little “shiny toaster oven that could”. Read on more below to find out if this little oven would be right for you.
Appearance and Size
This is a good looking little machine. It is clad in stainless steel like most of the toaster ovens you’ll find on this page. With 15 x 11.5 X 8.7 dimensions, it isn’t going to take up a large footprint which is perfect for small kitchens. It’s really compact.
Power and Performance
Although it’s really compact and simple; the control panel is very easy to understand as there are just 3 analog knobs. So, if you were looking for a more convenient digital control panel, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
The top knob controls the temperature which goes from 0 degrees to 450 degrees. The middle knob controls the functions of which there are three; toast, bake, and broil. Finally the third knob controls the timer which you can set from 0 to 30 minutes.
The timer also acts as the on/off switch (although you can choose for the unit to stay on). When the timer expires the machine automatically shuts off. Shade control is also a part of the bottom dial although there is not a lot of range.
This little thing can only fit a 9” inch pizza or 4 slices of toast and so the limitations are obvious with this one. You will be challenged to cook a whole chicken or steak in it. But it’s not for that.
This model is for you if you are just looking for an inexpensive toaster oven to warm up leftovers or chicken strips, or make toast or bagels, pop tarts and the like. Perhaps, you’d like to bake a chicken breast in it; you could that.
This unit is cheap, not to say that it isn’t a good-enough quality. But rather that it’s not supposed to have all of those great features that higher priced models have. It’s simple.
Accessories
Bake pan, Pull out crumb tray
Pros
- Compact size means that it takes up little space
- Perfect for college students, single people, and folks living in small apartments
- Attractive appearance
- Faster than kitchen oven at reheating
- Uses much less energy to warm up food than large kitchen ovens
Cons
- Lacks many convenient features
- Timer makes a ticking sound that could be annoying
How to Choose the Best Toaster Oven Under $100 for You
I hope that you find the information on this page to be very helpful. Whether you buy online from one of the links on this page or in a store locally, it’s important that you remember to choose wisely. Don’t be distracted by just the appearance or accessories.
Features
You might be surprised by the variety of the types of features that you can get with a budget toaster oven. Some of them are definitely standard, or at least should be, but others, while optional are really cool. One of the more surprising features is a rotisserie.
I came across a few models that actually had that rotisserie feature. The Hamilton Beach 31104, listed above, actually has a self-basting rotisserie. While that is a great feature, I wouldn’t trade convection for it. Convection is a feature that is an absolute must (for me).
Price
There are many different toaster ovens out there that are priced affordably. Don’t go so cheap that you leave out this important feature. Keep in mind what you’re primarily going to be using your toaster oven for. Is it going to be replacing your oven? Replace your oven during the summer? Are going to be using it just to warm up food? Bake a pizza?
Size
If your new toaster oven is to be your primary oven, for even a season, size you be really important. While you may not need enough space for a 14-pound turkey. It would be nice to be able to cook a chicken in it, right? Perhaps a 3 to 5 pound bird. And you would definitely want a unit that was large enough to fit a 12” pizza.
Appearance
Stainless is nice to look at and very durable, however, there are some durable toaster ovens out there aren’t made out of stainless. A digital control panel is usually more convenient than analog controls. But even still, it isn’t a feature that I think is worth blowing your budget for.
Likewise, features like an external crumb tray, automatic rack ejection, and oven light are very convenient but not totally necessary. If you have to choose between different convenient features you should go for audible alarm or auto shut-off.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choosing the best toaster oven under $100 is tough, but if I were choosing a new toaster oven on this list, I’d go with the Oster TSSTTVMNDG. It is a versatile machine, easy to use, good-looking, and large enough to prepare most meals. But that doesn’t mean that the others on this list aren’t better for your specific situation.
I like the Black & Decker too. It has several food specific presets like bagel, cookies, pizza, and frozen snacks. But the way it is designed means that you are limited in the size and shape of the pizza that you bake in it. The concave extension allows you to bake round 12-inch pizzas or 11-inch square pizza.
There is no rack support for the extension, so some users complain that the pizza sags. A solution is to buy a round 12-inch pizza pan, but that is still a compromise, i.e. pizza crust crisp the best when placed directly on the rack itself.
I also like the Hamilton beach model, because it has a rotisserie function, but you do give up some of the ease of use, and then there is no specific toast function.
All in all, the Oster just seems to be the Goldilocks’ toaster oven, it is large enough and powerful enough, has all of the features that you need and some that you might want.
If after reading this page, you decide that neither of these machines is best for you, then perhaps you might consider an option from one of the pages below:
Breville bov800xl vs Cuisinart tob-260
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