Toaster Oven - Allen,TX

Updated on April 19, 2012
H.D. asks from Allen, TX
20 answers

Ok, so totally stupid question.....

I never grew up with a toaster oven but seems EVERYONE owns one. What is so great about a toaster oven? How do you use one and what types of things do you put in there? Do you only heat food or do you actually bake things? Should I own one too? What is the best one out there that I should own if I buy one??

Thanks!!!!

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Featured Answers

J.B.

answers from Houston on

My grandmother got everyone in the family a toaster oven for Christmas years ago, literally 15 yrs ago. And we have all gone through several.
As far as what do we cook in there? EVERYTHING!
Cakes, pizza, ribs, pork chops, roast, cookies...
No need to heat up the big oven.

2 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I love my toaster oven! It's Kitchen Aid, about 4 yrs old and one of the best $200 I ever spent!!

I cook in it so I don't heat the oven. I've made fish, cornbread, meatloaf, etc as well as baking potatoes, other veggies, etc.

It's also good to reheat pizza and other things.

My hubb thought I was crazy when I bought it and now if it went out on us, we'd have a new one within 24 hrs.

My 17 yr old daughter uses it a lot too. We use the regular taoster for toast.

Love it!!

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

I asked the same thing if you want to look back at my questions. =)

I do have one and I mostly use it to bake biscuits so I don't have to heat the oven. Since its so small, I mostly use it on the weekends when its just me and hubs and the kids are at our ex's house. Otherwise, besides the biscuits, you can't really "cook" a large amount in it.

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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B.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I never had one either until a few years ago. I thought it would be a better option than heating my large oven to make a frozen pizza for lunch. It did not live up to my expectations. It just didn't function well as a miniature oven.

So it is currently packed away in my attic. I probably should have donated it but I felt it was too big a waste of money so I should try to sell it off. It's been sitting up there a few years so I ought to just donate it :-(

1 mom found this helpful
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M.D.

answers from San Francisco on

My kids love to use it! I think it is safer than the regular oven. They can make their own pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, baked potatoes, etc. I have done a roasted chicken and beef. With mine, I can broil also. I use it for anything small enough to fit instead of heating the whole oven. I have never used it for baking.

1 mom found this helpful

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I don't get them either. I never had one growing up. We are renting a town home now and my landlord lived here before us and she has one built in. I have never once used it.

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K.C.

answers from New York on

I do not use a microwave because it's not safe or healthy. So, a toaster oven works for me. It's great for bagels and toast.
I use it to heat food. If I'm the only one eating, it's better than heating up the oven.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I didn't want another thing on my counter. We never had O. when I was growing up. But my husband is toaster oven loyal through and through.
We got rid of the toaster and got a toaster oven.
We broil hot dogs, make french fries, re-heat pizza, make toast, hash browns.....I've never "baked" anything in it ever.
Truthfully, I preferred toaster toast to toaster oven toast, but I don't eat too much toast.
Now my electric water kettle? Worth every inch of counter real estate!

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M.C.

answers from Dallas on

I had one but gave it to my sister when I moved to this house because the oven has a warming drawer.

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A.S.

answers from Dallas on

Got one when we got married. Used it maybe twice. Got rid of it when our oldest was born. The only thing I ever used it for was heating garlc bread for spaghetti Easier than turing on the whole oven

R.B.

answers from Dallas on

Like Kristen C., we don't own a microwave. We love our toaster oven. GREAT for reheating things and/or toasting things. I don't even use my toaster anymore.
We just own a small, not to expensive one that we bought at Target or Walmart.
If you own a microwave, I don't think it would get a lot of use.
Just my two cents,
R.

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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

I love love love my toaster oven. I use to make toast, sandwiches (ham & cheese), reheat food. I will bake cookies in it when I only want enough for us to eat once. You can bake pizzas or pretty much anything you would in a normal oven. Just smaller, works great when you don't have much to make and you don't want to heat up the house with the oven. Works great for reheating pizza because it gets it nice and crispy. I don't know what I would do without one.

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I don't own one! :) I almost bought one but I felt like it was just one more thing on my counter.

Oh we have one at work, for the time it takes to cook anything I can't imagine it saves heat or energy.

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K.H.

answers from Dallas on

Totally know what you mean - i never grew up with one but started using one when we got one at our office...now i have one at home!
I use it for things like reheating up slices of pizza and rolls - which never taste the same when reheated in a microwave but you don't want to use the oven for such a small thing; i've roasted potatoes when it's just me and my 6 year old for dinner; i basically use it for whatever items that are small enough to be in there and too small for an oven since, again, things taste better out of the oven vs. microwave. You can also do toast items (crostini, cheese toast, etc.) and such. Once you get a good one, you'll use it more than you think. Only thing is, i don't really like it sitting out on the counter all the time but its a pain to store then pull out every time you need it. I've found if i have it out, i use it more... :-)

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L.O.

answers from Philadelphia on

I have a toaster oven and have made everything in it. I've made chicken, steaks, lasagna, pizza, cookies, brownies, meatloaf, just to name a few.
To me, they are definitely worth it.
If you decide to get one, you need to decide what your are going too use it for because they do come in various sizes. If you want too use it like a mini oven, you' ll ned to get one of the larger one

I.X.

answers from Los Angeles on

They are great for heating pizza and anything else you would love to toast that otherwise would make your toaster a disaster (like a cheese bagel ). I have baked very small meals in it. But at the end of the day, it was not worth the counter top real estate. I donated mine.

T.M.

answers from Redding on

I had one and loved it. Don't have the counter space for one now unfortunately.
I used mine for toast mostly, but it's great for the little individual pizzas, pot pies, etc. Stuff you don't really want to heat the big oven up for.

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

My aunt bought me a Black and Decker programmable contraption and it's pretty amazing. We can make anything in it.
Yes, it sits on the counter, but it's so much faster than using the conventional oven.
We've baked, cooked fish, steaks, grilled veggies...
It's not your typical "toaster oven".

I like it.
My microwave died and we haven't really missed it much as far as just warming things up.

It all depends on the kind you get, I suppose.

Just my opinion.

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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I've had two toaster ovens. Both were given to me. I tried using the first one frequently because I was told that if I used it I would love it. I used it frequently and if I didn't have a microwaive I would probably like it, NOT love it.

I would like to have one with the rotisserie in it and I keep looking for one in the thrift stores. I like rotisserie chicken. I like BBQ/smoked chicken. I have a small rotisserie charcoal grill. I would put smoking wood chips inside the electric rotisserie to get the smoked chicken without having to mess with the charcoal. But I haven't found one yet.

If I lived near a bunch of mampedia moms or dads I would ask for one that no one wanted any more, but we are too spread out. If I ever get one I'll let everyone know how well it works or doesn't work.

BTW, you can see by the responces that people either love their toaster oven or think its a waste of maney. No luke warm positions.

Good luck to you and yours.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

Love toaster ovens. Reheat pizza, bagels that are too fat for toaster. You
cannot bake in it, at least I have never done that. I cook pot pies in it.
I used to hate turning the oven on for small things that need to be heated up.
Once you own one, you will wonder how you went this long without one.

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