5 Downsides Of Using A Toaster Oven

Owners of toaster ovens often wonder how they ever lived without one, and it's understandable why. They're able to do nearly anything a full-size oven can, but in a countertop-sized package that takes a fraction of the time. But any kitchen appliance has its downsides, including the ubiquitously loved toaster oven.

If improperly used, toaster ovens can pose a significant safety risk, ranging from the easy potential for serious burns to major fire hazards from careless loading. And while many models are workhorses, even after minor fires from misuse, design limitations on heating elements mean that even the highest-end toaster ovens have limited lifespans.

Several of the downsides are related, in one way or another, to their size. Toaster ovens are large enough to take up an obnoxious amount of space on countertops and in kitchen storage, yet small enough to be extremely hotspot-sensitive. And for all their convenience, there is the awkward reality that air fryers can do a lot of what toaster ovens do. Exploring the downsides to a toaster oven is essential before deciding on what, if any, model to purchase.

Officially, they're small appliances, but when trying to fit one into a tight kitchen space, toaster ovens can seem anything but small. Sizes vary widely, but they can commonly be about 18 inches wide and over 12 inches tall — to say nothing of needing to maintain a safe operating distance from anything else nearby. That's an additional 6-inch clearance on all sides, and at least 12 inches above them.

No amount of convenience can make up for its somewhat large footprint and demand for an even larger area of operation. This is less of an issue for kitchens luxuriating in excess counter space, but for home cooks who always wish they had a little more, a toaster oven can be asking a lot.

It could be kept in storage while not in use, but it also takes up a considerable amount of that precious kitchen resource. And then there's how annoying it could become, frequently moving the toaster oven from a tight storage space to a cramped kitchen countertop.

Fans of toaster ovens know how easy it is to go through them quickly. It's tempting to blame that on things generally not being made as well as they once were; while that may also be true, it's not the entire story with toaster ovens. To a certain extent, they are destined to be shorter-term appliances. 

Due to design limitations, the heating elements in most toaster ovens burn out after about five years of regular use, or possibly longer with more sporadic use. Higher-end construction or materials may be able to squeeze a few more years out of a quality machine, but unfortunately there is no Buy It For Life toaster oven in existence.

One of the reasons that Hamilton Beach makes the best toaster oven according to Consumer Reports is that the model in question sells for under $100 on Amazon. Aside from functioning well, it's an attractive price tag for a product with a limited shelf life. Especially considering pricier models are all but guaranteed to only last a few years as well.

The sides and especially glass doors of toaster ovens often get dangerously hot to the touch while in use, making them a countertop hazard until they cool. Although it takes longer to preheat and cook, a full-size oven typically doesn't have these safety concerns.

But it's not just scalding-hot sides to be concerned with: Toaster ovens also have a higher fire risk than full-size ovens. The food in a toaster oven sits much closer to the heating element, which is part of how it cooks food faster. But that also means it overcooks faster, and flames can spark before you know it. This is especially true of anything that might drip or pop grease, including melted butter.

Keeping a toaster oven clean is essential for safer operation and limiting fire risks as much as possible. When completely cooled, remove and wash all removable parts, and shake or wipe out as many crumbs as possible. Wipe down interior surfaces with a non-abrasive cloth and cleaning solution, taking care to avoid contact with the heating elements.

Toaster ovens preheat so fast because it's a much smaller space than a full-size oven. But their smaller size also leads to one of their drawbacks: They're more prone to hot spots than a full-size oven. Well-designed toaster ovens do what they can to control for this, but with food sitting that close to heating elements, there's only so much that can be done. 

Hot spots, of course, mean uneven cooking, but there's another problem that can compound this issue. Overcrowding the tray is one of the most common toaster oven mistakes to make, and one that can make uneven cooking all but certain.

In order for food to properly cook, as much of the food as possible must be exposed to hot air. Even higher-quality models with fans to distribute heat need some room for the air to blow. Crowding the tray can be easy to do, and will result in cold spots amid your pile of partially cooked food. Overcrowd it too much and you might even touch a heating element, which poses a significant fire risk.

Where a toaster oven is small enough to heat up faster than a full-sized oven, it's relatively large enough that, in many cases, an air fryer might be the better option. Toaster ovens and air fryers have a few differences, the main one being convection. It's an industry term for a fan that blows heat around the cooking chamber; all air fryers use convection, but many toaster ovens use only radiant heat much like a conventional oven. 

Convection is generally better for heating food more evenly and quickly. And while some higher-end toaster ovens do use convection, air fryers have another benefit up their sleeve. Air fryer fans spin more rapidly than in a simple convection oven, so unless the toaster oven also has an air fryer feature, it won't be able to replicate the results. This means that the ultra crispy, deep fryer-like consistency on certain foods is impossible to get with a pure toaster oven. 

Not only that, but some multi-function air fryers – especially ones with an oven door design, as pictured — can do everything a toaster oven can, albeit with smaller portion sizes. For some households, it may be the wiser use of money.