You’ll need to wait until 2023 to buy or install a new electric hamilton beach counter oven, when the rebates go into effect. We also like that the FlashXpress beeps when the cycle has finished and turns itself off automatically . This model also has an oven light, which is rare for toaster ovens at this price level. However, for the best results, we’d still recommend waiting a couple of minutes for the unit to preheat. The Panasonic FlashXpress browned frozen pizza Bagel Bites better than the other small toaster ovens we tested—and about as well as ovens costing twice as much.
Like the Panasonic, this toaster oven was one of the fastest at preheating to 350 °F in our tests. Since this model is so large (it measures roughly 20.5 by 13.25 by 11.25 inches), we recommend it for households with ample countertop space. Although the Cuisinart is not marketed as such, it can also be used to air-fry food (pod-shaped air fryers are simply mini convection ovens). However, if you plan to air fry on the regular, you may want to consider getting our upgrade pick, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, which has a slightly more powerful fan for air frying. In our air fryer toaster oven test, the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro made mostly even toast and a gorgeous, golden cake.
hamilton beach counter oven toasted on the medium setting came out beautifully golden brown, without any scorching or charring. Other models we tested toasted bread unevenly, with extreme light and dark patches. With every batch of toast made, most toaster ovens get hotter, which can leave you with charred pieces of toast if you’re not watching closely. The FlashXpress compensates for the increased temperature by automatically reducing the cook time, so the results are the same every time. In our tests, the first batch of toast took about 2 minutes 30 seconds, the second batch took 2 minutes 4 seconds, and the third batch took 1 minute 20 seconds .
The steady supply of heat from the filaments rapidly cooks your bread. In our analysis of 65 expert reviews, the Hamilton Beach Automatic Off Toaster, 2-Slice placed 5th when we looked at the top 19 products in the category. Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in the category.
However, the CPT Slice Motorized Toaster was a close second with its large button selection and ability to cater to multiple kinds of bread. If you need a slightly smaller machine, we think you’ll be happier with the Cuisinart—it performed just as well and it’s also more affordable. But if you have the space and still want a dedicated air fryer setting , we’d recommend getting our upgrade pick, the Breville Pro. We found the same heating map inconsistency when toasting bagels.
Reflects how easy the controls are to set and how clear they are. Finally, there’s the cancel button, which just cancels the cycle—something usually achieved by lifting the toaster’s lever. We purchased the Hamilton Beach 2-Slice Toaster so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. 13 product ratings – Hamilton Beach Convection Rotisserie Countertop Oven.
Color rangeHow well the toasters or toaster ovens produced both very light toast and very dark toast. How well the toasters or toaster ovens produced both very light toast and very dark toast. The Hamilton Beach 2-Slice Toaster has a crumb tray in the back that simply pulls out for easy cleaning. My old toaster simply had a flap that opened, forcing you to shake the whole appliance out over the trash can, so this was a welcome change. The Hamilton Beach Toaster has a stainless steel body with gray plastic trim around the edges.
Another selling point is that this toaster lives up to its promotional hype. It promotes itself as having two extra-wide slots, and the larger slices of whole wheat bread we used when testing fit into the slots without an issue. Additionally, this toaster comes with a slide-out crumb tray which makes for fast and easy clean-up. We’ve learned through research done by The Ohio State University that slot toasters aren’t built to last (you can read more about OSU’s in-depth work in our blog post). Since most modern slot toasters aren’t repairable, they’re destined for a landfill once they give out. Toaster ovens, on the other hand, typically last longer, which may be in part because the heating elements are enclosed or better protected by metal guards to prevent damage.