Best Toasters & Toaster Ovens

Toasters and toaster ovens solve different problems, and the best kitchen owns one of each; or a smart hybrid. A pop-up toaster is the right tool for bread, bagels, and frozen waffles; its narrow slots toast evenly because the heating elements sit close to the bread. A toaster oven handles anything that doesn't fit in a slot: pizza slices, leftover French fries, small casseroles, open-faced sandwiches.

The step up; a convection toaster oven; adds a fan that circulates hot air, cutting cooking times and crisping like a mini-range. Countertop convection ovens from Breville, Cuisinart, and Panasonic can genuinely replace a full-size oven for many weeknight tasks and use far less energy. The specs that matter: slot length and depth for pop-up (9 inches minimum for artisan loaves), cavity size for ovens (big enough for a 12-inch pizza), wattage (1,800+ for convection), and the number of heating elements (six beats four).

We tested each model on white toast, frozen bagels, sourdough slices, reheated pizza, and roasted Brussels sprouts. Rankings weigh evenness, consistency, speed, and how long the unit stays calibrated over repeated use.