High dollar convection toaster ovens?

[pacanis]

Are they worth it?

Earlier the name Brevellier came up in regards to toaster ovens. 250 smackers That exceeds my usual money spent on a toaster oven by about 200 bucks
So a question for you users of these top of the line counter top electric ovens; Can you really bake in them like a conventional oven? The food isn't too close to the top element where it gets crusty on top before the (for instance) hot ham and cheese sandwich on a Kaiser roll cooks through? And this is wrapped in foil. A problem I've always had with more typical toaster ovens? You can really bake brownies in these and roast a whole chicken?

What say ye?

 

[taxlady]

Yup, you can use a high end toaster oven like a mini-oven. I've done Cornish game hen in mine. I've done meatloaf. Depends on the size of the food, if it's too close to the top element. I do open faced grilled cheese it mine all the time. Mine even has a dehydrate setting. Mine's a de Longhi that Stirling bought for Yule 1995.

Just don't set it on convection for cookies, unless the recipe gave a "convection temperature". Burnt some shortbread that was wonderful in the few non-burnt places.

 

[Andy M.]

I also just looked online at the Breville smart oven. It claims to have smart heating elements that are supposed to prevent the burned tops your and my toaster ovens create.

I think about how I use a TO and how many opportunities I would have to use it if it qorked better and $250 still seems like a lot. Based on frequency of use, 99.9% of the time Im making toast.

 

[Addie]

A standard toaster oven is all I need. For toast. Something I rarely eat. A full size stove including an oven comes with the apartment. Turn it on, open the door, put the food in, remove when done.

 

[jennyema]

How do you clean such a creature ?

A Cornish game hen will throw off a lot of spatter

 

[taxlady]

How do you clean such a creature ?

A Cornish game hen will throw off a lot of spatter

That's the one thing I don't like about my convection toaster oven. It's supposedly "continuous clean", just wipe it with a damp cloth or sponge once in a while, yeah, right. The walls are so rough that they grab any cloth or sponge and you get little bits of cloth or sponge sticking to the walls. I wish the door came off, like on a big oven. It gets crumbs where I have to use a brush to get them out and I usually can't get them all.

I don't think they make that horrible continuous clean stuff any more.

 

[pacanis]

A standard toaster oven is all I need. For toast. Something I rarely eat. A full size stove including an oven comes with the apartment. Turn it on, open the door, put the food in, remove when done.

You must have misunderstood my OP.
This isn't a what do you need thread, but a thread on using toaster ovens in place of regular ovens.

 

[pacanis]

Good info, Taxy. If I'm going to use it like a regular oven I want it to work like one.

Andy, 99% of the time I'm using my current one for garlic bread or toast, but that's because it needs monitored if I put anything else in it, like something "high" and close to the elements. But with a regular oven with a loose door and whose temp runs about 50-80 degrees high, I might bake little things more if I had a decent toaster oven. I just want to make sure I can use it like one before I put up that kind of dough for a toaster oven... that's a lot of money, but compared to the money some people pay for a high end stove/oven, maybe not so bad.

 

[Dawgluver]

Pac, did you check out the Breville Mini? It's on sale for $150 from Amazon, $70 off, free shipping. I just ordered one Gawd, I'm such a pushover.....another toy.

 

[Andy M.]

Pac, did you check out the Breville Mini? It's on sale for $150 from Amazon, $70 off, free shipping. I just ordered one Gawd, I'm such a pushover.....

I noticed the Breville has three sizes. regular, compact and mini.

 

[taxlady]

Toaster ovens that are rated for meat are great in summer, when you don't want the big oven heating up the house.

I used to have a Black & Decker, rated for meat, back in the late '80s. I used it a lot. I don't remember if it wore out or if the exDH got it.

 

[pacanis]

Pac, did you check out the Breville Mini? It's on sale for $150 from Amazon, $70 off, free shipping. I just ordered one Gawd, I'm such a pushover.....

Yes I did. I thought it might be too small.
Ultimately I'd like to be able to do those small prime rib roasts that I like, so I was more focused on the standard and the compact. The compact isn't that much lower in price than the standard model. And really I'm not sure how well it would work for a two rib roast anyway (using the perfect prime rib method).

 

[pacanis]

Toaster ovens that are rated for meat are great in summer, when you don't want the big oven heating up the house.

I used to have a Black & Decker, rated for meat, back in the late '80s. I used it a lot. I don't remember if it wore out or if the exDH got it.

Good point. Plus I always have to move a couple things out of the oven to use it
Your current one sure lasted a long time.

 

[taxlady]

Yes I did. I thought it might be too small.
Ultimately I'd like to be able to do those small prime rib roasts that I like, so I was more focused on the standard and the compact. The compact isn't that much lower in price than the standard model. And really I'm not sure how well it would work for a two rib roast anyway (using the perfect prime rib method).

The perfect prime rib method may not work as well in a toaster oven. They cool off a lot faster than a conventional oven.

 

[pacanis]

The perfect prime rib method may not work as well in a toaster oven. They cool off a lot faster than a conventional oven.

I have that problem with my current gas oven. The door doesn't seal tight for some reason. If I have the oven above 300F, which is more like 375, I can't even operate the burner knobs on the one side. The don't want to turn.
What I really need is a new oven, but that's not coming until I can get a whole new kitchen, so I'm trying to compensate with a decent TO. If that's possible.
So I'll rule out it holding a temp. Good info. I was wondering about that.

 

[taxlady]

Note, I have never tried the perfect prime rib method in a conventional or toaster oven. I'm just guessing.

 

[taxlady]

Good point. Plus I always have to move a couple things out of the oven to use it
Your current one sure lasted a long time.

Yeah, I was just realizing that. Maybe that's one of the advantages of get the pricier / hopefully higher quality ones.

 

[GotGarlic]

I'd have to go downstairs to see the brand we have, but it's a good-sized TO and works well for me. I'm sure it cost much less than $250, but I'd have to check.

It's fairly tall, so I can roast and bake things without them burning on the top. I haven't tried a whole chicken, but I have roasted parts, and it works fine. My 8x8-inch pan fits in it and I have a small roasting pan from my previous TO that I use in it. Like TL said, I use it often in the summer so it doesn't heat up the kitchen like the big oven. hth.

 

[pacanis]

How long have you had it, GG? And next time you go downstairs...

 

[PrincessFiona60]

A 12 inch pan will fit in my Breville. I've done turkey parts to perfection, a chicken to perfection, brownies, cupcakes, toast, pizza all just perfect. Very little learning curve and it was a lifesaver this summer when it got so hot. Doesn't heat the apartment up like the stove/oven does.

Shrek has been using it almost daily for his freezer lunches. Using the defrost and bake. I love the thing, it's one of the smarter purchases I've made.