When it comes to snacks, the toaster is a great way to prepare food.  For those not familiar, a toaster oven is a small electric appliance which radiates heat which converts your slice of bread to toast.

Toaster Oven

The toaster oven was developed in Scotland in 1893.  Initially, it came with single slot, and with time it was upgraded to two slots.  But nowadays you can easily find a four slot toaster in the market. In the beginning, the toaster was only used in restaurants because limited houses had access to electrical power supply.  The toaster is ideal for small kitchens, though.  

Many versions are available on the market, but most commonly used is the pop-up type toaster in which you put bread slices vertically, and a mechanism holds it inside until the toast is ready and pops out.  The toaster has heat and time control which enables its user to adjust time and temperature according to their need. There are multiple web stores which offer a broad range of toaster ovens designed by many companies.

Considerations before purchasing:

There are multiple factors which might be put into the account before purchasing one.  One thing you should keep in mind is that not to rush to the store and without determining the features you want.

  • You should first figure out how much space you have for the toaster.
  • You should consider how much capacity you want.
  • How much power is sufficient for you?
  • Is there a  particular material you want for the toaster body?  You can find choices from a plastic body to metal frame.
  • Warranty and return policy should also be checked.
  • Controls and settings are important to look for.  More controls mean more functionality, but can make things confusing. Some like to go simple, with classical knob controls, while other users can go with whole digital controls.
  • Price! Because it’s better to pay for what you need, and not overpay for what that you don’t need.
  • Weight may not matter, as you most likely don’t move it daily, but may be a factor.
  • Small details should also be noted, for example, buzzer indicator, the length of power cord, safety features, etc.

Advancements in technology have even allowed toaster ovens to be connected to the web, and you can control your toaster from anywhere.  Safety of appliances that you use daily is very important to be considered to avoid things such as electrocution hazards. Unplug the machine before cleaning it, use proper grounding and read the user manual before operating it.

Some of the major marketers of toaster brands include Black & Decker, GE (General Electric), Kitchen Aid, Sunbeam Products, Toastmaster and Cuisinart.