From baking to toasting, reheating food, or roasting meat, the potential of a good toaster oven is huge. This makes it such a versatile appliance to have in your kitchen.
Even if you don’t have a regular oven or you don’t want to buy one due to space and budget constraints, a toaster oven is an equally functional and even more efficient alternative that can serve a variety of purposes. However, since there are several types and models out there, picking the best toaster oven in Malaysia can be tough.
In this toaster oven review, we will help you with finding good quality and cheap toaster ovens that offer a balance of performance and efficiency and guarantee value for your money. In this toaster oven review, we will compare features of 9 of the best oven toaster Malaysia models and show you how to buy the best toaster ovens.
We also cover some important tips to assist you with making your decision and picking the best cheap toaster oven out of the many options available.
Types of Toaster Ovens
Pop-Up Toaster
A pop-up toaster is for toasting bread, and it works by exposing the bread to radiant heat to make it brown. This type of toaster releases the bread after the cooking is done. The bread pops up and that’s what gives it its well-known name. With a pop-up toaster, you can easily make your toast bread quickly and efficiently.
A pop-up toaster browns the bread consistently and it takes a duration of 1-4 minutes for its operation which is less time compared to ovens. People with hectic working schedules who don’t have enough time to prepare breakfast can make do with this pop-up toaster because it toasts bread within a short time.
You can also warm up your bread without burning it. The pop-up toaster typically comes with a removable crumb tray that can be removed and this makes it easier to clean the toaster.
Counter-top Toaster Oven
A counter-top toaster oven is an alternative to your regular baking oven. The counter-top toaster oven grills, toasts, rewarms your foods, bakes, and broils your foods perfectly. It is a multipurpose toaster unit that offers a wide range of cooking functions. Among the cooking functions a standard toaster oven offers is toasting, baking, roasting, and broiling.
Counter-top toaster ovens take up little space in your kitchen and this is beneficial especially for people with smaller kitchens. The countertop oven uses less energy to reheat food, the installation cost is lower compared to a conventional oven. Some also come with a crumb tray you can easily empty.
It is quite easy to stow away when not in use. On the flip side, countertop ovens cannot contain a large amount of food at once due to its small size and small compartment. So it may not be an ideal choice for those who do a lot of cooking.
Using a Toaster Oven
One of the many benefits of a toaster oven is versatility. This kitchen appliance can be used for a wide range of applications. It can perform most of the functions of a regular oven although its small size means what you can cook in it may be limited. The following are some of the functions of a toaster oven.
Roast Meat
Roasting meat in a toaster oven is easy. From chicken to lamb, pork, and good old beef, you can use a toaster oven to prepare all kinds of meat. Of course, you should bear in mind that the type of meat you are cooking will determine the temperature setting to use with a toaster oven. Size matters here too. Portable units may not fit in a full chicken and you might need to cut it up if you intend to use a toaster oven.
Toast Bread
This is one of the traditional uses of toaster ovens. It can be used for toasting bread until brown. One of the simplest ways to toast slices of bread is using the toast mode of a toaster oven. Most units these days come with a timer feature so you don’t have to stay close or open your toaster oven’s door to check frequently to avoid your slices of bread from getting burnt.
Reheating Leftovers
Toaster ovens can be used to reheat leftover food including bread, fried foods, grilled meats, baked foods, seafood, and so on. The toaster oven does not change the taste of the food after it has been reheated. It provides low-energy gentle heating that raises the temperature of your food to the desired state.
Warm Plates for Serving
Oftentimes, it is important to warm your plates before using them to serve to deactivate microorganisms that can cause harmful effects on the food. A toaster oven works well to warm up your plates. To achieve this, you need to place your heat-resistant plate (ceramic or metal plate) and oven-safe plates in the oven for a few minutes under a low temperature. Wait for it to reach the set temperature then turn it off and bring the plates out.
Broil Steak
Broiling steak involves exposing beef(steak) directly to dry heat. With a toaster oven, you can get this done as well. Switch the oven to the broiling mode (although not all units have this mode). Place the steak above the broiler heating metal and let it get to work. Your broiled steak should be ready in a few minutes.
Bake Cakes / Muffins / Cookies
Toaster ovens can be used for small baked foods like cookies and muffins. However, some large-sized units can be used to bake cakes as well. This is a traditional feature on most toaster ovens although the size and capacity can limit how many foods you can bake in the oven at once.
How to Find a New Toaster Oven
Of all the kitchen appliances, a toaster oven is among the few that would be very hard to do without. Most toaster ovens can be used to easily prepare several foods like toasting bread and bagels, preparing the kitchen and so on. Whether you need new appliances for your new kitchen space or you just want to replace your old faulty toaster oven, you may need to take note of the following factors to pick the right one for you.
Price
The cost range of toaster ovens is wide. You could purchase a basic model for as low as $35. But modern models of toaster ovens do more than toasting your bread. The more additional features, the more expensive the appliance is likely to be. The price of most standard models ranges from $200 – $300. But the most expensive ones could cost as much as $1000.
Unlike the full-sized conventional ovens, toaster ovens have no installation costs at all due to their portability. The installation cost of ovens could be as high as $275 asides from the cost of purchasing the oven itself. In terms of cost, purchasing a toaster oven is far cheaper than purchasing a full-sized oven.
The Capacity of the Oven
A toaster oven consumes less energy. It uses only around half to one-third less energy than that of a full-sized electrical. During use, it consumes about 1,200 – 1,400 watts. Generally, some functions consume more power than others. For example, toast functions in a 6-slice toaster oven would use between 900 – 1400 watts. The keep-warm function power consumption ranges from 600 to 1,400 watts while about 800 – 1200 watts are consumed when the toaster oven is running on the broil function.
A lot of people usually leave their devices plugged in even while they are not being used. When in standby mode, manually controlled toaster ovens do not use any power at all whereas, the digitally controlled ones do not consume up to 0.3 watts.
Size of Unit
A toaster oven can comfortably contain muffins, half a pan of cookies, and some other foods. Some have enough space to make toast bread for up to 6 people and reheat a 12 inch frozen pizza. Because of its small size, a toaster oven may not be able to cook a large amount of food at once.
When selecting a toaster oven to purchase, you should consider your cooking needs. Since it occupies little space, a small toaster oven would be ideal if you would be cooking mostly for yourself alone or with a roommate. But for a big family or additional guests, a larger model might be more preferable.
Placement of the Toaster Oven
It is important to carefully plan out how to effectively use your space even in large kitchens. This is important in ensuring free movement and making access to appliances and other pieces of kitchen equipment easy. It is best to place your toaster oven in a location that is well ventilated and close to a power outlet.
A vacant space on top of the counter can be a good choice. You might even prefer to keep your toaster oven away in a cabinet when not in use. After getting a suitable space, you can measure the area to be sure the model of the toaster you are about to purchase would be a perfect fit.
Warranty
In situations in which you notice a manufacturing defect in your toaster oven, you can easily return or replace it depending on the warranty on it. On average, for most toaster ovens, the warranty period ranges from 1 – 2 years. The return policies differ depending on the manufacturer. You may need to provide proof that you purchased the toaster oven from an authorized dealer.
Useful Accessories
Some toaster ovens comes with free accessories although you might still need to get additional accessories for easy stress-free use. A few of these useful accessories include additional trays or cooking racks, a removable crumb tray, a baking pan, oven liners, crisper sheets, pizza pans, oven covers, etc.
The extra trays provide more cooking space. Other accessories can come in handy when it comes to baking desserts, avoiding food drips, making French fries crispier, making pizza, and protecting your toaster oven from dust.
Cooking Functions / Features
- Bake: this is one of the most basic cooking functions of a toaster oven. You could conveniently bake a batch of cookies, or even a chicken weighing 4 pounds. It uses less amount of energy and preheats faster.
- Broil: the toaster oven uses direct heat from the top only when the broil function is activated. It could melt your cheese or heat your sandwiches nicely and quickly in minutes. No preheating is required in many toaster ovens with this setting.
- Toast: heat is released from the top and bottom evenly while the “Toast” function is selected. The desired temperature can be set using the temperature dials on the toaster oven.
Other Features That Are Nice To Have
Aside from cooking functions, here are some of the user-friendly additional features to watch out for when planning to purchase a new toaster oven. However, keep in mind that not all toaster ovens will have such features.
- Auto Shut off: This feature can come in very handy while multitasking. It is a setting that ceases cooking automatically once the timer runs out. It is ideal for users that can be forgetful since it would significantly reduce the amount of burnt food
- Convection technology: There are toaster ovens that work using convection heating. It cooks food by moving around heated air with its fans and exhaust systems. Convection toaster ovens are a better alternative to non-convection ones because they cook all parts of the food equally.
- Air fryer: An air fryer toaster oven works like a convection toaster oven. Apart from the convection feature, an air fryer toaster oven comes with basket trays for better food crispiness.
- Rotisserie: Rotisserie toaster ovens are better for retaining the juicy content of meat during the entire cooking process.
- Cool-touch exterior: Even while the toaster oven is on, the exterior would remain cool when touched. Having this feature reduces the risks of burns to yourself or the surrounding objects.
The Best Cheap Toaster Oven – Toaster Ovens Under RM199
There are different types and models of toaster ovens from different manufacturers. In this section, we review 9 of the best quality toaster ovens that come at an affordable cost. Some of these vary in terms of cooking functions, versatility and price.
1. ELBA Oven Toaster – Black [EOT-J1089(BK)]
The Elba oven toaster is an energy-efficient and functional oven toaster. With a 10L capacity, this versatile toaster oven is convenient for preparing a variety of food. It uses an infra-red heater which delivers efficient heat for even cooking. The oven toaster features a 60-minute timer along with an alarm bell that notifies you when the set time elapses. You can easily vary the temperature between 100ºC – 250ºC based on the recipe you are working with.
Pros
- Uses infrared heaters
- Temperature control knob to conveniently vary the temperature
- 10-liter capacity makes the unit suitable for a wide range of applications
- 60-minutes timer with an alarm bell
Cons
- It may be too small for some users
2. Panasonic Compact Toaster Oven [NT-H900]
This highly efficient Panasonic toaster oven features double heaters which optimize the cooking process, providing constant and even heat coverage. It’s great for quick reheating and cooking. Its 9L capacity makes it perfect for a whole pizza or two slices of bread side by side. The removable crumb tray makes cleaning super simple.
Pros
- Wide temperature control range
- Easy to clean unit
- Double heaters for even cooking
- Double glazed glass door for heat insulation
Cons
- The timer can only be set for 15 minutes.
3. Cornell Toaster Oven 10L [CTO-S10L]
This Cornell model is a versatile toaster oven suitable for baking, grilling and of course, it can also double as a toaster oven. This versatility makes it one of the top choices when it comes to choosing the best Toaster oven in Malaysia. With a 10L capacity, this toaster oven can fit in a 9 inch pizza.
This unit uses two quartz elements to deliver efficient and all-around cooking. The heat produced by the toaster oven can be varied by up to 250ºC thanks to the adjustable thermostat. This makes it possible to set the desired temperature.
Pros
- Features an adjustable thermostat
- Can be used to bake, grill and toast
- 60-minutes timer
Cons
- Unmodern design
4. Midea 25L Electric Oven Toaster [MEO-25EX1]
If you prefer a large-capacity oven toaster, the Midea 25L electric oven toaster is one of the top choices to consider. With a 25L capacity, you can use this toaster oven for a variety of uses without having to worry about space. It can toast a 12 inch pizza conveniently which is equivalent to up to 6 slices of bread at once.
The versatile range of temperature control makes this unit suitable for preparing various recipes as well. The Midea electric oven uses a metallic tube heating element to deliver all-around heat and even cooking for your food. Despite being a large-sized unit, this is a cheap toaster oven compared to similar products you can find online.
Pros
- Large-capacity toaster oven
- Metallic tube heating
- Temperature controls
Cons
- Not a portable unit.
5. Electrolux EASYLINE™ Oven Toaster 9L [EOT2805K]
This unit’s 9L capacity means it is not the biggest toaster oven around. Still, it is large enough for simple family use or individual baking and toasting use. In addition to the portability, the Electrolux Easyline is also quite easy to use. It is also very easy to clean thanks to a non-stick baking tray which makes it very easy to clean after you are done with it.
This toaster oven also features a wire rack where you can leave bread or anything else you cook on this oven with it to cool on the rack. Despite its small size, this is a multifunctional oven toaster that can be used to bake, toast, grill, and cook different types of food.
Pros
- Portable oven toaster
- Very easy to use
- Easy to clean
Cons
- The timer can only be set for 15 minutes
6. Pensonic Oven Toaster [POT-921]
This Pensonic oven toaster is a 3-in-1 device that you can use to bake, grill, and bake food. It features 2-high efficiency quartz elements that deliver all-around heat. The unit has a temperature adjustment knob which makes it possible to vary the heat it produces quite conveniently based on your cooking requirements. The oven toaster also has a 60 minutes timer and an auto-shut-off feature. There is a chime feature as well which notifies you when the set time HAS elapsed.
Pros
- Automatic shut-off feature
- Can be used for toasting, grilling, or baking food
- Features 2 high-efficiency elements
Cons
- It has a small capacity.
7. Russell Taylors 10L Oven Toaster [OT-10]
The Russell Taylors 10L capacity oven is an easy-to-use and energy efficient model. This model is one of the most affordable options on the list. It’s created to allow you to access your food easily and is ideal for quick meals. Among its settings are the toast, bake, broil and keep warm functions.
Its dual position rack allows for increased versatility. It also comes with an aluminum baking tray and a chrome wire rack.
Pros
- Energy efficient
- Auto shut off feature
- Includes indicator light and bell.
- Dual position rack
Cons
- Small capacity can’t accommodate families.
8. Midea 10L Electric Oven Toaster [MEO-10BDW]
This Midea 10L electric oven toaster features a double grill design that makes it suitable for preparing a wide range of foods and achieving desirable results. The non-skid design of this oven toaster’s feet makes it a stable countertop oven. It comes with a modernized coating for both the inner-cavity of this oven and the baking tray which makes it quite convenient to clean.
This design also makes the oven toaster quite durable and corrosion-resistant. The oven toaster has both top heat and bottom heat as well as a lightwave barbecue function that helps to deliver heat in all directions. This ensures even and efficient cooking for your food.
Pros
- Corrosion-resistant design
- Top and bottom heat
- Multi-sided cooling for efficient heat dissipation
Cons
- Small capacity.
9. SHARP Oven Toaster 9L [EO9MTBK]
This Sharp oven toaster is suitable and can be used to bake, grill, and toast. It features an attractive design that is sure to look great on your countertop. The transparent door design also means you can monitor the brownness of whatever you are cooking with it without the need to open the toaster oven. This unit makes cooking a breeze.
There is a light indicator, and you can also set the time for your food based on the recipe you are cooking and the unit will automatically shut itself off when the time elapses.
Pros
- Transparent glass door
- Wire rack and baking pan
- Auto-shutoff feature
Cons
- The timer can only be set for 15 minutes
Conclusion
If you do a lot of cooking, the best toaster oven Malaysia will be an excellent addition to your kitchen. All the products covered in this toaster oven review are top-quality appliances suitable for a wide range of applications. You can get any of them either as an alternative to a full-sized oven or as a supplementary appliance.
If you do a lot of cooking and would like a large capacity unit, the Midea 25L electric oven toaster is our top recommendation for a cheap toaster oven. However, for a portable and highly functional countertop oven that still serves its purpose, we recommend The Cornell Toaster oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a toaster oven replace an oven?
The answer to this question depends on your cooking needs. It is possible to use a toaster oven in place of a regular oven for simple tasks like making classic baked potatoes, toasting grilled cheese sandwiches, preparing a pizza, or even roasting chicken. However, not all oven toasters can be used for this purpose. Also, since oven toasters are smaller in capacity, it may not be suitable for those that do a lot of cooking.
Is it cheaper to use a toaster oven?
Because a toaster oven is smaller than a regular oven, it uses less energy. This helps you to save on cost compared to what you would spend on a full-sized unit. However, a toaster oven is not necessarily faster than a regular oven.
Can you put aluminum foil in the toaster oven?
This is not recommended. You should not cover the interior walls of your toaster oven or the crumb tray with aluminum foil. This is dangerous and can lead to a fire hazard. You can consult the manufacturer manual for specific instructions about using aluminum foil in the toaster oven.
