How Accurate Are Toaster Ovens?

Toaster ovens are fast becoming popular and taking over traditional ovens. Toaster ovens are compact smart ovens and they can be used in cooking the same things as regular ovens. There have been questions on how accurate a toaster oven can be since they heat up really fast.

Toaster ovens and ovens generally heating methods vary a lot and over time, they can become even less accurate.

Note that some ovens are more accurate than others, there are specific ranges however that have to be accurate for toaster ovens and if it is outside that range, you might have to get a professional to take a look at it. The use of a toaster oven goes beyond bread toasting or baking which is why knowing its temperature range is vital.

The temperature setting of a toaster oven can vary so it can’t exactly be called accurate. Cakes are likely to fall or become lopsided if your toaster oven is not accurate which is why it has to be preheated for 20 minutes. Most toaster ovens have accurate temperatures depending on the brands and in fact, regular ovens too can be off their set point by about 25 to 50 degrees F.

By contrast, toaster ovens come with different features which tend to determine the output. Fluctuation is quite common with ovens which also explains why there are concerns about how accurate toaster ovens can be.

Baking accuracy is quite important and if you are planning on using a toaster oven for it, then read on to learn about how accurate toaster ovens can be.

Toaster Oven Air Fryer Vs Air Fryer — Image: Envato Elements

How Toaster Ovens Work

A toaster oven is a countertop appliance that can be used to warm, toast, broil, and cook food.

Toaster ovens work in similar ways as regular ovens and due to how portable it is and it works just like an average toaster as well. There are also conventional ovens that have heating elements along the top and bottom of the oven. A simple explanation of how toaster ovens work is that it uses infrared radiation to heat up bread.

You can also bake cakes in toaster ovens and the only thing you have to ensure is in place is the right temperature setting. The same baking mode can be used for roasting as well. It simply uses infrared radiation to roast bread while using conventional heating for cooking.

Are Toaster Ovens Really Accurate?

Toaster ovens are not exactly accurate which is why you have to preheat them for at least 20 minutes to get the temperature rolling. Inaccurate toaster ovens are one of the common problems associated with baking, your cake or bread can turn out too dry, burn quickly or take forever to bake.

To avoid all these issues, you have to ensure the temperature is accurate.

You have to know that not all toaster ovens are well-calibrated which means not all are accurate. However, there is no reason to worry as there are high-ranked toaster ovens that will provide evenly browned bread and produce fully-cooked foods even in low settings.

On average, your oven temp accuracy should be between 350 °F and 450 °F. Keep in mind that you can adjust the setting of your toaster oven according to your recipe. Your toaster oven has a thermometer built into it but it can be inaccurate for some reasons.

One of the keys to calibrating accurate temperature on toaster ovens is to avoid overcrowding them during baking. The heat has to be allowed enough space to circulate. So if you are looking to calibrate accurate temperature with your toaster oven then it is best to choose ones that are designed with high-quality functions.

toaster-oven-preheating — Source: Toaster oven love

How to Calibrate Toaster Oven For Accuracy

If the temperature range of your toaster oven is accurate then you can conveniently bake in it. There are expensive toaster ovens that come with a very accurate temperature setting and you do not have to worry about setting them or getting uncooked cake.

Here are tips that can make sure your food is cooking at the right temperature.

Use a meat thermometer to check the accuracy and ensure to replace your thermometer every year
Do not overcrowd your oven, especially during baking
Do not open the toaster oven door to check if it’s done the minimum suggested time
Avoid pulling out the shelf to check on the recipe.

To test the accuracy of your toaster oven temperature settings, you can do this by placing the meat temp probe in the center of your oven rack and setting it to 350 degrees F. You have to take note of the temperature when the oven is preheated and compare it to the one you set.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cooking in a toaster oven the same as an oven?

Cooking in a toaster oven is similar to that of an oven but it is not exactly the same. The toaster oven comes with a removable baking pan and removable wire rack as well and their model can determine how similar they are to regular ovens. Toaster ovens also use less energy than a traditional oven and it comes with a variety of cooking functions.

Can you use a toaster oven like a real oven?

Yes, you can always use a toaster oven just like a real oven. Toaster ovens are a simply smaller version of conventional ovens so they do work the same way. Toaster ovens are smaller and can be placed on your kitchen counter, minimal heat is needed for cooking in toaster ovens and you can cook everything you can cook in a regular oven in it but in small batches.

Is a toaster oven hotter than a regular oven?

No, toaster ovens need minimal heat and due to their heat, they are not hotter than regular ovens. Toaster ovens are specifically great for baking, they don’t get as hot as regular ovens and evenly distribute heat too.

What can you not cook in a toaster oven?

While we will agree that you can use a toaster oven to cook anything that requires direct and fast cooking. It works for small-batch cooking hence you can cook a lot of dishes in it except water or liquids since they can get close to the heat source. Things you can not cook in a toaster oven are simple slow-cooked recipes and soup.

Wrapping Up

Toaster ovens come in a variety of sizes which also indicates that their accuracy can differ.

There is quite a lot of food that will take the heat if your toaster oven is not accurate, baked goods like cookies will burn on the outside and remain undone on the inside, and cheesecakes can also crack from the inaccuracy or not set properly.

Simply test your oven for accuracy and ensure heat is well circulated before baking or cooking with it.