I’m sure your friends have all been raving about toaster ovens and now you’re thinking you should probably get one as well. But is there one toaster oven that stands above the rest for a single person? Well, today we are going to share our research on the topic and find out, “what is the best the best toaster oven for a single person.”
If you stumbled on this page and were instead looking for a good air fryer toaster oven combo, be sure to check out the recent post we did covering that topic as well.
Let’s get right into it.
Our Top Pick – The Best Toaster Oven For A Single Person
Toshiba Digital Toaster Oven with Speedy Convection
Product Info:
- Dimensions: 18.98″W x 10. 78″H x 15. 59″D
- Power: 1700 Watt motor
- Weight: 18 lbs.
- Temperature Range: 150°f to 450°f
- Capacity: 6 Slice / 25L / 12″ Pizza
- Controls: Dials with digital display
Deciding on the best toaster oven for a single person was tough. On one hand, there is an almost cult following for the Panasonic Flashxpress Toaster Oven. And rightfully so. It’s a great unit. It has a great build quality, heats up very quick, and cooks evenly.
However, it’s not flawless. It looks like an appliance straight out of the 90’s. And while that isn’t necessarily a deal breaker for most people, it also had some other things that could be improved upon. First of all, it’s controls were quirky and left a lot to be desired. You can not set a bake time for longer than 25 minutes, leaving you with no choice but to set the timer back before it runs up, or finish the 25 minutes, then heat up the toaster oven again. Second, the capacity is a bit small due to it’s cube shape. Even for a single person, it is nice to have the extra capacity.
This is where our top pick comes in. The Toshiba Digital Toaster Oven is similar to the Flashxpress in nearly every way that matters, while improving upon the features that were lacking with it.
It heats up in the same way as the Flashxpress with double infrared heating elements, and although the Toshiba is a large unit, they heat up in the same amount of time. Both very quickly.
The Toshiba toaster oven then improves upon the Panasonic by having a more appealing, modern design, but more importantly, better controls and a superior digital display.
This roomier toaster oven only takes up 6 more inches of your counter space with it’s width , and 3 additional inches from it’s depth. This difference, allows it to hold a 12 inch pizza over a 9 inch pizza, or 6 slices of toast over 4 slices of toast. It’s a small difference but one that is sure to be welcomed by most people.
It also has 10 preset cooking functions which come in handy, including an option for convection and rotisserie cooking. No matter what you’re cooking, the Toshiba cooks fast, accurately, and evenly.
The high contrast LCD display is also very easy to read, while the touch knobs are easy to use for precise, toaster oven cooking.
Lastly, it’s also a little cheaper than the Panasonic, which was kind of a surprise.
Our Other Guides You May Be Interested In
This is our guide to the best air fryer for a family of 4
Our guide for the best air fryer toaster oven for a large family
Runner Up – The Best Compact Toaster Oven For A Single Person
Panasonic FlashXpress Compact Toaster Oven
Product Info:
- Dimensions: 13″W x 12″H x 10.25″D
- Power: 1300 Watts as per label / but draws up to 1700 watts
- Weight: 7.5 lbs.
- Temperature Range: 250°f to 500°f
- Capacity: 4 Slice / 9″ Pizza
- Controls: Buttons
This is the toaster oven that everyone is always talking about. It’s gotten the top choice from other review sites such as the Wirecutter, and is recommended on a consistent basis from users on Reddit.
And it does deserve much of the praise that it gets. It’s a great toaster oven in a small package (and incredibly light).
It uses two infrared heating elements like the Toshiba toaster oven and heats up in an instant. There is no convection feature with this oven, but it still cooks food quickly and evenly.
Aside from heating up quickly and cooking great, it has a handy little feature where the oven rack pulls out when you open the door for easy access to your food.
This toaster oven isn’t without it’s flaws, however. It’s quite small, even for one person. While it can hold 4 small square pieces of bread, you’ll probably only be able to fit 2 larger slices from a loaf of rye bread. For this reason, it isn’t the best toaster oven for toast.
It’s controls aren’t perfect either. You can only cook for 25 minutes at a time, so if you are cooking anything for longer, such as baking a potato, you will have to keep resetting it. It’s interior lighting also dims in and out as it’s cooking for some odd reason.
Besides a few quirks from this funky little oven, it still manages to be an excellent choice for someone that wants a more compact toaster oven.
Important Factors To Consider When Choosing a Good Toaster Oven
When looking for the best toaster oven for a single person, there are a few important factors to consider:
How much counter space do you have?
If you are looking for a toaster oven for one person, you can generally get away with choosing one that has a smaller capacity. Even still, you should be sure that you are willing to give up the amount of counter space necessary for the appliance you choose.
How fast does the toaster oven heat up and cook?
Most people will want to replace their toasters with their toaster ovens. Make sure that you choose one that heats up quickly, or you might find yourself going back to the toaster for toast. Both of the top picks above heat up in an instant.
Are you planning on getting an air fryer any time soon?
If you already have an air fryer, or are looking into getting one, you may want to further combine your appliance by choosing a air fryer toaster oven combo appliance instead.
However, standalone air fryer units will fry food a bit better than the air fryer toaster ovens. If you’re okay with having two appliances instead be sure to check out our recent post on the best air fryers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Toaster Ovens
Can you cook chicken in a toaster oven?
Yes, you can, but it depends on the toaster oven. From our two top choices above, the Toshiba would be the better bet as it can rotisserie a whole 4 pound chicken. The Panasonic is too small for a whole chicken.
Can you cook bacon in a toaster oven?
Yes, nice and crispy, as a matter of fact.
Can you cook eggs in a toaster oven?
Yes, you can. You can do this pretty easily by cracking the eggs into a ramekin or any other small bowl or cup that you may have around the kitchen. Then season them a bit, and toss them in your toaster oven.
Can you bake cookies in a toaster oven?
Yes, you can. Either of our top picks will work for this, but with the Toshiba you can bake two racks of cookies at one time.
Can you cook a turkey in a toaster oven?
No, you cannot. At least not in the two toaster ovens that made our top picks.
Can you bake a cake in a toaster oven?
Yes, you can. However, you need to ensure that the toaster oven will have enough room for your cake to rise.
Can you cook salmon in a toaster oven?
Yes, you can. As long as they fit in the toaster oven you choose.
Can you bake a potato in a toaster oven?
Yes, you can. In fact, that is one of the perfect uses for a toaster oven as it will be more efficient than baking in a conventional oven, depending on how many you need.
Can a toaster oven replace a microwave?
Yes, a toaster oven can replace a microwave. However, there are pros and cons to each. A toaster oven will reheat food better and retain crispiness. A microwave will not reheat food as good but it will do it faster.
Can a toaster oven go in a cabinet?
No, most toaster ovens should not be used in a cupboard or a cabinet. They generate too much heat and it can be unsafe. Be sure to double check the label on your toaster oven if you’re unsure.
How do you clean a toaster oven?
You can clean your toaster oven by:
- Unplugging it
- Removing the racks
- Emptying all the crumbs out of the oven
- Washing the racks and inside of oven with warm soapy water and a sponge
- Mix baking soda in water to scrub off any tough grime
Hi, I’m Carmine, the guy behind Helpful Tiger. Tired of crappy search results? Me too. That’s why I started this website. It’s a one-stop shop for simple tutorials and guides on a little bit of everything. Have questions? Reach out, and I’ll do my best to help!
