Toaster oven for making toast?

Yes!! I only have a Breville and can't live without it. I use it to make toast and just everything else (even a little turkey). I personally don't notice the difference between my toast and my mother's toaster toast, but GreatToasters.com says that the best toast comes from a pop-up toaster because the heating elements are so close to each side of the bread.

The Breville sounds like a lovely device but truth be told, I have a bottom-of-the-line Black and Decker that's now 15 years old and must have cost about $22 when new. Idon't make toast every day but I've certainly used it hundreds and hundreds of times (a thousand times now?) and it works just fine.

I would agree with some of the comments that Breville SmartOven is probably one of the best-rate toaster oven that is available out there. It has in fact received many positive reviews and this is just one of them (http://ovenreviewshq.com/breville-bov800xl-reviews/).

However, does this make Breville SmartOven that magical device that we have all been longing for? I believe the answer is a No.

I mean, a full toaster oven like the Breville can certainly toast that morning sandwiches that we love to have in the morning. And with the convection feature, it can definitely do a more uniform toast compared to non-convection toaster oven.

But the problem is, will it be an overkill if you have to turn on your oven every morning just for preparing a sandwich? First, it takes time to heat up and second, it consumes much more power compared to a simple toaster. And unless you know the perfect setting, you might even end up with over-burnt sandwiches.

So IMHO, is there a magical device that can eliminate toaster altogether? Personally, I believe such device does not exist.

These toaster oven reviews by Good Housekeeping are over a year old but that's not uncommon with product reviews. Breville seems to be the consistent winner.
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/appliances/toaster-oven-reviews/

The American Test Kitchen did an incredibly comprehensive toaster oven comparison a few years back. They rated models on evenness of toasting, speed of toasting etc. I have not been able to find it online- but refuse to make the commitment until I do. I grew up in a toaster oven- using home and want one in my own kitchen. My mother still uses the same Black & Decker (no longer in production) from my childhood. It's mounted under her top cabinets, wasting no counter space- dream!!!

I love my new Breville. Haven't used all the functions yet, but it definitely makes great toast, also has a keep warm function, a convection feature, an automatic adjustment for frozen foods, a keep warm function, ability to bake, roast, etc., and a conversion from Fahrenheit to Centigrade. Having heated up my big oven for the past 9 years to make toast, this is a definite improvement.

After a few dozen years of different models, I think toaster ovens are an oxymoron. They don't toast properly and the oven function is more a burn oven than bake oven.
I prefer an old style pop up toaster for bread and my big oven for oven functions (realizing the cost factor which I can live with for a ten minute job).

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound snarky. It's probably just jealousy. But it does seem like a lot of money to replace a toaster and what you can already do with your oven.

I love my Breville. I've even baked bread in it.

Toaster ovens are a racket. Nothing you couldn't do with the broiler in your oven, a sheet pan you probably already own, or wire "cooling" rack- all used for many other purposes. Pull-eeze with the $300 toaster ovens.

I plan to get a Breville to replace my current toaster oven. I find they last 10 years or more. That's all I've used to make toast for the last 3 decades at least. I also use it for baking & general oven cooking to save electricity when I'm not cooking a lot & in warm weather to keep the kitchen cooler. In really hot weather I plug it in outside. I wouldn't get a toaster because it only does toast.

I agree with the recommendation for the larger Breville. It does have a decent footprint but that also reduces the need to turn on the bigger oven and it often outdoes the regular oven in baking too. Definitely worth the money.

Currently we have both a toaster and a toaster oven, and they are on their last legs. I'd rather get one appliance than two if possible, but I don't know if there is a toaster oven that makes good toast. I suspect the beauty of a toaster is the hot wires very close on both sides of the bread.
I really like having a toaster oven but it's not as essential as good toast.

Toaster ovens are dorm type apts, places without a full oven, and people with a temporary kitchen.

I really can't see why to have one unless heat is an issue in your apt and you want to fire up a toaster oven instead of the big one.

The best recommended are the Breville Smart Oven BOV800XL $250 rated 72/100 and the Breville BOV650XL $180 69/100. For the other models they reviewed, ratings fall off sharply. For instance, the black&deckers are around 50/100.

Toasting is rated very good--"Unlike many toaster ovens, the Breville is also proficient at toasting, up to six slices per batch."

Also rated very good for baking and broiling and can hold a 4 lb chicken.

Toaster ovens are notorious for not doing a very good job at making toast. My cuisinart browns unevenly, flipping helps. I recall doing a search for a moderate priced one for my mother on Consumer Reports online subscription and tons were listed but the highest rating for the toasting feature was just so-so. So I don't have a specific rec for you but if you give me your price range I can take a look for you at the best recs they give. Maybe I will hop over now out of curiosity.

The toaster oven will have a larger counter top foot print.
Like your normal oven, you still have to watch it and flip it...which can be a pain in the...ahh...morning.

I've also found that quite a few toasters 'go bad' after a few years and start burning toast with faulty thermostats.