A popular question among people looking at the Breville smart ovens is: How do the Breville BOV800XL and BOV450XL toaster ovens compare to each other? It can be difficult to tell if one is better for your cooking needs by just reading the reviews.
The good news is that both are excellent toaster ovens and you really can’t go wrong with either one. The ratings for both are great, and they are both loaded with features, but one offers you more for your money.
I am comparing the Breville BOV800XL and Breville BOV450XL toaster ovens side by side so that you can quickly and easily see the differences and similarities between these two models, and to help clarify any questions you might have about them.
Take a look at the chart below:
| Breville BOV800XL | Breville BOV450XL | |
|---|---|---|
 |  |
|
| External Size | L = 18.5″ W = 16.2″ H = 11.2″ | L = 15.5″ W = 14″ H = 8.75″ |
| Internal Capacity | 6 toast slices 13” x 11” baking dish 13" pizza Whole chicken | 4 toast slices 10” x 10” baking dish 11" pizza Whole chicken (cut in half) |
| Preset Functions | Nine Functions: BAGEL BAKE BROIL COOKIES PIZZA REHEAT ROAST TOAST WARM | Eight Functions: BAGEL BAKE BROIL COOKIES PIZZA REHEAT ROAST TOAST |
| Convection Cooking | Yes | No |
| Frozen Food Function | Yes | Yes |
| "Element IQ" Technology | Yes | Yes |
| Heating Elements | Five | Four |
| Rack Positions | 3 | 3 |
| Controls |  |  |
| Watts | 1800 | 1800 |
| Interior Light | No | No |
| Accessories | Three Accessories: Baking pan Broil rack Pizza pan | One Accessory: Baking pan |
| Weight | 20 pounds | 10.6 pounds |
| Link to Our Review | Read Review | Read Review |
| Price * | Check Current Price | Check Current Price |
Differences and Similarities
The BOV800XL and BOV450XL are similar in several areas, but they differ primarily in size and a few other features. The BOV800XL toaster oven is the largest of Breville’s smart ovens, while the BOV450XL is the smallest. The BOV800XL can cook the largest food items and hold the largest baking dishes and pizza pans and would be a better choice for those of you who want to cook larger quantities of food. The BOV450XL may be Breville’s smallest smart oven, but it is larger than most traditional toaster ovens and despite its size has a fairly roomy interior.
The two features that the BOV800XL has that are missing on the BOV450XL are the WARM cooking function and convection cooking. The WARM function can easily be replicated by choosing BAKE and setting the temperature at a very low level. If, however, convection cooking is a deal breaker for you, then the BOV800XL is the winner in this comparison.
The display is a bit different on both models, as you can see from the image above. The BOV800XL provides users with a bit more detail in its LCD display, allowing users to see the selected cooking function, cooking time, temperature, and FROZEN if it is selected. The BOV450XL shows the temperature when it is set and FROZEN if it is selected, but once cooking begins users see just the cooking time.
Consumer Ratings
Consumers have rated both models highly, though the BOV800XL has a slightly higher rating than the BOV450XL. The BOV800XL toaster oven also has about six times as many ratings.
As of this writing, the BOV800XL is the #1 selling convection toaster oven on Amazon. Both are best selling toaster ovens. Breville makes quality products that are well thought out, and consumers have responded positively to them.
Price
The difference in price between these two models is about $100, and that may cause sticker shock for some people. But there is more to the cost of using either of these models than just the purchase price. The Breville BOV800XL includes convection cooking, which, in the long run, may actually save users money over the lesser priced model.
How, you may be wondering, can a more expensive toaster oven save me money? The answer has to do with the way convection cooking works. It circulates (aka blows) the heated air around the interior of the toaster oven, which decreases the amount of time needed to cook food. Because the watts are equal in these two toaster ovens, they cost approximately the same to use without the convection.
If you consistently cook with convection, however, then you will end up saving money in the long run compared to cooking without convection. Think of it this way. You may pay $100 more upfront for the higher end Breville toaster oven, but this upfront cost could end up saving you more than this amount simply by using the convection cooking feature. But if you don’t plan on cooking with convection, then the lower priced smart oven would be the way to go.
Breville’s suggested retail price for the BOV800XL is above $200 and below $200 for the BOV450XL. Size, the extra cooking function, more detailed LCD display, and convection cooking are what increase the price for the BOV800XL and lower it for the BOV450XL models. If you need more cooking space and want convection cooking, then the extra cost and potential long-term savings will definitely be worth it if you go with the Breville BOV800XL toaster oven.
I am not going to choose a winner between these two machines because only you will know if you will benefit from convection cooking and/or a larger cooking interior. Both these models are excellent toaster ovens, and you are sure to be pleased with the results no matter which one you choose.
