Toaster Oven vs. Microwave Oven

02.26.2014 by Amy //

If you have never used a toaster oven but often use a microwave, you may be wondering how a “toaster oven vs. microwave oven” comparison would look. Even though I have both kitchen appliances, I was wondering this very thing myself. This curiosity led the writing of this article.

Some people have actually ditched their microwaves entirely in favor of toaster ovens. I can’t say that I will ever do this, if for no other reason than our microwave is mounted under our cabinet and the space would look very odd if we removed the microwave. Even if it was a counter top microwave, I doubt I could convince my husband of getting rid of it.

I think there is a place for both cooking appliances, and the side-by-side comparison bears this out. Below are the most common uses for both toaster ovens and microwaves, and how well each type of cooking does for each use.

	Toaster Ovens	Microwave Ovens
How is Food Cooked?	Toaster ovens cook food by heating the oven interior with heating elements. There may be as few as one element or as many as five or six, depending on the model. Food is cooked from the outside in, which takes longer than microwave cooking.	Microwave ovens cook food by using microwaves, which are electromagnetic waves, that heat up water molecules. All the water molecules get heated up at once, which is why microwave cooking is faster than toaster oven cooking.
Browning and Toasting	Toaster ovens win this feature hands down. Heating elements do an excellent job of evenly browning and toasting food.	Microwave ovens are incapable of browning or toasting food.
Crisping	Crisping is another area where the toaster oven excels. Foods such as bacon or the outer skins of chicken turn out wonderfully crisp.	Microwave cooking usually ends up soggy, not crispy. In order to get crispy bacon you have to cook the heck out of it, but it doesn't compare to toaster oven cooked bacon. And forget about crispy skin on chicken that's cooked in a microwave because it isn't going to happen.
Heating Bread	Bread heated in a toaster oven comes up wonderfully warm. You can cook it long enough to be crispy on the outside, yet soft and warm on the inside. Or, you can cook it just long enough to be warm but not crispy.	Microwaves are terrible for heating up bread. Any type of bread ends up tough and chewy. The only way I've ever been able to combat the chewiness is by sprinkling water on the bread first, but then it ends up warm and slightly soggy.
Cooking Potatoes	Both toaster ovens and microwave ovens do a good job of cooking potatoes and sweet potatoes. Toaster ovens take longer, but the results are far superior to microwave cooking. I never knew how buttery soft the inside of a sweet potato could be until I cooked it in my toaster oven!	Microwaves do a good job of cooking potatoes and sweet potatoes. They are much faster than toaster ovens, but the results are not quite as good.
Cooking Frozen Food	Toaster ovens do an excellent job of cooking frozen foods. Some models, such as the Breville BOV800XL toaster oven, even have a FROZEN FOOD setting that adjusts the cooking time and temperature for frozen foods. Toaster ovens are slower at cooking frozen foods than microwaves, but models with convection cooking will speed up the process, and many foods will have a nice crisp crust.	Microwave ovens also do an excellent job of cooking frozen foods. They are faster than toaster ovens, but the food will not have any type of crispy finish to it.
Cooking Pizza	Many toaster ovens are large enough to cook pizzas ranging in size from 9" to 13". Pizza cooked in a toaster oven comes out perfectly cooked, with a crispy crust.	The only kind of pizza I've ever heard of being cooked in a microwave are Hot Pocket type pizzas, or ones that come with special boxes that have silver on the inside top. The results are marginal at best.
Convection Cooking	Some toaster ovens are equipped with convection cooking. The benefit of convection cooking is that it cooks faster and at lower temperatures.	Microwave ovens do not use convection cooking.
Cooking Large Quantities	Toaster ovens do better with smaller amounts of food, though some are capable of large items, such as entire chickens.	Just about every microwave is capable of cooking large quantities of food.
Reheating Food	People are often surprised to learn that you can reheat food in a toaster oven, but it's true. I love reheating food in my toaster oven and prefer the results to food that has been microwaved. This is especially true of anything with bread, such as hamburgers or pizza. The tradeoff for better results is that it takes longer to reheat food in a toaster oven than in a microwave.	Microwaves are probably most often used for reheating foods. They do a much quicker job of reheating than toaster ovens, but the results are, in my opinion, not as good.
Warming Food	You can keep food warm in a toaster oven by placing it inside and keeping the temperature low.	About the only way you can keep food warm in a microwave is to simply keep it inside after it is done cooking. But doing so will cause it to cool if not eaten right away.
Cleaning	It is more complicated to keep a toaster oven clean because there are wire racks and crumb trays to wash, glass doors and walls to wipe down, and heating elements to occasionally clean.	Microwaves are very easy to clean. All parts of the inside are easy to get to. Some models have removable glass trays that you can take to the sink to wipe down or clean.
Exterior and Interior Heat	Almost every toaster oven gets hot on the outside during use. Care needs to be taken to prevent burns or melted plastic from the exterior of toaster ovens. The inside is even hotter than the outside. Hot pads or other protective items are needed to prevent burns when removing cooked food.	Microwaves do not get hot on the outside during use. Likewise, the inside also stays cool so you only need to worry about the food being hot, not the interior walls, when removing cooked food.
Countertop Convenience	Toaster ovens are almost always smaller, lighter, and easier to move than microwave ovens. The exception would be counter-mounted microwaves, though there are a few toaster ovens that can also be mounted under counters.	As I already said microwaves are almost always bigger, heavier, and harder to move than toaster ovens, with the exception of microwaves that are mounted under counters which cannot be moved at all.
Energy Efficiency	This is a toss up but I'll give the edge, which is very slight, to microwave ovens. The typical toaster oven uses between 1,200 and 1,800 watts for cooking. It costs about 12¢ per 1,000 watts per hour, so that equates to between 15¢ and 22¢ per hour of usage. But both are much less expensive to use than a conventional wall oven.	I give a very slight edge to the microwave for energy efficiency because most microwaves use between 700 and 1,300 watts for cooking. At about 12¢ per 1,000 watts per hour, your typical microwave costs between 8¢ and 16¢ per hour of usage.

So, there you have it. The microwave cooks faster than the toaster oven, but my personal experience is that all foods cooked in a toaster oven have a better overall texture and taste.

You will need to decide for yourself which type of cooking works best for your needs. Microwaves are great for those who mostly want to reheat foods. Toaster ovens are incredibly versatile and convenient, which, in my opinion, is worth the extra time needed for cooking.

Comments

Dana says

November 8, 2014 at 11:25 am

Thanks That was very helpful I’m going to buy a good toaster oven,ditch my over the stove mounted microwave and put in a hood exhaust fan. Then that space won’t look goofy and It will keep my kitchen from smoke.
Mabel says

March 20, 2015 at 8:09 am

Thanks for the enlightenment
John says

March 27, 2015 at 6:29 pm

Thanks, I have been wanting to get a Toaster Oven was recently blessed with a used one for helping someone move. Can’t wait to try it out!
mim says

April 27, 2015 at 12:47 am

i have 1 question. if someone that teach me using microwave to melting some chocolate bars, how to do it using toaster oven? like its temperature and others. i don’t have microwave. sorry for bad english
- Amy says
  
  July 10, 2015 at 7:59 am
  
  Hmmm. I’m sure this is possible at a very low temperature as long as the chocolate bar is removed before it melts, but I’ve never tried this. The one thing I would recommend is that you melt the chocolate on a tray so that the chocolate doesn’t accidentally melt on the heating elements.
Fahad says

May 5, 2015 at 4:55 am

Thank you Amy for such a detailed article, covering almost all the angles and giving a perfect comparison of the two ovens. I have been thinking for over a month about getting a toaster oven, but could not make up my mind because I haven’t used it before. I was wondering can a toaster oven be used for baking?
- Amy says
  
  July 10, 2015 at 7:25 am
  
  Yes, a toaster oven can be used for baking, but some models are better than others if you want to bake. I recommend that you choose a model that has a specific baking setting, as well as one that is large enough to hold whatever you might want to bake.
  
  Baking in a toaster oven is slightly different than oven baking because of the smaller interior. The smaller interior means that whatever is baking is closer to the heating elements which can cause the baking process to finish sooner than expected. It is a good idea to practice a couple of times to get a feel for baking in a toaster oven and to figure out what adjustments you need to make, such as to the temperature and/or bake time.
  
  Lastly, if you are baking something that will rise, such as bread or cupcakes, make sure that they will not touch or get too close to the top heating elements as they rise so your food doesn’t catch fire or get scorched.
Gits says

June 22, 2015 at 3:35 am

Thank you so much for the information. There’s so much of clarity and precision.
Bonnie says

September 14, 2015 at 8:53 pm

Great review!! Our microwave oven seems to be crapping out so I suggested maybe a toaster oven this time. My question is right now we have a built in space for the microwave in the cabinetry so there are cabinets surrounding the oven. Does this also work for a toaster oven? My only concern is that the you mentioned the outside of the toaster oven heats up. Will this be a problem?
- Amy says
  
  September 21, 2015 at 1:24 pm
  
  Bonnie,
  
  Never put a toaster oven in the place where a microwave was unless the unit is specifically meant for such a location because doing so would be a fire hazard. The only company that I know of that makes mountable toaster ovens is Black & Decker in a line they call Spacemaker. Black & Decker stopped selling these for many years but recently started selling them again, but they are hard to find. You can see the few that are available here.
- Peggy says
  
  July 9, 2016 at 9:39 am
  
  Put the toaster oven somewhere else. You can very inexpensively convert that space into a nifty storage area for wine/glass canisters/plates. put in X shaped inserts (wine)or vertical strips (plates). Paint the inside to match your wall color, etc.
jimmy says

October 18, 2015 at 4:34 am

thanks for this review but still i have a question that can i bake cakes in oven toaster
- Amy says
  
  November 6, 2015 at 6:45 am
  
  The answer to your question is “yes” or “no”, depending on the model. Some toaster ovens are roomy enough inside for cake baking, like the Breville BOV800XL. But many (most?) are too small. Width isn’t the only consideration. You would also want to make sure the toaster oven is tall enough for a cake to rise without touching the heating element on top of the toaster oven. I hope this helps.
pitty pat says

November 25, 2015 at 4:32 pm

Thank you this article was very helpful. We have a camper whose microwave is getting old. I was hoping to exchange it for a toaster oven. My problem is space, so I would need to place it in the cabinet area the microwave is. Another question is, what is the difference between a convection toaster oven and a microwave inverson oven? I feel like I am now on the way to making the right decision. Thanks of much
- Amy says
  
  December 26, 2015 at 9:22 pm
  
  I regret that I won’t be of any help to you because I have absolutely no knowledge of microwave inversion ovens. I’m sorry.
Ramesh Kumar says

January 22, 2016 at 8:55 am

Thanks so much for the detailed comparison. I have microwave oven but didn’t have idea about non microwave ones. Some of the points are helpful for me to pick a toaster, convection type oven!
Alex says

February 22, 2016 at 9:59 pm

Very helpful Thank you. You should have tip jar haha
Alex/אלון says

April 30, 2016 at 1:57 pm

Thank you very much, Amy, for this helpful article.

I am an educator and published poet, having lived or worked in 55 countries to date, often preferring to commute by unicycle, oddly enough—as it is splendid exercise and conducive to clearer thinking, I find.

Although I have frequently eaten at restaurants or gotten take-away in many destinations, anywhere that I have stayed long enough (or when returning home), the general need has arisen to be able to cook simply without going out. Because microwaves were what were generally available for quick heating options in many parts of the world (other than boiling-pots and other traditionaly ware), I ended up using them for many years, perhaps by default. However, some years ago, returning home and moving house, I found that my somewhat humble options included a gas stove and a toaster. Thus, I found myself simply using the toaster much of the time, becoming quite “gourmet” even, with my culinary experiments. About a week ago, my toaster gave its last and I had to send it off to its lonely fate. Well, because it was recently Passover, cooking options were limited anyway (due to special dietary restrictions during this holiday), so I have not yet gone in to buy any new cooking device. I have been really wondering what to do…go back to the microwave or resume with a toaster.

I feel that, after reading your article, a toaster is probably the way to go, as I am after quality rather than quantity with regard to food preparation.

Many thanks,
Alex/אלון
Roslee says

May 3, 2016 at 10:43 am

I just bought oven toaster. Can i reheat food? Example like fried rice or liquid like soup? Can i use ceramic bowl into the oven ?
- Amy says
  
  September 12, 2016 at 1:40 pm
  
  You can absolutely reheat food in a toaster oven! I’ve done it many times, including rice, and prefer the way the food is reheated in there vs. in a microwave. I wouldn’t use ceramic, though, which can crack from the high temperatures. I use metal trays meant specifically for toaster ovens when I reheat food. If you want to reheat soup then you’d want more of a casserole pan that has high edges. I know this would work because I’ve cooked an entire chicken in my toaster oven and included enough water and veggies to turn it into chicken soup as soon as the chicken is done. I use a roaster pan for this. (I have the Breville BOV800XL, which has a very roomy interior, large enough to fit an entire chicken.)
  - DL says
    
    November 4, 2016 at 8:27 pm
    
    If I am understanding this correctly, you can’t reheat food in a toaster oven on a Corelle dinner plate or soup bowl like you would in a microwave? You would basically have to use oven safe cookware, such as Pyrex or metal? I only use my microwave for reheating and I am concerned with how unhealthy microwaved food is. I’m looking for a healthy alternative. How much longer would it take to reheat a serving of meat and potatoes and vegetables in a toaster oven if it takes about 1.5 minutes in a microwave?
    - Amy says
      
      February 13, 2017 at 8:25 am
      
      Yes, you are correct. Pyrex glass is made to withstand high temperatures, whereas Corelle dinner plates aren’t and can break from the heat. I use this for reheating in my toaster oven – Granite Ware Baking Pan. It is small enough to fit in almost any sized toaster oven and is easy to clean.
      
      It’s hard for me to say how long it will take to reheat meat and potatoes since it will vary from model to model, but I can tell you how long it would take in mine, which is a Breville BOV800XL. Mine has a reheat option and something like meat and potatoes would probably take about 10-15 minutes. Yes, it’s longer than in a microwave, but I find that the taste is so much better and I don’t have to worry about potential health problems. I hope this is helpful to you.
Lunar says

September 19, 2016 at 11:48 am

Thank you for the post. We are in the process of buying an older home that does not have the above the oven microwave space because of a kitchen pass-through window. I don’t want a ton of counter space taken up with appliances. I think we will be sticking with the toaster oven and will just have to give up my microwave popcorn and hot pockets. Most likely better for me anyways. LOL
Zazenn says

November 10, 2016 at 9:42 pm

What about reheating hot drinks like coffee & hot Choc? Can you do that in a toaster oven? Which is better in taste?
- Amy says
  
  February 13, 2017 at 8:31 am
  
  I’ve honestly never thought about this but I don’t think I would attempt to reheat coffee or hot chocolate in a toaster oven. I’d be worried about the possibility of liquid spilling inside the toaster oven, which is a potential fire or shock hazard. You have several other options if you don’t want to use a microwave. I’ve not used any of these so I’m not recommending any particular model but many of them have great reviews. Click here to see the various coffee heaters.
Ralph Wolf says

January 7, 2017 at 3:19 pm

My wife and I have used microwave ovens for years. Now living rural and I’d like to think more health aware and food conscious, we’re rethinking our cooking tendencies. For almost a year we’ve flirted with getting a toaster oven. As our 8 year old brave Sharp 1.5 micro shows signs of nearing its end, we are replacing it. Today, after doing yet another online info collection to finalize a decision, we pulled the trigger. No, we haven’t put the Sharp out of its misery. We ordered an Oster For Life Extra-Large Convection Countertop Oven. That was after wading through Amazon, Walmart and other vendor customer comments. Then by chance discovered Oster was selling the unit for $99 and giving a 10% discount off that price as well, plus no shipping charge. Why Oster? Familiarity via their blender and crockpot models. Plus the 5 year warranty they provide. Did we make the right decision? Don’t know yet as the unit has yet to arrive. But will share our experiences over time. We’re seniors who periodically have family members visit so it will be useful for that, we hope. But mainly, we have this silly cooking contest between us where we take turns cooking. For bragging rights as to who makes the best dish and so forth. And since we cook self-grown and local farmers market produce and products, a toaster oven is an ideal tool for the kind of cooking we do. The real test will come in how it handles venison, bison, antelope and dorper sheep meats. Very lean meats that require cooking preparation that regular beef for example doesn’t. So the oven will be truly tested by the time we update this post.
- Amy says
  
  February 13, 2017 at 8:49 am
  
  Wow! I love what you and your wife are doing by cooking different foods in both the microwave and toaster oven. Please keep us posted on the results of your contest. This will be very interesting to follow!
Cassie says

February 3, 2017 at 11:18 pm

Hi thanks for the comparison, very helpful since I’m struggling to choose if I should get a toaster oven or a microwave recently. However what I wanted to know is that do you have to preheat the toaster oven first like any other conventional oven or you can just pop in the food and start the heating process like a microwave? Thanks .
- Amy says
  
  February 13, 2017 at 8:47 am
  
  Most toaster ovens have a preheat cycle and will let you know when preheating is done by an audible sound. Having said that, you can put your food in right away if you prefer but be sure to adjust the cooking time. You’ll need to shorten how long you cook food if you put it in during the preheat cycle. I’ve started to do this and like being able to shorten the cooking time slightly.
june says

February 18, 2017 at 10:26 pm

I have an Oster convection oven can I put my microwave on top and put on a wooden cart? I have a small small kitchen.
- Amy says
  
  June 28, 2017 at 4:30 pm
  
  I apologize for not seeing your question sooner, and realize that you may have already dealt with your question.
  
  Do you mean you want to put a microwave on top of your toaster oven? If so, I wouldn’t do that. I wouldn’t put anything on top of a toaster oven unless it’s an accessory that came with it and is meant to go there (which is very rare).
  
  Or, do you mean you have a cart and want to put the microwave on top and the toaster oven on a lower shelf? If so, that might be possible. Just make sure that there is plenty of space around all sides of the toaster oven for airflow to help keep it cool.
sidra says

June 16, 2017 at 4:55 am

is jack pot 17 o T oven tosters is best for bakinig?
- Amy says
  
  June 28, 2017 at 3:49 pm
  
  I regret that I’m not sure what you are asking. Can you please clarify?
Jayne Thomas says

July 23, 2017 at 3:08 pm

We’ve never had a microwave so I’m not sure how to handle a certain Cook’s Illustrated recipe for “Better Hash Brown Potatoes” in the March/April 2017 issue. They place 2 1/2 C. drained shredded potatoes in a large bowl and microwave them until very hot and slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

We have a new wonderful Greville toaster oven we’re very happy with, and we are both excellent cooks/bakers but I don’t know how to “bake?” the above recipe in this oven. What do you recommend? And thanks for this enlightening column!!!
- Amy says
  
  December 15, 2017 at 3:15 pm
  
  I haven’t tried making something like hash browns in my toaster oven so I don’t have any recommendations based on experience, but I looked this up and here is an article about this. Hopefully it will help you.
  
  http://www.dvo.com/recipe_pages/toaster/Toaster_Oven_Hashbrowns.php
Katie B. says

July 25, 2017 at 9:18 am

What types of containers do you use in your TO? I know most things are labeled if they are microwave safe or not, but not for a TO.
Also, we have contemplated switching to a TO over a microwave because of the way a microwave cooks not being as safe… however… I reheat my coffee a few times before I finish it. Is it possible to do that in a TO?

Thanks!
- Amy says
  
  December 15, 2017 at 3:17 pm
  
  I try to use stainless steel as much as possible since I don’t like using nonstick or aluminum anymore. You really shouldn’t use glass because it can get too hot and shatter, but I have been known to use a glass Pyrex meatloaf container in there and it’s been fine so far.
parinaz says

August 14, 2017 at 8:44 am

hi
i cant choose between LG solardom microwaves and oven toaster.
i like the fact that food taste better and healthier in toaster ,ive been told that solardom microwaves are “all in one”. I’m curious about your opinion of them. can you hep me?
- Amy says
  
  December 15, 2017 at 3:20 pm
  
  I have never used an all-in-one microwave, nor have I reviewed one, so I don’t have any opinion on them. Here is an article that I found that discusses them.
  
  https://thoroughlyreviewed.com/home-kitchen/convection-microwave-review/
Truthseeker says

May 17, 2018 at 2:12 am

What would be preferable in below case:
An Oven Toaster vs A Microwave with Grill Function?
- Amy says
  
  May 22, 2018 at 6:10 pm
  
  That is an excellent question, and I regret that I don’t have any experience with microwaves that have grill functions. I apologize that I am not of any help to you with making a decision about this.
Lizzie says

June 15, 2018 at 2:06 am

Nicely defined the differences and helping to buy the appropriate product according to the requirement.

Thank you!