Warm Up to Your Toaster Oven

Homemakers are enjoying a renewed relationship with the toaster oven. This granddaddy of the microwave delivers the results cooks want, with the time-saving service that modern cooks need.

Toaster ovens are aptly named counter-top appliances that resemble both a tiny oven, and a big toaster. Handy substitutes to energy-gobbling full-size ovens, toaster ovens can crisp up your waffles, toast your bread, and re-heat just about anything.

Cooking with a toaster oven is as easy as using a microwave. Just dial the heat control to the temperature you need, place the food inside, and close the door. Your little toaster oven will do the same amount of work, yet use up just a little of your valuable counter space. It's also easy to keep an eye on your food, as most models have glass windows.

Most toaster ovens have two basic cooking options: toasting, and baking. If your food is set for toasting, the toaster thermostat will be automatically activated and heating elements on the top and bottom of the inner cooking compartment will be turned on. With elements placed above and below, your food will receive a balanced heat source. Like larger ovens, most toaster ovens will also feature a heat control dial, allowing you to set the desired temperature. When you set the dial of your toaster oven for baking, the baking thermometer gets activated, and the heating elements will be activated.

However, the baking process involves an additional function: a timing mechanism to control the baking time. Of course, the baking abilities will depend upon wattage and capacity, and are often related to the quality and price of the toaster oven.

All manufactured products will eventually face mechanical problems, and toaster ovens are no exception. Many homemakers will find that they need to purchase a replacement electrical cord, as the original cords are known to burn out fairly quickly. Others complain of faulty thermostats. When thermostats cause errors in temperature regulation, they can be recalibrated. If you face this problem, check your product manual or take the appliance to a professional service shop.

Other parts of the toaster oven's electrical systems are the main switch, the thermal fuse and the solenoid, all of which can become faulty with regular use. If your toaster oven is less than a year old and needs repair, check your warranty to see if you qualify for a replacement or refund. When the time comes to repair your toaster oven, you may be better off retiring it altogether and just buying a new one. Though think about the environmental consequences before you choose to buy new, when repairing might be good enough, even if expensive.

Toaster ovens are handy appliances to have for reheating, cooking, baking, and, of course, toasting. If you haven't used one lately, maybe it's time to rekindle that warm relationship.

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Author Bert Aurthurs is a frequent contributor to several web sites, on comparison shopping and retail shopping themes.