Toaster ovens are convenient to have, but they are not only single-function ovens, but also come with fans, steam functions, and other features, with prices ranging from 2,000 yen to 30,000 yen. In order to buy the right product for your home, please do your research thoroughly!
- Type of Heater
- Fine temperature control
- Ease of cleaning
- Size of main unit
- Other Functions
- Product Comparison Chart
Type of Heater
Some toaster ovens are described as "equipped with an electric heating wire heater" or "equipped with a far-infrared heater" or "equipped with graphite" or "quartz tube" as if they have something that other toasters do not, but that is not true. As explained in detail from the viewpoint of thermodynamics in the following article on heaters, almost all heaters sold to the public contain electric heating wires, graphite (graphite) is used as the material for electric heating wires, and all objects on the earth, not just toasters, emit far-infrared radiation.
Fine temperature control
Some have a scale only in increments of 20°C, or the temperature can be adjusted in only a few steps, so we recommend that the temperature be adjustable in fine increments.
Ease of cleaning
A type that can slide off the saucer is convenient because it is easy to clean.
Toaster Oven (HTO-C3A/C1A): Hitachi Home Appliances
Size of main unit
The most common toaster is large enough to hold two slices of bread, but some toasters are large enough to hold four slices of bread. 25-cm pizzas and other items can also be baked, which broadens the range of dishes. However, it requires more space than the size of the unit because of the high heat emitted.
ET-GU30 | Toaster Oven | Kitchen Appliances
The photo shows our house. It looks like there is a gap, but you need to leave a gap of about 10 cm from front to back and left to right, so even a toaster large enough to hold two slices of bread does not have that much room. (Microwave oven on the left, toaster oven on the right)
Other Functions
Some products are sold as convection ovens, which have a fan inside to circulate the heat inside the toaster. However, we believe this is unnecessary because a toaster is a small space and far-infrared rays are reflected inside the toaster, so heat can be circulated without a fan.
Steam functions of lesser importance are also excluded from the comparison. In particular, there are rare toasters with a hole in the top that allows water to drip down and evaporate over the heater, which can crack if there is a sudden change in temperature in the heater.
Product Comparison Chart
Based on the above, our blog compared the following products
- Temperature can be adjusted in 10°C increments
- The saucer can be removed.
- No fan/steam
2 slices of bread
| Manufacturer | ZOJIRUSHI | Yamazen | Hitachi |
|---|---|---|---|
| model number | EQ-SB22 | YTS-C101 | HTO-C3A |
| Temperature | 80 ~ 250℃ | 80 ~ 230℃ | 80 ~ 230℃ |
| timer | 30 min. | 15 min. | 15 min. |
| Wattage | 1,000 W | 1,000 W | 1,000 W |
| Dimensions | W 33.5 x D 29 x H 26 cm | W 36.4 x D 19.8 x H 20.7 cm | W 31.0 x D 28.5 x H 23.2 cm |
| weight | 4.3 kg | 2.7kg (Not including the receiving tray) | 3.4kg (including oven dish) |
| Price* | - (7,942 yen at Yahoo ) | 3,480 yen | 7,550 yen |
*...prices on Amazon as of September 15, 2024.
For those for whom a single function is sufficient, we recommend Yamazen's YTS-C101, the cheapest model.
4 slices of bread
| Manufacturer | ZOJIRUSHI | YAMAZEN |
|---|---|---|
| model number | ET-GU30 | YTC-FC123 |
| Temperature | 80 ~ 250℃ | 80 ~ 230℃ |
| timer | 30 min. | 15 min. |
| Wattage | 1300 W | 1200 W |
| Dimensions | W 39.5 x D 34.5 x H 22.5cm | W 37.5 x D 32 x H 22 cm |
| weight | 5.0 kg | 3.8 kg (including saucer) |
| Price* | 8,496 yen | 5,478 yen |
*...prices on Amazon as of September 15, 2024.
Both Zojirushi and Yamazen have the same temperature and timer as a toaster for two slices of bread, so we recommend the Zojirushi ET-GU30 as the best choice here as well. However, for those for whom a single function is sufficient, we recommend Yamazen's YTC-FC123.
I hope the above is helpful.
