If you’ve ever had a toaster oven you understand that its beauty cannot be surpassed and its usefulness is wifey-worthy. I’m in love with my toaster oven, and I’m pretty sure it’s the best invention since sliced bread and the microwave. You can make these 15 easy breakfasts, but there’s more. My life has been changed for the better and I can’t imagine living without this handy appliance.
1. It heats up instantly.
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The beauty of a toaster oven lies in its ability to instantly heat to your desired temperature. Gone are the days where you sit around and wait for your oven to preheat — which you understand, is quite a bit of time if you’re dealing with an older cheaper model.
2. It cooks bagels and toast to perfection.
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Yes, a regular toaster can do just about the same thing, but I know I can’t be the only one to have a conniption every time my toast pops up rather aggressively. Besides, with a toaster oven you can add toppings like peanut butter or cheese which can melt on deliciously.
3. It can cook a small to medium-sized pizza.
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Yes, it’s a big deal when I can cook an entire pizza to toasty perfection in such a compact appliance.
4. It possesses a multitude of settings for all your cooking desires.
Photo by Jocelyn Hsu
You wanna bake something, go for it. You wanna broil something, even better. You wanna toast it, follow your heart’s desire. If you’re looking for another interesting use, you can try this cinnamon, ginger and brown sugar-baked grapefruit recipe, because it is now totally acceptable to bake your fruit. Needless to say, there are so many settings, times, and temperatures on this appliance you won’t need to use anything else in your kitchen.
5. It’s perfectly compact and portable.
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Moving around is kind of a pain, but if you’re a college student you’re probably going to be doing it a few times in your undergraduate career. Don’t worry though, this small appliance is easy to lug around and fits perfectly on any kitchen counter. It’s even small enough for dorm-use, that is if your residence hall allows it.
6. It uses less power than a regular oven.
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This is especially great for college students who are looking to be both environmentally conscious and save some money on that dreaded power bill.
#SpoonTip: Check out this website to see how much energy your appliances are actually using on a day-to-day basis.
7. It keeps things crispy.
Photo by Emily Hu
Unlike microwaves, which can often leave things soggy, toaster ovens keep that fresh crispness. You can trust that those Bagel Bites you love so much won’t be mushy when they’re done, and these awesome bacon and egg toast cups would not be nearly as crispy and delicious without a toaster oven.
8. It’s perfect for frozen munchies.
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We all have that guilty pleasure frozen food we love to drunkenly munch on be it Taquitos, Hot Pockets, Tater Tots, etc. And when you’re drunk it’s certainly not a great idea to cook things in an oven because chances are you’re probably not going to be awake by the time your food is done cooking. Your toaster oven on the other hand is way more friendly to your slightly inebriated state.
9. It has automatic shut off.
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Yeah, this has definitely changed the face of late-night snacking. When your food is done cooking it shuts off to prevent fires and increased electric bill. Which is kind of perfect if you’re anything like my roommates and I who tend to fall asleep mid-cook. Plus, there’s way less of a fire hazard. It’s a win-win.
10. It will bake cookies.
Photo by Abigail Wang
I’m not much of a baker, mainly because it’s super time-consuming and probably a bad idea to have a couple dozen cookies lying around. But my toaster oven has cured my aversion to this treat because I can cook a small batch in no time due to the size and cooking speed. If these cookies look especially appealing try this recipe for toasted coconut and white chocolate chip cookies.
11. It’s got a pretty loud beeper.
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Normally this might be a negative, but it’s kind of perfect. It’s so loud that you can hear it from the next room or while watching the TV. It functions as a nice little alert that your food is ready to be consumed and get your ass in here already.
12. It’s not intimidating.
Photo by Rob Arrasate
As someone who is constantly struggling with my inner desire to cook and my deep fear of large appliances, this is the perfect tool for me to use. Its clear user-friendly buttons allow me to stress less when making meals. This easy monkey bread toaster oven recipe is the perfect way to try out your new stress-less cooking expertise.
13. So many things to make, and so little time.
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As someone who isn’t a total chef (yet), this little appliance allows me to make so many great things it’s perfect. Some of my favorite things include baked cinnamon bananas, mini breakfast pizza, and oven roasted asparagus.
Toaster ovens are about the closest thing a college student can get to perfection and are worth every penny. Once you go toaster oven, you never go back.