The Balmuda has other design flaws and twee impracticalities (the easy-to-lose steam cup), and ultimately, we found it to be just a snazzy-looking prototype at best. The FlashXpress’s one annoying quirk is that you can’t add time or change the temperature midway through a preset cooking cycle . This means you have to turn the Panasonic off and back on again to adjust it. That said, the controls are clearly labeled and straightforward to use, so we’re willing to overlook this drawback. We’d also prefer dial controls over the FlashXpress’s blister-push buttons, but they’re perfectly usable and not as glitchy or mushy as others we tested. Keep in mind that a large toaster oven can be pretty heavy and is more cumbersome to move; this means it’s more likely to live on your counter.
This chart featured in the Balmuda manual is misleading. Surface browning begins at a much lower temperature than the 320 °F indicated hamilton beach 900 watt microwave above. And at 428 °F, toast would be burning, not beginning to brown (on a medium setting, the toaster didn’t even reach 428 °F).
The large Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven (TOB-260N1) has nearly all of the capabilities of a full-size oven. It delivers even heat to up to nine slices of bread and can easily handle a 13-inch frozen pizza or a whole roast chicken . The Cuisinart’s three-year warranty is outstanding, as are its impressive accessories, which include a ceramic pizza stone.
Front panel includes a digital clock and touchpad that easily wipes clean with a damp cloth. Inside, a glass turntable is removable for easy cleaning. Balmuda’s The Toaster is a $300 appliance that’s different from most other toaster ovens because it steams bread while it toasts. In theory, it’s supposed to help keep the “inner moisture and flavor from escaping,” but we’re not convinced it makes a difference. In fact, we weighed white sandwich bread and rustic sourdough bread before and after toasting to see how much moisture the bread retained.
When cleaning the panel, leave the microwave door open to prevent it from accidentally turning on. In standby mode, press START/+30 SEC pad repeatedly to enter cooking time. All food and containers of food are always placed on the glass tray for cooking.