Best Toaster Oven Under $100: Top Picks for Every Kitchen

Black+Decker dominates the budget toaster oven space for good reason. This 4-slice air fry model packs air fry, bake, broil, toast, and keep-warm settings into a compact frame that fits up to a 9-inch pizza. The EvenToast technology does the heavy lifting here: reviewers consistently report evenly browned toast without flipping or rotating mid-cook, which is rare at this price point. That said, the tight interior spacing between heating coils and the rack demands careful use. Owners who follow the manual's guidance (preheat properly, position food carefully, watch it closely) report excellent results; those who treat it casually encounter burning issues. The air fryer function works well when you respect the small size and use approved cooking sprays, not oil.

Where this model diverges from the compact Elite Gourmet or the larger Black+Decker 6-slice is the balance it strikes. It's not as tiny as the 2-slice, so families or anyone batch-cooking find room to maneuver. The 30-minute timer and 2-year warranty reflect Black+Decker's confidence in longevity. A small percentage of owners report durability hiccups, but the bulk of multi-year reviews show this oven holding up through daily use.

The main caveat: this is a "read the instructions and respect the design" appliance. If you want to toss whatever inside without thinking, step up to the 6-slice or consider an under cabinet toaster oven for a space-saving alternative. If you're willing to be intentional, the cooking quality and feature set punch well above the price.

The Elite Gourmet is genuinely tiny. At roughly the size of a vintage toaster, it sits on a narrow shelf or wedged into an awkward corner without complaint. What you get for that footprint is a simple 2-slice design with a 15-minute timer, 200–450°F temperature range, and bake, broil, and toast settings. No air fry, no convection fan, no digital display. That simplicity is the point.

Owners who understand the constraints love it. One reviewer noted the compact interior (about 2.5 inches of clearance from rack to top coil) can bake small tube-bake croissants and reheated pizza beautifully if you work with it. Another used it to reheat chicken nuggets on vacation and found it indispensable. The 650-watt heating coil cycles on and off to maintain temperature, so you don't get the precision of a larger model, but for reheating and simple toasting it's reliable.

Compared to the Black+Decker 4-slice, this trades almost every feature for footprint. You won't air fry, you won't fit a standard 9-inch pizza, and you'll flip or rotate small items halfway through. One brutal review noted the heating distribution is uneven enough that the center of the bread burns while the ends stay pale: a real limitation if you make toast every morning. The build feels basic, and the glass can glaze over from heat after repeated use. If you're cooking for one or two and only need occasional reheating, this solves a space problem. If toasting is your main job, the larger Black+Decker models do it better.

The takeaway: buy this only if counter space is non-negotiable and you've accepted the cooking compromises.

This is the toaster oven that earned Black+Decker the #1 market position and held it for years. The sits between the air-fry 4-slice and the no-frills Elite Gourmet, offering straightforward bake, broil, toast, and keep-warm functions with a 30-minute timer and EvenToast technology. Its strength is consistency: thousands of reviews report the same reliable toasting and even heat distribution month after month, year after year.

Owners frequently mention using this as a workhorse for daily toast, reheating leftovers, and baking small items without touching the main oven. The 4-slice capacity and 9-inch pizza fit make it useful for small families or side dishes. The curved interior is cleverly designed to heat evenly, and reviewers who respect the manual's guidance (keep food 1.5 inches from the top coils, preheat for consistent results, use the included bake pan) get excellent results. The removable crumb tray is a genuine convenience: far easier than older models that opened from the bottom.

Where it differs from the air-fry version: no air fry, no broil pan included in all units, and a smaller control set. Some owners note the timer dial is small and hard to read if you're not bent over the unit; the short power cord also limits placement. A small minority report heating elements degrading after 1–2 years of heavy use, though most get 5+ years. One reviewer had a heating element failure; another noted the glass can become discolored or cloudy over time.

Compared to the convection and air-fry alternatives in this price tier, this is the safest bet for pure toasting and straightforward reheating. It's not feature-rich, but it's hard to break, and the build quality justifies the value.

Black+Decker's leans into what a toaster oven should fundamentally do: toast well, bake small items, and broil the occasional open-faced sandwich. It drops the air-fry gimmickry and delivers natural convection heating, which circulates warm air for more even results than straight heating coils. Reviewers who want a "real toaster oven" and not a jack-of-all-trades appliance often single this model out with genuine enthusiasm.

The control scheme is the sticking point. Unlike the straightforward B00GGFHH4U, this model uses a three-knob system: one for function (bake, broil, toast, keep warm), one for temperature, and one for both the timer (up to 30 minutes) and the stay-on toggle. First-time users often fumble: you must turn the timer knob past 10 minutes and then back to your desired toast darkness, which compresses all the toast settings into a quarter-turn of the dial. Once learned, it works fine, but the design is objectively less intuitive than competitors.

The natural convection does its job; the heating elements stay more evenly distributed than in smaller models. However, one owner noted it does not have a forced-air fan like true convection ovens, so air circulation depends on the interior geometry rather than active movement. The exterior gets quite hot during use, and the sides are particularly warm, so positioning away from cabinets is non-negotiable.

Compared to the simpler B00GGFHH4U (which many say is easier to operate), this trades control complexity for slightly better heat distribution. One user reported a heating element failure after two years; another found the toasting learning curve steeper than expected. The design is solid, but the control layout is not for everyone. If you want convection heat and can tolerate a manual-read approach, this is a solid step up. If you want a no-brainer toaster, the value pick is easier.

Black+Decker's 6-slice air fry model expands capacity without exploding the footprint. It holds six slices of bread or a full pizza, which appeals to anyone cooking for more than two people or batch-baking frozen items. The functionality mirrors the 4-slice air-fry version but with a longer 60-minute timer for bigger baking projects. Whether you're exploring toaster oven for sublimation work or simply need daily cooking power, this larger capacity gives you room to experiment with different applications.

Owners report the air fryer works well when expectations align with reality. One reviewer who switched from a Hamilton Beach model that couldn't exceed 350°F found this unit's air fryer consistently produces crispy results. Another praised it for frozen foods like chicken strips and fries, noting 15–20 minute cook times. The convection technology circulates air effectively for more even browning than straight heating coils. However, one owner discovered the unit does not have a temperature indicator light telling you when it reaches target temperature, so you guess. Another found pizza cooking slower and more unevenly than expected, requiring 30+ minutes to brown the bottom while the top dries out.

The larger interior means easier food placement compared to the 4-slice model, so you're less likely to sear your fingers or burn items from proximity to coils. The crumb tray is improved over earlier designs and slides out cleanly. One drawback: the racks slide to the back and don't have a positive stop, so pulling them out can dump food on the door: a design flaw owners note with frustration.

Where this trades with the 4-slice air-fry model is space and capacity versus the tighter, more predictable performance of the smaller oven. For families or anyone meal-prepping, the 6-slice makes sense. For precision toasting or tight spaces, the 4-slice remains smarter.