1. Hamilton Beach Countertop Oven With Convection and Rotisserie 31104D
What We Like
- Very light given its size
- The kitchen has plenty of room for cooking.
- Acceptable uniformity of browning
What We Don’t Like
- A large footprint requires a lot of room
- Lack of time and temperature defaults
- Nothing to illuminate the inside
In conclusion
A wide variety of foods may be cooked in the spacious interior of the Hamilton Beach Convection Toaster Oven with Rotisserie 31104D. The rotisserie feature justifies the considerable counter space it requires.
So that our reviewer could put the Hamilton Beach 31104D Countertop Oven with Convection and Rotisserie to the test in her own kitchen, we went out and bought one. For the whole analysis of this service, please continue reading.
Rotisserie chicken is what got me interested in the Hamilton Beach Countertop Oven with Convection and Rotisserie (model 31104D), but obviously one cannot subsist only on it. I made a casserole, cooked a pizza from a box, and snacked on some cookies. Here are the advantages and downsides of this well-liked roaster oven, based on my experience tinkering with the settings, snacking on toasted bagels, and watching a bird rotate in it.
Conveniently Easy Setup
The assembly of this oven was a breeze. I cleaned the racks and other food-contact parts and preheated the oven to dry off any lingering factory residue.
Structure: Large and simple
This is a big oven that requires a lot of counter space to accommodate its dimensions of 15 inches in height, 23.4 inches in width, and 18 inches in depth. It’s not a hideous item, so even if it’s used every day, it won’t be hidden away.
Despite the fact that it stows away easily under my kitchen cupboards, I wouldn’t suggest keeping it there because of the heat it generates. Some parts of the oven, like the door and the top, heat up rapidly while others, like the sides, take a lot longer. However, it is still an oven, therefore care must be used at all times. For optimal ventilation, placing it on an island or a tabletop may be ideal. It’s lightweight, so carrying it around isn’t a problem.
The oven door’s huge, thick, wide handle provides adequate room to use an oven mitt while opening it, preventing burns from the oven’s hot glass. Close the door manually until it is within a couple of inches of its final position; otherwise, it will remain open. However, when opened approximately 5 inches, it may freely tumble downhill. The handle will be flush with the front of any counter area in front of it. The hinge may be damaged if it were kept too near to the edge of a counter. Because to the extensive use of glass in the door’s construction, I would advise against slamming it in either way and instead emphasizing the need to shut it softly.
The capacious layout is reflected in the big footprint. It holds what it claims to hold, which is two 12-inch pizzas, two 9-by-13-inch casseroles, or two cake pans. I could see my meal cooking through the glass even though it was dark inside, but a light would have been helpful.
Adjustable settings, including a wide range of cooking methods, temps, and timers
The knobs for adjusting the cooking mode, heat, and time are all well labeled and simple to use. Since the settings are written in silver ink on a sleek black surface, it might be difficult to see them under certain lighting conditions. The arrows were barely visible (a raised portion on the knob, not a different color), but the finger and thumb indents helped others understand where I was pointing.
This particular model is a manual oven with no presets, however it does come with controls for the several cooking methods (rotisserie, bake, convection, and broil). A maximum of 120 minutes may be entered into the timer, and it keeps on ticking as time passes. The ticking was noticeable at first, but as I started using the oven on a daily basis, it faded into the background. A single mechanical “Ding!” sounds when time is up. It was audible in the kitchen or an adjacent room, and since it sounded distinct from the other electric tones in the kitchen, I knew which device was calling.
Turning the timer knob counterclockwise keeps the oven on until it is manually switched off, which is useful for extended cooking periods. There is no way for it to tick in that location. For sessions lasting more than two hours, the device will automatically power down.
Effectiveness: It bakes very well
I noticed that this oven cooked at a little lower temperature than I had set it for, but it did a good job in all cooking modes. This resulted in somewhat underbaked cookies, which, I’ll confess, I rather like. Cooking for an additional minute or two when the meal required it was straightforward, as did increasing the heat when I discovered the food was cooking too slowly. Ordinary ovens, let’s be honest, aren’t exactly known for their accuracy either.
Since “rotisserie” is part of the brand name, I had to try out that feature, but only on birds that weighed less than the maximum allowed by the oven’s capacity (five pounds). Tying the chicken and ensuring it is evenly distributed on the spit are the most time-consuming parts of making a rotisserie chicken. After I did so, the rotisserie began turning smoothly, and the chicken was cooked uniformly. Everything about the cooked rotisserie chicken lived up to my expectations.
To take the chicken out of the oven, I used the given implement. It was a bit of a struggle, but I finally got the chicken out. Since I’m a fan of the bird, I tried again, this time using grilling gloves that could withstand high temperatures and liquids.
I tried it out with some white bread and bagels despite the fact that it wasn’t advertised as a toaster since it is the “multi-use” suggestion on the list of best toaster ovens. For the bagels, I used the broil function, and for the toast, I turned to the convection setting. I was able to get a fairly consistent browning by keeping a close eye on the toaster since I had no idea how long it would take.
When I turned the oven to broil, I was impressed at how uniformly my open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches cooked thanks to the placement of the top components at the very front and rear of the oven. The next day, I used the broil setting to sauce and broil some ribs I had prepared the day before, and I was happy with the results. This broiler is not a great substitute for the broiler in a regular oven since it is neither very quick nor particularly strong.
Accessories such as hand-operated switches are included
This package includes both a rotisserie spit and forks to secure food on the spit during cooking. The rotisserie spit removal tool that included with the package did its job, but it seemed unnecessary to me. Finally, I found it easiest to simply reach in, put on my waterproof grill gloves, and grab the spit.
When utilizing a rotisserie, a black pan may be utilized for a variety of purposes, including roasting, baking, and dripping collection. To broil or bake little items, use a silver pan and broiler rack of the same size.
The unit consists of two cooking racks and a crumb tray that can be removed from the front of the unit when the door is opened. It’s a big oven, so you can use most of your existing cookware and baking utensils in addition to the accessories that came with it.
To clean, just use a damp sponge
Cleaning this oven was similar to cleaning a conventional oven, with the added convenience of being able to swivel it while I worked. An very crafty pizza of mine evaded my hands, ricocheted against the rear wall, and splattered its toppings all over the oven floor. The oven’s nonstick coating made cleanup a breeze; the crumb tray collected the majority of the debris, and the walls were easily cleaned out.
The oven’s convection fan may be easily cleaned with a damp cloth, but it’s important to avoid getting liquid or food into the vent holes. Unlike sharp edges, most of the nooks and crannies here are smooth, making maintenance a breeze. The nooks and crannies at the rear are the most difficult to clean, but they’re also the least likely to be splashed with food.
If you want your detachable accessories to last as long as possible, hand cleaning is suggested. Thankfully, they were just as simple to clean as the rest of the bakeware I had. If any cheese had crusted onto a rack, I would let it soak for a couple of minutes before giving it a good clean with a scrubby sponge.
Reasonable Cost in Relation to its Usefulness
I thought the pricing was fair when taking into account the car’s several uses and spacious cabin. Except for the Thanksgiving turkey and other large dishes, this might replace your oven entirely.
Compared: NutriChef Rotisserie Oven, Model PKRT97; Hamilton Beach Countertop Oven, Model 31104D, Rotisserie Functions
Both of these rotisseries are reasonably priced and easy to use. The NutriChef Multi-Function Rotisserie Oven (view on Amazon), which we also tested, is much taller and thinner than the Hamilton Beach one. As opposed to the NutriChef, which can only fit individual frozen pizzas and tiny pans, Hamilton Beach can accommodate full-size frozen pizzas and numerous conventional cooking pans. The NutriChef comes with a kebab rack and skewers, making it a little more user-friendly than other rotisserie models. Among the two, which one is the superior option? I wouldn’t say no to either, but it depends on how you want to use the oven.
Conclusion
The Hamilton Beach 31104D Countertop Oven with Convection and Rotisserie was a pleasure to use, and the food turned out delicious. However, when I adjusted the knobs, I wished they were digital and had presets like I’m used to.
