These days, there seems to be an endless supply of kitchen gadgets, making it difficult to determine which ones are really necessary. A convection oven’s main selling feature is that it can cook food more quickly and uniformly than a conventional oven. To discover whether the Oster Extra Large Convection Oven lives up to its claims, we put it through its paces. Our thoughts on the oven’s layout, functionality, and maintainability are discussed further on.
1. Oster Extra Large Digital Countertop Convection Oven
What We Like
- Extensive room for preparation
- Controls are computerized and hence very easy to use.
- There are a total of seven different cooking methods.
- Simple to clean
What We Don’t Like
- Massive imprint
- The glass door is quite fragile
- The outside may reach very high temperatures
- Overall performance is superb
Overall
The Oster Extra Large Digital Countertop Convection Oven is a worthy investment due to its high quality of execution, extensive feature set, and large interior.
We used the Oster countertop convection oven to bake a meatloaf for the first time. We used the oven’s convection bake setting and baked it for 45 minutes at 325 degrees. The outcomes exceeded our expectations. The meatloaf had a lovely, golden crust and was quite juicy on the interior, much more so than meatloaves we’ve baked in a traditional oven. A further advantage was the shorter preparation and cooking times. Convection cooking often reduces the time needed to prepare food by a quarter. (It is also recommended that you reduce the temperature by 25 degrees.) The meatloaf only needed 45 minutes in the Oster, when it would have needed an hour in our regular oven. In addition to the meatloaf, which required additional cooking time due to the addition of the potatoes, we also roasted two potatoes and threw them into the oven. We upped the heat to 375 degrees and cooked the potatoes for another 15 minutes after taking out the meatloaf. The potatoes came out delicious and cooked to perfection.
The complete 4-pound bird we cooked the day after. We used the convection bake setting on our oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, per the instructions we read online. The chicken was still raw and the skin hadn’t browned much after 45 minutes. We left the chicken in the oven for another 15 minutes at the same temperature, this time checking with a meat thermometer to ensure it was well cooked. We increased the heat to 375 degrees and cooked it for an additional 15 minutes, but it still wasn’t done. The chicken took longer to cook than we had hoped, but we understand that this is to be anticipated when using a brand new equipment. There is an element of trial and error required when using the oven for the first time, since neither the instructions nor the oven itself come with any recipes or specified cooking times for food items.
The English muffins for breakfast were next, and we used the toaster. By using the up and down arrows, you may choose the level of brightness you want. Toasting our bread just took a few minutes, and it turned out perfectly golden and crunchy.
Style: Modern and roomy, with a few minor restrictions
Our new Oster convection oven is a beautiful addition to our kitchen. Because of its brushed stainless steel and glass construction, it matched our other home appliances well. In comparison to other countertop convection ovens, its dimensions of 24 by 21.5 by 16.7 inches are on the generous side. Our kitchen is rather large, so it was easy to place on the counter, but it might be too large for others.
Using the digital settings is a breeze. Toast, bake, convection bake, broil, warm, pizza, and defrost are all options; from there, you can use the up and down arrows to determine the temperature and timing. There is a 90-minute timer with an automatic shutoff and a temperature setting that goes from 200 to 450 degrees.
The oven’s glass door has a huge window that lets you peek inside to see what’s cooking. We were surprised by how fragile the door seemed for such a powerful stove. It easily expands farther than ninety degrees. The glass might easily break if you open it too quickly or if you mistakenly leave the door ajar. Although the door design isn’t deal-breaking, it does call for caution when opening and shutting the oven. The door and metal frame surrounding it may become quite hot, so users should be mindful of that as well. When the oven is hot, protect your hands with gloves or potholders, and wait until it has cooled completely before handling it without protective gear.
If you have the space, this oven has an unrivaled capability for cooking. A family-sized roast, two 16-inch pizzas, or 14 pieces of toast can all fit.
Simple and effective cleaning
One of the best features of this oven is how simple it is to maintain. Because it is digital, there are no physical buttons or switches on the control panel, therefore it is easier to keep clean. To clean it, all you need is a damp towel. This is a great way to save time when cleaning: While we were cooking a few items on the upper oven rack, the baking pan was put on the lower rack to catch any drippings. This meant that we didn’t contaminate the oven’s inside, but rather only the pan.
The cost is reasonable
The Oster Extra Large Digital Countertop Oven really packs a punch, what with its massive capacity and wide range of convenient functions. You can get one of the best convection ovens on the market for under $120, making it a great value. There are other solutions if you are willing to make due with a smaller oven.
Competitors: It All Comes Down to Cost and Capacity
The Easy Reach Convection Oven from Hamilton Beach is a more compact option that might be more affordable for certain households. The 16.75-by-10.76-by-19.76-inch oven retails for about $55, which is about half the price of the Oster. It may be lacking the Oster’s bells and whistles, but it’s still enough big for a 12-inch pizza or a 9-by-11-inch baking sheet.
KitchenAid’s 12-inch Compact Convection Countertop Oven sells for about $140 and is another wonderful alternative for individuals who are limited on kitchen counter space. This oven has a small footprint (11.3 x 17.7 x 16.7 inches), yet it can still accommodate a 12-inch pizza thanks to its two movable racks.
Conclusion and Judgment
Well, it is worth the cost.
The Oster Extra Large Convection Oven is a high-quality option at a modest price if you’re in the market for a convection oven, and if you have the space for it. The fact that it has more cooking options than most other convection ovens on the market is another reason why we like it.
