Best Toaster Oven Under $50: 3 Real Models That Actually Cook (Not Just Toast)

The best toaster oven under $50 that actually works is the Black+Decker 4-Slice Toaster Oven — it toasts evenly, fits a 9-inch pizza, and doesn’t require a manual the size of a novel to operate. For most people who just need reliable daily heat without spending $150 on a Breville, it genuinely gets the job done. That said, two other models are worth knowing about depending on your counter space and what you’re actually cooking.

Safety First: Toaster ovens run heating elements at extremely high temperatures — some models reach 450°F or above. Never place a toaster oven inside a cabinet or directly under overhead cabinetry; leave at least 4 inches of clearance on all sides and the top. Always use oven mitts when removing racks or pans, unplug the unit when not in use if you have children nearby, and never leave it unattended while broiling. Crumb trays should be emptied regularly — built-up grease and crumbs are a genuine fire risk.

Quick Facts: What to Know Before You Buy

• Budget toaster ovens in this price range typically run between 1,000 and 1,500 watts and reach temps up to 450°F — enough to bake, broil, and toast effectively.
• The three real models covered here are: Black+Decker 4-Slice (best overall), Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp 31196 (best for small kitchens), and Cuisinart TOB-40N (best for actual baking).
• All three have a physical crumb tray — a feature you don’t want to skip at any price point.
• None of these have air fryer function. If that’s your priority, you’re looking at a different budget tier entirely.
• Toaster ovens in this price range preheat in roughly 5–8 minutes, compared to 10–15 for a full-size oven.

Why I Looked at Budget Toaster Ovens (And What I Was Skeptical About)

I’ll be honest — I went into this testing a little dismissive. I have a Breville in my kitchen and I love it. But a lot of people I know don’t want to spend $170 on a countertop oven. They want something for reheating leftovers, making toast in the morning without heating a full oven, maybe cooking a frozen pizza on a Tuesday night. So I picked up three models that regularly show up in the under-$50 range and actually ran them through their paces for about three weeks.

First thing I noticed: the cheap ones are louder. The fans, the timers clicking, the slightly rattly racks. Small stuff. But if you’re easily annoyed in the morning, worth knowing.

Also, none of these are air fryers. If someone told you a $45 toaster oven has a “true air fry” function, they’re being generous with the word “true.” You can circulate hot air. You cannot replicate a dedicated air fryer basket in this price tier. I’m just going to say that once and move on.

The 3 Models, Honestly Reviewed

Black+Decker 4-Slice Toaster Oven — Best Overall Pick

This is the one I’d tell most people to get. It’s consistently available around $35–$45, it fits four slices of bread or a 9-inch pizza without you having to force the door shut, and the dial controls are simple enough that you don’t have to second-guess yourself at 7am.

The toast came out even on both sides, which is not a given at this price. I ran three batches on the “medium” setting — the first one was slightly lighter than I expected, so I nudged the dial up a hair for the next two and they were exactly right. That’s my one caveat: the dials aren’t super precise. You get a rough range, not an exact number. But you figure it out within a day.

I baked a small batch of cookies in here using a toaster oven baking pan. They cooked through. Edges browned. The center of the pan cooked slightly faster than the outside, so rotating halfway matters here. Not a dealbreaker, just something to know.

For reheating food in a toaster oven, this thing actually excels. Pizza reheated at 350°F for 6 minutes came out with a crispy crust, not the soggy sadness you get from a microwave. That alone justifies owning one.

Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp 31196FG — Best for Tiny Kitchens

The Hamilton Beach is notably smaller in footprint than the Black+Decker, which matters if your counter is already crowded. It runs at around 1,200 watts, so it’s a bit slower to preheat — closer to 8 minutes to reach 375°F in my testing, versus about 5–6 for the Black+Decker.

Where it earns its keep is the “Sure-Crisp” convection setting. It’s a light fan-assisted mode that does meaningfully improve how frozen foods come out. Frozen fries at 400°F for 14 minutes? Genuinely better than without the fan. Not air fryer level, but noticeably crispier than static heat. I was surprised.

The rack slides in at only one position, which is slightly limiting. And fitting a 9-inch pizza is a tight squeeze — doable, but you’ll want to check the crust edges haven’t touched the side walls. I learned this the hard way when one edge browned faster than I intended. Still edible, just a little over on one side.

If compact size is your main constraint, this is the one. It’s not trying to be a full oven replacement. It knows what it is.

Cuisinart TOB-40N — Best for Real Baking

This one sometimes pushes past $50 depending on where you look, but it regularly hits the $45–$50 mark and I’m including it because it punches noticeably above the competition for actual baking tasks. The interior is larger than both other models here, and crucially, it holds temperature better — I tested it with an oven thermometer and it sat within about 15°F of the set temp for most of the cook, which is solid at this price point.

It fits a 11-inch pizza. Full disclosure: barely. But it fits. It also has a broil setting that’s genuinely usable — I ran some chicken thighs under it for the last 4 minutes of cooking and got actual color on the skin, not just sad pale protein.

The crumb tray on the Cuisinart is wider and easier to remove than on the Hamilton Beach, which has this fiddly little tray that you have to angle just right to get out. Small thing. Matters when you’re cleaning it every few days.

My pet peeve with this one: the knob for function selection feels a little cheap, like it might wobble loose over time. Time will tell. So far, fine.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Model	Capacity	Wattage	Convection	Broil	Price Tier	Best For
Black+Decker 4-Slice	9-inch pizza	~1,150W	No	Yes	Budget (~$35–45)	Everyday use, beginners
Hamilton Beach 31196FG	9-inch pizza (tight)	~1,200W	Yes (light fan)	No	Budget (~$40–50)	Small kitchens, frozen foods
Cuisinart TOB-40N	11-inch pizza	~1,800W	No	Yes	Budget-mid (~$45–55)	Baking, larger portions

What Budget Toaster Ovens Actually Can (and Can’t) Do

People sometimes expect a $45 toaster oven to behave like a full-size oven. It won’t. But it handles more than most people give it credit for.

Things these models do well: toast (obviously), reheating pizza and fries, baking small batches of cookies or muffins, cooking chicken pieces, warming bread, broiling a small amount of protein. According to Serious Eats, toaster ovens also preheat faster than full ovens, which makes them genuinely useful for weeknight cooking even if they’re not feature-packed.

Things they struggle with: large roasts, anything needing precise low-and-slow temperatures, bread that needs steam injection, and multiple racks simultaneously. For how hot a toaster gets versus a toaster oven, the mechanics are actually pretty different — toaster ovens give you more control and more even heat distribution around the food.

One edge case the other review sites miss: if you live somewhere very cold (unheated garage kitchen, a cabin, a drafty old house), these budget models struggle to maintain set temperature because the insulation is thin. I noticed a 25–35°F drop during a longer bake when my kitchen was cool. Worth bumping your temp setting by 25°F if this describes you.

Also worth knowing: the best mini toaster ovens in a slightly higher price tier do offer better insulation and more rack positions. If you’re on the fence about the budget, that roundup is worth a look before you decide.

For accessories, a good toaster oven wire rack can genuinely improve airflow and cooking results — the stock racks on these models are fine but not great, and a slightly elevated rack helps when you’re trying to get color on the bottom of something.

Practical Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Cheap Toaster Oven

Preheat every time. I know it feels redundant but these ovens heat unevenly when cold, and skipping the preheat is why people end up with half-raw frozen foods. Give it 5–8 minutes.

Don’t crowd the rack. One of the most common mistakes. Air needs to move around the food. A single layer, always.

Rotate halfway through anything that bakes longer than 10 minutes. Hot spots are real. All three of these models have them.

The USDA’s recommended internal temperatures for meat apply exactly the same in a toaster oven as in a full-size oven. A meat thermometer is the only real way to know your chicken is done, regardless of what oven you’re using. Don’t guess on that one.

Clean the crumb tray weekly. It takes 30 seconds and prevents the faint burning smell that builds up in neglected units. I find the smell peaks around the 3-week mark if you ignore it. Not pleasant.

The Clear Pick (And Who Should Skip This Price Range)

If I had to buy one of these three tomorrow, I’d get the Black+Decker. It’s the most consistent, the most forgiving for everyday tasks, and the easiest to live with. The Hamilton Beach earns a real recommendation if counter space is genuinely tight. The Cuisinart is the right call if you bake more than you toast.

Skip this price range if you want convection baking that actually performs, air frying, or if you’re cooking for four or more people regularly. That’s not what these are built for. Spend $100–$130 and look at the Black+Decker Crisp ‘N Bake Air Fry or the Cuisinart TOA-60 if those features matter to you.

But for a single person, a couple, a small apartment, or someone who wants an oven supplement rather than a replacement? One of these three will serve you well for years. They’re not glamorous. They work.

?Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best toaster oven under $50 that actually works?

The Black+Decker 4-Slice Toaster Oven is the most reliable choice in this price range for everyday toasting, reheating, and light baking. It’s consistent, easy to use, and regularly available for $35–$45. If you need convection for crispier frozen foods, the Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp 31196FG is a better fit, and if baking is a priority, look at the Cuisinart TOB-40N.

Can a cheap toaster oven actually bake?

Yes — budget toaster ovens can bake cookies, muffins, small casseroles, and chicken pieces reasonably well. They run hotter in spots than premium models, so rotating your food halfway through and using an oven thermometer to verify actual temp will improve results. Don’t expect perfectly even baking without a little attention, but it’s absolutely doable.

How many watts does a toaster oven under $50 use?

Most budget toaster ovens in this price range run between 1,100 and 1,800 watts. The Black+Decker 4-Slice runs around 1,150W, the Hamilton Beach around 1,200W, and the Cuisinart TOB-40N closer to 1,800W. Higher wattage generally means faster preheating and more consistent temperature recovery when you open the door.

Is it safe to leave a toaster oven plugged in?

Technically most toaster ovens are safe to leave plugged in when not in use, since they don’t draw power in standby. That said, unplugging it when not in use is a sensible habit, especially if you have children or pets, or if you’re leaving the house for extended periods. Never leave any toaster oven running unattended, particularly on the broil setting.

What can a toaster oven do that a microwave can’t?

A toaster oven uses dry radiant heat, which means it can brown, crisp, and caramelize food in ways a microwave fundamentally cannot. Reheated pizza comes out with a crispy crust instead of a soggy one, frozen fries actually get color, and broiling proteins is a real option. The tradeoff is that a toaster oven is slower than a microwave for simple warming tasks.