I care for two elderly people, and I cook in a kitchen where counter space is a negotiation every single morning. For a long time, I fired up the big oven for everything, even a single piece of fish or two slices of toast. It took forever to preheat, it heated the whole apartment, and cleanup was a project. Then I put a BLACK+DECKER compact toaster oven on the counter and honestly wondered why I waited so long. If you cook for one or two people and your kitchen is on the smaller side, this list is for you.
Below are the 10 reasons I keep my compact toaster oven out every day, each one built around something that actually matters in a small household: simple controls, safe operation, easy cleanup, and not spending more than you need to.
Still preheating a full-size oven for one portion? There is a better way.
The BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD compact toaster oven heats up in minutes, fits four slices of toast or a small baking pan, and costs a fraction of running a full oven. Rated 4.4 stars by over 22,000 buyers.
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A full-size oven can take 15 to 20 minutes to reach 350 degrees. A compact toaster oven like the BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD is ready in about 5 minutes. When you are trying to get breakfast on the table before a morning round of golf, or dinner ready before your patient gets tired, those 15 minutes are not a small thing. They are the difference between a calm morning and a stressful one.
It Uses Noticeably Less Energy
A standard electric oven draws around 2,400 watts. The BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD draws about 1,150 watts. When you are only feeding one or two people, running that much extra heat for a single chicken breast or a small pan of vegetables does not make sense. Smaller cooking space heats faster and holds heat better for the portion size. Your electric bill reflects that over time.
The Auto Shut-Off Gives Real Peace of Mind
This one matters a lot in a caregiving home. The BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD has a 30-minute timer with automatic shut-off. You set your time, walk away to help someone with medication or a phone call, and the oven turns itself off when it is done. You are not relying on memory, and you are not coming back to a hot oven that has been running empty for an hour. For anyone managing multiple things at once, that safety feature alone is worth the counter space.
The Crumb Tray Pulls Out and Washes in Seconds
Cleaning a full-size oven is a whole afternoon. The BLACK+DECKER has a slide-out crumb tray at the bottom that you pull out, rinse off, and slide back in. The inside walls are smooth and easy to wipe with a damp cloth. For someone with tired hands or a busy schedule, the difference between a two-minute cleanup and a forty-minute one is a real quality-of-life thing, not a minor detail.
Simple Dial Controls That Do Not Require a Manual
Three dials: function, temperature, and timer. That is the entire interface on the BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD. You turn one to choose toast, bake, or broil. You turn one to set the temperature. You turn one to set the time. No digital menus, no preset buttons to memorize, no touchscreen that is hard to see in bright light. If the people you cook for want to use it themselves, they can figure it out in under a minute. Simple is a feature, not a compromise.
It Reheats Leftovers Without Making Them Rubbery
A microwave reheats food fast, but it also has a way of making chicken tough, bread soggy, and pizza floppy. A compact toaster oven reheats with dry heat the way food was originally cooked. Roasted vegetables come back crisp. A slice of quiche heats through without getting watery. When you are making one or two portions and leftovers are a regular part of the week, that difference in food quality adds up across a lot of meals.
For a full guide on this, see how to reheat leftovers without drying them out.
It Fits a Surprising Amount of Real Food
The TO1313SBD fits four slices of bread, a 9-inch pizza, two chicken breasts side by side on the included baking pan, or a small casserole dish. For cooking for one or two people, that is more than enough room for an actual meal, not just a snack. The included rack and pan mean you have everything you need right out of the box without buying accessories.
It Does Not Heat Up the Whole Kitchen
In a small apartment or a kitchen attached to a living space, running a full-size oven in summer or even in a warm room can make the whole space uncomfortable. A compact toaster oven generates heat in a much smaller area and vents differently, so the room stays tolerable. For elderly people who are sensitive to temperature, and for caregivers who need to stay comfortable while working, this is not a small thing.
The Exterior Stays Cooler Than You Would Expect
The BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD has a cool-touch exterior on the sides and front door. The top and back do get warm during use, so you still want clear space around it and you would not press your hand on it while it is running. But the door handle and side panels stay manageable. For anyone who has experienced the shock of touching the side of a hot toaster, this matters. Safer handling, less worry around elderly household members who might brush against it.
It Costs Far Less Than Most Appliances and Lasts for Years
At its current price, the BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD is one of the more affordable countertop ovens you can buy from a brand that has been making kitchen appliances for decades. Over 22,000 people have rated it, and the most common theme in the reviews is reliability over time. For a household on a fixed income or a caregiver managing a tight budget, spending once on something dependable beats replacing a cheap oven every couple of years. You can read a detailed take in our full year of daily use review.
What I Would Skip
To be honest with you: I would skip a compact toaster oven if your main cooking is large batch meals for four or more people on a regular basis. The TO1313SBD is not a replacement for a full-size oven when you are roasting a whole bird or baking multiple trays at once. For a small household, it handles everything you actually need. For a bigger family, it works well as a second oven for reheating and toasting, but it would not be your only one.
The auto shut-off alone changed how I cook. I can step away to help someone and not carry that background worry about whether I left the oven running.
If any of these 10 reasons sounds like your daily kitchen life, the BLACK+DECKER is worth a look.
Simple dials, auto shut-off, a crumb tray that rinses clean, and room for a real meal. Rated 4.4 stars across more than 22,000 purchases. Check the current price to see if it fits your budget.
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