How to Bake for One Using a Compact Toaster Oven Without Wasting Food or Energy

There is a small problem nobody talks about when you cook for one: the full-size oven. Heating a big oven to 375 degrees just to bake two muffins or a single chicken breast takes about fifteen minutes of preheat time, uses far more electricity than necessary, and makes the whole kitchen warm. Most people I know just stop baking altogether. They wait until they have "enough" to fill the oven, or they grab something from the store that does not taste as good. Neither option feels right, especially when all you want is a warm biscuit or a little pan of roasted vegetables with your dinner.

The better answer has been sitting on the counter the whole time. A compact toaster oven like the BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD preheats in about five minutes, uses a fraction of the energy, and is perfectly sized for single-serve baking. I use mine every morning and several evenings a week. Once you learn a few simple adjustments, baking for one becomes something you actually look forward to instead of a chore you skip.

What You Need Before You Start

Baking in a compact toaster oven works best when you have the right-sized pans. Standard 9x13 pans will not fit. What you are looking for are pans sized for a smaller cavity. The BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD interior fits a 9-inch pizza or four slices of bread, so a good starting set of pans might include: a quarter-sheet pan (about 9x13 but the toaster oven kind that fits the rack), a 6-inch round cake pan, a loaf pan in the 7.5x3.5 inch range, and a couple of ceramic ramekins in the 6-ounce size. All of these are inexpensive and easy to find online or at any kitchen store.

You will also want an oven thermometer if you do not already own one. Even a good toaster oven can run a bit hot or a bit cool, and knowing your actual temperature makes a real difference in baking results. They cost a few dollars and hang right on the rack. Check it once the first few times you use the oven and you will know what to expect from your particular unit.

Step 1: Adjust Your Recipe Temperature

The most important single thing to know about toaster oven baking is this: lower your recipe temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Toaster ovens are smaller and more efficient than full-size ovens, which means heat circulates more intensely around your food. If a recipe calls for 375 degrees, set your toaster oven to 350. If a recipe calls for 400 degrees, use 375. This one change prevents the tops of muffins, cookies, and biscuits from browning too quickly before the inside is done.

The BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD has a clearly marked temperature dial that goes up to 450 degrees. The markings are large enough to read without squinting, which matters more than it sounds when you are standing in a dim kitchen first thing in the morning. Set it 25 degrees below your recipe and you are already most of the way to a good result.

One more note: the temperature dial on this model holds steady once it reaches your setting. You do not need to babysit it. Set it, close the door, and let it preheat for about five minutes before your food goes in.

Step 2: Scale Your Recipe for One or Two

A standard baking recipe makes 12 muffins, a 9x13 casserole, or two dozen cookies. None of that is useful when you are cooking for yourself. The good news is that most baking recipes cut down cleanly to one-quarter or one-half of the original. One-quarter of a standard muffin recipe makes three muffins, which fits perfectly in a ramekin set or a small muffin tin. Half a biscuit recipe makes four biscuits, which is two for today and two for tomorrow.

For savory baking, single-serve portions are even simpler. One chicken breast, two small potatoes cut in half, a single salmon fillet, one pork chop. These do not require any math at all. Just season, place in a small pan or directly on the rack with a piece of foil underneath, and bake according to the temperature and time adjusted for your toaster oven.

One-quarter of a standard muffin recipe gives you three muffins in a ramekin. Three is the right number when you are cooking for yourself. You get a warm one now and two for tomorrow morning.

Step 3: Use the Right Rack Position

The BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD comes with a removable rack and a baking pan. The rack sits on a set of guides inside the oven. For most baking, the middle position is the right choice. It keeps your food away from the heating elements at the top, which is where most scorching happens. If you are toasting bread or melting cheese on top of something, move the rack up one position so the top element can do its work.

For delicate items like custards, baked eggs in ramekins, or a small cornbread, the lower position gives the most even heat. The bottom element brings the base up slowly while the top heat stays gentle. It is the same logic as using the lower rack in a full-size oven for pies and tarts.

A quick rule of thumb: middle rack for everything that rises, like muffins and biscuits. Lower rack for custards and things in ramekins. Upper rack for toasting, melting, and broiling. You will settle into the right position naturally after the first few uses.

Step 4: Watch the Time and Check Early

Toaster ovens bake faster than full-size ovens. The smaller cavity means heat reaches your food from a shorter distance. Start checking your food about two-thirds of the way through the recipe time. If a recipe says 20 minutes, start checking at 13 or 14 minutes. This is not because the oven is unpredictable. It is just the nature of compact baking, and once you have done it a few times with your specific oven, you will know exactly how your favorite items behave.

The timer dial on the TO1313SBD is straightforward to use. Turn it to your desired time and it ticks down with a small bell at the end. What I appreciate is that the oven shuts off automatically when the timer reaches zero. That is the auto shut-off feature, and it matters a great deal when you are caring for someone else in the house and get pulled away mid-task. You do not have to worry about something baking too long because you got distracted.

Step 5: Let It Rest and Keep Cleanup Simple

Once your baking is done, give the food a minute or two to rest inside the oven with the door cracked open. This is especially helpful for anything with a delicate top, like a small souffle or a baked egg dish. The residual heat lets it finish gently without the shock of cold air.

Cleanup on the TO1313SBD is one of its genuine strengths. The crumb tray slides out from the bottom and wipes clean with a damp cloth. The interior walls and rack come clean with a mild dish soap and a soft sponge. No removable parts require dishwasher space, which matters when you have a small kitchen sink and not much room. The outer casing stays cool to the touch during baking, so you can move the oven or wipe down the outside without waiting.

I do a quick wipe of the crumb tray every two or three uses and a more thorough interior wipe once a week. That is all it takes to keep the oven looking clean and baking evenly. Crumbs left on the tray can smoke if they touch the heating element, so staying ahead of that is the one real maintenance habit worth building.

The Best Single-Serve Things to Bake First

If you are new to toaster oven baking, start with something forgiving. Roasted vegetables are ideal because they are hard to ruin and they make the whole kitchen smell good. Cut one or two sweet potatoes into cubes, toss with a little olive oil and salt, spread them on the small baking pan that comes with the oven, and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. Check at 18 minutes. You want them slightly caramelized at the edges. That is a perfect side for a solo dinner.

For something sweet, try two-ingredient banana muffins in ramekins. Mash one very ripe banana with one egg. Pour into two greased 6-ounce ramekins. Bake at 325 degrees for 18 minutes. They are naturally gluten-free, naturally sweet, and clean up in about 30 seconds. Once you have that down, you can add a tablespoon of peanut butter or a few chocolate chips and make it feel like a real dessert.

For protein, a single chicken breast bakes perfectly in the TO1313SBD. Season it, place it in the small pan, and bake at 375 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes, checking at 20 minutes with a meat thermometer. 165 degrees internal temperature is what you are looking for. The result is moist and lightly browned on top, without any fuss.

What Else Helps

A few small habits make solo toaster oven baking feel effortless over time. Keep a small set of ramekins and a quarter-sheet pan clean and ready so you do not have to dig through a cabinet when you want to use the oven quickly. Keep your oven thermometer hanging on the rack so you always know your actual temperature at a glance. And let yourself experiment. Toaster oven baking is forgiving because the batches are small. If a recipe does not turn out quite right, you have only made two muffins, not a dozen.

For more detail on how the TO1313SBD holds up over time, including how the controls feel after months of daily use, take a look at our full long-term review of the BLACK+DECKER toaster oven. And if you are deciding between this model and another popular compact option, our side-by-side comparison with the Hamilton Beach toaster oven walks through the differences in controls, cleanup, and cavity size.