We are living in an increasingly green world. Making sure that we use our kitchen appliances in a way that is friendly to the planet is important, especially in terms of using devices that can perform multiple functions (preferably at the same time). That’s why the toaster oven vs gas oven debate is an important one.
When you need to decide between saving space and quality of cooking, it can be a tough one. I used to own a gas oven and I’m a recent convert to the world of toaster ovens. That’s why I thought I’d put a comparison together for people who aren’t sure about spending a lot of money on kitchenware. Hopefully, you’ll know which appliance is perfect for you.
When I buy kitchen appliances, I tend to look for a couple of things to make sure I get the best device home: cooking times, the accuracy of cooking, energy efficiency, and general health and safety. By looking at these areas, I’ve made the decision that toaster ovens are better if you can only afford to buy one.
Table of contents
What is the difference between a toaster oven and a gas oven?
Does a gas oven cook faster than a toaster oven?
Does a gas oven cook more accurately than a toaster oven?
Is a gas oven more energy efficient than a toaster oven?
Which is safer? Toaster oven vs gas oven
Conclusion
What is the difference between a toaster oven and a gas oven?
If you’ve ever seen a toaster oven, you will know that it is very different from a gas oven. Not only is it far smaller, but they are designed to be put on a kitchen worktop. They make for perfect cooking appliances that you can use on any work surface and without having to worry about kitchen space.
Inside, they have a grill style shelf which means you can cook in the same way you would use a gas oven, but they use a solid element (generally underneath the grill) whereas gas ovens may have elements or fires that burn inside the cooking cavity.
Similarly, you should know what a gas oven looks like.
They obviously take up a lot of space in a kitchen, mostly due to their large cooking cavities. Ovens are around 30 inches deep and 36 inches wide. As you also need to open the door to put food in or take food out, this means that an oven may take up a very large proportion of the space you have in your kitchen.
The other key difference is that a gas oven uses gas to power it. This means that you will need to have it hooked up to the gas supply and use gas to cook. Unlike a gas oven, a toaster oven uses electricity to cook. It can be as simple as plugging into the main’s electricity and turning your device on.
Does a gas oven cook faster than a toaster oven?
Gas cookers are a bit faster, especially for larger dishes. As they have a large cooking cavity, they do need a bit longer to preheat. This means you will have to wait slightly longer to get your cooking started. However, they are usually much more powerful and can bring larger dishes up to the appropriate temperature quicker.
Toaster ovens, on the other hand, are quicker to start up. They take between 10 and 15 minutes to reach optimum temperature, as opposed to over 20 minutes which are necessary for gas ovens. However, you are going to need longer to make sure that your food is cooked through.
Although this sounds like a clear win for the gas oven, toaster ovens don’t require much longer to finish up a dish. I found that my toaster oven took only 10 minutes longer to cook a small chicken than my old gas oven would have needed. This means that it is much closer than it seems and the toaster oven is just as capable of cooking dishes which you can fit in.
Does a gas oven cook more accurately than a toaster oven?
This is a dead heat. I don’t think that either the gas oven or the toaster oven is better than the other for cooking accurately. This really depends on what kind of oven you own.
I will say that my toaster oven can crisp up and evenly cook a chicken just as well as my gas oven was able to. I am very happy to say that I can roast meat and get juicy and crispy food from my kitchen top appliance.
Is a gas oven more energy efficient than a toaster oven?
No, and this is where the toaster oven wins easily. Gas ovens are some of the worst kitchen appliances for environmentally friendly users today. They take up a large amount of energy and use fossil fuel in the form of gas to heat the cooking cavity.
This means that if you are someone who is concerned with the way we treat the planet, you need to choose a toaster oven. A toaster oven uses between 1200 and 1700 watts per hour of cooking, which beats out most other devices that can perform the same function. Compare this to the 2000 to 2200 watts per hour that gas ovens use and you can see which is better for our planet.
More than that, toaster ovens are much better for cooking smaller dishes. If you need to cook for one or two, you may only want to use a little bit of energy to finish your tea. As your toaster oven only needs to heat up a smaller cavity, this means you can use less energy heating the device.
Which is safer? Toaster oven vs gas oven
Toaster ovens and gas ovens are both safe appliances, but toaster ovens have more stories of breakages. As they have thin glass fronts, the heat inside can cause the glass to crack. This means that improper use or poor care can lead to dangerous glass being shattered in your kitchen.
However, a gas oven is more dangerous as they can become extremely hot extremely quickly and this can turn into a real health hazard. As they are also larger, there more of a possibility someone getting a burn from the inside or the hot glass.
I have to say that I don’t believe that either device is dangerous at all. But improper use with a gas oven can lead to dangerous situations which are difficult with a toaster oven.
Conclusion
For me, the toaster oven is a clear winner. They cook just as well as a conventional gas oven, but they are also much more energy efficient. You don’t need to worry about the accuracy or power of a toaster oven thanks to the excellent design of toaster ovens.
If you are short on money and need to make the choice, buy a toaster oven. They are better for the planet and your wallet. Spending more money on gas and electricity to power the gas oven will cost you more than the toaster oven will cost you. That, together with quality of cooking and being planet-friendly, makes the toaster oven my #1 pick.