Black & Decker Countertop Toaster Oven

I cleared a corner of my counter for a compact toaster oven and have been using this Black & Decker toaster oven for everyday tasks—toast, small bakes, and quick broils. It’s a straightforward tool with just enough flexibility to replace a pop-up toaster and take on light oven duty without demanding a lot of space or attention.

Design and build

This is a simple, utilitarian toaster oven with a glass door you can actually see through while cooking. The interior’s curved back adds a bit of capacity without bloating the footprint, and the dual rack positions make the small space more versatile than it looks. According to my tape measure and the spec sheet, it’s roughly 15 inches tall, 18.9 inches wide, and 12.4 inches deep, and about 9 pounds. It’s not tiny, but it’s easy to slide around and light enough to stash in a pantry if you only bring it out on weekends.

The control layout is analog: a mechanical 30-minute timer, a mode selector (Bake, Broil, Bagel, Toast, Keep Warm), and a simple toast shade control integrated into the timer. There’s also a stay-on option for toasting, which is useful in limited situations but requires mindful use. No digital displays or presets here—just knobs that do what they say.

Build quality is solid for a budget-friendly appliance. The door opens smoothly and seats well, the rack tracks are straight, and the crumb tray slides in and out without fuss. The included baking pan is thin but perfectly serviceable for reheating and quick bakes. The broiling rack works as expected and doubles as a stand-off when you need food closer to the top elements.

Capacity and layout

Capacity is where the curved interior earns its keep. Four slices of sandwich bread fit comfortably on the rack. A “medium-size” pizza—think up to about 12 inches if the crust isn’t overly raised—can be accommodated thanks to the bow in the back panel. I’ve used it for flatbreads and frozen pizzas without needing to trim or contort them.

The two rack positions matter. The lower rack is the home base for baking and toasting when you want more even heat exposure top-to-bottom. The upper rack is for broiling or finishing the top of a casserole. In a space this small, a single slot would have been limiting; the dual positions give you actual control.

Setup and controls

There’s no learning curve here. Plug it in, choose the function, set the timer. For Bake and Keep Warm, I use an external oven thermometer inside the cavity when I need a more specific temperature feel, since there’s no numeric thermostat dial. That may sound fussy, but for most everyday uses—toast, bagels, reheating leftovers—you don’t need it. The analog timer ticks audibly and gives a clear ding at the end.

One quirk: the 30-minute timer can be short for longer bakes. If I’m doing a tray of brownies or a small roast of vegetables, I’ll use the stay-on toast setting and my own kitchen timer for anything over half an hour. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a limitation worth noting if you plan to bake beyond quick projects.

Toasting performance

This is a very competent toaster. Four slices brown evenly when arranged in a grid, with only mild edge-to-center variation—nothing dramatic. The Bagel mode amps up top heat to focus browning on the cut side; it produces the proper contrast of crisp top and warm, just-set bottom without desiccating the crumb. I found the toast shade to be consistent from batch to batch once I settled on a timing sweet spot for my bread.

Because the elements are close, I do rotate larger items once midway if I’m chasing perfectly even color, but for everyday toast, I let it run and accept a small gradient—well within expectations for this category.

Baking and reheating

For baking, think “small oven, fast results.” The interior heats quickly simply because there’s less air mass to warm up. Cookies, puff pastry bites, garlic bread, and roasted vegetables all come out nicely when you use the lower rack and avoid overcrowding. The included pan is fine for reheating pizza slices, potato wedges, or a single chicken breast. I prefer a small, heavier sheet pan for more even browning, but the supplied tray gets the job done.

Reheating leftovers is a strong use case. Slices of pizza regain crisp bottoms and lively cheese without the sogginess you get from a microwave. Roast chicken skin re-crisps; fries regain some snap. Keep Warm does what it promises without continuing to cook the food, which is handy when dinner timing gets elastic.

Broiling

Broiling is appropriately aggressive. On the top rack, the elements have enough punch to brown cheese, toast bread crumbs, or finish a piece of salmon. For thicker cuts or anything with a sugary glaze, I position the rack on the lower slot to avoid scorching and give the heat a little more distance. You’ll want to keep the door closed and your eyes on the food; broilers can go from perfect to too dark quickly in a compact space.

Heat distribution and hot spots

This is not a convection oven, and it behaves like a traditional element-based toaster oven. Heat is fairly even on the lower rack, with a touch more intensity toward the rear corners. I’ve made it a habit to rotate pans 180 degrees halfway through longer bakes. With quick toasts or bagels, I don’t bother. If you plan to bake frequently, be mindful of pan size, material, and spacing—small choices make noticeable differences in a compact cavity.

Noise, cleaning, and day-to-day use

The unit is quiet; there’s the light tick of the timer and the faint hum of heat, but no fan whir. The crumb tray is removable from the bottom and makes cleanup much easier. I empty it every few uses and give it a wipe. Spills on the tray or included pan wipe clean with warm soapy water. I avoid abrasive pads on the interior walls; a damp cloth after the unit cools is usually enough.

The glass door is genuinely helpful. Being able to see browning progress without opening the door avoids heat loss and overcorrections. The exterior does get hot, as all toaster ovens do, so give it breathing room and avoid parking plastic utensil crocks right next to the side walls.

What could be better

• The 30-minute timer is limiting if you like longer bakes. The stay-on option is a workaround, but it’s not as set-and-forget as a longer dedicated bake timer.
• No numeric temperature control. For most uses, the mode selector is fine, but bakers who want exact temperatures may wish for more specificity or a built-in thermostat display.
• The included pan is thin. It works but doesn’t deliver the same browning as a heavier sheet; plan to upgrade if you bake often.

None of these are surprises at this price and size, but they’re real trade-offs to consider.

Who it’s for

If you want a reliable, compact countertop oven to handle toast, bagels, small bakes, broiling, and daily reheats without the overhead of a full-size oven, this is a great fit. It’s ideal in apartments, dorm-style setups with a proper kitchen, offices with a break area, or as a second oven for busy cooks who need to keep sides warm while the main oven is busy.

If you’re looking for precision baking, larger capacity, or convection crisping, you’ll want to step up to a model with a fan, digital controls, and a longer timer.

Recommendation

I recommend this Black & Decker toaster oven for anyone who needs an uncomplicated, compact workhorse for everyday cooking basics. It toasts evenly, handles small bakes and broils with confidence, and its curved interior and dual rack positions make the most of its footprint. The 30-minute timer and lack of numeric temperature control are its main limitations, but they’re reasonable compromises at this size. If your priority is convenience, predictable results, and a tidy presence on the counter, this toaster oven delivers.