Black & Decker Convection oven (6-slice / fits 9-inch pizza)

Why this compact convection oven earned a spot on my counter

Counter space in my kitchen is hard-won, so anything that lives there has to prove its worth quickly. I brought in this Black & Decker toaster oven to handle weeknight toast, small bakes, and quick broils without firing up my full-size range. After several weeks of daily use—toast, frozen snacks, a couple of 9-inch pizzas, veggies under the broiler, even a small batch of cookies—I’ve got a clear sense of what it does well and where it compromises.

Design and build

The unit is a straightforward, steel-bodied toaster oven with a silver finish and three analog knobs (function, temperature, and timer). It ships with a lightweight bake pan and a broil rack that nest together, plus a removable crumb tray. The footprint is modest: roughly 18.3 inches wide, 13.2 inches deep, and 12 inches tall, and at about 12 pounds it’s easy to move for cleaning.

The door opens smoothly and the rack slides adequately, though the included rack and pan feel light-duty. They’ve held up so far, but they flex if heavily loaded—fine for pizza and toast, less ideal for dense casseroles. Fit and finish are in line with the price: no frills, a clean look, and clear markings on the knobs.

One thing you won’t find is an interior light. I missed that more than I expected, especially when broiling or checking toast color without opening the door.

Capacity: the six-slice sweet spot

Inside, you can fit six slices of sandwich bread or a 9-inch pizza, which covers most daily tasks for singles, couples, and small families. Taller items (like a split chicken breast) fit, but if you’re hoping to roast a whole chicken or bake a 9x13 pan, this isn’t the tool for that. For what it’s designed to do, the capacity is practical and efficient.

Controls and ease of use

Simplicity is the theme. The temperature dial runs up to 450°F, the function dial toggles between off/bake/broil/toast, and the 30-minute timer includes a stay-on option for longer bakes. It’s very “set-and-go,” with a mechanical tick and a bell at the end.

A few notes from daily use:
- The mechanical timer works fine but isn’t graceful to cancel mid-cycle; you have to rotate back to off with a bit of resistance. If you’re used to a digital cancel button, this feels old-school.
- The stay-on function is useful for a batch of vegetables or a longer bake, but remember there’s no auto shutoff in that mode—set your own timer for safety.
- The function knob’s icons are small but legible; after a couple of uses, I wasn’t thinking about them anymore.

Heating performance and toast tests

Convection in a compact oven is a real advantage: the fan circulates hot air so food cooks a touch faster and browns more evenly than in a purely radiant toaster oven. In my testing:

• Toast: Four slices on the middle rack, “medium” on the timer, yielded café-style toast—crisp on top with a tender underside—in around 4–5 minutes after a brief preheat. For more uniform top-and-bottom browning, the lower rack helped, but the top elements naturally do most of the crisping. The toast shade was consistent across slices, with a mild hot spot near the rear; rotating the rack once during longer cycles evens it out.
• Frozen items: Nuggets and fries came out nicely crisped with convection bake, typically a few minutes faster than package instructions suggested for a full-size oven. I had the best results setting the temperature 25°F lower than box directions and checking early.
• Pizza: A 9-inch thin crust at 425°F took about 10 minutes to hit a good bubbliness and browned edges. For thicker crusts, I moved the rack down one slot and extended bake time by 2–3 minutes to avoid over-browning the cheese.

As with many compact ovens, temperature accuracy isn’t perfect. Using an oven thermometer, I found it ran about 15–25°F hot once fully warmed. A five-minute preheat helped stabilize the temperature. It’s not a precision baking instrument, but for daily tasks, it performs predictably once you learn its quirks.

Broiling and small bakes

Under the broiler, asparagus tossed with oil and salt blistered quickly on the top rack—about 6–8 minutes—with pleasantly charred tips. For breaded fish, I used the middle rack to avoid scorching and finished with a quick top-rack broil for color.

Cookies were a pleasant surprise. On the included pan (lined with parchment), a half-batch baked evenly at a dialed-back 325–330°F. The convection air circulates well in this small space; rotating halfway through helps with the rear hot spot.

The included bake pan and broil rack are serviceable. If you plan to bake frequently, a sturdier 8x10 or quarter-sheet pan will improve browning and resist warping.

Noise, heat, and safety considerations

A few realities to expect:
- Fan and ticking: The convection fan hums audibly, and the mechanical timer ticks. There’s also a click as the heating elements cycle. It’s not intrusive in a typical kitchen, but it’s not whisper-quiet either. If noise sensitivity is a concern, a digital, non-ticking model may suit you better.
- Exterior heat: The sides and door glass get hot, particularly on longer bakes or at 450°F. Give the oven a few inches of clearance and avoid storing anything on top while in use.
- Glass care: Like any tempered glass door, avoid splashing or wiping the hot glass with cold liquids and inspect for chips. That’s standard practice for toaster ovens and helps reduce the chance of thermal stress.

Cleaning and maintenance

Cleanup is easy. The removable crumb tray catches most debris and slides out for a quick wipe. The interior wipes clean with a damp cloth once cooled; avoid abrasive pads that can scratch the finish. The silver exterior hides fingerprints reasonably well. I recommend lining the bake pan with parchment for anything sugary or cheesy to keep mess down, and giving the door glass a periodic vinegar-water clean to prevent haze.

What could be better

• Timer ergonomics: A dedicated cancel button or a smoother return-to-off would make mid-cycle stopping more intuitive. The 30-minute limit is fine for toast and quick bakes, but you’ll rely on stay-on for longer cooking.
• Precision: The oven runs a touch hot. Not a dealbreaker—once you know to preheat and adjust by ~25°F, results are consistent—but precision bakers may prefer a higher-end unit.
• Interior light: I missed it. Being able to check browning without opening the door would reduce heat loss and guesswork.
• Accessories: The included rack and pan work, but upgrading to a heavier pan improves performance and durability.

Who it’s for

This toaster oven is a strong fit if you:
- Want a compact, affordable convection oven for toast, frozen snacks, small pizzas, and quick broils
- Prefer simple, analog controls over digital screens and menus
- Are okay with a bit of fan hum and a ticking timer
- Have a small household or need a secondary oven for sides

It’s less ideal if you:
- Need whisper-quiet operation or digital push-button convenience
- Bake larger items or rely on precise temperatures for delicate recipes
- Want an interior light and premium accessories out of the box

Final take and recommendation

After living with it, I appreciate this Black & Decker toaster oven for what it is: a compact, no-nonsense convection workhorse that handles everyday tasks quickly and reliably. It toasts well, it crisps frozen foods better than non-convection models, and it bakes small batches without heating up the whole kitchen. The trade-offs—mechanical timer quirks, modest accessories, and some fan/timer noise—are reasonable at this size and price point.

I recommend it for budget-minded cooks who value simplicity and solid convection performance in a small footprint. If you need quieter operation or digital precision, look to a higher-end model; otherwise, this is an easy appliance to live with and a worthwhile upgrade over basic toaster-only options.