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Breville BOV450XL vs Toshiba AC25CEW-BS Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)6.8/10
- Design (25%)6.4/10
- Usability (25%)6.2/10
- Performance (50%)7.7/10
- Design (25%)7.5/10
- Usability (25%)6.8/10
Although the Breville BOV450XL Mini Smart Toaster Oven was our best small unit, it just paled in comparison to the Toshiba AC25CEW-BS Toaster Oven—our best value unit. It doesn’t help the Breville that it has a higher price but a smaller size and less practical features than the Toshiba.
Interestingly, the Breville actually did better in toasting bread and baking french fries, both of which required the maxim 450°F, thanks to its higher power draw of 1800 W. However, the deciding differences lay in the Toshiba’s ability to excel at baking pizza thanks to the oven's nichrome heating elements and a convection system. Moreover, its rotisserie kit helped the Toshiba an extra edge in roasting whole chickens.
Both units have similar levels of build quality, but the Breville stands out slightly with its non-stick interior coating that makes cleaning easier than the Toshiba. They both have straightforward user control and not any note-worthy convenience features.
The Toshiba, overall, offers more value all aspects, including performance, design, and usability. Nonetheless, the Breville is still a decent unit that takes up little space in your kitchen.
Breville Mini Smart Toaster Oven Performance
- Toast (40%)7.8/10
- Pizza (25%)5.5/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)6.6/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)6.5/10
- Toast (40%)7.2/10
- Pizza (25%)9.1/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)7.8/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)6.1/10
Toast
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: 4/7
- Cooking Time: 3m
- Second Batch: 2m 36s
- Convection: No
After following our Toast test procedures, we determined that this oven’s toasting level 4—3 minutes on the timer—was the best option, giving it a score of 7.9/10. At level 3, the bread was very lightly toasted and at 5 was darker than ideal and had a more uneven surface color.
At toast level 4, the Breville produced 4 pieces with mottled light golden to golden-brown color which looked quite appetizing. The color was not evenly distributed due to the oven’s lack of a convection system, though, so we gave it an 8/10.
The first batch of toast was nicely crispy outside while still soft and moist inside, deserving an 8/10 score for flavor. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, determined they would go well with pretty much anything including an omelet, eggs benedict, and particularly sandwiches.
Even though the oven automatically adjusted the timer to 2 minutes 36 seconds, the color of the second batch was a bit darker. Also, the second batch was crispier than the first which made it more suitable for soup.
Overall, it’s a 7.5/10 for consecutive usability. Remember to reduce the heat by one level if you want the same result. Thanks to its high wattage, this oven has the fastest cooking time for toast among the toaster ovens we’ve tested thus far.
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: 4/6
- Cooking Time: 3m 55s
- Second Batch: 3m 55s
- Convection: No
Following the procedures of our Toast test, we determined that level 4—3 minutes 55 seconds on the timer—was the best option with the score of 7.3/10. The level 3 and 5, in addition to being lighter and darker than ideal respectively, had very uneven surface color.
The toast level 4 of the Toshiba produced four pieces with a light golden brown color but a few areas too light. Due to not having the convection fan running, the color was about 80% even and we could only give it an 8/10.
The first batch of toast was nicely crispy while soft and moist inside so we gave it a 7.5/10 for taste. Our head chef Tuyet Pham determined that it would be great to go with omelet and eggs benedict, as well as good for sandwiches. Although it may not be particularly good for soup, the second batch was.
The second batch was browner and crispier while still being moist so it got a 6.5/10. If you want the second batch to be the same as the first, remember to lower it by one level.
Pizza
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 450°F
- Cooking Time: 10m 30s
- Convection: No
The Breville oven did not agree with the 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza we tried to bake. We gave it a score of only 5.5/10.
This oven took 10m 30s to bake the pizza which was only slightly longer than the recommended 10 minutes on the label. However, 10 minutes was the time limit of our Pizza test, so it failed the cooking time section.
The crust had a nice golden color but was soft and dry—a possible consequence of the long cooking time. Therefore, we could only give it a 7/10.
The toppings were mostly dry with uneven color. Plus, the cheese wasn’t well melted, so it received a 6.5/10.
After tasting, our chef gave the pizza a 7/10.
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 450°F
- Cooking Time: 5m 15s
- Convection: Yes
The Toshiba baked a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza evenly throughout in terms of doneness and color earning it a 9.1/10.
Even though the Pizza preset of the oven is 450°F for 10 minutes, it only took 5m15s to cook. It was really fast compared to the recommended 10 minutes on the label. In comparison to other toaster ovens in our Pizza test, it scored a 9.3/10.
The crust wasn’t dry and turned out a beautiful golden brown with some nicely charred spots. It deserved a 9.5/10. The cheese was also nicely melted and caramelized so it got a 9/10. After tasting, our chef gave the pizza an 8.7/10.
Whole Roasted Chicken
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 350°F
- Cooking Time: 1h 5m
- Convection: No
The Breville could barely fit the 3 lb chicken for our Whole Roasted Chicken test and scored a 6.9/10. The chicken grazed the safety guards that protect the upper heating elements while we were putting it in. During the roasting, quite a bit of grease splashed inside the oven and caused the heating elements to smoke a little.
The oven took 1h 5m to cook the chicken which was just 5 minutes longer than what we consider standard, so it got a 7.5/10.
After roasting, the skin had a quite even coloring although a bit too light, and remained soft. We awarded it a 7/10. In addition, the skin on the back got stuck to the baking pan during roasting.
The chicken’s internal temperature was 168-171°F which was very close to the USDA recommendation. However, there were a few pink spots near the bone, so we gave it a 7/10.
Even though the meat was juicy, the unappetizing chicken skin was enough that our chef lowered the score to 6.5/10 for taste.
- Function: Rotisserie
- Temperature: 350°F
- Cooking Time: 1h
- Convection: No
Even though we chose a 3 lb chicken—in accordance with our Whole Roasted Chicken test—and despite the 4-pound claim on the label, it barely fit. In addition, there wasn’t enough space below to use the drip pan so cleaning up was a hassle.
Luckily, the fat from the chicken didn’t splatter too much inside the oven. Overall, the Toshiba scored a 7.8/10 for this test.
It took the oven 1 hour, the standard amount of time, to roast the chicken to golden brown so we gave it an 8/10.
The smooth rotation caramelized the chicken skin to a superb color while maintaining the juiciness of the meat. However, the skin wasn’t really crispy without convection so we only gave a 7/10.
The rotation also allowed the whole chicken to be thoroughly cooked in 1 hour with no pink spots. The internal temperature, however, was a bit too high at 207°F compared to the USDA recommended 165°F-180°F, so it got a 7.8/10.
Even though the chicken was cooked to slightly well-done, the meat was still moist and tender so our chef gave it an 8 for taste.
Baked French Fries
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 400°F.
- Cooking Time: 25 m
- Convection: No
The Breville did an acceptable job of baking 12 oz of french fries, scoring a 6.5/10.
It took 25 minutes, the limit of our Baked French Fries test, so this oven got a 5/10.
Except for a few golden pieces, the fries mostly lacked color. They only deserved a score of 7/10.
The fries had a variety of textures, none of which were good. The golden fries were dry and yet only slightly crispy. Also, the ones that lacked color were really soft, so it was only a 6.5/10.
Our chef gave the fries a 7/10 for taste.
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 400°F
- Cooking Time: 20m
- Convection: Yes
The Toshiba did an acceptable job of baking 12 oz of french fries earning a 6.1/10.
Compared to other ovens in our Baked French Fries test, we had to cook the fries for 20 minutes so we could only give it a 5/10. Being baked on a tray and not in an air fryer basket, the fries lacked color resulting in a 6/10.
The fries only crisped up a little on the outside and were considerably moist inside so it’s another 6/10. Our chef gave the resulting fries a 6.7/10 for taste.
Breville BOV450XL Design
- Exterior (20%)6.0/10
- Interior (30%)4.0/10
- Build Quality (50%)8.0/10
- Exterior (20%)8.0/10
- Interior (30%)6.5/10
- Build Quality (50%)8.0/10
In the Breville BOV450XL Mini Smart Toaster Oven Box
- Model: BOV450XL
- Warranty: 1-year limited
- User Manual
- Baking Rack
- Baking Pan
On the packaging were some illustrations and basic information, and the oven was couched nicely between two foam pads. Breville’s user manual explains in detail how each oven function works.
The default accessories, a baking rack and baking pan, were packaged in a fitted carton box. You can opt to buy a separate 11” pizza pan and/or a broiling rack to cover more cooking methods.
- Model: L series - AC25CEW-BS
- Warranty: 1 year (US only)
- User Manual
- Baking Rack
- Baking Pan
- Rack Clamp
- Removable Crumb Tray
- Rotisserie Kit and Lifter
The packaging keeps all the 5 accessories firmly in place while being easy to unbox and convenient to repack. Besides showing some basic information, it also gives instructions on how to unbox properly.
Exterior
- Weight:10.0 lbs (4.5 kg)
- Length:15.7" (40.0 cm)
- Width:14.2" (36.0 cm)
- Height:8.9" (22.5 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Silver
- Door Handle:cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:Yes
- Crumb Tray:Slide-out
The small size didn’t stop Breville from designing a sturdy stainless steel outer shell. The shape of the back buffers makes it easy to wrap the power cord around them once things have cooled.
Also, the tray-level indicators on the glass door and the slide-out crumb tray are always nice touches. However, the oven’s exterior doesn’t provide good grip points to carry the oven.
We measured the oven’s footprint to be 15.74" x 14.17" x 8.86" which was slightly different in terms of height from the manufacturer’s 16.1" x 14.2" x 10.4".
- Weight:16.2 oz (460 g)
- Length:19.0" (48.2 cm)
- Width:15.6" (39.6 cm)
- Height:10.8" (27.4 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Black
- Door Handle:cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:Yes
- Crumb Tray:Removable
One of the strongest points of the Toshiba AC25CEW-BS Toaster Oven is plenty of air ventilation — on two sides, the back, the bottom, and the top. It also has strong bottom stands and two buffers on the back to prevent the oven from being too close to the wall.
This was one of the few ovens where our measurements and the manufacturer’s completely coincided at 18.98" x 15.59" x 10.78". We do need to point out that we could see the internal circuits through the ventilation holes although we’re not sure if it affects the oven.
Control Panel
- Type:LCD display + 1 control dial + 8 buttons
- Temperature:120°F - 450°F
- Timer:1 minute - 2 hours
- Indicator Light:No
- Status Bar:No
- Light Toggle:No
- Convection Toggle:No
- Rotation Toggle:No
- Automatic Preheat:Yes
- Audio Cues:No
The control panel consists of 1 control knob for 8 functions and 4 buttons to set the time, temperature, and/or toasting mode. The digital display and the Start/Cancel button both shine blue when the oven’s plugged in and red when it’s cooking.
Beyond the standard stuff, you’ll find 3 unique buttons: Temperature Conversion (°F-°C), Frozen Foods, and A Bit More. The latter adds a specific amount of time depending on the cooking function.
The LCD screen will display ‘E01’ or ‘E02’ when there is a non-resettable issue with the appliance. When this happens, immediately unplug the cord from the wall outlet and call the Breville Customer Service Center.
The ‘E03’ shows up when the oven temperature exceeds its design limit. Should this occur, unplug your oven, allow it to cool for 15 minutes, then plug it back in.
The ‘E04’ appears when the room temperature is below the set minimum. If this happens, unplug the oven and move it to a warmer area.
- Type:LCD display + 3 control knobs + Stop/Start button
- Temperature:150°F - 450°F timer
- Timer:1 minute - 2 hours
- Indicator Light:No
- Status Bar:No
- Light Toggle:No
- Convection Toggle:No
- Rotation Toggle:No
- Automatic Preheat:No
- Audio Cues:No
The control panel consists of an LCD digital display, 3 control knobs for functions, temperature, time, and the stop/start button. The glossy plastic knobs turn smoothly and seem durable.
Cooking Functions of the Breville BOV450XL Smart Toaster Oven
- Toast (7 levels, 4 slices maximum)
- Bagel (7 levels, 4 slices maximum)
- Bake (1h 30m maximum)
- Broil (High and Low levels, 20 minutes maximum)
- Pizza (55 minutes maximum)
- Roast (1h 30m maximum)
- Cookies (55 minutes maximum)
- Reheat (370°F maximum)
For safety reasons, all cooking functions have a predetermined timer limit after which the oven stops cooking. If you want to continue cooking, simply operate the oven in standard mode. The High setting of the Broil function does the job faster than Low and you’ll need to experiment with it to learn how quickly it cooks.
- Toast (level 1-6, without convection)
- Bake (150°F - 450°F, without convection)
- Broil (150°F - 350°F, without convection)
- Pizza (150°F - 450°F, with convection)
- Cookies (150°F - 450°F, with convection)
- Defrost (100°F - 180°F, without convection)
- Reheat (150°F - 450°F, with convection)
- Rotisserie (150°F - 350°F, without convection)
- Keep warm (100°F - 180°F, without convection)
- Convection (150°F - 450°F)
One may argue that 10 cooking functions are too many but they are helpful for beginners in the kitchen. The Rotisserie and the Keep Warm functions are the two that stand out from the rest.
Interior
- Heating Elements:4 quartz
- Convection Fan:No
- Lighting:No
- Tray Levels:3
- Rotisserie:No
- Safety Hook:No
The Breville’s interior has a non-stick coating, 4 heating elements, and 3 tray levels (quite rare for its size). However, it has no internal lighting or convection system.
The oven uses 4 quartz heating elements, each with its own safety guard to prevent direct contact with baking pans and food. Unlike the more common nichrome style, these don’t heat the air in the oven, but rather radiate the infrared heat directly to the food or pan.
Overall, they produce more heat and cool down faster than nichrome. In addition, they’re easier to clean and are more energy-efficient but not as durable. However, if grease splashes onto the heating elements while cooking, it’ll leave permanent stains.
- Heating Elements:4 nichrome
- Convection Fan:Yes
- Lighting:No
- Tray Levels:3
- Rotisserie:Yes
- Safety Hook:No
The Toshiba has 4 nichrome heating elements and 3 tray levels which are standard for its size. This oven has a convection system which is always a plus but it doesn’t have an interior light like many other units of the same size, e.g, the Breville BOV845BSSUSC. It received an extra point thanks to its rotisserie socket and bracket.
Capacity of the Breville Smart Toaster Oven
- Length:11.5" (29.2 cm)
- Width:11.0" (27.9 cm)
- Height:6.7" (17.0 cm)
The BOV450XL had enough space for four slices of toast, an 11-inch pizza, or barely a 3 lb whole chicken.
We measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be 13.86 liters compared to the manufacturer’s provided capacity of 12.74 liters. However, it could just be because we measured from the cooking chamber’s walls to walls whereas the manufacturer stopped before reaching the heating elements.
- Length:12.6" (32.0 cm)
- Width:12.2" (31.0 cm)
- Height:9.3" (23.5 cm)
True to the description, it can fit a 12-inch pizza. However, it can’t fit 6 slices of toast or a 4-pound chicken but is big enough for 4 slices of toast or a 3-pound chicken.
We measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be 23.3 liters which was a bit different from the manufacturer’s provided capacity of 25 liters. However, it could just be a difference in measuring standards.
Power Cord
- Length:40.9" (104.0 cm)
- Type:3-prong plug
- Power:1800 W
- Rated Output:110 V - 120 V ~ 60 Hz
The power cord is roughly 40.94"—plenty of length for household use—and can be wrapped around the back buffers for storage. The plug also has a nice little handle which makes it easier to grab.
- Length:15.7" (39.9 cm)
- Type:3-prong plug
- Power:1500
- Rated Output:120
The length of the power cord is roughly 15.7"—ideal for household use. It’s also long enough to wrap firmly around the two back buffers.
Accessories
- Length:11.5" (29.2 cm)
- Width:10.3" (26.3 cm)
- Height:0.3" (0.7 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The rack fits perfectly on the guide rails, which helps prevent accidents when placing your food in the oven.
- Length:12.6" (32.0 cm)
- Width:11.3" (28.7 cm)
- Height:NaN" (NaN cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The shape of the baking rack makes it easier to remove either with gloves or clamps.
Accessories
- Length:10.6" (27.0 cm)
- Width:10.6" (27.0 cm)
- Height:1.2" (3.0 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel with enamel coating
- Dishwasher Safe:Not advisable
Although the baking pan is a bit smaller than the rack, it still has more than enough space for a 3 lb chicken. Thus, it keeps most of the mess off the heating elements.
However, even with the enamel coating, the chicken skin still stuck to the pan during our roasting test. Also worth noting is that the dishwasher can damage this coating.
- Length:11.7" (29.8 cm)
- Width:9.4" (23.9 cm)
- Height:0.9" (2.4 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The baking pan has ridges and grooves which can give your food attractive roasting marks and catch the dripping better. However, it’s a little smaller than the oven capacity and has a coating but isn’t completely non-stick.
Build Quality
The Breville is well-constructed and durable with a high power rating of 1800 W. All of its parts fit nicely and work smoothly, especially the LCD display and the buttons.
Thanks to the good insulation of the casing, the oven gets hot to the touch only after cooking for a long period of time at high heat.
The Toshiba AC25CEW-BS is quite robust while still relatively light and small. It also has more air ventilation holes than a number of other toaster ovens including the Instant Omni Plus 18L and Cuisinart.
Breville Mini Toaster Oven Usability Review
- User Control (30%)8.0/10
- Ease of Use (50%)4.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)9.0/10
- User Control (30%)9.0/10
- Ease of Use (50%)5.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)8.0/10
User Control
The Temperature Conversion button is a nice touch for international users. The cooking time can be adjusted in increments of 1 minute and the temperature in increments of 5°F. For some reason, this differs from what the user manual states.
The manual says that the FROZEN FOODS button adds the right amount of additional time needed to defrost the target foods in the Toast, Bagel, Pizza, Cookies, and Bake functions. However, we didn’t find it very useful since cooking time depends heavily on the food quantity and personal preference.
The A BIT MORE button, where each press adds a pre-set amount of time to each function, has a similar problem. It only seemed useful when the oven was still cold and we wanted to skip the preheating phase.
The Toshiba has 10 functions to choose from. However, the convection fan isn’t applicable to all of them. Nonetheless, you can always choose Convection, then set the desired temperature and time. The temperature can be adjusted in 10°F increments.
The large and detailed timer from one minute to two hours is a strong point of this oven. It’s also specified by the minute.
Ease of Use
The Breville has an automatic preheating phase that lasts 1m 45s. Our tests saw it reaching around 180°F in that time. The temperature alert will sound when the oven reaches your selected temperature. Then, it will sound three times at the end of the cooking cycle.
It’s very easy to adjust cooking settings during use, especially compared to an analog unit like the Mueller MT-175. However, even though this oven doesn’t turn off upon opening the door, the door won’t stay partially open – it’s all or nothing.
According to the manufacturer, the Element iQ System’s smart algorithms focus power where and when it’s most needed, creating ideal cooking conditions every time. However, we didn’t notice a significant difference in performance when comparing it to other ovens of the same size/wattage.
If it’s not actively cooking, the oven will go into STANDBY mode after 10 minutes with no interaction. Although unplugging the oven resets your customized setting, Breville recommends doing so anyway after you finish using it.
The oven door has a heat-resistant handle and tray-level indicators on the glass. The casing has good heat insulation and only gets too hot to the touch at 450°F.
The Toshiba doesn’t have an automatic preheat phase like many other digital models, e.g., the Instant Omni Plus 18L. The digital display automatically turns off after a period of no interaction. After the oven finishes cooking, you will hear a very clear beep similar to when you’ve just plugged in.
There’s no audio cue when you’re adjusting the knobs. Furthermore, if you need to readjust the setting during cooking, you have to press stop and repeat all the inputs. The only thing you can adjust during cooking is the timer.
It’s hard to keep the door partially open and there’s no internal lighting. Also, this oven doesn’t turn off upon opening the door, unlike some others.
Although the accessories fit well, removing the rotisserie kit from the oven can be a little tricky even with the lifter. With a little practice, however, it’ll become much easier.
Cleanability
We cleaned the Breville in accordance with our toaster oven cleaning guide. Thanks to the stainless steel exterior and non-stick interior, it was very easy to clean. Removing crumbs was also easy thanks to the slide-out crumb tray, although we still had to tilt the oven to get the last of them out.
The upper heating elements got stained by smoke from splattered grease during our roasted chicken test. Fortunately, we had no problem removing the stains by brushing the elements with a paste of baking soda and water. We were also able to easily scrub the burnt chicken skin off of the baking pan.
We cleaned the Toshiba following our toaster oven cleaning guide. Thanks to its internal and external coating and lack of difficult nooks and crannies, cleaning was pretty straightforward. In addition, enough space has been left between the heating elements and internal walls to facilitate cleaning.
Roasting a whole chicken with the rotisserie kit left some difficult stains on the ceiling but a paste of baking soda and water did the trick. One minor inconvenience was that some crumbs still fell onto the internal floor and we had to pick them up anyway.