Our recommendations are made independently through Research & Testing. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links.
Hamilton Beach 31401 Countertop vs Breville BOV450XL Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison
Hamilton Beach 31401 vs Beville BOV450XL Toaster Oven. Two small toaster ovens with vastly different approaches, one is basic and the other is extra.
Hamilton Beach 31401
Tested Using Methodology v1.0Breville BOV450XL
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Overall Verdict
The battle between the Hamilton Beach 31401 4-Slice Toaster Oven and the Breville BOV450XL Mini Smart Toaster Oven was as one-sided as it could be, with the latter being the winner. At around double the price, the Breville—our best-to-buy small toaster oven—simply had higher scores in every aspect.
When toasting bread and baking pizza, the Hamilton actually managed to keep up with the Breville. However, the Hamilton quickly lost all of its edges when it came to roasting a whole chicken and most of all, baking french fries where it undercooked the bird.
We attributed these weak performances to the Hamilton having only two quartz heating elements and a lower power output of 1200 W. In comparison, the Breville had four quartz heating elements and 1800 W of power.
Design-wise, the Hamilton had nothing more than a standard design. Meanwhile, the Breville had a non-stick interior coating, a slide-out crumb tray, and a control panel with many more features compared to the Hamilton. In all honesty, however, the Breville’s extra cooking functions and toggles weren’t that much more useful than the basic Hamilton.
Overall, if you want the best performances out of a small unit, go for the Breville BOV450XL. If your budget is tight, on the other hand, the Hamilton can still do the job.
Pros & Cons
- Lightweight and small size
- Easy-to-clean stainless steel exterior
- Cool-touch door handle
- Simple control knobs
- Stay-on feature
- Quartz heating elements have safeguards
- Energy-saving
- Unique feature buttons
- Non-stick interior
- High-contrast digital display
- Sturdy construction
- Cool-touch door handle
- Easy-to-clean stainless steel exterior
- Convenient slide-out crumb tray
- No convection fan
- No internal lighting
- No safety mechanism for the door
- No interior lighting
- No convection fan
- Inconsistent heating elements
Key Specs
Where to Buy
*You help support HealthyKitchen101's product testing and reviews by purchasing from our retail partners.
Analysis and Test Results
Performance
Toast
Pizza
Whole Roasted Chicken
Baked French Fries
Design
In the Box
Exterior
Control Panel
Cooking Functions
Interior
Power Cord
Accessories
Build Quality
Capacity
Usability
User Control
Ease of Use
Cleanability
Behind the Comparison
Alan Nguyen is a writer and product reviewer at HealthyKitchen101. His major in English language teaching taught him to present concise information. In addition to his cooking hobby, he values the practical aspects of household appliances.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
Tuyet Pham is an award-winning Saigonese chef passionate about delicious and healthful foods. At HealthyKitchen101, she develops recipes and collaborates with our Research, Testing, and Review lab to evaluate the performance of cooking appliances. Her assessments add a strong authoritative voice to our product scoring process.
Nguyen Ntk is a graphic designer, photographer, and videographer whose philosophy centers around respecting and celebrating the beauty of reality. Through his lenses, Nguyen strives to capture the true essence of objects and events, showcasing and highlighting authentic features without distortion or exaggeration.
