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Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4 Slices vs Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison

Alan Nguyen
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 19, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Apr 3, 2023
The front of a closed silver Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach with Roll Top Door Toaster Oven on a white background.
The front of a closed Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Dehydrator Air Fryer Rotisserie Toaster Oven on a white background.

Our Verdict

5.8
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    6.3/10
  • Design (25%)
    5.1/10
  • Usability (25%)
    5.5/10
8.4
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    8.0/10
  • Design (25%)
    9.4/10
  • Usability (25%)
    8.3/10

The fight between the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4 Slices Toaster Oven (31344DA) and the Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven (CO130-AO) is one-sided in every aspect. The larger Cosori not only has a much higher score but also excellent value for money, which is why it became our best-to-buy pick.

The Hamilton is simply a standard, small, analog toaster oven with average ratings. Meanwhile, the Cosori is an impeccable digital unit with more functionality, namely a well-designed automatic preheat phase, cooking presets, and extra toggle switches.

The Cosori also has more features including an interior light, a convection system, and four heating elements to accommodate its large cooking chamber. It delivers consistently outstanding cooking results compared to the Hamilton thanks to its strong power output and convection settings. Moreover, the unit has all the needed accessories for every cooking method it provides.

Adequate but With a Weakness

Hamilton Beach Easy-Reach Performance

Performance
6.3
Performance Scores
  • Toast (40%)6.7/10
  • Pizza (25%)6.6/10
  • Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)6.6/10
  • Baked French Fries (10%)3.6/10
8.0
Performance Scores
  • Toast (40%)7.6/10
  • Pizza (25%)7.6/10
  • Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)8.9/10
  • Baked French Fries (10%)8.1/10
6.7

Toast

7.6
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4 Slices Toaster Oven Toast Test
 Hamilton Beach easy reach 4 slices toaster Toast From left to right, 24 pieces of toast for the top and bottom of three toast levels including lighter, medium, and darker.
The top and bottom of the best four pieces of toast from the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven.
On the left are the top and bottom of four pieces of toast from the first batch, and on the right are from the second batch.
Taste: 6.8
50% * 6.8 = 3.4
Even Surface Color: 7
20% * 7 = 1.4
Consecutive Usability: 6.3
30% * 6.3 = 1.9
  • Function: Toast
  • Number Of Slices: 4
  • Toast Level: Medium
  • Cooking Time: 5m
  • Second Batch: 5m
  • Convection: No

To start off our Toast test, we placed four pieces of bread on the lower tray level and turned the time knob to the point just before the toast icon, which was around 4 minutes 5 seconds on the timer. The bread came out only lightly toasted on top.

Thus, we tried increasing the timer to 5 minutes and had a pretty good result. We then tried increasing the timer again to 7 minutes and 20 seconds just for good measure, but that almost burnt the toast.

With everything in mind, we decided 5 minutes of toasting would yield the best possible result and the final score was 6.7/10. It was quite tricky to get the exact toasting time due to the analog control knob so we used an external timer.

The top of the four pieces of toast had good golden-brown color in areas that were closest to the center of the oven, but was only lightly toasted in areas furthest away from the center of the oven. On the bottom, the lightly toasted areas were even larger, so we gave the toast a 7/10 for even surface color.

The toast was a bit too crispy in the golden-brown areas and a little dry in the lighter areas, so we could only give it a 6.8/10 for taste. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, determined it would go well with omelets and eggs benedict, but not sandwiches and soups.

The second batch came out brown on both the top and the bottom and crispy throughout, which could be more suitable for soup than the first batch. However, there were still lighter areas on both sides and the bottom even had some burnt ends.

Thus, we could only give the oven a 6.3/10 for consecutive usability. If you want the second batch to be the same as the first, around four minutes on the timer should be enough.

Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven Toast test
Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven Toast From left to right, 24 pieces of toast for the top and bottom of three toast levels including lighter, medium, and darker.
The top and bottom of the best four pieces of toast from the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Dehydrator Air Fryer Toaster Oven.
On the left are the top and bottom of four pieces of toast from the first batch, and on the right are from the second batch.
Taste: 8
50% * 8 = 4.0
Even Surface Color: 8
20% * 8 = 1.6
Consecutive Usability: 6.8
30% * 6.8 = 2.0
  • Function: Toast
  • Number Of Slices: 4
  • Toast Level: 2/7
  • Cooking Time: 5m 49s
  • Second Batch: 3m 50s
  • Convection: No

We started our Toast test with four pieces of white bread. We ran the toast function at level 3. The results were good, but the color was a bit too brown to be ideal. After examining the outcome on level 2, it was clear that was the best option, earning a score of 7.6/10 in total. We also tried toasting at level 1, which resulted in lightly toasted bread, for reference.

At level 2, which automatically set the timer for 5 minutes 49 seconds, the four pieces of toast mostly had a beautiful golden brown color. However, the existence of lighter areas, especially on the bottom side, kept it from being perfect. We considered it worthy of an 8/10 for even surface color.

The taste deserved another 8/10 thanks to the toast’s crispy surface and soft, moist interior. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, determined the toast would complement pretty much anything, including sandwiches, omelets, eggs benedict, and soup.

After the first batch of toast, we immediately placed the second batch in the oven. The toast level 2 program automatically reduced the time to 3 minutes 50 seconds to account for the last batch’s residual heat.

However, this seemed like too much of a reduction, since the toast came out mostly lacking in color. It wasn’t very crispy either, so we could only give the oven a 6.8/10 for consecutive usability.

6.6

Pizza

7.6
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4 Slices Toaster Oven Pizza Test
 Hamilton Beach easy reach 4 slices toaster PizzaA toaster oven baked 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza with cheese, onions, and green bell peppers on top inside a baking pan.
Two slices of oven baked 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza with cheese, onions, and green bell peppers on top of one another.
Two hands break apart a slice of pizza with cheese, meat, onions, and green bell peppers on top baked using a toaster oven.
Cooking Time: 9
20% * 9 = 1.8
Crust: 6
20% * 6 = 1.2
Toppings: 6
30% * 6 = 1.8
Taste: 6
30% * 6 = 1.8
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 450°F
  • Cooking Time: 6m
  • Convection: No

We used the Hamilton to bake a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza at 450°F for our Pizza test and the final score was 6.6/10. To our surprise, the oven took 6 minutes to bake the pizza, which was very fast and worthy of a 9/10 for cooking time.

Unfortunately, the crust showed the oven’s uneven heat distribution. The bottom right quarter of the crust almost became brown before the rest could turn an ideal golden-brown color. The crust was also mostly soft, so we could only give it a 6/10.

The same problem also showed in the toppings, giving the oven another 6/10. While the cheese was only slightly melty and most of the meat was not caramelized, some pieces of meat had some burnt ends.

With that said, our chef gave the pizza a final 6/10 after tasting it.

Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven Pizza test
Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven PizzaA toaster oven baked 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza with cheese, onions, and green bell peppers on top inside a baking pan.
Two slices of oven baked 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza with cheese, onions, and green bell peppers on top of one another.
Two hands break apart a slice of pizza with cheese, meat, onions, and green bell peppers on top baked using a toaster oven.
Cooking Time: 10
20% * 10 = 2.0
Crust: 7
20% * 7 = 1.4
Toppings: 7
30% * 7 = 2.1
Taste: 7
30% * 7 = 2.1
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 450°F
  • Cooking Time: 3m 30s
  • Convection: Yes

The Cosori’s ability to maintain a high temperature really shined in our Pizza test, garnering a score of 7.6/10.

With a high power output and powerful convection system, it only took 3 minutes 30 seconds to bake a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza placed on tray level 2. This was extremely fast and deserving of a 10/10, the same as the Cuisinart TOA-60 which has the current highest pizza score.

However, the short cooking time resulted in uneven heating in the pizza crust and toppings.

While the bottom right quarter of the crust was golden brown, the rest didn’t have much color. Only that well-cooked part was crispy while the rest was soft, so we gave the crust a 7/10.

The same happened to the toppings. The bottom right quarter had a lot of caramelization—to the point that the onions even charred—while the rest was only mildly caramelized. In addition, the cheese wasn’t very melty, so we gave the toppings a 7/10 as well.

Taste-wise, our chef said it would be better if it weren’t for the slight bitterness from the charred onions. She gave the pizza another 7/10.

6.6

Whole Roasted Chicken

8.9
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4 Slices Toaster Oven Whole Roasted Chicken Test
 Hamilton Beach easy reach 4 slices toaster Oven Whole Roasted ChickenA whole roasted chicken using the Hamilton Beach 31344DA backside up on an oven rack and baking pan on a white background.
A whole roasted chicken using the Hamilton Beach 31344DA belly up on an oven rack and baking pan on a white background.
A tray of whole toaster oven roasted chicken. The thermometer has two probes inside the chicken and displays 174°F and 183°F.
Eight pieces of a carved chicken including two carcass halves, two breasts, two wings, and two thighs on a baking pan.
Two hands pulling apart a roasted chicken thigh. In the white background is the rest of the roasted chicken on a baking pan.
Cooking Time: 6
20% * 6 = 1.2
Skin: 5
20% * 5 = 1.0
Doneness: 9.8
20% * 9.8 = 2.0
Taste: 6
40% * 6 = 2.4
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 350°F
  • Cooking Time: 1h 20m
  • Convection: No

The cooking chamber of the Hamilton technically didn’t have enough space for a 3 lb whole chicken as required in our Whole Roasted Chicken test. Thus, we had to place the chicken directly in front of the upper heating element, which led to a number of problems.

On the bright side, the result wasn’t too bad at 6.6/10 for a total score. If you choose to roast a whole chicken in this oven, we recommend flattening the chicken out, cutting it open, or cutting it into pieces.

The oven took 1 hour 20 minutes to roast the chicken, which was 20 minutes longer than the standard cooking time, so we gave it a 6/10.

Looking at the skin, the side that faced the door lacked color due to the lower temperature. In addition, the chicken grazed the upper heating element’s guard a number of times, which caused parts of the chicken to burn and led to the oven smoking during roasting as well as burnt bits on the guards afterward.

The silver lining in this was that the burnt areas actually had a nice golden-brown color. However, due to a lower power draw, the skin on the sides basically had no color. With everything in mind, we could only give the skin a 5/10.

Interestingly, the chicken had near-perfect doneness at 9.8/10. The meat had no pink spots and an internal temperature of 174°F-183°F, which was really close to the USDA recommendation.

The ideal doneness helped maintain the tenderness and juiciness of the meat. However, the skin was really unappetizing, so our chef could only give the chicken a 6/10 for taste.

Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven Whole Roasted Chicken Test
A whole roasted rotisserie chicken using the Cosori CO130-AO Oven backside up on a grey baking pan on a white background.
A whole roasted rotisserie chicken using the Cosori CO130-AO Oven belly up on a grey baking pan on a white background.
A tray of whole toaster oven roasted chicken. The thermometer has two probes inside the chicken and displays 178°F and 181°F.
Two hands pulling apart a roasted chicken thigh from the carcass. In the white background is the rest of the roasted chicken.
Eight pieces of a carved chicken including two carcass halves, two breasts, two wings, and two thighs on a baking pan.
Cooking Time: 10
20% * 10 = 2.0
Skin: 8.5
20% * 8.5 = 1.7
Doneness: 9.9
20% * 9.9 = 2.0
Taste: 8
40% * 8 = 3.2
  • Function: Rotisserie
  • Temperature: 350°F
  • Cooking Time: 40m
  • Convection: Yes

We’ve conducted our Whole Roasted Chicken test a great many times, and the Cosori wasn’t the only one with a high power output and powerful convection system. What set it apart was its rotisserie kit and function.

In addition, the large cooking chamber had more than enough space for a 3 lb chicken to rotate smoothly with a baking pan below to catch the drippings, unlike the Instant Omni Plus 18L. Everything together scored a whopping 8.9/10.

The oven took only 40 minutes to roast the chicken to a beautiful color. That was the fastest time we’ve had so far, earning it a perfect 10/10. The skin was mostly golden with some appetizing golden-brown color at the wings and the tips.

However, it seemed like the skin cooked a bit too quickly and the fat wasn’t fully rendered, so the skin wasn’t very crispy. Nonetheless, the skin still deserved an 8.5/10.

What impressed us most was the near-perfect doneness—9.9/10—in such a short amount of time. The chicken had no pink spots and a consistent internal temperature of 178°F-181°F. It was basically spot-on to the USDA’s 165°F-180°F recommendation.

Unfortunately, for some reason, the meat wasn’t as juicy as we had expected. Combined with the less-than-crispy skin, our chef couldn’t give the chicken a higher score than 8/10 after tasting it.

3.6

Baked French Fries

8.1
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4 Slices Toaster Oven Baked French Fries Test
Pieces of baked french fries using the Hamilton Beach 31344DA Toaster Oven on a silver baking pan on a white background.
A close-up of pieces of baked french fries using the Hamilton Beach 31344DA on a silver baking pan on a white background.
Eight pieces of broken-up baked french fries are stacked on top of pieces of whole fries on a silver baking pan.
Cooking Time: 0
20% * 0 = 0.0
Color: 4.5
20% * 4.5 = 0.9
Texture: 4.5
20% * 4.5 = 0.9
Taste: 4.5
40% * 4.5 = 1.8
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 400°F
  • Cooking Time: 26m
  • Convection: No

The Hamilton was at its weakest baking 12 oz of frozen fries for our Baked French Fries test, scoring a 3.6/10.

At 26 minutes, which was over our time limit, the fries still had no significant change in color. Thus, we stopped the baking process and gave the oven a 0/10 for cooking time.

Color-wise, the fries didn’t look much different before and after baking. The only saving grace was that the fries were actually cooked, so we could still give it a 4.5/10 for color.

Similarly, the fries had a texture like they were air-dried, which was still better than boiled french fries that are simply soft and soggy. Thus, it got another 4.5/10.

After tasting this batch of french fries that lacked both color and texture, our chef couldn’t give a higher score than 4.5/10.

Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven Baked French Fries test
Pieces of baked french fries using the Cosori CO130-AO inside an air fryer basket on a grey baking pan on a white background.
A close-up of pieces of baked french fries using the Cosori CO130-AO inside an air fryer basket on a grey baking pan.
Eight pieces of broken-up baked french fries are stacked on top of pieces of whole fries inside an air fryer basket.
Cooking Time: 8.4
20% * 8.4 = 1.7
Color: 8
20% * 8 = 1.6
Texture: 8
20% * 8 = 1.6
Taste: 8
40% * 8 = 3.2
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 400°F
  • Cooking Time: 17m
  • Convection: Yes

The Cosori took on our Baked French Fries test with its air fryer basket and scored an 8.1/10.

It took 17 minutes to bake 12 oz of frozen fries on tray level 2—quite fast compared to most. After comparing it with other units from our data, we gave it an 8.4/10 for cooking time.

The fries mostly had a great golden color with some of the thinner pieces looking the most appetizing. However, some thicker pieces weren’t as golden, so we gave the fries an 8/10 for color.

The same can be said about the texture of the fries, which earned another 8/10. Most of the fries were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, but the thinner ones were a bit dry and the thicker ones weren’t crispy enough.

Overall, though imperfect, the fries were delicious enough to get one final 8/10 taste score from our chef.

Some Shortcomings

Hamilton Beach Roll-Top Toaster Oven Design Review

Design
5.1
design Scores
  • Exterior (20%)5.0/10
  • Interior (30%)2.0/10
  • Build Quality (50%)7.0/10
9.4
design Scores
  • Exterior (20%)9.0/10
  • Interior (30%)9.5/10
  • Build Quality (50%)9.5/10

In the Box of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA Easy-Reach

In the Cosori CO130-AO Box
A box, the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven, a user manual, an oven rack, and a baking pan.
  • Model: 31344DA
  • Warranty: US - 1 year; Canada - 5 years
  • User Manual
  • Baking Rack
  • Baking Pan
  • Removable Crumb Tray

The Hamilton toaster oven, along with its accessories and a simple user manual, came in a basic cardboard box. The oven is secured with two foam pads and the accessories are duct-taped to it.

A box, the Cosori CO130-AO, rotisserie kit and lifter, air fryer basket, baking pan, oven rack, and 6 pieces of documents.
  • Model: CO130-AO
  • Warranty: 1 year
  • User Manual
  • Baking Rack
  • Baking Pan
  • Broiling Rack
  • Removable Crumb Tray
  • Rotisserie Kit and Lifter
  • Air Fryer Basket

The Cosori toaster oven was packed between two foam pads while all six of its accessories were wrapped in carton sheets and taped to the oven. Everything comes in an aesthetically pleasing box with minimal information on it.

All the documents you’ll need are inside a nice envelope. You get a user manual, a recipe book, and some quick references. You’ll also find a QR code leading you to the manufacturer’s website where you can register your product to extend your warranty by an additional year.

5.0

Exterior

9.0
A closed front of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven with exterior measurements on a white background.
A closed front of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven with exterior measurements on a white background.
 Hamilton Beach easy reach 4 slices toaster Oven ExteriorThe front of a closed Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach Toaster Oven has a control panel and the right has holes.
The back of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven has a power cord, two buffers, and holes.
The top, front, and right sides of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven on a white background.
On a white background, the bottom of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA has four stands, holes, and carrying handles on the sides.
  • Weight:
    6.9 lbs (3.1 kg)
  • Length:
    15.8" (40.0 cm)
  • Width:
    11.9" (30.3 cm)
  • Height:
    8.4" (21.3 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Color:
    Silver
  • Door Handle:
    Cool-touch
  • Tray Indicators:
    No
  • Crumb Tray:
    Removable

Although simple, the Hamilton has all the basic exterior features of a toaster oven and also something more: The roll-top door is a neat feature that can make it easier to move food in and out of the oven and save some space on the kitchen counter.

To make it easy to carry the oven, the two sides of the casing have shallow arches. The oven has a cool-touch door handle and two back buffers to prevent it from being too close to the walls.

Our measurements of 15.75" x 11.93" x 8.39" for the oven coincided almost completely with the manufacturer’s 16.12" x 11.93" x 8.97", with marginal differences being less than an inch.

Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven ExteriorThe front of a closed Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Toaster Oven has a control panel and the right has ventilation holes.
Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven ExteriorThe front of a closed Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Toaster Oven has a control panel and the right has ventilation holes.
The back and left sides of the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Toaster Oven have air ventilation holes. The back has a buffer.
On a white background, the top, front, and right sides of the Cosori CO130-AO Toaster Oven have air ventilation holes.
On a white background, the bottom of the Cosori CO130-AO Oven has a power cord, four stands, and air ventilation holes.
A closed front of the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven with exterior measurements on a white background.
  • Weight:
    15.7 lbs (7.1 kg)
  • Length:
    20.0" (50.7 cm)
  • Width:
    17.3" (44.0 cm)
  • Height:
    12.6" (32.0 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Color:
    Silver
  • Door Handle:
    Cool-touch
  • Tray Indicators:
    No
  • Crumb Tray:
    Removable

During our assessment, a prominent aspect of the Cosori toaster oven is the air ventilation holes on all sides of the casing to accommodate its powerful convection system. In addition, the glass door has indicators corresponding to the oven’s three tray levels and twelve cooking functions.

The oven doesn’t have carrying handles but it’s not heavy for its size so it’s not a big problem. Our measurements of 19.96" x 17.32" x 12.6" pretty much aligned with the manufacturer’s 20.1" x 16.5" x 12.5" with marginal differences being less than one inch. The difference in width is probably because we took the door handle into account.

Control Panel

The control panel of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven has 2 control knobs for temperature and timer.
  • Type:
    2 control knobs
  • Temperature:
    200°F - 450°F
  • Timer:
    1 minute - 30 minutes + stay-on
  • Indicator Light:
    Yes
  • Status Bar:
    No
  • Light Toggle:
    No
  • Convection Toggle:
    No
  • Rotation Toggle:
    No
  • Automatic Preheat:
    No
  • Audio Cues:
    No

The Hamilton has two simple control knobs: one for temperature and one for time. The timer has a stay-on setting to help with its short range, similar to many other small toaster ovens.

The temperature knob indicates the lowest temperature setting to be 200°F, which is quite limited. Interestingly, however, we could actually set the temperature as low as 120°F by only turning the knob until we heard a small clank before the 200°F mark.

Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven Control Panel
  • Type:
    LED display + 2 control knobs + 3 buttons
  • Temperature:
    80°F - 450°F
  • Timer:
    1 minute - 6 hours + 12 hours + 24 hours
  • Indicator Light:
    Yes
  • Status Bar:
    Yes
  • Light Toggle:
    Yes
  • Convection Toggle:
    Yes
  • Rotation Toggle:
    No
  • Automatic Preheat:
    Yes
  • Audio Cues:
    No

The Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven has 2 control dials, one for functions and one for both timer and temperature. It also has 3 buttons, one for both the interior light and the temperature conversion, one to deploy the convection system, and one Start/Cancel button which lights up when the oven is running.

The LED screen will display ‘E1’ when there’s an open circuit in the temperature monitor and ‘E2’ for a short circuit.

Cooking Functions of the Hamilton Beach 4-Slice Easy-Reach Toaster Oven

Cooking Functions
The control panel of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven has 2 control knobs for temperature and timer.
  • Not available

Not having multiple functions doesn’t affect a toaster oven’s mechanism, which is to heat air up to a certain temperature to cook food. However, it does mean that the user won’t have any way to operate only the upper or lower heating elements individually.

  • Toast (level 1-7)
  • Bagel (level 1-7)
  • Pizza (150°F - 450°F, 1 minute - 6 hours)
  • Bake (150°F - 450°F, 1 minute - 6 hours)
  • Roast (150°F - 400°F, 1 minute - 6 hours)
  • Air Fry (150°F - 400°F, 1 minute - 6 hours)
  • Broil (150°F - 450°F, 1 minute - 6 hours)
  • Cookies (150°F - 450°F, 1 minute - 6 hours)
  • Rotisserie (150°F - 400°F, 1 minute - 6 hours)
  • Dehydrate (100°F - 180°F, 30 minutes - 24 hours)
  • Ferment (80°F - 110°F, 30 minutes - 12 hours)
  • Warm (140°F - 230°F, 1 minute - 12 hours)

Besides the basic cooking functions, which already have a wide time and temperature range, the Cosori air fryer toaster oven also has various practical additional cooking functions allowing for even wider time and temperature ranges.

The ones that impressed us the most were Warm, Dehydrate, and Ferment which can maintain the oven at as low as 140°F, 100°F, and 80°F respectively. Looking at a number of recipes, these temperatures fit their intended purpose, which means this oven can act as a family-sized dehydrator and dough proofer.

Note that only the bottom heating elements operate during these functions.

2.0

Interior

9.5
 Hamilton Beach easy reach 4 slices toaster Oven InteriorThe Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Toaster Oven’s cooking chamber has 2 quartz heating elements with guars and 2 guide rails.
 Hamilton Beach easy reach 4 slices toaster Oven InteriorThe Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Toaster Oven’s cooking chamber has 2 quartz heating elements with guars and 2 guide rails.
The Hamilton Beach 31344DA has 1 bottom heating element with a guard and 2 guide rails on its right cooking chamber wall.
The opened roll top door and upper heating element with a guard of the silver Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Toaster Oven.
  • Heating Elements:
    2 quartz
  • Convection Fan:
    No
  • Lighting:
    No
  • Tray Levels:
    2
  • Rotisserie:
    No
  • Safety Hook:
    No

The Hamilton shares the same lack of interior features, including a convection system and an interior light, similar to many other units of the same size. The design didn’t allow for maximum use of the space inside the cooking chamber even though it had two tray levels like most other small toaster ovens, including the Mueller MT-175.

It also only has two quartz heating elements, which can usually lead to uneven heat distribution compared to four or more heating elements. Nonetheless, they use infrared light to cook, which makes the process faster and more energy-efficient than the more common nichrome heating elements.

They also cool down faster and are easier to clean but not as durable. However, if grease splashes onto the heating elements while cooking, it’ll leave permanent stains.

The Cosori CO130-AO’s interior has 4 heating elements, 3 levels, a rotisserie socket and bracket, a light, and a fan cavity.
The Cosori CO130-AO’s interior has 4 heating elements, 3 levels, a rotisserie socket and bracket, a light, and a fan cavity.
The Cosori CO130-AO Oven has 4 heating elements, 3 guide rails, and a rotisserie socket on its left cooking chamber wall.
The Cosori CO130-AO has 3 guide rails, a light, a rotisserie bracket, and a fan cavity on its right cooking chamber wall.
  • Heating Elements:
    4 nichrome
  • Convection Fan:
    Yes
  • Lighting:
    Yes
  • Tray Levels:
    3
  • Rotisserie:
    Yes
  • Safety Hook:
    No

The interior features include a convection fan, light, a rotisserie socket and bracket, three tray levels, and four nichrome heating elements. To be nitpicky, we think it’s a shame it doesn’t have a non-stick coating, so it may accumulate some stubborn stains.

Capacity

Capacity of the Cosori XL 12-In-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven
An opened front of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven with interior measurements on a white background.
  • Length:
    11.0" (27.9 cm)
  • Width:
    9.84
  • Height:
    7.5" (19.0 cm)

While we couldn’t find the manufacturer’s capacity, we measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be around 13.28 liters. The 31344DA can accommodate four slices of toast or a 9-inch pizza, but not a 3-pound chicken due to insufficient height.

An opened front of the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Rotisserie Toaster Oven with interior measurements on a white background.
  • Length:
    14.2" (36.0 cm)
  • Width:
    13.8" (35.0 cm)
  • Height:
    9.8" (25.0 cm)

The Cosori has a spacious cooking chamber even compared to other large ovens. It can accommodate 6 slices of toast, a 13-inch pizza, or a 5-pound chicken.

We measured the volume to be around 31.49 liters compared to the manufacturer’s listing of 30 liters. The difference is minor and could just be a difference in measuring standards.

Power Cord of the Hamilton Beach Roll-Top Toaster Oven

Power Cord
A two-pronged plug power cord. In the background is the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven.
  • Length:
    34.6" (88.0 cm)
  • Type:
    2-prong plug
  • Power:
    1200
  • Rated Output:
    120

The power cord has enough length for household use and an oven this size— roughly 34.65". The fact that it protrudes from the bottom of the oven may lead to some inconvenient bends, though.

A three-pronged plug power cord. In the background is the Cosori CO130-AO 30L Dehydrator Air Fryer Rotisserie Toaster Oven.
  • Length:
    40.9" (104.0 cm)
  • Type:
    3-prong plug
  • Power:
    1800 W
  • Rated Output:
    120 V ~ 60 Hz

The power cord has plenty of length for household use—roughly 40.94 inches. It protrudes from the bottom of the oven, unfortunately, so it may create awkward kinks now and then.

Baking Rack

Accessories

Baking Rack
A stainless steel baking rack of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    11.0" (27.9 cm)
  • Width:
    9.3" (23.5 cm)
  • Height:
    1.0" (2.5 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The baking rack has two supports below to slide the baking pan in. It fits perfectly with the guide to prevent accidents when placing your food in the oven. The supports narrow at the back to prevent the pan from sliding out, but the entire thing doesn’t conform perfectly.

A stainless steel baking rack of the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Dehydrator Rotisserie Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    14.2" (36.0 cm)
  • Width:
    13.4" (34.0 cm)
  • Height:
    0.3" (0.7 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The baking rack fits perfectly onto its guide rails to prevent accidents when placing food in the oven. It’s also shaped to maximize the space inside the cooking chamber.

Baking Pan

Accessories

Baking Pan
A silver baking pan of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach With Roll Top Door Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    9.9" (25.2 cm)
  • Width:
    8.3" (21.2 cm)
  • Height:
    0.6" (1.5 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The baking pan fits nicely below the rack to catch any meat juice and drippings, which helps prevent any mess and the risk of fire from dirty heating elements. Keep in mind that it isn’t 100% non-stick, so it may be prone to stubborn stains after a hefty roast. During our performance tests, the pan bends when heated but luckily didn’t cause any issues.

A grooved grey baking pan of the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Dehydrator Rotisserie Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    14.2" (36.0 cm)
  • Width:
    11.8" (30.0 cm)
  • Height:
    1.2" (3.0 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The baking pan also fits the guide rails to fully utilize the cooking space. It has ridges and grooves which can give your food attractive roasting marks and allow drippings some space to flow away. Its coating isn’t completely non-stick, so it may gather some stubborn stains, though.

Removable Crumb Tray

Accessories

Removable Crumb Tray
A removable crumb tray of the Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Door Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    10.8" (27.5 cm)
  • Width:
    8.9" (22.5 cm)
  • Height:
    0.9" (2.4 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Not advisable

The removable crumb tray is useful for cleaning up crumbs and bits, which can be quite a hassle. However, some of the mess may still fall to the bottom of the oven upon taking out the tray.

A silver removable crumb tray of the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Dehydrator Rotisserie Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    14.0" (35.6 cm)
  • Width:
    12.0" (30.5 cm)
  • Height:
    0.8" (2.0 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Not advisable

The crumb tray is a helpful accessory to clean up the pesky falling crumbs and bits. However, some may still fall to the oven’s floor as the tray is removed.

7.0

Build Quality

9.5
The front of an opened Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Toaster Oven with a removable crumb tray, baking pan, and oven rack.

The Hamilton’s exterior shell is made from alloy steel, which has a higher tensile strength than stainless. We speculated the reason for this choice was to have the roll-top door—which can be easily removed for cleaning—more durable.

The casing also seems to have good heat insulation and only got hot to the touch after a long cooking time at a high temperature (>400°F). The knobs turn smoothly and have a contoured design for better grip.

The front of an opened Cosori CO130-AO Toaster Oven with a removable crumb tray, oven rack, baking pan, and air fryer basket.

The Cosori is made from high-quality and durable 304 stainless steel. The thick casing provides good insulation in addition to a well-thought-out convection system. Thus, the oven only gets hot to the touch after a long cooking time at a high temperature (>400°F).

As for the control panel, the LED display is very easy to see, the control dials turn smoothly, and the buttons are responsive. The accessories are designed to make the most out of the cooking chamber’s interior space.

Not Much To Offer

Hamilton Beach 4-Slice Easy-Reach Toaster Oven Usability

Usability
5.5
usability Scores
  • User Control (30%)6.0/10
  • Ease of Use (50%)5.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)6.0/10
8.3
usability Scores
  • User Control (30%)9.5/10
  • Ease of Use (50%)8.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)7.5/10
6.0

User Control

9.5

The user control of the Hamilton cannot be any easier with just two knobs. Nonetheless, there are a few things to keep in mind. For the timer knob, when setting it to less than 10 minutes, always rotate past 10 minutes and then rotate back to the desired time.

To select the Toast function, you’ll need to turn the temperature knob to the maximum, indicated by the Toast icon. This is consistent with the fact that for all toaster ovens, their toast function has an endpoint temperature of 450°F.

Similar to other manual toaster ovens, it can be tricky to precisely set time and temperature. This can be easily dealt with, however, by using an external timer and an oven thermometer for more accurate measurements.

The convection feature can toggle between normal and high, and neither setting makes much noise. The fan can run on all functions except Toast and Bagel.

Since time and temperature are controlled by a single dial, you must toggle between functions. Press the dial’s face to switch between them. Temperature can be adjusted in increments of 5°F or 2°C-3°C.

The timer, however, has different steps depending on the cooking function. For Pizza, Bake, Roast, Air Fry, Broil, Cookies, Rotisserie, and Warm functions, the timer can be adjusted in increments of 1 minute until it reaches 60 minutes, then in increments of 5 minutes from 1-2 hours, in increments of 10 minutes from 2-3 hours, and in increments of 15 minutes from 2-3 hours. For Dehydrate and Ferment functions, the timer only adjusts in increments of 30 minutes.

On top of the many practical cooking functions, the ease with which you can adjust time and temperature makes this oven, overall, simpler to use than many other digital ones. In addition, you can press and hold the time and temperature dial to turn off the display to save energy while you’re not cooking.

5.0

Ease of Use

8.0

To remove the door, you simply need to fully open it, then pull straight up. The door can’t be kept partially open to let food cool inside the oven. With two control knobs, it’s easier than ever to readjust cooking settings.

The cooking cycle finishes when the timer reaches O (off). When this happens, the oven will ding once and shut off. As it has no digital display, you can freely leave this oven plugged in without worrying about power consumption.

The Cosori has an automatic preheat phase which engages for the Pizza, Bake, Roast, Broil, Cookies, and Air Fryer functions. If the oven’s already hot, the function will recognize that fact and reduce its preheating time.

This toaster oven is one of the rare units that actually preheat to the input temperature. Most others simply heat to a hardwired preheat temperature that cannot be adjusted. 

According to our observation, the Cosori takes around 2-4 minutes to reach 300°F, 3-5 minutes for 325°F, 4-6 minutes for 350°F, and 6-8 minutes for 400°F. When preheating is finished, the oven will beep several times and the display will flash once every minute. You’ll need to press start to initiate cooking or the cooking function will be canceled after 10 minutes.

Thanks to the light toggle button, you have full control over when to turn the light on and off. The door can rest open at a 70° angle to allow food to cool inside the oven. Opening the door doesn’t stop the heating elements or the interior light.

The oven turns off automatically after 30 minutes of no interaction. Nonetheless, we still suggest unplugging it after use for safety reasons.

The Cosori’s EvenRapid Tech™ is advertised to reduce cooking time by 30% thanks to increased heat circulation. Suffice to say, it met our expectations with fast cooking times and even surface caramelization (except on our Pizza test).

6.0

Cleanability

7.5
Permanent stains on the Hamilton Beach 31344DA’s upper heating element guard, cooking chamber’s ceiling, and casing’s top.
Permanent stains on the Hamilton Beach 31344DA’s upper heating element guard, cooking chamber’s ceiling, and casing’s top.
The cleaned baking pan of the silver Hamilton Beach 31344DA 4-Slice Easy Reach with Roll Top Door Toaster Oven.

Due to its design, the Hamilton was more tricky to clean than anticipated. Because the chicken grazed the upper heating element’s guard during our test, it left some permanent stains there. Luckily, the heating element itself was intact.

As the oven doesn’t have a non-stick interior coating, there were also permanent grease stains on the cooking chamber’s ceiling. Some discoloration even made it to the top of the casing due to it not being stainless steel and the shape of the door.

In addition, the grease splashed into some tricky spots on the door, but it can be thoroughly wiped off after removing the door. The baking pan sustained some stubborn stains as well, but we were able to brush them off with a paste of baking soda and water.

Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven CleanabilityGrease on the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Dehydrator Air Fryer Rotisserie Toaster Oven’s cooking chamber ceiling.
Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven CleanabilityGrease on the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Dehydrator Air Fryer Rotisserie Toaster Oven’s cooking chamber ceiling.
The cleaned cooking chamber’s right wall of the Cosori CO130-AO Toaster Oven with some stains behind the rotisserie bracket.
The cleaned grooved grey baking pan of the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven with some stubborn stains.
The cleaned rotisserie forks of the Cosori CO130-AO 30L 12-In-1 Dehydrator Air Fryer Toaster Oven with some stubborn stains.

The Cosori’s exterior and interior are made of stainless steel, so they’re usually easy to clean. However, the interior doesn’t have a non-stick coating, so the grease from our whole roasted chicken test led to some extremely stubborn stains on the cooking chamber’s ceiling. We couldn’t completely remove them even after brushing them with a paste of baking soda and water.

The rotisserie forks and rod as well as the rotisserie bracket and the baking pan developed equally stubborn stains. On the bright side, it wasn’t difficult to clean caramelized bits of food from the air fryer basket despite the fishnet design.

The grease on the other walls and around the fan cavity was easy to clean. We were worried that grease might splash into the fan cavity, though.

We were able to easily remove fallen food scraps thanks to the removable crumb tray. However, we still had to tilt the oven to get them all out.