Our recommendations are made independently through Research & Testing. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links.
Mueller 4 Slice Toaster Oven vs Breville Smart Oven Pro Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)7.0/10
- Design (25%)5.3/10
- Usability (25%)5.2/10
- Performance (50%)6.9/10
- Design (25%)9.3/10
- Usability (25%)8.0/10
The Mueller 4 Slice Toaster Oven (MT-175) has a minimal approach while the Breville Smart Oven Pro (BOV845BSS) has an elaborate one, which led to a big difference in their scores, especially regarding design and usability. However, their comparison brings up some interesting strengths and weaknesses of each individual.
Both toaster ovens have a high build quality shown in their thick and sturdy casing. The Mueller has a detachable crumb tray for cleaning the interior while the Breville has a non-stick interior for easy cleaning, both of which are rare features.
The Mueller has precise analog control dials but no digital display showing the exact timer and temperature like the Breville. In addition, the Breville has various cooking presets and additional toggle switches including interior light, convection, temperature conversion, and adding time to frozen foods.
Surprisingly, however, their performance scores are similar, and the Mueller’s is even higher by 0.1 point. From a value standpoint, the Mueller’s ratings are quite high while the Breville’s are not so much.
Despite its lower power output, the Mueller’s was better at baking pizza and especially toasting bread—our most crucial cooking test. The Breville scored higher in roasting whole whole chicken and baking fries by having a convection system and a higher power output.
Mueller 4-Slice Toaster Oven Performance
- Toast (40%)7.5/10
- Pizza (25%)7.6/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)7.0/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)3.6/10
- Toast (40%)6.8/10
- Pizza (25%)6.8/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)7.5/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)6.1/10
Toast
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: ⅓ to Dark
- Cooking Time: 4m
- Second Batch: 4m
- Convection: No
For our Toast test, we started off by trying the Medium Toast setting which was around 3 minutes 5 seconds on the timer. The four pieces of bread on the upper tray level came out only lightly toasted on top except for one golden brown piece. We then cranked it up to the Dark Toast setting—around 4 minutes 50 seconds on the timer—which, unfortunately, burnt the toast a bit.
Finally, we opted for the middle ground which was 4 minutes on the timer—⅓ of the rotation from Medium to Dark. This setting was tricky to get right on the time dial, so we used an external timer. It gave us the best possible toast results from this oven scoring a 7.5/10 in total.
After 4 minutes of toasting, the four pieces of toast had pretty good surface color. However, the colors varied from light golden to golden brown on both the top and the bottom, so we could only give a 7/10.
Luckily, the varied colors partially meant varied textures which were all good and deserving an 8/10. The golden brown areas had a more crispy outside while the light golden areas had a softer inside. Our head chef Tuyet Pham determined that it would go great with omelets, eggs benedict, and sandwiches but not so much with soup.
After taking out the first batch, we immediately put four more pieces inside to test the oven’s consecutive usability which ended up at 7/10. Also under the identical toasting time, the four pieces of bread became brown with an increased evenness from the first batch. While the color was a bit darker than ideal, the extra crispiness made the second batch more suitable for soups.
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: 5/7
- Cooking Time: 5m 13s
- Second Batch: 3m 42s
- Convection: No
We began our Toast test by choosing toast level 4—the middle one out of the 7 options—for 4 pieces which we placed on tray level 2. The four pieces of bread came out only slightly toasted on top. We then chose level 5 and the surface color was more appetizing but less even.
So, we tried again one last time at level 6 but it produced four completely brown pieces of toast which were also a bit dry. In the end, we settled for level 5—5 minutes 13 seconds on the timer—as the best possible option with a score of 6.8/10.
At this level, the toast had a perfect golden brown color around the center of the oven. However, it was lighter the further it got to the rear, so we could only give it a 7/10 for even surface color.
The unevenness also translated to the texture where the toast achieved great crispiness in the golden brown areas but got softer in the lighter areas. This resulted in a 6.5/10 for taste from our chef.
Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, determined they would be good to have with omelets and sandwiches. They could be served with soups or eggs benedict but wouldn't make a perfect pairing.
We placed the second batch of four in immediately after the first one. We chose level 5 again whereupon the oven automatically deducted the timer to 3 minutes 42 seconds.
Because the oven was already hot, the second batch showed an increase in evenness for both surface color and crispiness deserving a 7/10. This batch would be more suitable for soups.
Pizza
- Function: Toast
- Temperature: 450°F
- Cooking Time: 9m
- Convection: No
For its low power draw, the Mueller did pretty well in our Pizza test with a score of 7.6/10.
The oven took 9 minutes to bake a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza which was slightly faster than the label’s recommended 10 minutes. However, compared to our tested toaster ovens, it could only be a 6/10.
The crust had a golden color all the way through and the inside was still moist. If only the crust was a bit more crispy, it would’ve gotten higher than an 8/10.
The toppings were also caramelized quite evenly from the meat and veggies to the cheese, worthy of another 8/10. The cheese was nicely melted but the areas closer to the back of the cooking chamber were more caramelized compared to the rest.
With both the crust and the toppings being 8/10, our chef had no reason to give the pizza one final 8/10 for taste.
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 450°F
- Cooking Time: 4m
- Convection: Yes
For our Pizza test, we didn’t use the pizza presets because they didn’t include the correct size for our choice of pizza. This was also a good chance to test out the Breville pizza pan, but we were surprised to find the overall score ended up at 6.8/10.
Thanks to the oven’s strong power output and convection setting, it only took 4 minutes to bake a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza placed on tray level 2. This was extremely fast and deserved a 10/10 according to our data on average toaster oven performance.
However, the pizza still had a problem with cooking evenness. A quarter of the entire crust was golden brown but the rest of it lacked color. As you can imagine, the golden brown part was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside while the lighter part was simply soft throughout. Thus, we could only give the crust a 6/10.
The same issue applied to the toppings which had a nice caramelization where the crust was golden but not much in the substandard area. The cheese was also not quite melty so the toppings also got a 6/10.
Altogether, our chef gave the pizza another 6/10 after tasting it. We chose not to increase the cooking time of the pizza as it could result in burning the part of the crust and toppings that were already properly baked.
Whole Roasted Chicken
- Function: Toast
- Temperature: 350°F
- Cooking Time: 1h 20m
- Convection: No
The Mueller could barely fit a 3 lb chicken for our Whole Roasted Chicken test. Nonetheless, the result was quite decent at 7/10 in total. If you were to purchase this oven and use it to roast a whole chicken, we recommend cutting it open or chopping it into pieces beforehand.
We first placed the chicken backside down on the baking pan. When we slid the pan in, the top of the chicken breast grazed the upper heating element’s guard and was seared.
After the first 40 minutes, we flipped the chicken to find out that parts of the skin on the back got stuck to the baking pan. Then, when we reinsert the pan, the same problem with the breast happened to the back. Luckily, they weren’t burnt.
However, even after 1 hour and 20 minutes, most of the chicken skin still hasn’t reached a desirable color. The chicken, for the most part, looked like it was steamed and not roasted, so we gave the skin a 5.5/10.
Nonetheless, our chef decided to stop the roasting as the color wouldn’t improve anyway and to avoid overcooking the meat. This cooking time was the equivalent of a 6/10 according to our data.
With such a long cooking time, the meat had no pink spots. However, the chicken’s internal temperature was 185°F-192°F, higher than the USDA recommended 165°F-180°F. Thus, we gave it an 8.7/ for doneness.
While not the most appetizing looking, the meat was very juicy. That, combined with the slight caramelization on the skin, was enough for a 7.5/10 for taste from our chef.
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 350°F
- Cooking Time: 1h
- Convection: Yes
For our Whole Roasted Chicken test, we placed a 3 lb chicken in a belly-up position onto the broiling rack and baking pan combo on tray level 1. The outcome was pretty satisfactory, scoring a 7.5/10.
The Breville took 1 hour to roast the chicken to a desirable color which was our standard for an 8/10. The skin overall had a golden color, especially at the wings and the tips. However, it still had some very light areas.
In addition, when we flipped the chicken after the first 40 minutes, some of the skin on the back of the chicken got stuck to the broiling rack. This was an indication that the skin was soft and didn’t crisp up much despite having the convection fan deployed. Thus, we gave the skin a 7/10.
The oven was able to maintain a good internal temperature so the chicken was cooked all the way through leaving behind no pink spots. However, the cooking time was a little long, so the chicken’s internal temperature ended up at 198°F which was higher than the recommended 180°F by the USDA. We gave the doneness of this chicken an 8.6/10.
Nonetheless, the meat wasn’t dry and combined with the skin it was enough to get a 7/10 for taste from our chef.
Baked French Fries
- Function: Toast
- Temperature: 400°F
- Cooking Time: 27 m
- Convection: No
Our Baked French Fries test brought out the Mueller’s weakness of not being able to maintain a high temperature due to its low power draw. Its even heat distribution couldn’t help much if the temperature wasn’t high enough, so the final score was 3.6/10.
We stopped the baking after 27 minutes as the fries weren’t getting any more colors. This, nonetheless, was over our time limit of 25 minutes, so it was a 0/10.
The fries had no significant color change and barely enough for a 4.5/10. We ended up with 12 oz of frozen fries that were more similar to being dried in an oven than being baked, so we gave them another 4.5/10 for texture.
Fortunately, the fries were cooked through and not soggy, so our chef could give them a 4.5/10 for taste and not a zero.
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 400°F
- Cooking Time: 24m
- Convection: Yes
Despite the power draw of 1800 W, the Breville didn’t perform as well in baking french fries as many toaster ovens with the same output earning a 6.1/10. Looking at the results from the Ninja DT201, our assumption was that the broiling rack wasn’t as efficient for this purpose as an air fryer basket.
For our Baked French Fries test, we didn’t turn on the Frozen Foods toggle because we needed to keep track of the exact cooking time. The oven took 24 minutes to bake 12 oz of frozen fries on tray level 2 which wasn’t very fast. Compared to many other toaster ovens we’ve tested, it could only get a 6/10 for cooking time.
Even though we gave the fries a toss after the first 10 minutes, they still came out with uneven coloring scoring a 6.5/10. Most of the thinner fries had a pretty good golden color while most of the thicker ones had a much lighter color.
To the same degree, the fries had different textures throughout earning it a 6/10 for this testing component. The pieces with a golden color were crispy outside and soft inside while the lighter ones were mostly just soft all the way through.
With all of that in mind, our chef couldn’t give a score higher than 6/10 after tasting the fries.
Stainless Steel Mueller 4-Slice Toaster Oven Design Review
- Exterior (20%)5.0/10
- Interior (30%)1.0/10
- Build Quality (50%)8.0/10
- Exterior (20%)9.5/10
- Interior (30%)9.5/10
- Build Quality (50%)9.0/10
In the Mueller MT-175 Small Toaster Oven Box
- Model: MT-175
- Warranty: 1 year
- User Manual
- Baking Rack
- Baking Pan
The Mueller toaster oven came in a basic packaging and positioned with two foam pads. The included accessories were simply duct-taped to the oven. Inside the box are also a user manual and a simple recipe booklet.
- Model: BOV845BSSUSC
- Warranty: 1 year (US only)
- User Manual
- Baking Rack
- Baking Pan
- Broiling Rack
- Pizza Pan
The Breville toaster oven came in an eye-catching box but it was only secured with two foam pads. On the bright side, its accessories including a baking rack, baking pan, broiling rack, and pizza pan were neatly placed in a fitted carton box.
The oven’s user manual explains in detail how each oven function works and includes a number of recipes. To elevate your pizza party, you can opt for the optional pizza crisper, pizza stone, and bamboo cutting board.
Exterior
- Weight:9.0 lbs (4.1 kg)
- Length:15.0" (38.0 cm)
- Width:11.6" (29.5 cm)
- Height:8.9" (22.5 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Gray
- Door Handle:Cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:No
- Crumb Tray:Detachable
As simple as it is, the Mueller has all the standard exterior features of a small toaster oven but also something more. The bottom of the oven acts as a detachable crumb tray which not only makes it easy to remove the falling bits and crumbs but also to clean the entire interior.
The oven has a cool-touch door handle and back buffers to prevent it from being too close to the wall. Unfortunately, it has no cord storage or carrying handles.
Our measurements of the oven’s footprint were 14.96" x 11.61" x 8.86" which pretty much coincided with the manufacturer’s 14.84" x 11.85" x 8.86". However, the weight of the oven by itself was already 9 lbs whereas the label said the entire box was 7.63 lbs.
- Weight:18.1 lbs (8.2 kg)
- Length:18.4" (46.7 cm)
- Width:15.9" (40.5 cm)
- Height:10.8" (27.4 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Silver
- Door Handle:Cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:Yes
- Crumb Tray:Slide-out
An exterior feature that stood out to us on the Breville is its side-positioned carrying handles which double up as air ventilation holes for the convection system. We were also impressed by the indicators on the glass door that direct you to its three tray levels and many cooking functions.
The Breville has an interesting automatic eject feature for when the oven rack is in the middle guide rail. This is achieved thanks to a magnet in the corresponding position on the oven door.
Further attention to the design shows in the convenient slide-out crumb tray and strong base stands. The oven’s door handle is cool-touch and provides a good grip. Unfortunately, the back buffers are not long enough to create ample space between the back of the oven and the wall.
Our measurements of 18.39" x 15.94" x 10.78" for the oven pretty much coincided with the dimensions provided by the manufacturer—18.5" x 14.5" x 11". The 1.5-inch difference in width is probably because we took the door handle into account.
Control Panel of the Small Mueller MT-175
- Type:3 control knobs
- Temperature:150°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 Mueller has a basic analog control panel with three dials for temperature, function, and time. The time dial has a stay-on setting to help with its short range, similar to many other small toaster ovens. Interestingly, while the max temperature setting was 450°F, we actually recorded the internal temperature of the oven reaching 500°F on the said setting.
- Type:LCD + 3 control knobs + 5 buttons
- Temperature:120°F - 450°F
- Timer:1 minute - 10 hours
- Indicator Light:Yes
- Status Bar:Yes
- Light Toggle:Yes
- Convection Toggle:Yes
- Rotation Toggle:No
- Automatic Preheat:Yes
- Audio Cues:No
The Breville has 3 control knobs for function, temperature, and timer. Its five buttons include four toggles for temperature conversion, interior light, convection fan, and Defrost feature. The Start/Cancel button and the digital display both shine red when the oven’s cooking.
The LCD screen will display ‘E01’, ‘E02’, or ‘E05’ 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.
Cooking Functions
- Toast
- Bake
- Broil
- Keep warm
Different from most other toaster ovens, the Mueller’s Bake function only uses the lower heating elements as opposed to lower and upper. The Broil function still uses only the upper heating elements.
The Toast function is where both the lower and upper heating elements work. Nonetheless, the oven still provides all the basic functions for its intended purposes.
- Toast (level 1-7)
- Bagel (level 1-7)
- Bake (1 minute - 10 hours)
- Roast (1 minute - 2 hours)
- Broil (300°F, 400°F, 500°F; 1 minute - 20 minutes)
- Pizza (6″-13″; Fresh/Frozen)
- Cookies (1 minute - 1 hour)
- Reheat (1 minute - 2 hours)
- Warm (1 minute - 2 hours)
- Slow Cook (2 hours - 10 hours)
The Breville has 10 cooking functions which make full use of its wide timer and temperature ranges. Functions that allow for the full adjustment of temperature (120°F - 450°F) include Bake, Roast, Cookies, Reheat, and Warm.
The Toast and Bagel functions have 1-7 levels which include predetermined timers for 1-6 slices. This toaster oven went the extra mile as most others don’t take the number of slices into account.
Meanwhile, the pizza function includes presets for sizes ranging from 6" to 13" along with fresh or frozen pizzas. The Broil function has three preset temperatures including 500°F, 400°F, and 300°F for up to 20 minutes.
The Slow Cook function has two settings: ‘LO’ with a timer of 4-10 hours and ‘HI’ with 2-8 hours; and you can further adjust the timer up and down while cooking. After the Slow Cook cycle finishes, this function automatically turns to Keep Warm at 175°F for up to another 2 hours.
Interior
- Heating Elements:2 quartz
- Convection Fan:No
- Lighting:No
- Tray Levels:2
- Rotisserie:No
- Safety Hook:No
Similar to many other small toaster ovens, including the Comfee CFO-BB101, the Mueller lacks a convection fan and an interior light. In addition, it only has two heating elements which can usually lead to uneven heat distribution compared to four or more heating elements.
These heating elements are made of quartz which uses infrared light to cook foods faster than the more common nichrome counterparts. Quartz heating elements also cool down faster, are more energy-efficient and easier to clean but not as durable.
However, if grease splashes onto the heating elements while cooking, it’ll leave permanent stains. This is why they usually have guards which this oven also has.
- Heating Elements:5 quartz
- Convection Fan:Yes
- Lighting:Yes
- Tray Levels:3
- Rotisserie:No
- Safety Hook:All three levels
The BOV845BSS has a non-stick interior coating which explains the black color. The black interior isn’t a problem though thanks to the oven’s interior light. When necessary, you can remove the glass cover to change the interior light bulb which is a G9 type, 25 W, 120 V.
Each of the three tray levels has a safety hook to prevent the oven rack from accidently sliding all the way out. However, only the bottom one is positioned further in, specifically for this purpose. The convection system, while quite powerful, is pleasantly quiet.
The Breville has five quartz heating elements that use infrared light to cook. Compared to the more common nichrome heating elements, these heat up and cool down faster while also being easier to clean and more energy-efficient but don’t last as long in terms of durability.
For this unit, each heating element has a safety guard to prevent direct contact with baking pans and trays. However, if grease splashes onto the heating elements while cooking, it’ll leave permanent stains.
Capacity of the Mueller 4-Slice Toaster Oven
- Length:10.6" (27.0 cm)
- Width:9.8" (25.0 cm)
- Height:7.5" (19.0 cm)
We could fit four slices of toast, a 9-inch pizza but we could barely fit a 3 lb chicken inside the Mueller, unlike the same-sized Breville BOV450XL. We measured the cooking chamber volume to be around 12.81 liters, slightly different than the manufacturer’s provided capacity of 11.67 liters. However, it could just be a difference in measuring standards.
- Length:14.2" (36.0 cm)
- Width:13.0" (33.0 cm)
- Height:8.3" (21.0 cm)
The Breville’s cooking chamber has a capacity of 25 liters which is quite common among large toaster ovens. This was one of the rare occasions where the cooking chamber’s volume that we measured matched the manufacturer’s stated capacity.
Many large units can also fit 6 slices of toast but not all can fit a 13-inch pizza like the Breville. This oven can also fit a 9-cup muffin tray or a 4.16-liter Dutch oven.
Power Cord
- Length:30.7" (78.0 cm)
- Type:2-prong plug
- Power:1100 W
- Rated Output:120 V ~ 60 Hz
The power cord is 30.7 inches long, suitable for household use. Unfortunately, the oven doesn’t have any storage space for it.
- Length:3.3 ft (1.0 m)
- Type:3-prong plug
- Power:1800 W
- Rated Output:110 V - 120 V ~ 60 Hz
The power cord is roughly 39.37"—plenty of length for household use. It does protrude from the bottom of the oven though, which may create inconvenient bends.
Accessories
- Length:10.5" (26.7 cm)
- Width:8.8" (22.4 cm)
- Height:0.5" (1.3 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The two sides of the baking rack have slight curves upward at an angle to keep the baking pan in place. It fits perfectly with the guide to help prevent accidents when placing your food in the oven.
- Length:14.1" (35.8 cm)
- Width:11.6" (29.5 cm)
- Height:0.3" (0.7 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The baking rack fits perfectly with the guide to prevent accidents when placing food in the oven and has a pattern to keep the baking pan on top of it in place.
Accessories
- Length:10.2" (25.8 cm)
- Width:7.9" (20.0 cm)
- Height:0.6" (1.5 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The baking pan doesn’t fit into the guide rails and has to on top of the rack. This may prevent the full use of the oven’s capacity and lead to some inconveniences during cooking.
On the bright side, the pan has ridges and grooves to give your food attractive roasting marks and catch the dripping better. It has a coating but is not completely non-stick so you may need to watch out for some stubborn stains after a hefty roast.
- Length:11.8" (30.0 cm)
- Width:11.8" (30.0 cm)
- Height:1.2" (3.0 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Not advisable
The baking pan has a non-stick enamel coating. However, it’s not big enough to fit into the guide rails which means it can’t fully utilize the capacity of the cooking chamber.
Build Quality
For a simple small toaster oven, build quality is all about how durable it is and if it works properly. The Mueller accomplishes that with a sturdy stainless steel casing and smooth-turning dials.
The Breville has a sturdy build and is made from durable stainless steel. The oven has good heat insulation and a good convection system so the casing rarely gets hot to the touch—only after a long cooking time at a high temperature (>400°F).
Its LCD has a good color contrast, the control dials turn smoothly, and the buttons have good responsiveness. On another note, this unit doesn’t provide enough oven racks to make full use of the three tray levels and additional accessories.
Note: This product adheres to the California Proposition 65.
Muller 4-Slice Toaster Oven Usability
- User Control (30%)6.0/10
- Ease of Use (50%)4.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)7.0/10
- User Control (30%)9.5/10
- Ease of Use (50%)7.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)8.0/10
User Control
Even though the Mueller only has three simple control dials, 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.
It’s always tricky to precisely adjust time and temperature for an analog-control toaster oven and this one is no different. Nonetheless, you can use an external timer and an oven thermometer to get more accurate readings.
If you frequently use the stay-on feature, you can turn off the oven by rotating the function dial to Off instead of the timer.
The timer of the Breville is specified by the minute. The temperature can be adjusted in 5°F/5°C increments by turning the knob slowly and in 10°F/10°C increments by turning the knob fast.
You can freely adjust the time and temperature while the oven is running but will need to press Cancel to change the cooking function. Keep in mind that this may repeat the automatic preheat phase if the temperature is lower than the manufacturer’s set point.
Regarding the extra unique features, the Temperature Conversion button is a nice touch for international users. The convection setting can be applied to almost all cooking functions except for Toast, Bagel, and Broil.
The Frozen Foods button adds a predetermined amount of time but only to the Toast, Bagel, Pizza, and Cookies functions. However, we didn’t find it very helpful since cooking time depends heavily on the food quantity and personal preference.
As for the extra cooking functions, the Pizza presets, with predetermined timers, aren’t very useful as they allow for temperature adjustment but don’t take the current temperature into account. The same goes for the Slow Cook function which has a predetermined temperature that isn’t stated in the manual.
According to our observation, the oven reaches and maintains at 325°F on both Low and High so we didn’t get the point of having two settings. In addition, these temperatures are quite high compared to more common slow cookers’ which are around 200°F on low and 300°F on high.
If you want to adjust the temperature for slow cooking in this oven, you can choose the Bake function for which the timer also reaches ten hours.
Ease of Use
What’s convenient about 100% analog toaster ovens is that it’s very simple to adjust time and temperature during cooking. When the timer runs out, a bell will sound and the oven will shut off. Afterward, you can freely leave it plugged in and not worry about power consumption as it has no digital display.
The door can open at any angle < 50° to let food cool down inside the oven. However, keep in mind that opening the door doesn’t stop the oven. The exterior shell isn’t very thick, so it gets hot to the touch quite quickly during cooking.
The Breville has an automatic preheat phase for functions that allow for temperature adjustment as mentioned above. According to the manufacturer, this feature will preheat the oven to 75% of the input temperature before sounding an alert. However, our observation showed that it would always preheat to around 300°F taking about 4m 55s regardless of the input temperature.
Due to the eject feature mentioned above, keep in mind to open the door slowly to prevent the rack from sliding too far outward. The door can be kept partially open at an 80° angle to let food cool inside the oven. Doing this doesn’t stop the oven, unlike some others. Be careful as the door can slam shut if you slip while closing.
When the automatic preheat phase or the cooking cycle ends, the interior light will turn on and then turn off after 30 seconds, similar to when you press the light switch. Unfortunately, there’s no way to keep the light on indefinitely.
If not used for 10 minutes, the oven goes into standby mode until you press Start again. Nonetheless, it’s still advised to unplug the oven after use. Your customized setting will remain in the memory of the oven until changed or the oven is unplugged from the power outlet.
Cleanability
We clean the stainless steel exterior with no problem. However, after the chicken test, there were burnt bits stuck to the upper heating element’s guard and grease on the cooking chamber’s ceiling. There was ample space between the ceiling and the upper heating element, so we proceed to try every cleaning method possible.
Unfortunately, we could only scrub off the bits. Due to the interior not having a non-stick coating, there were some permanent stains on the cooking chamber’s ceiling and the upper heating element’s guard.
Luckily, the heating element itself was intact. Also, we were able to remove the stubborn stains on the baking pan by brushing them with a paste of baking soda and water.
Cleaning the Breville was extremely easy thanks to its stainless steel exterior and non-stick interior. There were some tricky nooks and crannies in the cooking chamber but luckily, there was minimal grease splashing after all of our tests.
The enamel baking pan and broiling rack sported some stubborn stains from the roasted chicken even after we washed them with dish soap. Nonetheless, we took care of them quite easily by brushing them with a paste of baking soda and water.
The slide-out crumb tray was also helpful for cleaning up the crumbs but we still had to tilt the oven to get all of the crumbs out.