Ninja Foodi XL Pro vs Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison
Ninja Foodi XL Pro vs Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 Toaster Oven. Both are large digital convection toaster ovens, one is decent and one is our best large pick.
Specifications
Design
The Ninja DT201 shows a high build quality in all of its design features from the exterior and interior to the included accessories. What stood out to us the most was the powerful convection system and the number of heating elements. We couldn’t confirm the accuracy of the Ninja’s claim that it had ‘up to ten times the convection power’ of a traditional full-size convection oven, though.
The Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 has a simple and sturdy design, plus a convenient slide-out crumb tray. The large interior houses a togglable lightbulb and convection system. A consistent disadvantage that this oven has is its low wattage compared to something like the Ninja DT201.
Usability Comparison
The straightforward control panel on the Ninja DT201 allowed for easy adjusting and readjusting of the cooking settings. Moreover, the informative display combined with distinguished buttons removed all of the guesswork when it came to operating the oven.
The oven’s practical cooking functions shined all the more in combination with the 2-level even cooking feature. The oven’s interior could be improved with a coating for easier cleaning, though.
While the digital control panel of the Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 is straightforward and easy to use, its buttons can be more responsive. In addition to that, having to press Cancel before changing functions can get annoying.
The convection fan isn’t all-applicable, but it’s not a problem. On the other hand, the oven’s design features, including its accessories, make cleaning an effortless exercise.
Performance Test
The Ninja DT201 performed differently on each of our tests but even at its worst, it still gave good results. We were most impressed with the oven’s ability to quickly reach and maintain its temperature despite the large cooking chamber. This could be attributed to the oven’s high power output, powerful convection system, and a total of 5 heating elements.
With these factors, you don’t even need to turn food during cooking, especially if you incorporate the air fryer basket. Interestingly, this was one of the few units where we felt increasing the food amounts would lead to even better results.
The strongest performance aspect of the Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 was the even coloring on our test dishes, thanks to its convection system. However, it didn’t meet the mark in baking frozen french fries.
This was probably due to the low power output combined with the large capacity, unlike the picks on our best toaster oven list. Moreover, having only two tray positions made it tricky to get the toast done right on both sides.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Straightforward and informative control panel
- Tailored cooking functions
- Family-sized capacity
- Tray-level suggestions
- Sturdy construction
- Well-designed accessories
- Easy-to-clean stainless steel exterior
- Cool-touch door handle
- Large capacity
- Easy-to-clean stainless steel exterior
- Cool-touch door handle
- Convenient slide-out crumb tray
- High-contrast digital display
- Internal lighting available
- Extra functions
- No safety mechanism for the door
- Faulty interior light upon received
- Convection fan isn’t all-applicable
- No safety mechanism for the door
- Buttons not reliably responsive
Conclusion
The Ninja Foodi XL Pro (DT201) and the Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 are both large digital convection toaster ovens. While the Oster is a decent unit, it just can’t compete with the Ninja—our best large toaster oven. The Foodi XL Pro is more than twice the price of the Oster but also larger and has significantly higher scores.
The TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 does have similar exterior features including ventilation slats and a slide-out crumb tray. However, it only has the standard interior features for its price range, which wasn’t enough.
Usability-wise, the Oster can toggle its interior light but not its convection setting. On the other hand, the Ninja has a much more informative digital display as well as more expansive and intuitive control.
The biggest drawback for the Oster lies in build quality. Its casing is not very thick, so heat insulation won’t be as good as the Ninja. Its buttons also, more often than not, require some work to register properly.
With a lower power output and weaker convection, the Oster just can’t give the foods the caramelized look and crispy texture that the Ninja can. It’s quite funny that those two weaknesses made the food less prone to fat splashes so cleaning was less of a hassle.
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.
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.
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.
