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Oster French Door vs Hamilton Beach 31127D Countertop Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison

Alan Nguyen
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated

Oster French Door Toaster Oven

Hamilton Beach 31127D Small Countertop Toaster Oven

Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Apr 3, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 19, 2023
The front of a closed Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven. The control panel is positioned vertically on the right. Inside the oven are a shining light, two baking racks, and one baking pan.
The front of a closed stainless steel Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven on a white background.

Our Verdict

6.5
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    6.4/10
  • Design (25%)
    6.7/10
  • Usability (25%)
    6.4/10
6.2
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    6.6/10
  • Design (25%)
    5.2/10
  • Usability (25%)
    6.4/10

The match between the Oster French Door Digital Convection Toaster Oven (TSSTTVFDDG) and the Hamilton Beach 31127D Countertop Toaster Oven is an interesting one with the latter edges it out in the end. The Oster wins in terms of design, but ties in usability, and loses every so slightly in performance.

The Hamilton has a large cooking chamber for its medium size category but not as much as the extra large Oster. Moreover, it lacks the features that the Oster has, like a single-pull French door, an LCD, a convection system, and an interior light. However, the Hamilton’s analog dials are just as precise as the Oster’s buttons that usually require a bit of force to register.

Performance is where things matter the most. Thanks to its convection system, the Oster was able to better brown the chicken skin and roast it to a more desirable doneness. However, the Hamilton’s smaller cooking chamber allowed it to get hot quicker and get better colors on its toast and fries despite its slightly lower power draw.

Overall, the Oster is the better choice if you mainly bake sweets where you don’t need your oven to be able to reach higher temperatures (> 400°F). However, it’s a few times more expensive than the Hamilton.

Medium Heat Only

Oster French Door Toaster Oven Performance

Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Toaster Oven Performance: Needs More Power
6.4
Performance Scores
  • Toast (40%)6.0/10
  • Pizza (25%)6.3/10
  • Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)8.1/10
  • Baked French Fries (10%)4.1/10
6.6
Performance Scores
  • Toast (40%)7.3/10
  • Pizza (25%)6.6/10
  • Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)6.3/10
  • Baked French Fries (10%)5.1/10
6.0

Toast

7.3
Oster French Door Toaster Oven Toast Test
From left to right, 24 pieces of toast for three toast levels including lighter, medium, and darker. On the upper row are the top sides, and on the lower row are the bottom sides of the toast.
The best four pieces of toast from the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven. On the left are the top sides, and on the right are the bottom sides of the toast.
On the left are four pieces of toast from the first batch, and on the right are from the second batch. On the upper row are the top sides, and on the lower row are the bottom sides.
Taste: 6
50% * 6 = 3.0
Even Surface Color: 6
20% * 6 = 1.2
Consecutive Usability: 6
30% * 6 = 1.8
  • Function: Toast
  • Number Of Slices: 4
  • Toast Level: 4/6
  • Cooking Time: 7m 25s
  • Second Batch: 5m 31s
  • Convection: No

We began our Toast test on the Oster with the default toast level 4 and got pretty good results right off the bat. For good measure, we continued to try the toast level 3, which failed to color evenly within the stipulated time.

We then tried level 5 only to end up with burnt toast and not the expected deep brown shade. Regretfully, while level 4 was the best toast level, it didn’t score high on our benchmark scale—only 6/10.

On this setting—7 minutes 25 seconds on the timer—the four pieces of bread on the upper tray were toasted to a nice golden brown color. However, the color became dark towards the edges, especially where the bread was less dense.

Additionally, a large portion of the bottom right piece of toast was significantly lighter, possibly indicating a cold spot in the cooking chamber. With such unevenness, we could only score the surface color a 6/10 despite the overall golden brown hue.

Moreover, due to the lengthy toasting time, the toast became very crispy but dry on the inside. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, said this crispiness would be great for eggs benedict and especially soup, but maybe not omelets and sandwiches. Unfortunately, the dark edges produced a bitter taste, preventing it from getting higher than a 6/10 from our chef.

We toasted the second batch of four slices immediately after the first. We chose level 4 again whereupon the oven automatically calibrated the timer to 5 minutes 31 seconds.

Since the oven was already hot, the aforementioned cold spot became less apparent. The toast was not as crispy nor dry as the first batch, which made it more suitable for sandwiches and omelets.

However, the burnt edges were still a problem, so the oven received one final 6/10 for consecutive usability. If you want better results for the second batch, we recommend decreasing the toast level by one.

From left to right, 24 pieces of toast for the top and bottom of three toast levels including lighter, medium, and darker.
On the left: 1m 55s; In the middle: 3m 30s; On the right: 4m 15s
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 31127D 6-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: 8
50% * 8 = 4.0
Even Surface Color: 8
20% * 8 = 1.6
Consecutive Usability: 5.5
30% * 5.5 = 1.6
  • Function: Toast
  • Number Of Slices: 4
  • Toast Level: 3/4 to Medium
  • Cooking Time: 3m 30s
  • Second Batch: 3m 30s
  • Convection: No

We initially set the toast knob to Medium—right at the Toast icon—for our Toast test. The bread came away very dark on the bottom but barely toasted on top. Then, the halfway point to Medium gave the toast no color.

Eventually, we settled on a point 3/4 the way to Medium—around 3 minutes 30 seconds on the timer—as the best option, and awarded it a score of 7.3/10.

At our optimal toasting setting, the Hamilton Beach produced 4 pieces with a great, slightly golden-brown color. Though the oven doesn’t have a convection fan, the color distribution was about 80% even so we gave the toast an 8/10.

The first batch of toast was crispy on the outside while still soft and moist on the inside, so we gave it an 8/10 for taste. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, said it would go very well with everything including sandwiches, soup, omelets, and eggs benedict.

The second batch represented a significant decrease in performance, scoring only 5.5/10 for consecutive usability. The toast had an uneven, dark brown color plus a burnt flavor. If you want the second batch to be the same as the first, remember to only turn the knob halfway to Medium—around 1 minute 55 seconds on the timer.

6.3

Pizza

6.6
Oster French Door Toaster Oven Pizza Test
A toaster oven baked 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza with cheese, onions, and green bell peppers on top. The pizza is inside a grooved silver baking pan on a white background.
Two slices of toaster oven baked pizza on top of one another. It’s a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza with cheese, onions, and green bell peppers on top. The pizza is inside a grooved silver baking pan.
On a white background, two hands break apart a slice of baked pizza using a toaster oven with cheese, meat, and green bell peppers on top.
Cooking Time: 9
20% * 9 = 1.8
Crust: 5.5
20% * 5.5 = 1.1
Toppings: 6
30% * 6 = 1.8
Taste: 5.5
30% * 5.5 = 1.6
  • Function: Turbo Convection
  • Temperature: 450°F
  • Cooking Time: 6m
  • Convection: Yes

For this pizza test, we didn’t choose the oven’s 400°F pizza preset because it didn’t match our Pizza test requirement of 450°F. Instead, we chose Turbo Convection as a suitable setting for baking pizza. Nonetheless, the results were not so favorable scoring only 6.4/10 on our testing scale.

We were, however, impressed that the oven only took 9 minutes to bake a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza placed on the upper rack level. According to our accumulated data on average toaster oven performance, this deserved a 9/10.

Unfortunately, the oven lacks the high-intensity heating capability needed to crisp a crust effectively in such a short period of time, which the Toshiba AC25CEW-BS has. Consequently, parts of the crust bottom stuck to the grooves of the baking tray and the surface had a light golden color - so the score was only 5.5/10.

We had to stop baking because some of the meat and parts of the cheese started charring. It was a shame that the cheese didn’t completely melt before this, so we could only give the toppings a 6/10.

We were able to prevent the toppings from burning and the potential bitter taste. However, the crust and the topping weren’t good enough for the taste of the pizza to get a score higher than 5.5/10 from our chef.

A toaster oven baked 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza with cheese, onions, and green bell peppers on top inside a baking pan.
A 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 melty cheese, meat, and green bell peppers on top baked using a toaster oven.
Cooking Time: 5.8
20% * 5.8 = 1.2
Crust: 7
20% * 7 = 1.4
Toppings: 7
30% * 7 = 2.1
Taste: 6.5
30% * 6.5 = 1.9
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 450°F
  • Cooking Time: 9m 10s
  • Convection: No

This oven left a bit to be desired when we tried baking a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza. We gave it a score of 6.6/10.

It took 9 minutes and 10 seconds to bake a pizza which was slightly faster than the recommended 10 minutes on the label. It only garnered a score of 5.8/10 after being compared to other toaster ovens in our Pizza test, though.

The crust had a good golden brown color but was soft, so we could only give it a 7/10. The toppings were caramelized unevenly and some areas of cheese got darkened. On the bright side, the toppings weren’t dry, so they got a 7/10. After tasting, our chef gave it a 6.5/10.

8.1

Whole Roasted Chicken

6.3
Oster French Door Toaster Whole Roasted Chicken Test
A whole roasted chicken using a toaster oven on a white background. The chicken is belly up on a baking rack with a silver baking pan below.
A whole chicken roasted using a toaster oven on a baking rack with a silver baking pan below. The thermometer displays the same temperature of 181°F from two probes inserted into the right and left thighs of the chicken.
The roasted chicken is carved into ten pieces on a baking rack with a silver baking pan below. There are three pieces of the carcass, two wings, two thighs, two breast pieces, one drumstick, and two fallen leg bones.
Two hands pulling apart a juicy chicken thigh roasted in a toaster oven. In the white background is the rest of the roasted chicken on a baking rack with a silver baking pan below.
Cooking Time: 7
20% * 7 = 1.4
Skin: 7.5
20% * 7.5 = 1.5
Doneness: 9.8
20% * 9.8 = 2.0
Taste: 8
40% * 8 = 3.2
  • Function: Turbo Convection
  • Temperature: 350°F
  • Cooking Time: 1h 10m
  • Convection: Yes

The spacious interior of the Oster seemed a key factor in our Whole Roasted Chicken test, scoring an impressive 8.1/10. We placed a 3 lb chicken belly-up on the upper rack level and flipped it after the first 40 minutes.

After 1 hour and 10 minutes, the skin reached an acceptable roasted color scoring a 7/10 for cooking time. Our chef surmised that further roasting wouldn’t result in better skin caramelization. Thus, we stopped roasting to avoid overcooking the meat and inadvertently lowering the total score.

The skin had an appetizing golden color, except for the sides of the two drumsticks which were a little lighter in color. Compared to other benchmark tests, the skin only crisped slightly indicating the heating elements and convection system to be less than ideal/top-of-the-range. The results were good, enough for a 7.5/10.

In conclusion, the oven maintained an ideal temperature long enough to evenly cook an entire chicken throughout. We measured the internal temperature of the chicken and it was 181°F. This was very surprising and almost spot-on with the recommended 165°F - 180°F by the USDA—thus earning a whopping 9.8/10 for doneness.

Interestingly, the meat came out so tender that the bone simply fell off as we tried to carve the chicken. If the skin was crispier, the chicken would have received a higher than 8/10 for taste.

A whole roasted chicken using the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Toaster Oven on a silver baking pan on a white background.
A whole roasted chicken using the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Toaster Oven on a silver baking pan on a white background.
A tray of whole toaster oven roasted chicken. The thermometer has two probes inside the chicken and displays 165°F and 176°F.
Seven pieces of a carved chicken including a carcass, two breasts, two wings, and two thighs on a silver baking pan.
The pink spots near the bone of the chicken. In the white background is the rest of the roasted chicken on a baking pan.
Cooking Time: 8
20% * 8 = 1.6
Skin: 5.5
20% * 5.5 = 1.1
Doneness: 6
20% * 6 = 1.2
Taste: 6
40% * 6 = 2.4
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 350°F
  • Cooking Time: 1h
  • Convection: No

Even though the Hamilton Beach could comfortably fit a 3 lb chicken for our Whole Roasted Chicken test, its performance was far from perfect, scoring only 6.3/10.

The oven took 1 hour—our standard for this test—to cook the chicken to a desirable color, so we gave it an 8/10.

After roasting, the skin took on an even golden color on top but only a very light caramelization on the bottom — although that was also even. Unfortunately, the skin was very soft, so we could only give it a 5.5/10.

The chicken reached an internal temperature of 165-176°F which was very close to the USDA recommendation. However, there were pink spots near the bone so we could only give it a 6/10.

The meat was acceptable in terms of texture and juiciness, but didn’t stand out as remarkable. Our chef gave the chicken a 6/10 for taste.

4.1

Baked French Fries

5.1
Oster French Door Toaster Baked French Fries Test
Pieces of baked french fries using a toaster oven inside a silver grooved baking pan on a white background.
A closeup of pieces of baked french fries using a toaster oven inside a silver grooved baking pan.
Pieces of baked french fries using a toaster oven. Eight pieces of broken-up fries are stacked on top of pieces of whole fries inside a silver grooved baking pan.
Cooking Time: 0
20% * 0 = 0.0
Color: 5
20% * 5 = 1.0
Texture: 5.5
20% * 5.5 = 1.1
Taste: 5
40% * 5 = 2.0
  • Function: Turbo Convection
  • Temperature: 400°F
  • Cooking Time: 30 m
  • Convection: Yes

For our Baked French Fries test, the Oster was disappointing, scoring only 4.1/10. Our reasoning was the poor size ratio of the cooking chamber to the oven’s power output. The oven wasn’t able to maintain a high enough temperature for baking frozen fries, as opposed to the Ninja DT201.

After 30 minutes the fries showed no significant change in color—where the test time limit was 25 minutes! Therefore, we had no choice but to stop baking and give the fries a 0/10 for cooking time.

Most fries had a pale color as if they were air-dried instead of air-fried. Some small pieces had a light golden color, but that wasn’t enough to score higher than 5/10.

Texture-wise, the fries were soft but dry on the outside, barely enough for a 5.5/10. All things considered, the only silver lining was that the fries were cooked, so our chef gave them a 5/10 for taste.

Pieces of baked french fries using the Hamilton Beach 31127D Toaster Oven on a silver baking pan on a white background.
Pieces of baked french fries using the Hamilton Beach 31127D Toaster Oven on a silver baking pan on a white background.
A close-up of pieces of baked french fries using the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Toaster Oven on a silver baking pan.
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: 6.5
20% * 6.5 = 1.3
Texture: 6
20% * 6 = 1.2
Taste: 6.5
40% * 6.5 = 2.6
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 400°F.
  • Cooking Time: 27m 15s
  • Convection: No

Baking 12 oz of french fries clearly wasn’t the Hamilton Beach oven’s forte, and it came away with a score of 5.1/10.

This oven took 27 minutes and 15 seconds to put some color into the french fries. That exceeded our time limit of 25 minutes, though, so it failed the cooking time criterion of our Baked French Fries test.

Even though the fries had some golden ends, most of them basically had no color. We gave them a 6.5/10.

Despite being spread out on the baking pan, the fries didn’t crisp up, so they got a 6/10. Our chef gave the fries a 6.5/10 for taste.

Aesthetic Only

Oster XL French Door Countertop Toaster Oven Design Review

Hamilton Beach Easy-Reach Toaster Oven Design: No Lighting or Convection
6.7
design Scores
  • Exterior (20%)8.0/10
  • Interior (30%)7.0/10
  • Build Quality (50%)6.0/10
5.2
design Scores
  • Exterior (20%)7.0/10
  • Interior (30%)1.0/10
  • Build Quality (50%)7.0/10

In the Oster TSSTTVFDDG Double-Door Convection Toaster Oven Box

In the Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Easy-Reach Toaster Oven Box
Top to bottom and left to right are a blue box, the Oster TSSTTVFDDG Toaster Oven, one baking rack, one baking rack with supports, a user manual, and a silver grooved baking pan on a white background.
  • Model: TSSTTVFDDG
  • Warranty: 1 year (US and Canada only)
  • User Manual
  • Baking Rack x 2
  • Baking Pan
  • Removable Crumb Tray

The Oster TSSTTVFDDG arrived boxed between two styrofoam brackets. The four accessories were packaged inside carton boxes and taped to the oven. While the box only has some basic information,  a complete user manual was inside.

An oven rack, a user manual, the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven, a box, and a baking pan.
  • Model: 31127D
  • Warranty: 1-year limited in the US and 5-year limited in Canada
  • User Manual
  • Baking Rack
  • Baking Pan
  • Removable Crumb Tray

Aside from the Hamilton Beach oven itself, the box also contained a baking pan, a baking rack, a removable crumb tray, and a basic user manual.

8.0

Exterior

7.0
An closed front of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background. The exterior is 16.75 inches long, 21.53 inches wide, and 12.79 inches high.
An closed front of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background. The exterior is 16.75 inches long, 21.53 inches wide, and 12.79 inches high.
The front and the right sides of a closed Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background. The control panel is in the front. The right side has air ventilation holes.
On a white background, the back and the left sides of a closed stainless steel Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven both have air ventilation holes. The back side has a black buffer.
On a white background, the top and the right sides of a closed stainless steel Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven both have air ventilation holes. The control panel is in the front.
On a white background, the bottom of a closed stainless steel Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven has four base stands and ventilation holes. The control panel is in the front.
  • Weight:
    16.8 lbs (7.6 kg)
  • Length:
    21.5" (54.7 cm)
  • Width:
    20.0" (50.7 cm)
  • Height:
    12.8" (32.5 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Color:
    Silver
  • Door Handle:
    Cool-touch
  • Tray Indicators:
    No
  • Crumb Tray:
    Removable

Considering the Oster’s large size, ventilation slats on all sides are a big plus. (+3). At first glance, the most stand-out feature was the tempered glass french door with cool-touch door handles (+3).

It has a rear buffer to maintain a cool distance from the wall, but we thought it could be greater(+2). Additionally, while the oven’s leg stoppers are sturdy, they are rather small.

Our measurements of the oven’s footprints were 21.53" x 19.96" x 12.79" which matched closely with the manufacturer’s 22" x 19.5" x 13". On a side note, we weighed the oven and it was 16.75 lbs while the manufacturer stated the entire package to be 13.87 lbs.

A closed front of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven with exterior measurements on a white background.
A closed front of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven with exterior measurements on a white background.
The front of an opened Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven has a control panel and the right side has holes.
The back and left sides of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Toaster Oven have holes. The back has a power cord and a buffer.
The top of the stainless steel Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Door Toaster Oven on a grey background.
On a grey background, the bottom of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Toaster Oven has four stands and holes.
  • Weight:
    9.3 lbs (4.2 kg)
  • Length:
    18.5" (47.0 cm)
  • Width:
    14.6" (37.0 cm)
  • Height:
    9.4" (24.0 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Color:
    Silver
  • Door Handle:
    cool-touch
  • Tray Indicators:
    No
  • Crumb Tray:
    Removable

The Hamilton Beach has a stainless steel exterior. Our measurements of the oven’s footprint were 18.5" x 15.56" x 9.41"—marginally different from the manufacturer’s provided 18.74" x 15.24" x 9.41".

What stands out most is the roll-top door with a cool-touch handle. It moves up and out of the way, giving you safe and easy access to your food before, during, and after cooking.

The oven has a back buffer to prevent it from being pushed too close to the wall. Unlike many other toaster ovens, though, you can’t wrap the power cord around the buffer.

Control Panel

Control Panel of the Hamilton Beach 31127D
The control panel of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG Toaster Oven has an LCD and 15 flat buttons for Toast, Bake, Broil, Turbo Convection, Pizza, Warm, Defrost, Dehydrate, Timer, Temp, Clock, Stop/Cancel, and Start.
  • Type:
    LCD + 15 buttons
  • Temperature:
    150°F - 450°F
  • Timer:
    1 minute - 6 hours
  • Indicator Light:
    No
  • Status Bar:
    No
  • Light Toggle:
    No
  • Convection Toggle:
    No
  • Rotation Toggle:
    No
  • Automatic Preheat:
    Yes
  • Audio Cues:
    No

The Oster has an LCD and 15 flat buttons including 8 for functions, 2 for timer adjustment, 2 for temperature adjustment, a Clock button, a Stop/Cancel button, and a Start button. The oven has an automatic interior light with no toggle button.

The control panel of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Toaster Oven has 3 control knobs for temperature, function, and timer.
  • Type:
    3 control knobs
  • Temperature:
    100°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 beach has three contoured control knobs labeled Temperature, Function, and Timer which are durable and easy to grip. While the timer only runs from 1 minute to 30 minutes, the knob has a stay-on position as well.

Cooking Functions of the Oster XL Digital Convection Toaster Oven

Cooking Functions
The eight cooking functions of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG Toaster Oven are in the center of the control panel. They include Toast, Bake, Broil, Turbo Convection, Pizza, Warm, Defrost, and Dehydrate. The oven’s right side has air ventilation holes.
  • Toast (level 1-6)
  • Bake (150°F-450°F)
  • Turbo Convection (150°F-450°F)
  • Broil (450°F)
  • Pizza (400°F)
  • Warm (150°F)
  • Defrost (150°F)
  • Dehydrate (150°F)

The Oster has eight cooking functions including Toast, Bake, Broil, Pizza, Warm, Defrost, Dehydrate, and Turbo Convection. Despite the name, Turbo Convection is basically Convection Bake—meaning this oven only has one convection level.

The standard Bake function and ‘Turbo’ Convection operate in the oven’s maximum temperature range, between 150°F to 450°F. The Toast function has 6 preset levels from Light to Dark, Meanwhile, the Pizza function is set to 400°F and Broil to 450°F—meaning neither can be adjusted.

The user manual recommends not to preheat the oven when using Defrost and Dehydrate. These two functions are set to 150°F—the lowest possible temperature —and cannot be adjusted. However, 150°F is a bit high compared to common dehydrators which operate at around 100°F.

For some reason, we couldn’t find the set temperature for Warm in the manual, but we measured the temperature to be 150°F.

The function knob of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Toaster Oven has 3 cooking functions including Bake, Broil, and Toast.
  • Toast
  • Bake
  • Broil

The bake and broil functions will be all you need if you know your way around the kitchen. The temperature knob also includes a Min setting which, at 100°F, can act as a ‘keep warm’ option.

7.0

Interior

1.0
The cooking chamber of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG Toaster Oven has one nichrome heating element on top and two on the bottom, two rack levels, a shining light, and a fan cavity on the right wall.
The cooking chamber of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG Toaster Oven has one nichrome heating element on top and two on the bottom, two rack levels, a shining light, and a fan cavity on the right wall.
The cooking chamber of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG Toaster Oven has one bent nichrome heating element on top and two straight ones on the bottom, two rack levels, a light, and a fan cavity on the right wall.
Two assembled guide rails on the right side of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven’s cooking chamber. A fan cavity is in between the two rails.
  • Heating Elements:
    3 nichrome
  • Convection Fan:
    Yes
  • Lighting:
    Yes
  • Tray Levels:
    2
  • Rotisserie:
    No
  • Safety Hook:
    No

The Oster uses three nichrome heating elements with an unusual looped design for the upper heating element (+3). Most similar large-capacity ovens we have examined have four upper heating elements, two bottom heating elements, and a combined power draw of 1800 W.

However, the Oster has only one upper heating element which bends across and around the cooking chamber’s ceiling to cover the same area as would four. Since the power draw is divided equally between working heating elements, we speculated this design choice was to accommodate the oven’s lower power draw of 1500 W.

The TSSTTVFDDG claims to have ‘easy clean interior walls’. While they are not grease-proof, our cleaning test showed that the oven was, indeed, easy to clean (+1).

The convection fan is situated on the right side of the cooking chamber (+2). While the oven has an interior light, it’s fully automatic with no manual operation (+2).

Having only two rack levels, the oven doesn’t really require guides on the glass door (-1). The manual recommends using the upper rack position for toast and pizza, and the lower one for other foods. It’s worth noting that the rack guide rails are assembled parts and not hollowed out of the cooking chamber’s walls like many other toaster ovens.

The baking rack should not be slid into the lower rack slot with the baking tray attached to the bottom. This will result in direct contact with the bottom heating elements.

The Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven’s cooking chamber has 4 nichrome heating elements and 2 guide rails.
  • Heating Elements:
    4 nichrome
  • Convection Fan:
    No
  • Lighting:
    No
  • Tray Levels:
    2
  • Rotisserie:
    No
  • Safety Hook:
    No

Unfortunately, the 31127D doesn’t have any interior features worth mentioning, not even internal lighting or a convection system like the Cuisinart TOA-60. The only thing it has is four nichrome heating elements.

Capacity of the Oster Double Door Oven

Capacity of the Stainless Steel Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Toaster Oven
An opened front of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background. The cooking chamber is 15.75 inches long, 16.53 inches wide, and 10.04 inches high.
  • Length:
    15.8" (40.0 cm)
  • Width:
    16.5" (42.0 cm)
  • Height:
    10.0" (25.5 cm)

According to the manufacturer, the TSSTTVFDDG can take 14 slices of toast and two 16-inch pizzas on its two racks. However, our hands-on testing proved it fits only 12 slices (6 per rack, each requiring at least 4.5 x 4.5 inches of space)  or a 15-inch pizza. While it wasn’t clear what the maximum size for a whole chicken was, our tests indicated plenty of room for a 3 lb bird.

The manufacturer doesn’t state the interior capacity, but we measured the cooking chamber volume to be around 42.83 liters—our biggest number to date. However, we felt only two rack slots didn’t do justice to the oven’s capacity.

An opened front of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Roll Top Toaster Oven with interior measurements on a white background.
  • Length:
    13.0" (33.0 cm)
  • Width:
    12.2" (31.0 cm)
  • Height:
    7.7" (19.5 cm)

The Hamilton Beach has enough capacity for 6 slices of toast, a 3 lb chicken, or a 12-inch pizza.

We measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be around 19.92 liters which was vastly different from the manufacturer’s stated capacity of 10 liters. However, this could be because we measured from the cooking chamber’s walls to walls whereas the manufacturer stopped before reaching the heating elements.

Power Cord

A two-pronged plug power cord. In the background is the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven.
  • Length:
    25.8" (65.5 cm)
  • Type:
    2-prong plug
  • Power:
    1500 W
  • Rated Output:
    120 V ~ 60 Hz

The power cord is 25.79" long which is enough for household use. However, it could be a bit longer since a toaster oven as large as the Oster requires at least 5 inches of clear space on all sides. The oven doesn’t have storage space for the cord like some ovens do.

A two-pronged plug power cord. In the background is the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Door Toaster Oven.
  • Length:
    35.0" (88.9 cm)
  • Type:
    2-prong plug
  • Power:
    1400 W
  • Rated Output:
    120 V ~ 60 Hz

The power cord protrudes from the bottom of the oven which can create some inconvenient bends. Nonetheless, roughly 35" is plenty of cord length for household use. However, the oven doesn’t have a storage place for the cord.

Baking Rack x 2

Accessories

Baking Rack
A stainless steel baking rack with two supports below of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background.
A stainless steel baking rack with two supports below of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background.
A stainless steel baking rack of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    15.7" (39.8 cm)
  • Width:
    16.1" (41.0 cm)
  • Height:
    0.7" (1.8 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The Oster has two slightly different baking racks. One is the standard rack type, while the other has two supports below to slide the baking pan under.

A stainless steel baking rack of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven on a grey background.
  • Length:
    13.0" (33.0 cm)
  • Width:
    11.9" (30.2 cm)
  • Height:
    1.0" (2.5 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The rack fits perfectly into the guide rails, reducing the chance of an accident when placing your food in the oven.

Baking Pan

Accessories

Baking Pan
A silver baking pan of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    14.13
  • Width:
    11.8" (30.0 cm)
  • Height:
    1.1" (2.9 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Not advisable

The baking pan has ridges and grooves for creating attractive roast markings and catching drippings. It also has wide edges for a firm fit on the baking rack supports, unlike some other designs we’ve seen.

However, it’s not big enough to fit into the rack rail guides and can only go on top of a rack or attached beneath. This means it doesn’t make full use of the oven’s capacity. In addition, the tray is coated, but not completely non-stick so prone to stubborn stains.

A silver baking pan of the stainless steel Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Toaster Oven on a grey background.
  • Length:
    11.3" (28.8 cm)
  • Width:
    9.4" (23.8 cm)
  • Height:
    0.7" (1.8 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The baking pan is correctly sized to keep messy food from dripping directly onto the heating elements. It slides into the brackets on the baking rack’s underside, so it’s a perfect fit. Unfortunately, though it has a coating, it isn’t completely non-stick so it can accumulate some stains after a tough roasting mission.

Removable Crumb Tray

Accessories

Removable Crumb Tray
A stainless steel removable crumb tray of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven on a white background.
  • Length:
    15.7" (39.8 cm)
  • Width:
    12.5" (31.8 cm)
  • Height:
    0.8" (1.9 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Not advisable

A crumb tray is always a useful accessory to clean up pesky debris, especially with a large toaster oven like the Oster. Look out for crumbs falling onto the oven floor as you take out the tray. It’s quite a hassle to tilt the oven to get them out.

A silver removable crumb tray of the stainless steel Hamilton Beach 31127D Easy Reach Toaster Oven on a grey background.
  • Length:
    12.9" (32.8 cm)
  • Width:
    10.0" (25.4 cm)
  • Height:
    0.7" (1.8 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Not advisable

The removable crumb tray makes it easier to remove crumbs and other debris from the oven’s floor. However, some may still fall to the bottom of the oven as you take out the tray.

6.0

Build Quality

7.0
An opened Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Toaster Oven on a white background. Inside the cooking chamber, from the bottom up are one removable crumb tray, one baking rack, and one baking pan under another baking rack.

The TSSTTVFDDG is light for its size and has a graspable rectangular shape making it easy to carry or position on a counter (+2). It also has a sturdy build and durable stainless steel casing (+4). The LCD is black while the numbers are yellow and the settings are red, making everything easy to see (+1).

Unfortunately,  we found that the flat buttons often required some force to register (-1). Moreover, the door hinge could be firmer thus preventing the door from slamming shut.

The front of an opened Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Toaster Oven with a removable crumb tray, baking pan, and oven rack.

The Hamilton Beach is well-constructed out of durable stainless steel. Its contoured knobs turn smoothly and are a nice simple touch.

Could Be Improved

Oster TSSTTVFDDG Digital French Door Toaster Oven Usability

Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Toaster Oven Usability Review: No Noticable Problems
6.4
usability Scores
  • User Control (30%)8.0/10
  • Oster French Door Toaster Oven Ease of Use (50%)5.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)7.5/10
6.4
usability Scores
  • User Control (30%)6.0/10
  • Ease of Use (50%)6.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)8.0/10
8.0

User Control

6.0

The Oster’s controls are easy to understand since what you see is what you get (+2). Therefore, the LCD doesn’t provide any extra information but it’s easy to read (+2).

The buttons have only a single function and are easy to tell apart(+2). Although the manual says you can press the Stop/Cancel button twice to turn off the oven, we weren’t able to do so (-1).

The temperature can be adjusted in increments of 5°F and the timer runs from one minute to six hours, which is quite impressive (+1). Time can be adjusted in increments of 1 minute up to  2 hours and in increments of 0.5 hours above 2 hours (+1).

To set up the clock, press the clock button once and the clock will flash. Then, use the arrow keys to set the hour and press the clock button again to likewise set the minutes. Finally, push the clock button or the start button to set the time (+1).

The Hamilton Beach only has three simple control knobs but there are a few things to pay attention to. If you wish to set the timer knob for less than 10 minutes, you must first turn it beyond the 10-minute mark (to start the heating) and then roll it back to the setting you want.

Precisely adjusting time and temperature can be a bit difficult but it’s not a major problem. If you’re concerned, use an external timer and an oven thermometer for more accurate measurements.

5.0

Oster French Door Toaster Oven Ease of Use

Ease of Use

As you select a function, the corresponding icons will illuminate in the LCD screen. The TSSTTVFDDG has an automatic preheat phase which is only applicable for the Bake and Turbo Convection Bake functions (+1).

After setting the time and temperature, you then push start and the display will show PrE indicating the oven is in the preheating phase. You can bypass this phase by pressing the start button a second time.

Preheating takes roughly 5 minutes to around 300°F regardless of the  temperature you set. You can readjust the time and temperature only after the preheating phase.

Interestingly, we found that the oven would return to preheat mode after adjusting the temperature until the new input temperature was reached and not just 300°F. This is also stated in the user manual.

The racks fit perfectly into the rail guides thus preventing accidents when placing food in the oven (+3). When the cooking cycle begins, the interior light will turn on automatically and then off when the cooking cycle ends (+2).

The french door and its cool-touch handle allow you to stay away from the heat wave when opening after cooking (+4). The doors are also single-pull which is very convenient. However, the doors cannot open partially and can slam shut if your hand slips (-2).

Unlike some ovens, opening the door doesn’t stop the oven or the interior light (-2). The oven casing can get very hot after long cooking times at high temperatures, so you should take care (-1).

When the cooking cycle finishes, the oven will beep once, switch off the heat, and return to the clock screen. It’s advised to unplug the oven after use.

The simple analog control panel makes it very easy to adjust settings on the fly. Once the timer counts down to the Off position, you’ll hear a chime and the oven will shut itself off. Since there’s no digital display, the oven won’t draw any more power even if you leave it plugged in.

The oven’s exterior only gets hot to the touch after a long cooking time at a high temperature. The door can be kept partially open at many degrees but keep in mind that it doesn’t switch the oven off.

7.5

Cleanability

8.0
A silver baking pan of the Oster TSSTTVFDDG XL Digital French Door Convection Toaster Oven with some stains on it on a white background.

The stainless steel exterior of the Oster was very easy to clean (+2). Even though the interior doesn’t have a non-stick coating, there are no tricky nooks and crannies, so cleaning didn’t require much labor (+4).

After roasting a chicken, the baking pan accumulated some stubborn stains which we were able to remove even with a baking soda paste and water (+1.5). We were worried the grease could splash inside the fan cavity while cooking, but this was not the case.

Grease on the glass door of a closed stainless steel Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Door Toaster Oven.
Grease on the glass door of a closed stainless steel Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Door Toaster Oven.
Grease on the left wall of the stainless steel Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Toaster Oven’s cooking chamber.
Caramelized meat juice and grease on the silver baking pan of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Toaster Oven.
The cleaned silver baking pan of the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven with some discoloration.

We cleaned the Hamilton Beach in accordance with our toaster oven cleaning guide. The oven was easy to clean thanks to its surface coatings and the fact that it has no tricky nooks and crannies.

The removable crumb tray made it easy to clean up the crumbs, though we still had to tilt the oven to get the last of them. Unfortunately, after our Whole Roasted Chicken test, the baking pan accumulated some discoloration that we weren’t able to remove even with a paste of baking soda and water.