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Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 vs Hamilton Beach 31127D Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)7.0/10
- Design (25%)6.2/10
- Usability (25%)6.6/10
- Performance (50%)6.6/10
- Design (25%)5.2/10
- Usability (25%)6.4/10
The Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 Digital Convection Toaster Oven scores slightly higher in every aspect than the Hamilton Beach 31127D Countertop Toaster Oven. It also costs a bit more but is larger in size and capacity.
Both toaster ovens have the same four nichrome heating elements. Nonetheless, the Oster performed better in baking pizza, french fries, and roasting a whole chicken. This was despite a lower power output, thanks to the Oster having a convection system.
However, similar to most toaster ovens, the Oster didn’t deploy convection for toasting. As a result, the Oster scored lower than the Hamilton in toasting bread.
The Oster had a higher design score due to it having a convection system and an interior light. Its LCD allowed for more precise control than the Hamilton’s analog dials, but the buttons could be more responsive.
The Oster’s casing wasn’t as thick and durable as the Hamilton’s. It was a bit easier to clean on the inside thanks to its large cooking chamber though.
The Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 is suitable for someone looking for a simple and robust large unit. On the other hand, the Hamilton Beach 31127D is a sturdy, durable, inexpensive, medium-sized unit.
Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 6-Slice Convection Toaster Oven Performance
- Toast (40%)6.2/10
- Pizza (25%)8.0/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)7.8/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)6.0/10
- Toast (40%)7.3/10
- Pizza (25%)6.6/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)6.3/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)5.1/10
Toast
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: 2/6
- Cooking Time: 6m 43s
- Second Batch: 4m18
- Convection: No
Using the steps of our Toast test, we determined that level 2—6 minutes 43 seconds on the timer—was the best option, scoring a 6.2/10. In comparison, the toast at level 1 had a very light color, and the toast at level 3 had a dark brown color, with some dark patches.
The Toast Level 2 of the Oster produced four pieces with a golden brown color on the top. However, due to the unideal tray position, the toast was dark brown on the bottom. Even though the color was even, the big difference between the top and bottom resulted in a 6/10.
Due to the long cooking time, the first batch of toast was crispy outside but a bit dry inside, so it got a 7/10 for taste. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, determined they would go well with eggs benedict, omelet, and soup, in particular, but not with sandwiches.
Even though this oven automatically deducted the toast timer to 4m 18s, the second batch was still significantly darker and drier. The color was also uneven, ranging from golden brown to dark, so it got a 5/10 for consecutive usability.
- 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.
Pizza
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 450°F
- Cooking Time: 6m 50s
- Convection: Yes
The Oster did very well in baking a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza, but the evenness in caramelization could be improved. Thus, it received an 8/10 in total.
It only took 6m 50s to bake the pizza as opposed to 10 minutes on the label. In comparison to other toaster ovens in our Pizza test, it got a solid 8.2/10.
The crust had a nice golden brown color and since it was neither too soft nor too dry, it scored an 8/10. The cheese was melty and the toppings’ caramelization was about 80% even, so we gave it another 8/10. For its taste, our chef gave the pizza one final 8/10.
- 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.
Whole Roasted Chicken
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 350°F.
- Cooking Time: 1h
- Convection: Yes
Thanks to the Oster’s large capacity, we placed a 3 lb chicken on top of its broiling rack which is then set on top of the baking pan before we perform our Whole Roasted Chicken test. The overall score was 7.8/10.
The oven was able to roast the chicken in 1 hour, which was the standard amount of time needed, and deserved an 8/10. Thanks to the broiling rack and the oven’s convection system, the skin got an even golden color throughout. However, even with those advantages, the skin wasn’t able to crisp up much, so it got a 7/10.
The chicken was fully cooked, but its internal temperature was a tad high at 190-192°F, so we gave it an 8.8/10. The meat was soft and juicy throughout, so it earned a 7.5/10 for taste from our chef.
- 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.
Baked French Fries
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 400°F
- Cooking Time: 20 m
- Convection: Yes
The Oster left a lot to be desired in baking french fries, thus scoring a 6/10.
The oven took 20 minutes to bake 12 oz of french fries. In comparison to other toaster ovens in our Baked French Fries test, it scored a 7.3/10.
The fries had an uneven color, ranging from almost none to golden and brown on the ends, so they got a 6.8/10. The fries were very soft so they could only get a 6/10 for texture. Our chef gave the fries a 5/10 for taste.
- 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.
Oster 6-Slice Convection Toaster Oven Design
- Exterior (20%)7.0/10
- Interior (30%)6.0/10
- Build Quality (50%)6.0/10
- Exterior (20%)7.0/10
- Interior (30%)1.0/10
- Build Quality (50%)7.0/10
In the Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 Convection Toaster Oven Box
- Model: TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2
- Warranty: 1-year limited (US and Canada only)
- User Manual
- Baking Rack
- Baking Pan
- Rack Clamp
- Removable Crumb Tray
- Rotisserie Kit and Lifter
- Air Fryer Basket
The packaging includes two foam pads to keep the oven firmly in place and the three accessories are wrapped in carton sheets to avoid scratches during transportation. The oven also comes with a user manual.
- 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.
Exterior
- Weight:12.1 lbs (5.5 kg)
- Length:19.7" (50.0 cm)
- Width:15.2" (38.6 cm)
- Height:11.6" (29.5 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Black
- Door Handle:cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:No
- Crumb Tray:Slide-out
The Oster has air ventilation holes on all sides of the convection system, which is a plus. In addition, having a slide-out tray is always helpful because it makes it easier to clean the oven.
Although the back buffers aren’t very sturdy, the bottom stands are and they also act as oven-carrying handles. Our measurements of the oven’s footprints were 19. 68" x 15.19" x 11.61" which were only slightly different in terms of width to the manufacturer’s provided 19.72" x 16.29" x 11.33".
- 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
- Type:LCD display + 15 buttons
- Temperature:150°F - 450°F
- Timer:1 minute - 90 minutes
- Indicator Light:Yes
- Status Bar:No
- Light Toggle:Yes
- Convection Toggle:No
- Rotation Toggle:No
- Automatic Preheat:No
- Audio Cues:No
The Oster has an LCD digital display and 15 buttons, including 8 functions, 2 to adjust time, 2 to adjust temperature, a light toggle, a clock feature, a stop and a start button. The built-in clock is something you rarely see in a toaster oven, but we’ve seen some comments about it, usually pointing out that the clock is ahead of time by 5 minutes.
- 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 6-Slice Toaster Oven
- Toast
- Bake
- Convection Bake
- Broil
- Warm
- Defrost (150°F)
- Pizza (400°F)
You can only adjust the temperature on the Bake and Convection Bake functions, which should be good enough for experienced cooks. Other functions have their temperature predetermined by the manufacturer, which can be useful for beginners in the kitchen.
For some reason, the user manual doesn’t specify the predetermined temperature for the Warm function. Nonetheless, we were able to measure it to be around 180°F, which was unfortunately quite high for its purpose. Other toaster ovens with the Warm function usually maintain around 80°F-100°F.
- 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.
Interior
- Heating Elements:4 nichrome
- Convection Fan:Yes
- Lighting:Yes
- Tray Levels:2
- Rotisserie:No
- Safety Hook:No
The Oster has four standard nichrome heating elements but only two tray levels—unlike the similar-sized Cosori CO130-AO that has three. In addition to a convection system, it has internal lighting which is always useful, especially when you can choose when to turn it on and off.
- 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 Stainless Steel Oster Digital Countertop Toaster Oven
- Length:14.2" (36.1 cm)
- Width:12.6" (32.0 cm)
- Height:9.4" (24.0 cm)
Its spacious interior can accommodate 6 slices of toast, a 12-inch pizza, and more than a 3 lb chicken. While the manufacturer didn’t state the exact capacity, we measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be around 28 liters.
- 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
- Length:26.0" (66.0 cm)
- Type:2-prong plug
- Power:1300 W
- Rated Output:120 V ~ 60 Hz
Since the power cord is positioned at the bottom of the oven, it may have some inconvenient bends. The length of roughly 25.98" is adequate for household use but not enough to wrap around the back buffers.
- 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.
Accessories
- Length:14.2" (36.1 cm)
- Width:15.0" (38.1 cm)
- Height:0.2" (0.5 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The rack fits perfectly with the guide rails and helps reduce the chance of an accident when you put food in the oven.
- 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.
Accessories
- Length:12.9" (32.7 cm)
- Width:10.5" (26.7 cm)
- Height:1.2" (3.0 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel with enamel coating
- Dishwasher Safe:Not advisable
The baking pan goes hand-in-hand with the broiling rack to catch the drippings and meat juice. Its enamel coating makes it more resistant to stains and caramelized bits but it is not advisable to put the baking pan in the dishwasher.
However, it’s slightly smaller than the oven’s capacity and therefore, does not make the most of the space. Nonetheless, it still does the job of preventing any hot mess from dirtying the heating elements which can lead to fire danger.
- 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.
Accessories
- Length:10.9" (27.7 cm)
- Width:8.5" (21.7 cm)
- Height:1.2" (3.1 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Not advisable
The broiling rack has an elevation from the baking pan to allow for heat circulation around the food. However, it’s not firmly attached to the baking pan, so be careful when you move this combo around. In addition, the rack doesn’t have a coating, which may make it prone to caramelized bits, stains, and discoloration.
- 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.
Build Quality
Though it is made from durable materials and has a sturdy build, the Oster isn’t heavy for its size. The digital display is clear, but the flat buttons can be irresponsive at times; this seems to be a common problem for Oster units, as the Oster TSSTTVFDDG also suffers from it.
Throughout the testing procedure, we found that the oven’s power output of 1300 W may have offset its large capacity. Our speculation was that its performance efficiency could increase with 1800 W.
The Hamilton Beach is well-constructed out of durable stainless steel. Its contoured knobs turn smoothly and are a nice simple touch.
Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 6-Slice Toaster Oven Usability Review
- User Control (30%)6.0/10
- Ease of Use (50%)6.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)9.0/10
- User Control (30%)6.0/10
- Ease of Use (50%)6.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)8.0/10
User Control
For the Oster, the temperature can be adjusted in increments of 10°F. The timer can be adjusted in increments of 30 seconds when it’s below 10 minutes and in increments of 1 minute after 10 minutes. The convection fan isn’t all-applicable, but you can adjust time and temperature according to your preference on Convection Bake.
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.
Ease of Use
The Oster doesn’t beep with each press of a button which isn’t normally an issue. However, because the buttons weren’t always responsive, we had to check the display with each press and this required us to do so more than once.
One thing to keep in mind is that the oven requires you to press Cancel before changing the cooking function. After the cooking cycle finishes, the digital display will show END and the oven will sound 4 beeps 3 times. You’ll then need to press Cancel before performing further inputs.
The oven’s exterior only gets hot to the touch after a long period of cooking at a high temperature (> 400°F). The door can easily be kept partially open, but it doesn’t stop the cooking process, unlike some other ovens.
The built-in clock will keep ticking as long as the oven’s plugged in, but the power consumption should be minimal. Thus, it’s up to you to keep the oven plugged in or to remove it.
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.
Cleanability
The Oster has an internal and external coating. There are no tricky nooks and crannies. The slide-out crumb tray made cleaning up the crumbs very easy but we still had to tilt the oven to remove all of them.
Although some grease splashed inside the oven during our Whole Roasted Chicken test, we could easily clean it up using the instructions in our toaster oven cleaning guide. The baking pan, even with the enamel coating, sustained some stubborn burnt bits and stains that required brushing with a paste of baking soda and water.
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.