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Panasonic Flashxpress vs Ninja Foodi XL Pro Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)6.6/10
- Design (25%)6.0/10
- Usability (25%)4.9/10
- Performance (50%)8.0/10
- Design (25%)8.8/10
- Usability (25%)9.5/10
The conclusion to the fight between the Panasonic NB-G110P FlashXpress Digital Small Toaster Oven and the Ninja DT201 Foodi XL Pro Air Fryer Toaster Oven was without any surprise. Even though the Panasonic was our best energy-saving pick, it couldn’t hold a candle to our best large pick—the Ninja.
The FlashXpress has an interesting auto-pull rack and a few distinct cooking presets that are typical in a Japanese appliance. Unfortunately, its timer and temperature range are nowhere near as detailed and expansive as the Ninja’s. The Ninja’s presets are also much more well-designed.
The Panasonic can achieve really high heat (as high as 500°F) with a low power output of 1500 W. However, it’s hindered by the lack of cooking space but a relatively large footprint, not to mention not having a convection system.
The machine has a pretty decent overall cooking performance for a small unit. It actually hit the right spot for a higher pizza score but still not enough to win against the Ninja all things considered. Besides, we thought the Ninja would’ve had a higher score if it were to bake a fresh pizza.
Panasonic FlashXpress Toaster Oven Performance
- Toast (40%)6.0/10
- Pizza (25%)7.3/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)7.1/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)6.1/10
- Toast (40%)8.3/10
- Pizza (25%)6.5/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)9.0/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)7.8/10
Toast
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: 1/5
- Cooking Time: 2m 20s
- Second Batch: 2m 11s
- Convection: No
There were a few interesting things, though not necessarily good, about our Toast test for the NB-G110P. We first tried the middle toasting level—level 3—and the results were all burnt. Then, we decreased the setting to level 2 and the toast was no longer burnt. However, it was still dark for our standard.
Finally, we cranked it down all the way to level 1—around 2 minutes 20 seconds on the timer. This setting allowed us to achieve an acceptable outcome scoring a 6.1/10 in total. Of course, this meant that we only had a reference for the darker setting and not the lighter one.
On the toasting level 1, the four pieces of toast had a nice golden brown color around the center of the oven. However, the color got significantly lighter as it got to the edges. This unevenness was all the more apparent on the bottom side of the toast, so we gave it a 7/10 for even surface color.
Unfortunately, such a short cooking time wasn’t able to crisp up the toast, even the golden brown areas. Our head chef Tuyet Pham deemed the toast, at best, passable to go with sandwiches, omelets, and eggs benedict and awarded it a 6/10 for taste.
All the existing problems of the first batch became slightly worse in the second batch. The cooking time for the second batch at toasting level 1 was automatically adjusted to be slightly shorter—2 minutes 11 seconds.
For some reason, the color was less even on top—one piece of toast was only lightly toasted, one was golden, one was golden brown, and one was brown. Nonetheless, the bottom of the second batch was similar to the first.
While the golden brown and brown pieces were a bit crispier than the first four, they weren’t enough to get the consecutive usability score to higher than 5.5/10.
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: 5/7
- Cooking Time: 5m 15s
- Second Batch: 4m
- Convection: No
We began our Toast test by setting the toast function to level 4. With four slices of bread placed on tray level 3, they came out very light on top. The bottom side had a bit more color but it wasn’t enough.
After that, we cranked the oven up to level 6. That gave us a very even color, but it was too brown. In the end, we settled for toasting at level 5, which ran for around 5 minutes 15 seconds, as the best option, earning a score of 8.3/10.
Under this setting, the toast mostly received a light golden brown color. However, there were various areas that were a bit darker or lighter, possibly due to the bread’s varying thickness. The unevenness in surface color, especially on the bottom, prevented us from scoring it higher than 8.5/10.
Interestingly, this unevenness in the bread gave it a variety of textures throughout which deserved another 8.5/10. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, determined the toast would go great with pretty much everything including omelets, sandwiches, eggs benedict, and soup.
The light golden brown areas were slightly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. On top of that, the golden brown areas were crispy all the way through and the light golden areas gave us a different, softer texture.
For the immediate second batch at the same toast level, the oven automatically reduced the time to 4 minutes. This time, the toast had a more even brown color than the first batch. However, there was a more apparent unevenness on the bottom with colors that ranged from white to dark brown.
Nonetheless, nothing was burnt, so it did not taste bitter. The extra crispiness made the toast even better for soup. All in all, the oven got a 7.8/10 for consecutive usability.
Pizza
- Function: None
- Temperature: 460°F
- Cooking Time: 3m
- Convection: No
Through our Pizza test, we noticed that the heating elements of the Panasonic NB-G110P seem to be very powerful. However, it wasn’t coupled with even heat distribution, which resulted in a 7.4/10 pizza score.
The toaster oven was able to bake a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza in only 3 minutes. This was one of our fastest recorded cooking times, even faster than the powerful medium-sized Cuisinart TOA-60, and deserving a whopping 10/10.
However, such a short cooking time was only enough to cook the crust while not giving it any color at all. The silver lining in this was that the crust wasn’t dry, enough for a 6.5/10.
The toppings would have been quite appetizing if not for the burnt onions, bell peppers, and meat tips. Luckily, the high heat meant that the cheese was melty which garnered the toppings a 7.5/10.
Unfortunately, the burnt parts affected the taste quite badly with their bitterness. Thus, our chef could only give the pizza a 6/10 after tasting it.
- Function: Pizza
- Temperature: 450°F
- Cooking Time: 5m
- Convection: Low
Our Pizza test was one of the few occasions where we felt the Ninja didn’t measure up to its potential. We suspect the score would be better if we were baking a fresh pizza instead of a store-bought 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza. Anyhow, we settled on a score of 6.5/10 for this test.
After preheating, we placed the baking tray and the pizza at tray level 3 as suggested by the digital display. The oven only took 5 minutes to bake the pizza compared to the recommended 10 minutes on the label. According to our standards, this deserved a 10/10 for cooking time.
Unfortunately, despite having the convection system on low, the crust was only golden on the side closest to the fan. The other half of the crust lacked color. In addition, such a short amount of time wasn’t enough to crisp any of the crust (even the golden side). Thus, we could only give the crust a 6/10.
The reason we had to stop the cooking so early was that the meat and the bell peppers on the golden half of the crust were beginning to char. Luckily, the toppings on the other half cooked properly. However, it seemed the cheese didn’t have enough time to melt, so the toppings only got a 5/10.
Considering the state of the crust and the toppings, our chef gave the pizza a 6/10 after tasting it.
Whole Roasted Chicken
- Function: None
- Temperature: 355°F
- Cooking Time: 1h 10m
- Convection: No
As we tried to fit a 3-pound whole chicken inside the Panasonic for our Whole Roasted Chicken test, the chicken grazed the hot upper heating element. This resulted in quite an impressive caramelization on the skin but also permanent stains on the heating element.
The lack of space for heat circulation was one of the main reasons behind the subpar score of 7.1/10. If you were to roast a chicken in this oven, we recommend cutting open the chicken or chopping it into pieces beforehand.
The Panasonic took 1 hour 10 minutes to roast the chicken, compared to the standard one hour, so it got a 7/10. We decided to stop the cooking at this point because our chef suggested that the skin wasn’t getting any more color and we didn’t want to overcook the chicken.
While the skin close to the upper heating element was nicely caramelized, the rest of it lacked color. It was also really soft, similar to being steamed, so we gave it a 6/10.
Checking with a meat thermometer, we found the chicken’s internal temperature to be 196°F-198°F which was quite high compared to the USDA’s recommended 165°F-180°F. Of course, the meat had no pink spots, so we gave it an 8.3/10.
As a result of the long cooking time, the meat was a bit dry. Interestingly, the soft skin was able to make up for the dry meat, enough for a 7/10 for taste from our chef.
- Function: Air Roast
- Temperature: 350°F
- Cooking Time: 40m
- Convection: Maximum
The strengths of the Ninja really shined through in our Whole Roasted Chicken test, scoring an impressive 9/10. We placed our 3-pound whole chicken in the air fryer basket with plenty of room to spare and slid it onto tray level 3. We also placed a baking pan below to catch any drippings.
With this test, we were able to confirm the manufacturer’s claim that food in this oven didn’t need to be turned, especially when using its air fryer basket. Nonetheless, to stay consistent with our test parameters, we still flipped the chicken after the first 25 minutes.
The oven took only 40 minutes to cook the chicken all the way through and to create an appetizing-looking and crispy skin. It was one of the fastest cooking times among our toaster ovens and deserved a whopping 10/10, on par with the Cosori CO130-AO which uses a rotisserie kit.
The skin was evenly golden from the bottom to the top. It also crisped up nicely around the tips of the wings and drumsticks as well as areas with a lot of fat.
However, it would seem the surface of the chicken cooked so quickly that a lot of the fat didn’t get rendered out from the skin. Thus, while the outer layer of the skin was crispy, the inside was soft. The skin’s softness from the remaining fat, unfortunately, prevented it from scoring higher than 8.5/10.
Checking with a meat thermometer, we found the chicken’s internal temperature to be 194°F-199°F which was quite high compared to the USDA recommended of 165°F-180°F. This was the reason we didn’t continue cooking longer for better skin caramelization. Our chef was afraid that would overcook the chicken. After carving the chicken, we found no pink spots in the meat and gave it an 8.4/10 for doneness.
With such a short cooking time, the meat remained delightfully juicy. Also taking into account the texture of the skin, our chef gave the chicken a 9/10 for taste.
Baked French Fries
- Function: None
- Temperature: 425°F
- Cooking Time: 25 m
- Convection: No
The problem of powerful heating elements and uneven heat distribution in baking pizza repeated here in our Baked French Fries test. However, the score for the Panasonic’s baked french fries was lower, at 6.1/10.
We tried to give the oven the benefit of the doubt and stop the cooking at 25 minutes. This was the time limit of our test and equaled a 5/10. We decided to stop the cooking so as to not decrease the cooking time score any further despite the fries’ lack of color.
Even after baking for 25 minutes, only the smaller fries had a light golden color. The bigger and longer ones were only golden at the tips while the rest of them was basically white. Thus, we gave the fries a 6/10 for color.
The smaller fries had a bit of crispiness to them while the bigger and longer ones were just plain soft. Nonetheless, they weren’t dry, so we could still give them a 6.5/10 for texture.
With such subpar colors and textures, our chef could only give the fries a 6.5/10 for taste.
- Function: Air Fry
- Temperature: 400°F
- Cooking Time: 19m
- Convection: Maximum
We put 12 oz of frozen fries into the air fryer basket and slid it onto tray level 3. We also gave the fries a toss after the first 13 minutes. The overall score for our Baked French Fries test was 7.8/10.
The oven took 19 minutes to bake the fries which was enough for a 7.7/10. With this oven, our chef had to balance the cooking time with the color of the fries. If we stopped baking too early, the thicker fries would lack color; if too late, the thinner fries might be burnt.
The fries’ colors ranged from light golden on the thicker ones to golden brown on the thinner ones. This unevenness resulted in a 7.5/10.
The colors of the fries largely reflected their texture. The longest and thickest fries had a slightly crispy outside and a very moist interior. Meanwhile, the shortest and thinnest fries were completely crispy all the way through.
The silver lining was that average-sized fries got perfect, crispy surfaces with moist interiors. While the texture varied, none of them were bad, so we gave the overall batch an 8/10.
Considering the varied colors and textures of the fries, our chef awarded them a respectable 8/10 after her taste test.
Panasonic NB-G110P FlashXpress Design Review
- Exterior (20%)5.0/10
- Interior (30%)5.0/10
- Build Quality (50%)7.0/10
- Exterior (20%)7.0/10
- Interior (30%)9.5/10
- Build Quality (50%)9.0/10
In the Panasonic NB-G110P FlashXpress Box
- Model: NB-G110P
- Warranty: 1 year (US, Puerto Rico, and Canada only)
- User Manual
- Baking Rack
- Baking Pan
The Panasonic NB-G110P was positioned firmly inside its box with four foam pads upon delivery. The baking rack and baking pan are wrapped in carton sheets and taped to the oven. Besides some basic information on the box, the oven also came with a user manual.
- Model: DT201
- Warranty: 1 year
- User Manual
- Baking Rack x 2
- Baking Pan x 2
- Broiling Rack
- Removable Crumb Tray
- Air Fryer Basket
The Ninja toaster oven arrived firmly positioned between two foam pads inside an eye-catching package. Its seven included accessories were also fitted nicely in carton boxes. The oven came with a separate user manual, a tips and tricks sheet, and a recipe booklet.
Exterior
- Weight:6.9 lbs (3.1 kg)
- Length:12.6" (32.0 cm)
- Width:11.8" (30.0 cm)
- Height:10.2" (26.0 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Silver
- Door Handle:Cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:No
- Crumb Tray:Slide-out
Our measurements of 12.6" x 11.81" x 10.24" were marginally different from the manufacturer’s 13" x 12" x 10.25". Despite its high price, the NB-G110P only has the basic exterior features of a small toaster oven which tallies to a score of 5/10.
The only thing standing out from the stainless steel casing is the slide-out crumb tray on the bottom to help with cleaning (+1). Keep in mind to push the crumb tray all the way in or there’ll be gaps.
The oven has two bumps on the back which act as back buffers but we think they could be longer (+2). The shape of the cool-touch door handle makes it easy to grab (+2).
- Weight:26.4 lbs (12.0 kg)
- Length:16.9" (43.0 cm)
- Width:20.3" (51.5 cm)
- Height:13.4" (34.0 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Silver
- Door Handle:Cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:No
- Crumb Tray:Removable
The Ninja has many ventilation holes on its casing, especially at the back and on the bottom, to accommodate its extremely powerful convection system. A unique design choice that stood out to us was the fact that the control panel was located on the oven’s cool-touch door handle.
Most ovens situate their control panel on the casing, thus adding to the oven’s footprint. By combining the control panel with the door handle, the oven can also maximize space for its cooking chamber.
You don’t need to worry about the handle slamming to the ground or countertop since the door hinge does a great job of keeping the door firmly in place. While it doesn’t have tray-level indicators on its glass door, the digital display does show the recommended tray level for every function.
Our measurements of the oven’s footprints were 16.93" x 20.28" x 13.34" which jived closely with the manufacturer’s 17.09" x 20.22" x 13.34". For these measurements, we also took into account the door handle and rear buffer.
The oven has a buffer on its backside to prevent it from being pushed too close to the wall. The feature could be a bit longer, in our opinion. We do need to mention that the bulky shape of the oven and its lack of carrying handles may make it difficult to move around.
Control Panel
- Type:LCD + 14 buttons
- Temperature:250°F - 500°F
- Timer:1 minute - 25 minutes
- Indicator Light:Yes
- Status Bar:No
- Light Toggle:Yes
- Convection Toggle:No
- Rotation Toggle:No
- Automatic Preheat:No
- Audio Cues:No
The Panasonic has an LCD and 14 control buttons in total. We have the standard buttons which are the power button, light toggle, two buttons to adjust the temperature, and two more to adjust the timer.
Then, we have six buttons for the six preset cooking functions and their two shade control buttons which are unique to this model. When you turn the oven on by pushing the power button, the indicator light will glow red.
- Type:Digital display + 10 buttons
- Temperature:85°F - 450°F
- Timer:1 minute - 4 hours
- Indicator Light:Yes
- Status Bar:Yes
- Light Toggle:Yes
- Convection Toggle:Yes
- Rotation Toggle:No
- Automatic Preheat:Yes
- Audio Cues:No
When plugged in, the On/Off switch will light up. You then press it to turn on the oven and its digital display. The door handle is black while the digital display is white, creating good color contrasts.
The control panel includes two buttons to adjust cooking functions, two for time, two for temperature, a light toggle, a Start/Stop button, and the ‘2-level’ button.
The ‘2-level’ button is unique to this Ninja. It suggests the best rack levels for cooking two trays of food at the same time. This even allows you to roast a tray of meat and a tray of vegetables at the same time. Everything is explained in detail in the Ninja recipe booklet.
Cooking Functions of the Panasonic NB-G110P FlashXpress Toaster Oven
- Toast
- Frozen Waffle
- Reheat Rolls
- Frozen Pizza
- Quick Reheat
- Frozen Hash Brown
You can simply operate the oven by selecting a temperature and adjusting the timer which was what we did with our performance tests. Also, you can choose one of the six preset cooking functions including Toast, Frozen Waffle, Reheat Roll, Frozen Pizza, Quick Reheat, and Frozen Hash Brown.
The Shade Control includes five levels that are applicable to all the preset cooking functions. It’s quite common for Japanese models to have very specific cooking functions like these. How useful they are, however, is up to the user to decide.
- Air Fry (250°F–450°F)
- Whole Roast (250°F–450°F)
- Air Roast (250°F–450°F)
- Bake (180°F–450°F)
- Dehydrate (85°F–200°F)
- Pizza (180°F–450°F)
- Bagel (level 1-7, 1-9 slices)
- Toast (level 1-7, 1-9 slices)
- Broil (HI or LO)
- Reheat (100°F–450°F)
Each cooking function on the Ninja has its own temperature range to match the function’s purpose. What’s special about this model is that each function deploys a specific convection level and a specific number of heating elements, each tailored to the dishes stated in the recipe booklet.
Whole Roast, for example, uses a high fan speed and the rear convection heat source to provide rotisserie-style results. Air Roast uses the maximum fan speed and the rear convection heat source to quickly cook food for a crispy outside and juicy inside.
Air Fry also uses the maximum fan speed and the rear convection heat source to cook food as quickly as possible for the crispiest results. Pizza uses the rear convection heat source but a low fan speed to avoid drying the pizza crust and toppings too much.
Bake operates the same way as Pizza. The same goes for Dehydrate, which has a lower temperature range for removing moisture from foods.
The remaining cooking functions don’t deploy the convection fan. Broil activates the top heating elements on the high setting to provide top-down heat for a crispy finish. On the other hand, Reheat activates the top and bottom heating elements on the high setting.
Toast also activates the top and bottom heating elements but on the medium setting to quickly and evenly brown both sides of your bread. Bagel, however, activates the top heating elements on the medium setting and the bottom heating elements on the high setting. This is because the recipe book instructs you to place the bagel slices cut-side up.
Interior
- Heating Elements:2 quartz
- Convection Fan:No
- Lighting:Yes
- Tray Levels:1
- Rotisserie:No
- Safety Hook:Yes
Despite having some uncommon interior features, the NB-G110P still suffers from common limitations of a small toaster oven. Its interior score ended up at 5/10.
The oven has two quartz and ceramic heating elements, one upper and one lower (+1). They use infrared light to cook which makes the process faster and more energy-efficient. Nonetheless, two heating elements may not distribute heat as evenly as four or more will do.
While not as durable, they cool down faster and are easier to clean. However, if grease splashes onto the heating elements while cooking, it’ll leave permanent stains.
The upper heating element is closer to the front of the cooking chamber while the interior light is closer to the back (+2). During cooking, the light automatically cycles on and off in sync with the heating elements which means you can manually turn it on but not off.
The oven has a mechanism to smoothly pull the rack halfway toward you as the door is opened (+1). However, this design choice meant that the cooking chamber only has one tray level instead of two which is more common in small toaster ovens (+1).
The cooking chamber has a coating for easy cleaning but it’s not 100% non-stick (+1). The oven doesn’t have a convection system to help with heat distribution, similar to many other small units (-1).
- Heating Elements:5 quartz + 1 nichrome
- Convection Fan:Yes
- Lighting:Yes
- Tray Levels:4
- Rotisserie:No
- Safety Hook:No
The best aspects of the DT201 are its convection system and heating elements. Together, these two systems are designed to eliminate the need for rotating your pans or flipping foods halfway through cooking, a fact that we confirmed with our performance tests.
The convection fan provides airflow of up to 130 CFM (cubic feet per minute). Such a powerful convection system would usually be very noisy but thanks to the door’s tight seal, it wasn’t a problem.
The Ninja has three quartz heating elements on top and two on the bottom; most other similarly-sized units have four in total. What really separates this oven from the rest, however, is its third heat source in the rear, right where the convection fan sits. This nichrome heating element surrounds the convection fan cavity to properly and consistently heat the airflow.
The quartz heating elements heat food directly using infrared light, so airflow isn’t always important. Meanwhile, nichrome heating elements heat up the air around them, so their effectiveness can be improved with the help of convection systems.
The cooking chamber has four tray levels with engraved numbers 1-4 from the bottom up. It also has a coating but it’s not 100% non-stick, so it may be prone to stubborn stains.
Of course, an oven like this won’t lack an interior light. While this oven isn’t designed to accommodate a rotisserie kit, its performance showed that it could provide the same results.
Capacity
- Length:11.0" (28.0 cm)
- Width:9.8" (25.0 cm)
- Height:9.1" (23.0 cm)
We could fit 4 slices of toast, a 9-inch pizza but we could barely fit a 3 lb chicken inside the Panasonic. We measured the cooking chamber volume to be around 16.08 liters, slightly different from the manufacturer’s provided capacity of 15.52 liters.
Looking at our measurements of 11.2" x 9.84" x 9.05" compared to the manufacturer’s 10.2" x 9.8" x 4.1", we speculated they measured the height only from the baking rack to the upper heating element.
- Length:14.5" (36.8 cm)
- Width:11.8" (30.0 cm)
- Height:11.0" (27.9 cm)
The Ninja has the largest cooking chamber out of all the toaster ovens we’ve reviewed so far, measuring around 30.82 liters. While the manufacturer didn’t state a specific capacity, this unit could comfortably accommodate a 12-pound turkey.
Each rack level can also fit nine slices of toast or a 12-inch pizza. With the 2-level even cooking feature, you can roast a 5 lb whole chicken and a tray of vegetables at the same time.
Power Cord of the Panasonic FlashXpress Toaster Oven
- Length:3.1 ft (0.9 m)
- Type:2-prong plug
- Power:1300
- Rated Output:120
The power cord is 37.6 inches long, suitable for household use. However, the oven doesn’t have any storage space for it.
- Length:3.2 ft (1.0 m)
- Type:3-prong plug
- Power:1800 W
- Rated Output:120 V ~ 60 Hz
The power cord is roughly 38 inches — plenty for household use. Unfortunately, the oven doesn’t have a storage place for the cord. The rear buffer is also not designed to wrap the cord around.
Accessories
- Length:10.6" (27.0 cm)
- Width:9.4" (24.0 cm)
- Height:1.2" (3.0 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The baking rack has two hooks in the back to latch onto a horizontal rod in the middle of the cooking chamber and two hooks in the front to connect to the door. Opening the door will pull the baking rack and the baking pan on top of it halfway toward you to help keep your hands and fingers safe from the heat. Keep in mind that when the rack is removed, the door won’t be able to close tightly.
- Length:14.5" (36.8 cm)
- Width:11.5" (29.3 cm)
- Height:0.3" (0.7 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The Ninja comes with two baking racks which fit perfectly with the rail guides to prevent accidents when moving food in or out.
Accessories
- Length:9.8" (24.9 cm)
- Width:9.8" (24.9 cm)
- Height:0.8" (2.0 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Not advisable
The baking pan fits nicely on top of the baking rack to prevent accidents. It has a grooved surface which can give your food attractive roasting marks and catch the dripping better. It also has a coating but it’s not completely non-stick so you may need to watch out for some stubborn stains after a heavy roasting session.
- Length:13.5" (34.4 cm)
- Width:14.5" (36.8 cm)
- Height:1.0" (2.6 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Not advisable
The Ninja comes with two baking pans to make the most out of its capacity. They are designed to be smaller than the baking racks and too short to reach the upper guide rail.
They have an enamel coating which is non-stick and easy to clean. Note that citric acid from citrusy fruits can damage this coating.
Build Quality
The price of the Panasonic is partially reflected in its build quality score of 7/10. A small footprint doesn’t stop the oven from having a sturdy construction (+2). Its casing is made from thick durable stainless steel so the oven only gets hot to the touch after a long cooking time at a high temperature (>400°F) (+2).
With the way the control panel is positioned, the NB-G110P has less length and more height than most toaster ovens of the same size category. The entire oven is shaped like a square which could be beneficial for some kitchen space (+2).
The LCD is black and glows red creating good color contrast and the analog buttons are responsive and can last a long time (+2). One thing to be nitpicky about is that you need to pay attention to push the crumb tray all the way in or else the oven won’t be tightly sealed (-1).
The Ninja’s casing is made of durable and thick stainless steel which gives the oven good heat insulation. Thus, during our tests, the oven’s exterior only got hot to the touch after cooking for a long time at a high temperature (>400°F).
The digital display has a good color contrast which makes it easy to see—an advantage compared to the Instant Omni Plus 18L. Its buttons are highly responsive and very sturdy. All of the accessories are designed well to fit their purposes and make the most out of the oven’s capacity.
Unfortunately, possibly due to uneven metal expansion, the pans that we received bent when heated. Even though they flattened out again once they cooled, this was still a manufacturing flaw.
Moreover, the light button seemed to be broken when we received the oven. We could sometimes turn the light on and sometimes not. Nonetheless, we deemed these flaws to be specific to our particular unit, so we didn’t deduct too many points in terms of build quality.
Panasonic FlashXpress Compact Toaster Oven Usability
- User Control (30%)7.0/10
- Ease of Use (50%)3.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)6.5/10
- User Control (30%)9.9/10
- Ease of Use (50%)9.9/10
- Cleanability (20%)8.0/10
User Control
The control panel of the Panasonic wasn’t the easiest to use but it also didn’t cause any problem, so it earned a 7/10.
The current setting on the LCD is indicated by a red light which makes it easy to see (+2). Thanks to the light toggle, you can turn on the light even when the oven is not running (+2).
The preset cooking functions seem to be designed for worry-free cooking (+2). However, because they don’t allow for the adjustment of time and temperature, they weren’t applicable to our test.
Moreover, we couldn’t find the exact preset temperature and cooking time in the manual (-2). Thus, we simply chose to operate the oven by adjusting the temperature and timer on the control panel (+2).
The temperature is displayed in both °F and °C. It can be adjusted in increments of 35°F/20°C from 250°F to 500°F / from 120°C to 260°C, which is quite uncommon (+1). The timer can be adjusted in 0.5-minute increments below 10 minutes and 1-minute increments after 10 minutes (+1).
In addition to not having a stay-on feature, the timer only lasts from one to 25 minutes which is very short. It’s also worth noting that the timer is displayed in a 0.5-minute multiplier and not by the minute and second, unlike most other toaster ovens.
The cooking starts as soon as a timer adjustment key is pressed which makes it a bit tricky to get right. In addition, if you want to switch cooking functions, you’ll need to turn the oven off and on again (-1).
The control panel of the Ninja is far from simple but the digital display presents all the information in a way that’s pleasing to the eye and not at all complicated. In addition, its buttons are really straightforward.
The timer adjusts in 1-minute increments when under 1 hour and 5-minute increments when over 1 hour. You can also hold the +/- buttons for 2 seconds to activate faster scrolling in 5-minute increments.
The temperature can be increased in 5-degree increments. You can also hold the +/- buttons for 2 seconds to activate faster scrolling in 10-degree increments.
For the Toast and Bagel functions, the preset temperature is 450°F, similar to all toaster ovens. Adjusting the Temp/Shade and Time/Slice buttons simply changes to a predetermined cooking time.
The best part, however, is that you can select the number of bread slices and toast up to 9 slices at once. You can also manually adjust the time once cooking has started to better choose your preferred shade of browning. This toasting performance really puts the Ninja in a class of its own.
The Air Roast and Air Fry functions are basically distinguished by their tray positioning, especially when cooking two trays at the same time. To utilize the Air Roast function, for instance, you can place the meat dish on tray level 1 and the vegetable dish on level 3. As for the Air Fry function, you can cook two trays of the same food to the same results by placing them on tray levels 2 and 4.
The Dehydrate function is another stand-out feature in our minds. The recipe booklet outlines instructions for several types of food. You can purchase additional dehydration accessories to dehydrate up to 4 levels at one time. The Reheat function can also be used to keep your food warm at around 120°F.
Ease of Use
Despite having some features of convenience, the Panasonic didn’t quite meet our standards and scored a 3/10.
In addition to the cool-touch door handle (+2), the auto-pull rack minimizes the risk of burning due to contact (+2). The oven rack can be a little awkward to remove but it’ll be no problem with a bit of practice (+2). However, the auto-pull mechanism means that the oven door can only open or close all the way and not open partially to let food cool inside (-2).
The manufacturer claims that this oven has a smart sensor that turns the heat on and off automatically to maintain the perfect temperature and prevent burning. However, our tests showed no significant increase in terms of cooking performance compared to other small units.
It’s also advertised that this oven requires no preheating due to its efficiency. While we didn’t agree with this, we were able to confirm that the NB-G110P could reach a high internal temperature very quickly—4 minutes 50 seconds to reach 450°F.
The interior light makes it easier to make our way around the oven (+2). Keep in mind that opening the door doesn’t stop the oven or the interior light (-2). Be careful as the oven’s casing can get very hot after a long cooking time at a high temperature (-1).
When the cooking cycle finishes, the oven will beep once and then turn off. Nonetheless, we advise you to unplug the oven after use because, according to the manufacturer, the oven still consumes about 0.4 W when plugged in and not turned on.
The oven has a short automatic preheat phase which lasts 1 minute 25 seconds and heats the oven to around 200°F. While this feature wasn’t very useful in practice, the oven still reaches the correct temperature extremely quickly. All cooking functions use this phase except for Toast, Bagel, Broil, Dehydrate, and Reheat.
Whenever you select a function, the oven will display the optimal oven rack position. As you cycle through functions, you’ll notice the tray-level recommendations change for the best results. When the door is open, display settings freeze to prevent any accidental changes to the cooking cycle.
The 2-level even cooking feature allows you to cook two sheet pan meals at once which can be very helpful for big gatherings or weekly meal prep. The door hinge allows for partial opening at any angle greater than 75° which most toaster ovens can’t do.
The manufacturer’s claim of ‘30% faster cooking than a traditional full-size convection oven’ was a bit arbitrary. The same goes for ‘up to 30% crispier results vs. a traditional convection oven’. Nonetheless, our performance tests did show crispier and juicier results than many other toaster ovens.
We also couldn’t confirm the claim of ‘up to 50% more even baking results vs. a leading countertop oven’. Our observations of the cooking process did show, however, that the oven distributed heat so evenly that there was no need to flip food midway through the bake.
Keep in mind that opening the door stops the oven but not the interior light. During the cooking process, the light will turn off automatically after one minute, and there’s no way to keep it on.
The oven turns off automatically after 10 minutes of no interaction. Nevertheless, we still suggest you unplug the oven after use for safety reasons.
Cleanability
The Panasonic was quite easy to clean overall scoring a 6.5/10.
It has a stainless steel exterior and a non-stick interior (+4). The cooking chamber has no tricky nooks and crannies to make cleaning any more difficult than it needs to be (+2).
Thanks to the slide-out crumb tray, we could easily remove most of the falling debris after cooking. For the remaining crumbs on the cooking chamber’s floor, we could simply tilt the oven and get all of them out (+1).
Unfortunately, during our Whole Roasted Chicken test, the chicken grazed the upper heating elements when we put it in and left permanent black stains there (-1.5). The baking tray also suffered some stubborn stains but we were able to brush them off with a paste of baking soda and water (+1).
The exterior’s stainless steel finish made it very easy to clean. In addition, the interior has plenty of space, so the grease rarely reached the cooking chamber’s walls.
However, the interior doesn’t have a non-stick coating so we had to put in a little effort to clean the grease. We were also worried that grease could have splashed inside the fan cavity.
The baking pans and broiling rack are easy to clean thanks to their enamel coating. The small downside to this was that the stains that did appear stuck out like a sore thumb.
We could remove most bits that fell off our food thanks to the removable crumb tray. Plus, when the door was fully opened, its hinge left a small space where we could just sweep the remaining crumbs out.