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Toshiba AC25CEW-BS vs Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4 Slices Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)7.7/10
- Design (25%)7.5/10
- Usability (25%)6.8/10
- Performance (50%)6.3/10
- Design (25%)5.1/10
- Usability (25%)5.5/10
Comparing a high-value toaster oven like the Toshiba AC25CEW-BS to a run-off-the-mill one like Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 4 Slices really brings out the common weaknesses of a small unit. Of course the Toshiba costs a bit more, but it’s our best value pick because it brings a worthy trade-off.
The Hamilton, similar to many other same-sized units, lacks features that enhance the design, usability, and most importantly, performance. It only has two control dials for timer and temperature, two quartz heating elements, and a low power draw. We do appreciate the roll-top door that moves out of the way to save some counter space and to make it easy to bring food in and out of the oven.
On the other hand, the Toshiba has a digital control panel with an LCD, three smooth control knobs for accurately adjusting its cooking function, timer, and temperature. Besides the standard oven rack and baking pan, the oven also comes with three additional accessories.
The Hamilton’s performance wasn’t too shabby but it just couldn’t compete with the Toshiba. The Toshiba had a high power draw to win in toasting bread, a convection system for baking pizza and fries, and a rotisserie kit for roasting whole chickens.
Toshiba AC25CEW-BS Toaster Oven Performance
- Toast (40%)7.2/10
- Pizza (25%)9.1/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)7.8/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)6.1/10
- Toast (40%)6.7/10
- Pizza (25%)6.6/10
- Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)6.6/10
- Baked French Fries (10%)3.6/10
Toast
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: 4/6
- Cooking Time: 3m 55s
- Second Batch: 3m 55s
- Convection: No
Following the procedures of our Toast test, we determined that level 4—3 minutes 55 seconds on the timer—was the best option with the score of 7.3/10. The level 3 and 5, in addition to being lighter and darker than ideal respectively, had very uneven surface color.
The toast level 4 of the Toshiba produced four pieces with a light golden brown color but a few areas too light. Due to not having the convection fan running, the color was about 80% even and we could only give it an 8/10.
The first batch of toast was nicely crispy while soft and moist inside so we gave it a 7.5/10 for taste. Our head chef Tuyet Pham determined that it would be great to go with omelet and eggs benedict, as well as good for sandwiches. Although it may not be particularly good for soup, the second batch was.
The second batch was browner and crispier while still being moist so it got a 6.5/10. If you want the second batch to be the same as the first, remember to lower it by one level.
- Function: Toast
- Number Of Slices: 4
- Toast Level: Medium
- Cooking Time: 5m
- Second Batch: 5m
- Convection: No
To start off our Toast test, we placed four pieces of bread on the lower tray level and turned the time knob to the point just before the toast icon, which was around 4 minutes 5 seconds on the timer. The bread came out only lightly toasted on top.
Thus, we tried increasing the timer to 5 minutes and had a pretty good result. We then tried increasing the timer again to 7 minutes and 20 seconds just for good measure, but that almost burnt the toast.
With everything in mind, we decided 5 minutes of toasting would yield the best possible result and the final score was 6.7/10. It was quite tricky to get the exact toasting time due to the analog control knob so we used an external timer.
The top of the four pieces of toast had good golden-brown color in areas that were closest to the center of the oven, but was only lightly toasted in areas furthest away from the center of the oven. On the bottom, the lightly toasted areas were even larger, so we gave the toast a 7/10 for even surface color.
The toast was a bit too crispy in the golden-brown areas and a little dry in the lighter areas, so we could only give it a 6.8/10 for taste. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, determined it would go well with omelets and eggs benedict, but not sandwiches and soups.
The second batch came out brown on both the top and the bottom and crispy throughout, which could be more suitable for soup than the first batch. However, there were still lighter areas on both sides and the bottom even had some burnt ends.
Thus, we could only give the oven a 6.3/10 for consecutive usability. If you want the second batch to be the same as the first, around four minutes on the timer should be enough.
Pizza
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 450°F
- Cooking Time: 5m 15s
- Convection: Yes
The Toshiba baked a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza evenly throughout in terms of doneness and color earning it a 9.1/10.
Even though the Pizza preset of the oven is 450°F for 10 minutes, it only took 5m15s to cook. It was really fast compared to the recommended 10 minutes on the label. In comparison to other toaster ovens in our Pizza test, it scored a 9.3/10.
The crust wasn’t dry and turned out a beautiful golden brown with some nicely charred spots. It deserved a 9.5/10. The cheese was also nicely melted and caramelized so it got a 9/10. After tasting, our chef gave the pizza an 8.7/10.
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 450°F
- Cooking Time: 6m
- Convection: No
We used the Hamilton to bake a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza at 450°F for our Pizza test and the final score was 6.6/10. To our surprise, the oven took 6 minutes to bake the pizza, which was very fast and worthy of a 9/10 for cooking time.
Unfortunately, the crust showed the oven’s uneven heat distribution. The bottom right quarter of the crust almost became brown before the rest could turn an ideal golden-brown color. The crust was also mostly soft, so we could only give it a 6/10.
The same problem also showed in the toppings, giving the oven another 6/10. While the cheese was only slightly melty and most of the meat was not caramelized, some pieces of meat had some burnt ends.
With that said, our chef gave the pizza a final 6/10 after tasting it.
Whole Roasted Chicken
- Function: Rotisserie
- Temperature: 350°F
- Cooking Time: 1h
- Convection: No
Even though we chose a 3 lb chicken—in accordance with our Whole Roasted Chicken test—and despite the 4-pound claim on the label, it barely fit. In addition, there wasn’t enough space below to use the drip pan so cleaning up was a hassle.
Luckily, the fat from the chicken didn’t splatter too much inside the oven. Overall, the Toshiba scored a 7.8/10 for this test.
It took the oven 1 hour, the standard amount of time, to roast the chicken to golden brown so we gave it an 8/10.
The smooth rotation caramelized the chicken skin to a superb color while maintaining the juiciness of the meat. However, the skin wasn’t really crispy without convection so we only gave a 7/10.
The rotation also allowed the whole chicken to be thoroughly cooked in 1 hour with no pink spots. The internal temperature, however, was a bit too high at 207°F compared to the USDA recommended 165°F-180°F, so it got a 7.8/10.
Even though the chicken was cooked to slightly well-done, the meat was still moist and tender so our chef gave it an 8 for taste.
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 350°F
- Cooking Time: 1h 20m
- Convection: No
The cooking chamber of the Hamilton technically didn’t have enough space for a 3 lb whole chicken as required in our Whole Roasted Chicken test. Thus, we had to place the chicken directly in front of the upper heating element, which led to a number of problems.
On the bright side, the result wasn’t too bad at 6.6/10 for a total score. If you choose to roast a whole chicken in this oven, we recommend flattening the chicken out, cutting it open, or cutting it into pieces.
The oven took 1 hour 20 minutes to roast the chicken, which was 20 minutes longer than the standard cooking time, so we gave it a 6/10.
Looking at the skin, the side that faced the door lacked color due to the lower temperature. In addition, the chicken grazed the upper heating element’s guard a number of times, which caused parts of the chicken to burn and led to the oven smoking during roasting as well as burnt bits on the guards afterward.
The silver lining in this was that the burnt areas actually had a nice golden-brown color. However, due to a lower power draw, the skin on the sides basically had no color. With everything in mind, we could only give the skin a 5/10.
Interestingly, the chicken had near-perfect doneness at 9.8/10. The meat had no pink spots and an internal temperature of 174°F-183°F, which was really close to the USDA recommendation.
The ideal doneness helped maintain the tenderness and juiciness of the meat. However, the skin was really unappetizing, so our chef could only give the chicken a 6/10 for taste.
Baked French Fries
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 400°F
- Cooking Time: 20m
- Convection: Yes
The Toshiba did an acceptable job of baking 12 oz of french fries earning a 6.1/10.
Compared to other ovens in our Baked French Fries test, we had to cook the fries for 20 minutes so we could only give it a 5/10. Being baked on a tray and not in an air fryer basket, the fries lacked color resulting in a 6/10.
The fries only crisped up a little on the outside and were considerably moist inside so it’s another 6/10. Our chef gave the resulting fries a 6.7/10 for taste.
- Function: Bake
- Temperature: 400°F
- Cooking Time: 26m
- Convection: No
The Hamilton was at its weakest baking 12 oz of frozen fries for our Baked French Fries test, scoring a 3.6/10.
At 26 minutes, which was over our time limit, the fries still had no significant change in color. Thus, we stopped the baking process and gave the oven a 0/10 for cooking time.
Color-wise, the fries didn’t look much different before and after baking. The only saving grace was that the fries were actually cooked, so we could still give it a 4.5/10 for color.
Similarly, the fries had a texture like they were air-dried, which was still better than boiled french fries that are simply soft and soggy. Thus, it got another 4.5/10.
After tasting this batch of french fries that lacked both color and texture, our chef couldn’t give a higher score than 4.5/10.
Toshiba AC25CEW-BS Toaster Oven Design Review
- Exterior (20%)8.0/10
- Interior (30%)6.5/10
- Build Quality (50%)8.0/10
- Exterior (20%)5.0/10
- Interior (30%)2.0/10
- Build Quality (50%)7.0/10
In the Box
- Model: L series - AC25CEW-BS
- Warranty: 1 year (US only)
- User Manual
- Baking Rack
- Baking Pan
- Rack Clamp
- Removable Crumb Tray
- Rotisserie Kit and Lifter
The packaging keeps all the 5 accessories firmly in place while being easy to unbox and convenient to repack. Besides showing some basic information, it also gives instructions on how to unbox properly.
- Model: 31344DA
- Warranty: US - 1 year; Canada - 5 years
- User Manual
- Baking Rack
- Baking Pan
- Removable Crumb Tray
The Hamilton toaster oven, along with its accessories and a simple user manual, came in a basic cardboard box. The oven is secured with two foam pads and the accessories are duct-taped to it.
Exterior
- Weight:16.2 oz (460 g)
- Length:19.0" (48.2 cm)
- Width:15.6" (39.6 cm)
- Height:10.8" (27.4 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Black
- Door Handle:cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:Yes
- Crumb Tray:Removable
One of the strongest points of the Toshiba AC25CEW-BS Toaster Oven is plenty of air ventilation — on two sides, the back, the bottom, and the top. It also has strong bottom stands and two buffers on the back to prevent the oven from being too close to the wall.
This was one of the few ovens where our measurements and the manufacturer’s completely coincided at 18.98" x 15.59" x 10.78". We do need to point out that we could see the internal circuits through the ventilation holes although we’re not sure if it affects the oven.
- Weight:6.9 lbs (3.1 kg)
- Length:15.8" (40.0 cm)
- Width:11.9" (30.3 cm)
- Height:8.4" (21.3 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Color:Silver
- Door Handle:Cool-touch
- Tray Indicators:No
- Crumb Tray:Removable
Although simple, the Hamilton has all the basic exterior features of a toaster oven and also something more: The roll-top door is a neat feature that can make it easier to move food in and out of the oven and save some space on the kitchen counter.
To make it easy to carry the oven, the two sides of the casing have shallow arches. The oven has a cool-touch door handle and two back buffers to prevent it from being too close to the walls.
Our measurements of 15.75" x 11.93" x 8.39" for the oven coincided almost completely with the manufacturer’s 16.12" x 11.93" x 8.97", with marginal differences being less than an inch.
Control Panel
- Type:LCD display + 3 control knobs + Stop/Start button
- Temperature:150°F - 450°F timer
- Timer:1 minute - 2 hours
- Indicator Light:No
- Status Bar:No
- Light Toggle:No
- Convection Toggle:No
- Rotation Toggle:No
- Automatic Preheat:No
- Audio Cues:No
The control panel consists of an LCD digital display, 3 control knobs for functions, temperature, time, and the stop/start button. The glossy plastic knobs turn smoothly and seem durable.
- Type:2 control knobs
- Temperature:200°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 has two simple control knobs: one for temperature and one for time. The timer has a stay-on setting to help with its short range, similar to many other small toaster ovens.
The temperature knob indicates the lowest temperature setting to be 200°F, which is quite limited. Interestingly, however, we could actually set the temperature as low as 120°F by only turning the knob until we heard a small clank before the 200°F mark.
Cooking Functions of the Toshiba Digital Toaster Oven
- Toast (level 1-6, without convection)
- Bake (150°F - 450°F, without convection)
- Broil (150°F - 350°F, without convection)
- Pizza (150°F - 450°F, with convection)
- Cookies (150°F - 450°F, with convection)
- Defrost (100°F - 180°F, without convection)
- Reheat (150°F - 450°F, with convection)
- Rotisserie (150°F - 350°F, without convection)
- Keep warm (100°F - 180°F, without convection)
- Convection (150°F - 450°F)
One may argue that 10 cooking functions are too many but they are helpful for beginners in the kitchen. The Rotisserie and the Keep Warm functions are the two that stand out from the rest.
- Not available
Not having multiple functions doesn’t affect a toaster oven’s mechanism, which is to heat air up to a certain temperature to cook food. However, it does mean that the user won’t have any way to operate only the upper or lower heating elements individually.
Interior
- Heating Elements:4 nichrome
- Convection Fan:Yes
- Lighting:No
- Tray Levels:3
- Rotisserie:Yes
- Safety Hook:No
The Toshiba has 4 nichrome heating elements and 3 tray levels which are standard for its size. This oven has a convection system which is always a plus but it doesn’t have an interior light like many other units of the same size, e.g, the Breville BOV845BSSUSC. It received an extra point thanks to its rotisserie socket and bracket.
- Heating Elements:2 quartz
- Convection Fan:No
- Lighting:No
- Tray Levels:2
- Rotisserie:No
- Safety Hook:No
The Hamilton shares the same lack of interior features, including a convection system and an interior light, similar to many other units of the same size. The design didn’t allow for maximum use of the space inside the cooking chamber even though it had two tray levels like most other small toaster ovens, including the Mueller MT-175.
It also only has two quartz heating elements, which can usually lead to uneven heat distribution compared to four or more heating elements. Nonetheless, they use infrared light to cook, which makes the process faster and more energy-efficient than the more common nichrome heating elements.
They also cool down faster and are easier to clean but not as durable. However, if grease splashes onto the heating elements while cooking, it’ll leave permanent stains.
Capacity
- Length:12.6" (32.0 cm)
- Width:12.2" (31.0 cm)
- Height:9.3" (23.5 cm)
True to the description, it can fit a 12-inch pizza. However, it can’t fit 6 slices of toast or a 4-pound chicken but is big enough for 4 slices of toast or a 3-pound chicken.
We measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be 23.3 liters which was a bit different from the manufacturer’s provided capacity of 25 liters. However, it could just be a difference in measuring standards.
- Length:11.0" (27.9 cm)
- Width:9.84
- Height:7.5" (19.0 cm)
While we couldn’t find the manufacturer’s capacity, we measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be around 13.28 liters. The 31344DA can accommodate four slices of toast or a 9-inch pizza, but not a 3-pound chicken due to insufficient height.
Power Cord of the Toshiba AC25CEW-BS Digital Toaster Oven
- Length:15.7" (39.9 cm)
- Type:3-prong plug
- Power:1500
- Rated Output:120
The length of the power cord is roughly 15.7"—ideal for household use. It’s also long enough to wrap firmly around the two back buffers.
- Length:34.6" (88.0 cm)
- Type:2-prong plug
- Power:1200
- Rated Output:120
The power cord has enough length for household use and an oven this size— roughly 34.65". The fact that it protrudes from the bottom of the oven may lead to some inconvenient bends, though.
Accessories
- Length:12.6" (32.0 cm)
- Width:11.3" (28.7 cm)
- Height:NaN" (NaN cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The shape of the baking rack makes it easier to remove either with gloves or clamps.
- Length:11.0" (27.9 cm)
- Width:9.3" (23.5 cm)
- Height:1.0" (2.5 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The baking rack has two supports below to slide the baking pan in. It fits perfectly with the guide to prevent accidents when placing your food in the oven. The supports narrow at the back to prevent the pan from sliding out, but the entire thing doesn’t conform perfectly.
Accessories
- Length:11.7" (29.8 cm)
- Width:9.4" (23.9 cm)
- Height:0.9" (2.4 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The baking pan has ridges and grooves which can give your food attractive roasting marks and catch the dripping better. However, it’s a little smaller than the oven capacity and has a coating but isn’t completely non-stick.
- Length:9.9" (25.2 cm)
- Width:8.3" (21.2 cm)
- Height:0.6" (1.5 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The baking pan fits nicely below the rack to catch any meat juice and drippings, which helps prevent any mess and the risk of fire from dirty heating elements. Keep in mind that it isn’t 100% non-stick, so it may be prone to stubborn stains after a hefty roast. During our performance tests, the pan bends when heated but luckily didn’t cause any issues.
Accessories
- Length:7.5" (19.2 cm)
- Width:2.2" (5.5 cm)
- Height:NaN" (NaN cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The rack clamp fits the baking pan and rack nicely but doesn’t have a good handle. Nonetheless, not all ovens come with a clamp like this so it’s a plus.
- Length:10.8" (27.5 cm)
- Width:8.9" (22.5 cm)
- Height:0.9" (2.4 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Not advisable
The removable crumb tray is useful for cleaning up crumbs and bits, which can be quite a hassle. However, some of the mess may still fall to the bottom of the oven upon taking out the tray.
Accessories
- Length:12.6" (32.0 cm)
- Width:11.0" (27.9 cm)
- Height:1.2" (3.1 cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Not advisable
The crumb tray is a useful accessory — crumbs being quite a hassle to clean up. However, some still fell to the bottom of the oven as we removed the tray. Also, upon cleaning the crumb tray after the roasted chicken test, we found it showed signs of oxidation from catching the drippings.
Accessories
- Length:12.6" (32.0 cm)
- Width:9.8" (25.0 cm)
- Height:NaN" (NaN cm)
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The rotisserie kit does a fantastic job of securing the chicken thanks to the angle-adjustable 2-pronged forks. The structure of the forks, however, isn’t particularly strong leading to possible slight bending. Also, in the aftermath of the roasted chicken test, a screw of the rotisserie kit had rusted slightly.
Build Quality
The Toshiba AC25CEW-BS is quite robust while still relatively light and small. It also has more air ventilation holes than a number of other toaster ovens including the Instant Omni Plus 18L and Cuisinart.
The Hamilton’s exterior shell is made from alloy steel, which has a higher tensile strength than stainless. We speculated the reason for this choice was to have the roll-top door—which can be easily removed for cleaning—more durable.
The casing also seems to have good heat insulation and only got hot to the touch after a long cooking time at a high temperature (>400°F). The knobs turn smoothly and have a contoured design for better grip.
Toshiba Digital Convection Toaster Oven Usability
- User Control (30%)9.0/10
- Ease of Use (50%)5.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)8.0/10
- User Control (30%)6.0/10
- Ease of Use (50%)5.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)6.0/10
User Control
The Toshiba has 10 functions to choose from. However, the convection fan isn’t applicable to all of them. Nonetheless, you can always choose Convection, then set the desired temperature and time. The temperature can be adjusted in 10°F increments.
The large and detailed timer from one minute to two hours is a strong point of this oven. It’s also specified by the minute.
The user control of the Hamilton cannot be any easier with just two knobs. Nonetheless, there are a few things to keep in mind. For the timer knob, when setting it to less than 10 minutes, always rotate past 10 minutes and then rotate back to the desired time.
To select the Toast function, you’ll need to turn the temperature knob to the maximum, indicated by the Toast icon. This is consistent with the fact that for all toaster ovens, their toast function has an endpoint temperature of 450°F.
Similar to other manual toaster ovens, it can be tricky to precisely set time and temperature. This can be easily dealt with, however, by using an external timer and an oven thermometer for more accurate measurements.
Ease of Use
The oven door has a heat-resistant handle and tray-level indicators on the glass. The casing has good heat insulation and only gets too hot to the touch at 450°F.
The Toshiba doesn’t have an automatic preheat phase like many other digital models, e.g., the Instant Omni Plus 18L. The digital display automatically turns off after a period of no interaction. After the oven finishes cooking, you will hear a very clear beep similar to when you’ve just plugged in.
There’s no audio cue when you’re adjusting the knobs. Furthermore, if you need to readjust the setting during cooking, you have to press stop and repeat all the inputs. The only thing you can adjust during cooking is the timer.
It’s hard to keep the door partially open and there’s no internal lighting. Also, this oven doesn’t turn off upon opening the door, unlike some others.
Although the accessories fit well, removing the rotisserie kit from the oven can be a little tricky even with the lifter. With a little practice, however, it’ll become much easier.
To remove the door, you simply need to fully open it, then pull straight up. The door can’t be kept partially open to let food cool inside the oven. With two control knobs, it’s easier than ever to readjust cooking settings.
The cooking cycle finishes when the timer reaches O (off). When this happens, the oven will ding once and shut off. As it has no digital display, you can freely leave this oven plugged in without worrying about power consumption.
Cleanability
We cleaned the Toshiba following our toaster oven cleaning guide. Thanks to its internal and external coating and lack of difficult nooks and crannies, cleaning was pretty straightforward. In addition, enough space has been left between the heating elements and internal walls to facilitate cleaning.
Roasting a whole chicken with the rotisserie kit left some difficult stains on the ceiling but a paste of baking soda and water did the trick. One minor inconvenience was that some crumbs still fell onto the internal floor and we had to pick them up anyway.
Due to its design, the Hamilton was more tricky to clean than anticipated. Because the chicken grazed the upper heating element’s guard during our test, it left some permanent stains there. Luckily, the heating element itself was intact.
As the oven doesn’t have a non-stick interior coating, there were also permanent grease stains on the cooking chamber’s ceiling. Some discoloration even made it to the top of the casing due to it not being stainless steel and the shape of the door.
In addition, the grease splashed into some tricky spots on the door, but it can be thoroughly wiped off after removing the door. The baking pan sustained some stubborn stains as well, but we were able to brush them off with a paste of baking soda and water.