What's the difference between a toaster oven and a microwave? Which is better to cook/heat food? How does...

Question

...a toaster oven work?

Which is better?

Answer 1

They work completely differently. A microwave uses radiation technology to heat molecules of matter. A toaster oven uses radiant heat, like a stove to heat up food.

Microwaves heat unevenly, often inside gets heated up before the outside of food.

A toaster oven heats from the outside in. It works like your regular oven.

You can't put metallic things in a microwave.
You can with a toaster oven

If you want things to get crispy, a toaster oven is better.

Microwaves make things soggy.

I prefer a toaster oven to heat up things like: a slice of pizza, buffalo wings, open-faced sandwiches.

I prefer a microwave for heating up soupy things, stews, rice, mashed potatoes, things that have a high water content.

Answer 2

Microwave ovens use microwave energy to heat or cook food in a fraction of the time needed to cook with conventional ovens. Unlike conventional ovens, a microwave oven heats food without applying external heat. An oven generates heat via a burner (gas or electric) that is radiated throughout the oven to a certain temperature. This heat then cooks the food from the outside in, as the heat radiates into the food. An oven cooks the food a lot better. it may be a little slower but the food tastes a lot better and its cooked more evenly. a microwave oven is just a microwave. so you can cook food really fast but depending on what it may not work as well as an oven and it may not taste as good. oh and ovens you can set to specific temps, microwaves you can't really do that.

Answer 3

A microwave heats from the inside out and toaster oven works like a regular conventional oven from the outside in.
Both are good but it all depends on what you are cooking. If its pizza a toaster oven is best . If you are just heating up something a microwave is good for that.

Answer 4

A toaster oven is better if you want something cooked. A microwave is definitley better if you want something heated. You turn the toaster oven on, and you let it get hot, then you open the door and you put in whatever it is you want to cook and when it is done you take it out. It is really simple.

Answer 5

The toaster oven is really just a toaster. It uses the same technology, and cooks the same things equally well.

The microwave is completely different though. It uses microwaves. When a microwave hits a water particle, it agitates it, and then that emits heat.

Answer 6

The main difference is in how these two appliances heat your food.

A toaster oven typically uses electricity to heat some form of heating element (such as metal coils) which requires longer heating times and results in a crisp texture using.

A microwave uses electromagnetic waves to heat your food. This process is much quicker and great for simple reheating or for cooking meals made specifically for the microwave. It is also great for simple tasks like boiling water.

Many manufacturers make combo units if you require both sets of functionality.

Answer 7

A toaster oven works about like an oven, just
smaller, and uses less juice.

The thing to remember about a microwave is
that if you have a clothes dryer running, the
dryer is probably a 220 volt appliance, and
when you hit the button you can blow a fuse.

I live in an older house, so consider the source.

Answer 8

A toaster oven cooks just like a stove oven..
Just smaller items..
A microwave is good for heating things..or popcorn of course..
To actually cook things..toaster oven is best..

Answer 9

a toaster oven cooks food by direct heat with a heating element. A microwave cooks with microwaves.


They are both different and better for different reasons.

I think a microwave is more versatile.

Answer 10

The toaster is simply that. some have enough room to actually put a small tray in to bake.It is a smaller version of your oven.....you can broil,bake ,or toast in it.....Microwaves are simply waves that heat internally from the inside out they don't toast or broil,they don't bake per say because they tend not to brown the food. there are all sorts of gadgets for the microwave to achieve browning.I prefer microwaves to simple reheating food.and defrosting or fast microwavable food..for baking and toasting and broiling its the oven or the toaster oven.As to which is better the microwave is fast,except you will not be able to toast.or bake.or achieve browning as I said...I have both and I didn't spend over 125.00 for the both of them.