What is a toaster oven?
Toaster ovens are small appliances made to sit on the kitchen countertop like a tiny oven. They work as an oven-toaster mix and while convenient, have a very limited range of capabilities.
What are toaster ovens used for?
While some high-end toaster ovens have more functions and can be used as a full-on mini oven for cooking meals for two people, most have limitations. They can be used for cooking frozen meals, toasting rolls and bread slices, and warming up leftovers.
Toaster ovens usually cannot reach the high temperatures that regular convection ovens or countertop ovens can. They normally do not have convection abilities due to fewer elements and no fans.
With the popularity of ovens, microwaves, and air fryers, it seems as if people have forgotten about toaster ovens, and they are just sitting idle on the kitchen counters.
Now and again, someone might use it to toast a slice of bread but have you ever wondered if you can use one for boiling water? Let’s see if it’s possible!
Can You Boil Water in a Toaster Oven?
Unfortunately, using the toaster oven for boiling water is impossible. This is because toaster ovens don’t have a heating element like a regular oven but depend on a single grill element alone to produce heat.
Some people use regular ovens for boiling water, but this is very wasteful of energy and you need to use the right ovenproof containers for the water. These regular ovens reach higher temperatures than toaster ovens so will boil water and cook food.
At the most, you could try warming the water up in the toaster oven but it will not boil. If you try this, ensure you use a heatproof container such as a Pyrex jug. The grill element in a toaster oven will crack or melt many other container materials.
Another reason you cannot boil water in a toaster oven is that they are very poorly insulated so do not retain enough heat for water to boil.
If I can’t boil water, what else can I use my toaster oven for?
- Fish & meat
Basic, thin cuts of fast-cooking fish and meat can be cooked in the toaster oven, but only if you follow a simple recipe for grilling them.
For instance, you could brush a thin piece of chicken breast with oil, sprinkle it with spices, and grill it under the toaster element.
- Toasting hot cross buns, rolls, and bread
While you cannot actually bake these bread products in a toaster oven, you can, well, toast them. This is what the toaster oven is made for!
- Reheating
A toaster oven can also be utilized for reheating leftover food items, such as meat and soup. Just don’t expect soup or other liquids to become hot enough to boil, as we have explained before.
The Bottom Line
On a concluding note, it’s evident that you cannot boil water in the toaster oven because the insulation, heat distribution, and heating elements are not sufficient to allow water to reach 100 degrees Celsius (boiling point).
On the other hand, if you just want to warm up the water, it is possible, but you will need to use the highest temperature setting and a longer time setting to ensure the water is properly warmed up.