Hamilton Beach 31104 Countertop Oven

Check Current PriceTaking a walk down the Home and Kitchen aisle in your local department store can be a chore. It’s extremely easy to find yourself stricken by the dreaded paradox of choice, finding yourself unable to make a decision because of too many options.

We wholeheartedly understand that deciding between which countertop oven to pick up can be a difficult endeavor, so we pride ourselves on making the process as simple as possible. Today we’ll be walking you through the Hamilton Beach 31104 toaster oven, the latest and greatest in Hamilton Beach countertop ovens.

The Hamilton Beach 31104 is a solid toaster for your home, but just like with any piece of technology, you want to know just how it works and what it does.

Pros:

Price

We understand that you’re probably here for one key factor: the price!

Thankfully, this is an option that won’t break the bank! The Hamilton Beach 31104 retails for a suggested price of around $100, but you can usually snap it for a little less so be sure to check the current price above. It’s a fair price for such a multifunctional accessory, so if you can find it on sale it is definitely worth considering!

Internal dimensions and capacity

Perhaps you’re familiar with the saying ‘big things come in small packages’. Well, it certainly rings true for the 31104.

The Hamilton Beach 31104’s internal dimensions are listed as 20.62 x 16.54 x 13.11 in., meaning you should have more than enough space to do cooking of all shapes and sizes.

It’s small enough that it can comfortably sit on your countertop, but large enough that you shouldn’t have a problem cooking a 5lb. chicken using the included rotisserie settings.

The Hamilton Beach 31104 can fit two 12” pizzas, two 9×13 casserole dishes, or two cake pans simultaneously. If you’re looking for a countertop oven that packs a punch but can still fit easily in your kitchen, the Hamilton Beach 31104 could be the best choice for you.

Cooking versatility

Now that you know precisely how much you can fit in the Hamilton Beach 31104, let’s take a moment to examine the versatility of cooking options.

As previously mentioned, you can cook virtually everything from pizzas to confections using the 31104. But, the fun doesn’t necessarily stop there.

The Hamilton Beach 31104 includes several accessories, including a rotisserie spinner, two cooking racks, two baking pans, a broiler rack, and a crumb pan.

Just think, not only can you create delicious meals, but you’ll be able to create sides and desserts as well, all with the included accessories!

Portability

We certainly understand that you aren’t likely to lug your toaster oven around on a regular basis, but it’s always reassuring to know that you have the option.

The Hamilton Beach 31104 weighs in at around 23 pounds, so it’s still light enough that you can take it outside when entertaining guests on a beautiful evening.

Ease of use

In the past, using a countertop oven was pretty self-explanatory. Just pick the right setting and let it do its thing.

These days, kitchen accessories are a bit more complex, to say the least. Thankfully, the Hamilton Beach 31104 is as easy to use as it is easy to set up.  The front of the 31104 includes knobs for temperature and time, as well as a knob for switching between types of cooking (ie confectionary, rotisserie, etc.).

Cons:

The Hamilton Beach 31104 has a minimum timer of 10 minutes, so it isn’t great for toasting

So now that you know the best aspects of the Hamilton Beach 31104, let’s get into some features you’ll need to consider before picking it up. First up: you can’t cook anything for less than 10 minutes at a time.

This may not be a huge issue for you or your family, but you are on Toaster Oven Geek, so the lack of an adequate toast setting is worth mentioning.

If you’re looking for a device to create the perfect piece of toast, you may want to consider looking elsewhere. You could manually turn the oven off, but you still run the risk of burning your bread.

The 31104 can potentially create a lot of heat

It may go without saying that a countertop oven creates heat, but users have reported that the Hamilton Beach 31104 has a tendency to create quite a bit of heat, reaching temperatures of up to 450 Fahrenheit.

Accordingly, you’ll want to make sure that the 31104 has some distance from other kitchen accessories in the vicinity.

The included accessories aren’t dishwasher safe

This may not be a deal breaker, but the included accessories (cooking racks, baking pans, broiler rack, and crumb pan) aren’t dishwasher friendly, so any and all maintenance for the Hamilton Beach 31104 will need to be completed by hand.

The Hamilton Beach 31104 is more of a companion to your microwave than a full-on replacement

By now you realize that the Hamilton Beach 31104 is capable of doing a vast amount of things. But that doesn’t mean you should throw out your microwave just yet.

While the range and breadth of cooking options the 31104 offers is extremely impressive, it serves as an excellent companion to your microwave and not a replacement.

Microwaves are great for tasks such as defrosting, heating up leftovers, and very, very basic cooking.

Countertop ovens such as the Hamilton Beach 31104, on the other hand, excel when it comes to cooking full-fledged meals, sides, and desserts. It really isn’t trying to replace your other kitchen accessories, but complement them!

Other Info

The biggest difference between the Hamilton Beach 31103 and 31104 is cosmetic

If you’re stuck deciding between the Hamilton Beach 31103, 31104, or even the 31100, you need to know that the interior dimensions are the exact same for all three models. In fact, the only real difference between the models just comes down to color.

The 31100 comes in black, the 31103 comes in stainless steel, and for the best of both worlds, the 31104 comes in black with stainless steel.

Also, feel free to check around for more toaster oven reviews.

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