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A roaster oven is perfect for preparing a big meal when your main oven is full or if you don’t have an oven or prefer not to use it. To help you find the best roaster oven, the This Old House team researched a variety of models on Amazon. Here are our top five picks.
In This Guide: Buyer’s Guide | What To Cook | FAQs | Why Trust This Old House
Largest Capacity: Hamilton Beach Roaster Oven
Hamilton Beach Roaster Oven
- $114
- $147.9
- 23% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Made from stainless steel
- Has an 22-quart or 28-pound capacity
- Comes with a one-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews highlighted this roaster’s ability to cook different birds of various sizes quickly. Customers also liked its sleek stainless steel finish. Those who left negative reviews said that it had a short power cord. Others were disappointed that it didn’t feature a temperature or on/off indicator.
Most Customizable: Nesco Classic Roaster Oven
Nesco Classic Roaster Oven
- $76.76
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Made from porcelain
- Has an six-quart capacity
- Comes with a one-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Customers liked how versatile this appliance was, stating that it worked as a slow cooker and roaster oven. Some users thought that its design left a lot to be desired, though. They found it to be difficult to clean. They also wished that it had a timer.
Most Versatile: Nesco MWR18-13 Roaster Oven
Nesco MWR18-13 Roaster Oven
- $106.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Has an 18-quart capacity
- Uses a “circle of heat” cooking element to provide even cooking
- Has cool-touch handles and a removable enamel cook well
- Has an adjustable temperature control between 200 and 450 degrees
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who gave this product positive reviews said that it was highly versatile and cooked food fully and evenly. Several others also liked how durable and well-made it was.
However, some who left negative reviews said that this roaster oven was difficult to clean and required a lot of manual effort to get rid of the grease. Others also felt that the lid was too thin.
Buyer’s Guide
Read our buyer’s guide below to learn about the biggest factors that go into choosing a roaster oven for your kitchen.
Size/Capacity
The amount of counter space you have should determine the exterior size of the roaster oven you choose. If you have a smaller kitchen, you won’t be able to store a large roaster.
The interior size or capacity is also an essential factor. The larger the capacity, the bigger the cut of meat you can cook. If you plan to host big dinner parties with your roaster oven, your model needs to be able to hold at least 20 quarts or pounds of food. If you have a small family, a capacity under 10 quarts should suffice.
Settings
Some roaster ovens have an on/off switch or cord, which is less than ideal because it gives you minimal control over the oven’s temperature. Look for a roaster oven with temperature settings that range from the 100s to the 400s for maximum versatility. Some roaster ovens even have additional settings for making specific dishes, reheating leftovers, keeping cooked food warm, and more.
Maintenance
Roaster ovens with removable lids and inserts and nonstick coatings are the easiest to clean. Some even have dishwasher-safe parts. If your model doesn’t, you will have to fit the components in your sink to wash them, which could be an issue if you have a small sink basin and a large roaster insert.
Material
Most roaster ovens are made from stainless steel or enameled steel. Both of these materials are highly durable and relatively easy to clean. Stainless steel is generally a bit more lightweight, but enameled steel has better heat retention.
Interface
The interface of your roaster oven should clearly display the settings. You should be able to tell which setting you have selected with a screen, dial, or indicator light.
What To Cook in a Roaster Oven
Once you’ve determined which roaster oven to get, you may be wondering what dishes you should cook to test it out. Many people buy a roaster oven to cook a large chicken or turkey without drying it out. However, since a roaster oven is essentially just a smaller version of a wall oven, your options are nearly endless. With that said, here are some foods you may want to try:
- Desserts like brownies, cake, cookies, and pudding
- Casseroles
- Meatballs and meatloaf
- Meats and poultry like brisket, chicken, corned beef, ham, roast beef, ribs, and turkey
- Pasta and rice dishes, like macaroni and cheese or seasoned rice
- Vegetables like broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, corn, and potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences between a slow cooker and a roaster oven?
Slow cookers generally produce a lower, more even heat and have a smaller capacity. Roaster ovens, meanwhile, cook foods at higher temperatures to make them moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. Pressure cookers are also similar, but work to use high heat cook foods quickly.
What are the differences between a rotisserie and a roaster oven?
A rotisserie attaches a cut of meat to a spit that rotates for even heat distribution. While rotisseries are nifty, they’re less versatile and smaller than roaster ovens.
Can you use a roaster oven and a wall oven at the same time?
Yes. In fact, you can cook multiple dishes at once if you run both. For example, if you’re using your roaster oven to cook a turkey, you can use your wall oven to cook side dishes. That way, everything is ready at the same time.
Why Trust The This Old House Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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