BLACK+DECKER Toaster Oven vs Toaster: Which One Actually Earns Its Spot?

Most people don’t set out to compare a toaster oven against a toaster. They just know their morning routine is slow, or their countertop is crowded, or they’re tired of burnt bagels. The real question hiding underneath is simple: do you need an appliance that does one thing perfectly, or a small oven that does many things well enough?

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I’ve spent weeks with both the BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Air Fry Toaster Oven (B0CKLXZRMC) and the classic BLACK+DECKER TO1313SBD Toaster Oven. They look similar at first glance. Both fit four slices of bread. Both have a 30-minute timer. But they’re built for different people, and the right choice comes down to how you actually cook on a Tuesday night, not what looks good on the counter.

The short version: the air fry model is the better buy for most households because it replaces more appliances. The TO1313SBD is the simpler, cheaper option for someone who mainly wants toast and the occasional frozen pizza. Read on for the full breakdown, because the differences go deeper than one extra knob.

Quick Answer: Which One Should You Buy?

Buy the BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Air Fry Toaster Oven if you want to cut down on kitchen clutter and cook real meals, not just toast. It adds air frying, broiling, baking, and a keep-warm setting to the basic toaster oven job. That one extra function changes what you can make on a weeknight.

Buy the TO1313SBD if your budget is tight, your counter space is tiny, or you rarely cook anything beyond toast, frozen waffles, and reheated pizza. It’s a honest, no-frills toaster oven that does the basics without fuss. But it won’t crisp chicken wings or roast vegetables the way the air fry model will.

For most people, the air fry version is worth the extra money. It’s not even close, honestly.

What Is a Toaster? (And What It Does Best)

A standard toaster is a single-purpose machine. It takes bread, applies heat to both sides, and pops it up when done. That’s it. It’s fast, cheap, and takes up very little space. A two-slice toaster handles a bagel or two in about two minutes flat.

But a toaster can’t melt cheese on a sandwich. It can’t roast garlic. It can’t bake a small pizza. And if you’ve ever tried to toast a thick slice of sourdough, you know the struggle of either burning the outside or leaving the middle doughy.

The toaster oven exists because people wanted more flexibility without firing up a full-size oven. The TO1313SBD is a direct answer to that need. It’s still a toaster at heart, but it’s also a tiny oven. You can bake, broil, and keep food warm. That versatility is the whole point.

So when we talk about toaster oven vs toaster, we’re really comparing a single-purpose gadget against a mini kitchen appliance. The gap in usefulness is massive, but so is the difference in countertop footprint.

What Is a Toaster Oven? (And What It Does Best)

The TO1313SBD is the classic toaster oven design. It’s a box with a door, a wire rack, a baking pan, and a crumb tray. You set the timer, pick a function, and wait. It fits a 9-inch pizza or four slices of bread. The curved interior helps with even heating, though you’ll still want to rotate items halfway through for best results.

The B0CKLXZRMC takes that same box and adds an air fryer function. A fan circulates hot air around the food, which gives you crispy results with little to no oil. That’s the big difference. It also includes a mesh air fry tray, a bake pan, and a wire rack in the box. Seven accessories total, which is generous at this price point.

Both models have the same 30-minute timer with a stay-on option. Both have slide-out crumb trays for cleanup. Both will heat up your kitchen in the summer — there’s no escaping that with any toaster oven. But the air fry model gives you more cooking methods, which means it can replace more gadgets on your counter.

Toaster vs Toaster Oven: 7 Key Differences

Speed and Efficiency

A regular toaster wins on speed. Two slices of bread are done in under two minutes. The TO1313SBD needs a few minutes to preheat, then another two to four minutes to toast. The air fry model is similar, though preheating for air frying adds another couple of minutes.

If your morning is a race against the clock, a toaster is hard to beat. But if you’re toasting four slices at once, the toaster oven is actually faster because it handles all four at the same time. A standard four-slice toaster does the same, but those are bulky and often toast unevenly.

My honest take: the toaster oven is slower for a single slice, but it catches up when you’re cooking for more than one person. And the air fry model’s ability to cook a full meal means the time trade-off pays off later in the day.

Versatility and Cooking Functions

This is where the gap widens. The TO1313SBD offers bake, broil, toast, and keep warm. That’s solid for a basic toaster oven. You can make frozen pizza, reheat leftovers, melt cheese on nachos, and broil fish.

The B0CKLXZRMC adds air fry to that list. That means crispy fries, chicken wings, and vegetables with a fraction of the oil you’d use in a deep fryer. It’s a healthier way to get that texture, and it genuinely works. I made sweet potato fries in it last week and they came out crisp on the outside, tender inside.

The air fry model also includes a drip tray, which the TO1313SBD lacks. That tray catches grease and drips, keeping the bottom of the oven cleaner. It’s a small thing, but it matters when you’re cooking something like bacon or a fatty fish.

Energy Consumption and Heat Output

Both models use about the same wattage — typical toaster ovens draw around 1500 watts. That’s less than a full-size oven, which can pull 3000 to 5000 watts. So either toaster oven will save electricity compared to heating up your big oven for a single pizza.

But both also radiate heat into your kitchen. In the summer, running a toaster oven for 20 minutes can make a small kitchen noticeably warmer. A regular toaster does this too, but for a much shorter time. The air fry model tends to run longer because you’re cooking full meals, not just toast.

If you live in a hot climate or have a tiny kitchen, this matters. You might prefer the toaster for quick jobs and save the toaster oven for cooler months.

Countertop Space and Design

Both models measure roughly the same footprint: about 14.5 inches wide, 10.8 inches deep, and 8.8 inches tall. That’s a significant chunk of counter. A standard toaster takes up maybe a third of that space.

The air fry model is slightly heavier and feels more substantial. The TO1313SBD is lighter and easier to move around if you need to stash it in a cabinet when not in use. Neither is what I’d call compact, but both are smaller than a full-size oven, obviously.

One thing I noticed: the air fry model’s accessories take up drawer space. The mesh tray, bake pan, and wire rack need a home. Plan for that. The TO1313SBD just has the wire rack and crumb tray, which live inside the oven.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Both have slide-out crumb trays, which is the single best feature for cleanup. Pull it out, dump the crumbs, wipe it down. The TO1313SBD’s tray is simple and works fine.

The air fry model adds a drip tray that catches grease. That’s a huge plus when cooking meats. But it also has more parts to clean — the mesh air fry tray, the bake pan, and the wire rack. They’re all dishwasher safe, which helps, but it’s still more to manage.

Here’s a tip I learned the hard way: keep food at least 1.5 inches from the top heating elements in either model. The user manual warns about this, and it’s not just lip service. I melted a cheese sandwich onto the top element once. That took a while to clean off.

Safety Features and Risks

Neither model has a child safety lock. If you have small kids, that’s something to consider. Both ovens get hot on the outside — the manual is clear about using oven mitts and keeping space for ventilation.

The stay-on function on both models is handy but also a risk if you forget to turn it off. The timer is your friend. Use it. The air fry model’s fan runs during air frying, which means it’s louder than the TO1313SBD, but not annoyingly so.

One specific hazard: bagel mode. Neither model has a dedicated bagel setting, so you’ll set the toast level manually. That’s fine, but it means you have to watch the first batch. Bagels are thicker than bread and can brown unevenly if you’re not careful.

Grease splatter is another issue with the air fry model. When cooking bacon or fatty foods, the fan can spread grease around the interior. Use the drip tray, and clean it after each use. Letting grease sit will make the next batch of cookies taste like last night’s sausage.

Price and Long-Term Value

I can’t give exact prices because they change constantly, but the TO1313SBD is typically the cheaper option. The air fry model costs more, but it replaces an air fryer, a toaster, and a small oven. If you already own a separate air fryer, the TO1313SBD might be enough. If you don’t, the air fry model is a better value than buying two appliances.

Long-term durability is a real question. Toaster ovens have heating elements that burn out eventually — usually after several years of heavy use. Both BLACK+DECKER models are solidly built for the price, but neither is a commercial-grade machine. Expect three to five years of regular use, maybe longer if you treat them well.

The air fry model’s fan is an extra moving part. That’s something that can fail over time. The TO1313SBD has no fan, so there’s less to break. If you’re planning to keep this appliance for a decade, the simpler design might last longer.

The Decision Matrix: How to Choose Based on Your Kitchen Habits

Stop comparing spec sheets and think about your last seven dinners. Here’s a scoring system that works better than any feature list.

Score each question from 1 to 5, where 5 means always and 1 means never:

• How often do you cook for more than one person? (Batch cooking)
• How often do you make frozen foods like pizza, fries, or nuggets?
• How often do you reheat leftovers that need to stay crispy, not soggy?
• How often do you roast vegetables or bake small dishes?
• How often do you make toast or bagels?

Add up your score. If you scored 15 or higher, the air fry model is the obvious choice. You’re cooking real meals, and the extra functions will get used weekly. If you scored under 10, the TO1313SBD will do everything you need without the extra cost. If you’re in the middle, think about your counter space and budget.

One more consideration: how much do you hate cleaning? The air fry model has more parts. If you’re the type to let a crumb tray go for weeks, the simpler TO1313SBD might be the better fit. The air fry mesh tray needs attention after greasy cooks.

3 Quick Tests to Decide (The Bagel Test, The Melting Test, The Batch Test)

Forget the spec sheet. Run these three tests in your head, or better yet, in a store if you can.

The Bagel Test: Do you toast a bagel most mornings? A regular toaster handles this in two minutes flat. The TO1313SBD takes longer but gives you a more even result. The air fry model does the same, but you’re waiting through a preheat cycle. If bagels are your main use, a toaster wins. If you’re okay with a slightly longer morning routine for better toast, either toaster oven works.

The Melting Test: Can you make a grilled cheese sandwich? A toaster can’t. The TO1313SBD can, using the broil setting to melt cheese on top of a sandwich. The air fry model does it even better, since the fan circulates heat and melts the cheese faster without burning the bread. If you like melty sandwiches, tuna melts, or nachos, you need a toaster oven. This test alone settles the toaster oven vs toaster debate for most people.

The Batch Test: You have four slices of bread, six frozen chicken nuggets, and a small pizza. Which appliance handles it? A standard toaster chokes on everything but the bread. The TO1313SBD fits the pizza and the bread, but the nuggets will be uneven. The air fry model nails all three — the nuggets come out crispy, the pizza reheats well, and the toast is fine. If you regularly feed more than yourself, the air fry model is the winner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a toaster oven replace a regular oven?

For most everyday cooking, yes. A toaster oven handles baking, broiling, roasting, and reheating for small portions. It preheats faster than a full-size oven and uses less electricity. But it can’t fit a whole turkey or a large casserole dish. If you cook for a family or bake large batches, you’ll still need your regular oven. For singles and couples, a toaster oven can handle 90% of what you’d use a big oven for. Check our toaster oven vs regular oven comparison for more detail.

Is a toaster oven worth it for one person?

Yes, especially the air fry model. As a single person, you’re probably wasting energy heating up a full-size oven for one portion. A toaster oven preheats in minutes and cooks a single chicken breast or a small pizza without heating the whole kitchen. The TO1313SBD is a budget-friendly entry point. The air fry model costs more but gives you crispy results that make solo cooking less boring. Either way, you’ll use it more than your regular oven.

Which uses more electricity?

Both toaster ovens draw roughly the same wattage, around 1500 watts. That’s similar to a hair dryer. A regular toaster uses less — usually 800 to 1200 watts — but it only runs for a few minutes. A toaster oven runs longer, so it uses more electricity per session. However, both are far more efficient than a full-size oven for small jobs. If you’re replacing a big oven with a toaster oven, you’ll save on your energy bill. If you’re replacing a toaster, you’ll use more power but gain a lot of cooking flexibility. For a deeper look at energy use, see our conventional oven vs toaster oven guide.

Final Verdict: The Best Choice for Most People

After weeks of testing both, the BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Air Fry Toaster Oven is the one I’d buy for my own kitchen. The air fry function isn’t a gimmick — it genuinely crisps food better than the TO1313SBD, and it replaces a separate appliance you might otherwise buy. The included drip tray and accessories make it a complete package.

The TO1313SBD is a fine machine. It’s simpler, cheaper, and has fewer parts to break. If your cooking life is mostly toast and frozen pizza, it’s the smart buy. Don’t let anyone talk you into spending more for features you won’t use.

But here’s the thing about the toaster oven vs toaster decision: most people upgrade because they’re tired of the toaster’s limitations. They want to melt cheese, roast vegetables, or cook a small meal without turning on the big oven. The air fry model answers all of those needs in one box. It’s the buy-once, buy-right choice.

Whichever you pick, give yourself a week to learn the quirks. The first few toasts might be too dark or too light. That’s normal. Adjust the timer, rotate your food, and keep food clear of the top heating elements. These are simple machines, but they reward a little patience.

And if you’re still torn, think about what you made for dinner last night. If it came from a box or a delivery bag, the TO1313SBD is plenty. If you actually cooked something, even something small, the air fry model will earn its counter space.