Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven with Convection Review

If you’ve ever burned yourself while retrieving something out of a toaster oven, you know how frustrating they can be, despite their many positive features.

You would imagine that with all the different models on the market, one brand would figure out how to ensure your knuckles aren’t singed every time you go to grab a pizza out of the oven.

Well, Hamilton Beach has found a solution with the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven with Convection. This company has made grabbing your food without muttering choice words under your breath a reality.

The Easy Reach Oven has a roll-top door (kind of like a garage door) that slides back so you can simply reach for your food with no hot parts in the way.

The oven also boasts easy-to-use dials for picking the desired function, as well as a convection feature that makes your food cook faster.

While there have been some complaints about no lighting inside the oven, as well as an overheating exterior and a lack of non-stick coating, let’s take a closer look. This oven could be right for you.

Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven with Convection: The Details

In a Nutshell

• Weight: 4 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8 x 10.8 x 19.8 inches.
• Capacity: Fits a 9 x 11 baking pan, a 12-inch pizza or six slices of toast.
• Settings: Bake, broil, and toast functions.
• Timer: 30-minute timer with an optional stay-on setting.
• Power: 1400 watt.
• Stand-out Feature: Roll-top door.

Features

Convection

The Easy Reach Oven is a convection oven. What does this mean? There is a fan inside the machine which helps to distribute the hot air more evenly over whatever you’re making.

Because of this, your food will be more evenly cooked – no cold pockets or burned patches – and your food will be done faster.

Roll-Top Door

The most unique feature of the Easy Reach Oven is the roll-top door.

Instead of a normal countertop oven where the door opens down (blocking most of your countertop) or to the side, the Easy Reach slides up and over the oven, kind of like how a garage door works.

It allows you much more access to whatever you’re cooking.

Functions

This oven also comes with three different functions for you to use: bake, broil, and toast. It keeps it simple with the basic functions you need. It’s just a turn of a dial to choose the desired setting.

You can also set the temperature from 150°F – 450°F, which should cover all your recipes. The broiler will reach up to 500°F.

The oven also comes with a 30-minute timer, an alarm bell when the timer is up, and an optional stay-on setting if your food needs more time than a half hour.

The auto shutoff will make sure your food doesn’t overcook or burn if you happen to walk away for a minute or you get stuck on the phone with a telemarketer.

Capacity

The Easy Reach Oven also holds a decent amount of food. It can fit a 9 x 11 baking pan, a 12-inch pizza, or 6 slices of toast.

Considering that’s a several-person meal, an average cake, or a decent on-the-go-breakfast, one can see how it’s convenient. It will provide ample room for a small to mid-size household.

Accessories

• Bake pan
• Bake rack
• Crumb tray

Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven with Convection Review

The Positives

No More Burning Your Hands

The roll-top door is the feature that makes the Easy Reach Oven stand out from the rest.

You don’t have to worry about burning your hand on a hot oven door because it is completely out of reach once you slide it all the way back.

It gives you a wide opening to slide your pizza out and onto a plate, or to get your mitts completely around the dish that your roast chicken is sitting in.

Reduced Cooking Time

The convection feature will reduce the cooking time for most of your food by at least 25%.

When you’re rushing to make dinner, need to cook up a last-minute side dish, or when your kids are getting antsy for their chicken nuggets, this feature can be invaluable.

Not only will your food cook quicker with the convection, it will cook more evenly. What more could you ask for in a countertop appliance?

Clean-Up

When you need to clean up after a delicious meal, the crumb tray, as well as the door, are both removable.

Also, because the door moves out of the way when you are removing your food from the oven, you are less likely to get the door dirty by dropping food on it. Points for us clumsy people!

(Pro tip: you can cover the crumb tray with foil, to make clean-up even more effortless).

Great for Small Spaces

The Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven is a great alternative to a large oven as it can whip up meals in less time while taking up less space.

Those living in studios, small apartments, or if you just need another option besides take-out at the office, this toaster oven will go a long way.

You won’t be limited to just toast or pizza, this toaster oven can push out perfectly cooked casseroles, lasagnas, and roasts!

It’s also pretty lightweight, making it easy to move around, and gives you the option of easily tucking it away when not in use.

If you choose to keep it out, its subtle design won’t take away from any decor or style.

Easy to Use

You’ll be baking in no time with this toaster oven. It’s as simple as putting in the rack, your food, and setting the timer.

From setup, you won’t have to fuss around with confusing settings, making this a breeze for those in a rush, or those with less patience than others.

Price

With all the pros featured above, the price of the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven is the icing on the cake. You won’t have to dig far into your pockets to have this on your counter.

This is great for those on a budget, providing an affordable option to an oven or toaster without skipping out on quality.

Students can easily have this set up in their dorm or studio with ease and most importantly, without breaking the bank.

Warranty

Even at the price the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven is offered at, you’ll still be covered under a warranty, so should your oven malfunction, you won’t be left to handle it alone.

This 1-year limited warranty covers the repair or replacement of your oven should it be found defective.

Hamilton Beach’s customer service is known to adhere to this warranty so you can worry a little less.

Note that this doesn’t cover the glass, damages from normal wear and tear, or damages as a result of an accident (like throwing it across the room) so be sure to handle your toaster oven with care.

The Negatives

Outside Heats Up

One of the complaints that were most widely stated among users was how hot the oven became on the outside.

Users were worried about burning themselves, or perhaps one of their kids unknowingly touching the oven and getting hurt.

While we do want an oven that heats up our food properly, most people would like it to keep the heat on the inside.

Loud

A few users also mentioned that when the oven is in convection-mode, it could be quite loud. One user even described it as a “freight train.”

This doesn’t sound conducive to a quick and stealthily-made midnight snack.

Warnings

Some users also found it alarming that there is a warning that comes with the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven.

It states that you should unplug the oven each time you use it. They found it excessive to have to plug something in every time, especially when they use it frequently.

One user also complained about the oven turning on by itself when they didn’t unplug it (YIKES!).

While this is an added safety measure that should be practiced, some users rather not to be bothered.

No Inside Light

Quite a few users also complained about there being no light inside the oven.

While the sliding door does make it easy to reach, they still felt that the oven was dark enough to need a light.

Limited Functions

Another complaint users had with the Easy Reach was its number of functions.

With only a bake, broil, and toast function, there are not many pre-set options, such as a pizza, bagel, or cookie button that some other comparable ovens feature.

Clean-Up

Because the inside of the oven is not non-stick, some users had problems with clean-up. Foods splatter and make a mess when you’re cooking; it’s just a fact of life.

But while the Easy Reach does make it easy to clean the racks, the door, and the baking pan, anything that spills or splashes on the oven walls may take a little more elbow grease.

Here’s a video showing what the Hamilton Beach Oven looks like out of the box.

Overall Verdict

After looking at all the pros and cons, the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven with Convection will make a great addition to a baker’s kitchen.

The roll-top door is a feature you will be hard-pressed to find on any other countertop oven in the market. It ensures kid hands (or, let’s be real, adult hands) cannot get burned when reaching for the finished meal.

The convection feature is another bonus. Who doesn’t want to have their food cook faster?

While the oven becoming hot on the outside and the lack of non-stick inside are definite drawbacks, you will have to decide if they are ultimately deal breakers for you.

Where to Buy Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven with Convection

The Hamilton Beach brand has been around for years, providing affordable, quality options to kitchen and home appliances.

They have a number of popular devices under their belt, keeping them on top of the game and making products like their Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven with Convection easily available both in-store and online.

To start your search, check out the following online retailers.

• Hamilton Beach (from $49)
• Bed Bath and Beyond (from $69)
• Wal Mart (from $54)

But of course, you can also find this product on Amazon.

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That’s all for our Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven review. Tempted to give it a try?