Review on Ninja ST101 Slot Toaster Oven by Art Porras

So they say every appliance in your kitchen should be multitasking, right? Even a humble toaster. I love my Hamilton Beach Toaststation (which appears to be out of production) that my mom gave me when I moved in almost 15 years ago. It still bangs. But it's showing its age and probably won't last long, so I looked for a new toaster that did the same thing and was about the same size: toast at least two slices of bread in a large slot (so I could toast at also needs longer groceries) and doubles as a mini toaster without being huge. The Ninja Flip Toaster seemed to fit the bill! In fact, it's almost the same size and fits perfectly in the old Toastation house (although the cord is on the other side and barely reaches the outlet). The ability to toast is also about the same. Another point goes to the Flip Toaster for that extra depth. With large slices of fancy sandwich bread, I had to toast one slice at a time. With the Flip Toaster you can toast two slices at a time by inserting them vertically. The discs go much deeper into the machine. In oven mode, the Flip Toaster's capacity isn't as large, and I find the handle/blade cumbersome and difficult to store. This is what I liked best about the toast station - it was a more traditional arrangement of a tiny casserole dish that I was able to clean very easily. With the Flip Toaster, you put food right on top of that convoluted spatula, and I don't like that. For storage, I attached some magnets to the side of the last cabinet and taped them in place so they don't get in the way. It takes up too much space in a closet or drawer. However, the oven mode cooks well and even small portions cook faster than my large countertop oven, which is great for snacks and small meals. So. is he making toast? YES SIR. What I love most about Ninja Flip Toaster (and probably a lot of newer toasters have it - I haven't played the game in a while) is that it has a TIMER! It was very easy to set the 'done' level for my toast and then there was a countdown timer when it was done. LOVE IT. I have to say the toast was also made at least 30% faster compared to my old toast station. Level 4 is my choice for regular toast and was almost perfect, if not quite even between sides (one side was a little more browned than the other, but not overly). So the final verdict in comparison: It depends on the price and the aesthetics. While my favorite toaster station has been discontinued and cannot be directly replaced, there are other toasters on the market (including another updated line from the same brand) that offer toasting and oven features at a lower price point. However, the ninja has a neat "flip" that is quite unique. The Ninja Flip Toaster's stainless steel exterior looks great (but attracts fingerprints a bit), and the lack of a glass oven window keeps crumbs out of sight and the overall countertop look cleaner. I personally like it. a lot of toaster. But I really, really don't like that spatula thing. There had to be a more convenient, easier to clean and store away way to do this. And the price is much higher than many computers. 4 stars.