Good Housekeeping's Best Breakfast Appliances

Jan. 4, 2005 -- -- If you're not a morning person, you'll probably appreciate anything that can improve your morning.

Ellen Levine, editor in chief of Good Housekeeping magazine, showed off the latest breakfast appliances reviewed by the Good Housekeeping Institute on "Good Morning America."

The Good Housekeeping Institute's Food Appliances department evaluated 14 toaster oven models by toasting slice after slice of bread, baking potatoes, meat loaf, cake and cookies, and broiling chicken breasts. The Institute also evaluated the usability of each toaster oven, which includes testing the handle and surface temperatures, critiquing the owner's manual, and reviewing the cleanability, in addition to conducting a general review of the ease of use of the product.

General advice: You don't have to spend a lot to get a great toaster oven. Some of the best performers cost less than $70.

Safety advice: Toaster ovens can cause fires if they're left on. So be sure to unplug yours after every use. And keep the crumb tray clean and free of drippings. If any food bits do ignite (which is one of the most common causes of toaster oven fires), you can pull the plug and wait until the flame goes out before you open the door.