How To Clean That Toaster Oven Gunk | America's Test Kitchen

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How to Clean That Toaster-Oven Gunk

That gross sticky stuff on your toaster-oven window? There's an easy way to get rid of it.

SaveSavedHeadshot of Carolyn GrilloBy Carolyn Grillo

Published on March 10, 2022

I’ve owned my toaster oven for six years, and I love everything about it. Toaster ovens are incredibly versatile, they heat up quickly, and they're great for a convenient weeknight meal.

(By the way, our favorite is The Breville Smart Oven. We've also tested and recommend the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, the Breville Smart Oven Pro, and the Breville Mini Smart Oven. Each one of these toasted, roasted, baked, and broiled better than the other machines in their lineups.)

There is one thing that's mildly annoying: The glass doors develop a thin layer of dark-colored gunk. How do I clean that gross stuff off?

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toaster oven, before and after
Photo: Carolyn Grillo

We reached out to Breville directly to ask for recommendations. I was shocked by such a simple answer: warm water and a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I gave it a shot and cleaned my oven door using a fresh Magic Eraser and warm water. You can see the difference below. You can tell how much gunk came off by looking at the sponge.

I was so happy with the results that I kept cleaning other parts of the oven that were dirty. In mere minutes, my six-year-old toaster was shining like it was out-of-the-box brand-new again.

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