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Designed in Japan, the toaster oven has a unique steam technology that incorporates about a teaspoon of water into the toasting process. The oven transforms the water into steam, which the brand claims envelops the food and warms it from within—whether you’re warming toast, pizza, baked goods, or artisanal bread.

While you can’t see the steam in action on the food, you can see the toaster’s tiny window fogging up with excess moisture. More importantly, you can taste the difference. The steam technology results in a slice of warm bread with crusty edges and a fluffy center that tastes like it just came from a bakery (rather than a 4-day old loaf from the grocery store). 

An infographic is printed on top of the toaster oven to help guide you through the steaming process, with both water and time measurements available by food type. Following this guide is the easiest way to get the perfect cook every time, as it factors in the device’s precision temperature technology. This function controls every second of the heating process to ensure the food is thoroughly warmed and steamed before the browning, and eventually toasting, begins.

At first I heavily relied on Balmuda’s instructions, thinking the appliance required the same precision as baking—but I soon realized there was a bit of flexibility before the food became inedible. As someone that’s prone to go with the flow in the kitchen, I was relieved that my imperfect process could still earn impressive results.

If you’d asked me three years ago whether I thought a $300 toaster oven was worth the investment, I would have laughed. Although I understood the need for nontoxic pans and chef-approved knives, you couldn’t convince me that a toaster oven was worth the same fuss. 

After all, the $25 toaster gracing my countertops got the job done, and it only occasionally smelled like the leftover remnants of an everything bagel. It wasn’t until my roommate walked through the door carrying the Balmuda Toaster that I finally grasped the shortcomings of my old appliance. 

My very first impression of Balmuda was that it was good looking, which is the last compliment I ever thought I’d give a toaster. The design meets the perfect midway between retro and modern with minimal dials, no screens, and a single window into the unit. Without context, it would have seemed like a Smeg appliance; a product focused on looks rather than innovation.

But I soon realized the kitchen appliance served a greater purpose: It replaced my toaster and oven to make cooking delicious and nutritious meals so easy. When I wanted avocado toast, it could transform my frozen whole gain loaf into a soft-but-still-toasted bed for my avocado. When I wanted roasted veggies, I could simple opt for the heat settings—350, 400 or 450 degrees Fahrenheit—to get the perfect roast. What’s more, the compact size takes way less time to heat up than my actual oven, so it’s far more efficient.

In fact, my only real complaint about the Balmuda is that the timer on the bake settings caps out at 15 minutes, so I often have to return to the kitchen to reset it a second time to finish cooking certain foods (like root vegetables or frozen meals).

Cleaning the Balmuda Toaster Oven is a breeze. Not only does the crumb tray glide out of the base, but the internal shelving located above the crumb tray can also be removed once cooled. A quick wipe down with a dish brush easily removes leftover scraps (including hardened melted cheese) from the non-stick metal. For particularly big messes, I also remove the internal wire rack to ensure no morsel is left behind.

However I will note that my white exterior of my toaster oven does have a few scuffs from lugging it between apartments and placing different ceramic plates on top of the toaster (which is not recommended by the brand). If your’e at all concerned about wear and tear, I’d recommended opting for a darker colorway. Luckily, the brand offers a few different options to suit various tastes.