Friday, January 19, 2018

Help with convection/toaster oven decision & flowers

Hello Friends ~ Hope you in cold parts of the world are keeping warm and those in the warmer part, keeping cool. I worked outside Wednesday morning for about 3 hours. It felt wonderful and I even worked up a light sweat. It seemed a little chillier that evening, but I didn’t even think to check the weather. I woke up to COLD temps, the coldest being 39 and real feel was 30, not as cold as the earlier cold we had a week or so back when the real feel temp was 26. Needless to say, yesterday was pretty much an indoor day. I did some ironing.

On the 11th, we had some snow fall here at Plum Cottage. Pollen snow that is, from the palm tree.

01-11-pollen-snow

01-11-pollen-snow2

Miss Tork has been sleeping in a comfy nest, about 5 ft. away from the old radiant heat space heater that I’m using. DH and I found this many, many years ago curbside. We never used it on high, and right now I have it on 3. It could be a little higher, but we are doing ok., keeping the elec. bill down.

This photo is from yesterday.

01-18-miss-tork

The next two are from this morning with the sunlight through the window filtering in.

01-19-miss-tork

01-19-miss-tork2

Today is another indoor day. Tomorrow will be another one as BIL Todd and I will be working again in the living room and bedroom.  Both rooms are a wreck, but my bed and chairs in liv. room are clear. I’ll post pics when we’re all done. We won’t be finished tomorrow, but will make more forward progress. Todd is a blessing and I have told him that you all think so too.

Now for the dilemma of making a choice between two convection/toaster ovens that I’ve narrowed my choice down to. I’d like to hear what ones any of you may have and are very happy with. I’ve been reading reviews, watched some you tube reviews also. My old one is an Oster, that is very small, and the door now hangs open about 1/2 an inch. Since there is just me now, I’d like a larger one to bake casseroles, etc. in. My GE range has convection baking, which I use all of the time. Less energy and less time. But, I’d rather have a decent counter top one so as to not have to heat up the big oven.

My kitchen space is small, so I cannot get a ‘large’ countertop one, which I did see a couple I’d like to have chosen, but space deletes those two from my choice.

This one I like because of the manual knobs, but it does lack a light on the inside. Lots of pro reviews though, but then there are the negatives. People getting burned by touching the glass when they go to open it, flimsy rack, it gets hot, (what toaster oven doesn’t).

Oster Large Convection Toaster Oven TSSTTVSK01

This next one is also an Oster. Todd & Sue have one of these, have had it since last May and like it.

I like this one because it has a light inside. Reading the cons though always influence our thinking. Buttons don’t always respond, rack flimsy, slips on the counter. Although, there are a lot more pros. This one is cheaper also by about $20. I don’t know what the reason is for the difference in price.

Oster Digital Convection Toaster Oven TSSTTVMNDG 

So, there are the two choices I’ve narrowed it down to. They are both under $100. I can’t afford to buy the most expensive and best in the reviews, so I just kept reading reviews until my mind was getting boggled. and narrowed down my choices to these two. Winking smile  Please let me have some input from you who have a convection/toaster oven. Living on a very limited budget, I want to get the best I can that will last me awhile without breaking my bank. I don’t want to have to replace one every year. The old one I’ve had a long time.

Now for some flowers. I know you all that are buried under snow or just have barren brown to look at, will appreciate them.

Blue clock vine.

01-16-clock-vine

Blue Sage

01-18-blue-sage

Four o’clock

01-18-4oclock

Phlippine Violet backlit by afternoon sun.

01-18-phil-violet-backlit

Seed heads from Blue Mist flowers

01-18-blue-mist-gone-to-seed

Azalea ~ hard color to photograph

01-18-azalea

Spicy Jatropha ~ popular with Zebra longwing butterflies.

01-18-spicy-jatropha

Mom-of-millions ~ these spread like crazy, just by a leaf dropping off. They bloom a couple of times a year.

01-18-mom

Scented begonia has a wonderful scent

01-18-scented-begonia

every day variety of begonia

01-18-begonia

Plumbago

01-18-plumbago

A raggedy zebra longwing, our state butterfly taking nectar from Penta blooms.

01-11-zebra

Gazing ball

01-18-gazing-ball

Old light fixture I mounted to a post. This has the orange colored acrylic glass with the design painted on it on the inside.  I don’t have a light in there yet, this is sunlight behind it.

01-18-light-post

A ‘carpet rose’.

01-18-carpet-rose

An unknown.

01-18-unkn-bk-shed

I took the desk, that is under the marble top, that DH had made for using out in his workshop, and put it in the little screened entry porch off the kitchen. I painted the top, since I hadn’t painted it when I did the rest to move it into the bedroom.

01-14-bdrm

Here it is now. This was a fun, little artistic project that gave me a mental boost.

01-19-porch

That’s it for now. Enjoy each day, seeing beauty in the simple, and being thankful for all that you have.

Happy January ~ FlowerLady

01-12-love

21 comments:

Ruth Hiebert said...

I have a Hamilton Beach toaster/convection oven. It is a countertop model, but a little larger than the traditional toaster oven.I do like it a lot.I enjoyed the walk through your flowers again. Thanks for brightening my day.,

Pom Pom said...

It sounds like you are bearing the fluctuations of your weather. Crazy, isn't it?
I liked having a toaster oven but when I got tired of having so little counter space I moved it down to the basement where it is now languishing. Hmmmm. Maybe I can move it back up for a while. I like the smell of toast toasting in it. Doesn't toast smell delish? What will you cook in your toaster oven?

Rebecca said...

I didn't even know there was a toaster oven that was also convection! (So obviously I'm no help!)

That repurposed desk look WONDERFUL out there. Good job converting it!

And the flowers....brighten my northern winter's day! ♥

Nancy J said...

Beautiful flowers, those delicate shades are gorgeous. For me, I like the manual controls, and is it a little larger? We have a smallish one, the glass does get hot ( guess they all do), and so handy on the bench. You could do a whole meal in that one, cook biscuits? a loaf or cake? and a roast chook as well. If it gets too hot, you can always have it on a wooden board. Today. my iron started to leak, so I, too, need to check out the electrical places. Like us, appliances age!!!

Melanie said...

I have never seen or even heard of snow pollen - I thought that was real snow at first!

We bought a Breville toaster oven (with convection) last year and we absolutely love it. My mom has also had one for years and loves hers, also. Breville is supposed to be top quality. However, they are quite pricey. I'm not familiar with the Oster toaster ovens, sorry.

crafty cat corner said...

I like the look of those little toaster ovens, I have a big cooker at the moment but would consider one of these for the future as I do not cook as much as I used to.
Are these flowers blooming in your garden at this moment? We have very little flowering here at the moment but daffs are beginning to show and snowdrops so Spring is just around the corner.
Briony
x

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Its 30 degrees and snow here so I am so happy to see your garden. the color of your flowers are so vivid. I had a convection oven years ago so I'm not much help on the toaster/oven. When I want convection, I put the convection lid on my Nesco Roaster. I'm thinking a personal review of an item would be more useful than reading what strangers think.
Stay warm
xx, Carol

Terry said...

Hi Lorraine!

My toaster oven is old, close to 20 years, but it is an Oster and I love it. The thing everyone doesn't like about my model is the thing I love most about it. So don't let the negative comments affect your choice too much. We are shopping for a new dishwasher and the salesman at PC Richard told us that appliances are made to only last about 10 years now. They really don't make things like they used too. Good luck with your decision making. Let us know which one you choose and how you like it.

Love,
Terry

gld said...

What a delight to see your flowers; we can just now see the ground. Our heat wave (above freezing) arrived yesterday and most of the snow melted during the night.

I have a Breville that I have had maybe over a year now and I do love it. It holds a 12 inch pizza and my cast iron skillet and a 9x9 casserole dish. I use it 90% of the time for all my baking, including pies. I chose it because I had had so many smaller and less expensive ones and decided to spend a little more and get Breville. Their reputation sold me. That being said I would get the less expensive one before I would do without! My stove oven is so large it seemed ridiculous to heat it up for 5 biscuits! Good luck with whatever you choose.

ellen b. said...

Love what you did with that desk. Such an inviting space. Thanks for all the flowers. That lamp on the post is very cool. Sorry I can't help with any recommendations for your toaster oven but it looks like others can! Happy weekend to you.

sweetbay said...

It's lovely to see all of this greenery and blossoms (and the zebra butterfly). It's rocketing all the way up to 60 degrees today but there's still some snow on the ground!

The unknown pink rose is really beautiful. I can't get over how much that palm pollen looks like snow!

Deb said...

As always I love your flowers, the desk redo turned out lovely. I haven't used a toaster oven in years so I don't have any in put but you have me thinking I may want to get one since I don't much like using the oven in my stove because it throws off so much heat. In the past I have used G.E. toaster ovens. Oster and Hamilton Beach. I was happy with all 3.

jerilanders said...

We have th ceonvection oven on the top and use it nearly every day instead of our full size oven, It has been a good purchase.
Miss Tork has a very pretty afghan, the colors actually match your "new" old desk, which is just dandy.
You will really find it useful in that spot.
We finally had a break in the temps and I was able to get outside and plant my BULBS that were supposed to go in the ground 2 months ago. I am kinda glad I had to delay the planting, as the ground was frozen 6 inches down! It would have ruined my bulbs had I planted them in November.

Kit said...

I love your lamp! Thanks for your flowers, very white here. So glad your BIL can help you out. :) Love, KK

Friko said...

Sorry I can’t help with the choice of ovens, they’d be different here anyway.
But I love your flowers, what a treat to look at these wonderful colours when it’s cold and damp and grey here. It’ll be a long time yet before I can compete with your treasures.

Life is hard without your best friend, as you know only too well. I am not as far down the lonely road as you but I also need to make changes round the house. Can’t quite knuckle down to anything yet.

M.K. said...

The little desk looks so good out there! Nice paint job :) And aren't those flowers a "sight for sore eyes," as my grandmother would say? We do need that right now! The only thing prettier than a flower is a flower with sunshine on it :)
We are warmer the past 2 days, so thankful for that. I have no advice about the toaster ovens, as I haven't owned either one, and really haven't used a toaster oven since college. I visited my brother and s-i-l once, and their oven was broken. I had to cook for all of us (nine!), with only a stove top. Did you know you can bake biscuits on the stove top, with cast iron? You can do a lot with cast iron :) Good luck on your oven choice! Stay AWAY from all snow!!

Morning's Minion said...

Winter in Kentucky is a relatively short season compared to our years in New England and Wyoming--but I miss flowers during the cold months. Yours are so lovely.

GretchenJoanna said...

I've never heard of your state butterfly before this, but he certainly looks dramatic on that flower of yours!

Henny Penny said...

The pictures are so pretty! Is that really not a little dusting of snow? The kitty looks so snuggly and sweet.

Anonymous said...

I live alone and only use now my Convection Toaster Oven. I have a KitchenAid and love it. I know Breville is supposed to be the best but is costly. KitchenAid is a nice compromise. I can bake pies, cakes, casseroles, a chicken, muffins. I don't use my regular oven anymore and when I cook a turkey I use my Rival Roaster Oven With Self-Basting Lid (40$ brand new) and it cooks the best turkeys or roasts or even big cakes.

outlawgardener said...

Oh my goodness, I was stunned by your first couple of pictures until I read that it was only pollen snow. Couldn't believe that it got cold enough for the white stuff at Plum Cottage. Thanks for the beautiful flower pictures, they're quite a nice pick me up! Don't have any toaster oven advise/experience.