Best Electric Turkey Roaster Oven

Best Electric Turkey Roaster Oven for Thanksgiving

Ian Mutuli
Updated on
Ian Mutuli

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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If you’re a seasoned chef looking for yet another kitchen appliance to add to your arsenal or if this will be your first turn at hosting Thanksgiving, and you’re unsure which oven to splurge on. We recommend that you buy the best electric turkey roaster.

An electric roaster oven is just perfect for saving time and energy. It’s also perfect for holiday cooking, or you can use it for other dishes. However, we can bring you the best options sorted for your cooking need.

1. Instant Vortex Plus 7-in-10 Roaster Oven, Stainless Steel

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The Instant Vortex Plus 7-in-1 Roaster Oven is the most versatile electric roaster oven if you're looking for one that can do everything you want. The good news is that this unit is an air fryer, roaster oven and can toast, bake, dehydrate, broil, and rotisserie. But the roaster oven has just 10 quarts of capacity and will only hold 4.5 pounds of turkey. That way, if you have a bigger turkey, you might not be able to roast it whole all at once.

Image Source: t3.com

The Instant Vortex Plus has a stainless steel exterior. Furthermore, it includes several accessories, which include two cooking trays, a rotisserie spit and forks, a stainless steel rotisserie basket, a retrieval tool and a drip pan. On the other hand, it features a heating element on top made for browning.

The roaster oven comes with automatic temperature control, but I like roasting manually to set the cooking time and temperature. By letting the turkey dry, it roast precisely, and it tastes great.

Pros:

  • Versatile roaster oven
  • Perfect for turkey browning
  • Features preset button
  • It comes with additional accessories for easy meat roasting

Cons:

  • It has a smaller capacity.

2. Nesco Porcelain 6 quart Roaster Oven, 4816-14

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Nesco 4816-14 Porcelain Roaster Oven, 6 quart, White
  • 750-Watt heating base for moist, even cooking
  • Removable 6 quart cook well serves up to 6 people
  • Full-range temperature control (200°f - 450°f)
  • Durable porcelain enamel finish
  • Stay cool side handles

The Nesco Porcelain 6 Quart is another small roaster oven option for a small size turkey. It is available in various colors you can opt between. With its circular heat design the turkey roaster oven roasts turkey and other meats from the sides rather than the bottom to give for consistently cooked meats.

Image Source: nesco.com

The roaster oven is made of porcelain and is easily broken, so  you have to take good care of it. Its other part also includes porcelain enamel coating that is breakable too. However, up for 6 people could be served in a unit. The handles also stay cool when you cook, so I can handle the side handles without fear of burning myself.

Featuring a 'lift out' cooking rack with lift out handles for easy food handling. The roaster oven has an adjustable temperature range set between 200°F and 450°F. For soft, delicious meat, I usually keep the roasting temperatures at 300°F.

Pros:

  • Surface with a porcelain coating
  • Easy to clean
  • Handles are designed to stay cool
  • It comes in different colors that you can choose from

Cons:

  • The roaster oven has no timer.

3. NutriChef Convection Countertop Roaster Oven, PKCOV45

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Another versatile roaster oven you can count on is the NutriChef PKCOV45. It is mostly advertised as an air fryer, but in actual fact it can roast, broil, steam, grill, and bake. The toaster oven is also able to accommodate a 22 pound turkey. The unit also has a broiling rack, a roasting rack and a stainless steel extension ring. Plus, it heats up to 450°F.

Image Source: whizz.co.ke

The NutriChef Contention Oven features a glass bowl and lid. I can watch the food cooking in the glass bowl, conveniently, without having to lift the lid. But some people have complained that the glassbowl is very fragile. What I have also been doing to prevent this is cleaning the bowl once it’s cooled down.

This roaster oven features a heating element on the top side, that is on the bottom side of the lid. It normally act as a convection oven which usually forces warm air around to make it work. It distributes heat evenly so that cooking time will be less than in a conventional oven. It does get hot on the lid so I have to use oven mitts when opening it.

Pros:

Cons:

  • The lid gets quite hot.

4. Sunvivi 24-Quart Electric Roaster Oven with Visible Glass Lid

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The Sunvivi Electric Roaster Oven is big enough to hold a 28 pounds turkey. If there was one thing that I absolutely love about this roaster oven, it’s that, like other roaster ovens that I have tested and tried before, it has a wide temperature range, with a maximum of 450 degrees Fahrenheit. One feature though that I love about this unit is the adjustable thermostat that has a defrost setting and ‘keep warm’ setting, so when we have food that needs to be kept warm before serving, I can use this.

Image Source: ubuy.com.om

I can easily lift a whole turkey from the stainless steel roasting rack once it has been cooked and the high dome lid usually self bastes giving me more cooking space. That being said, while I was enjoying the results cooking turkeys, chicken, and ham, in the end, the meat didn’t brown well. Because of this, we recommend you to look for another model from the list if you have some browning concerns.

Pros:

  • Features adjustable thermostat
  • Comes with removable rack and pan
  • Easy to clean and maintain
  • Self-basting lid for additional cooking space

Cons:

  • It does not brown as well.

5. Oster Roaster Oven with Self-Basting Lid, 18 Quart, Black 

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The Oster Roaster Oven comes with stainless steel body and can hold as much as a 22 pounds turkey. Also, the roaster oven has a removable roasting pan, self basting lid, and stainless steel rack. The roaster oven slow cooks and bakes and works between temperatures of 150° – 450°F.

Image Source: gambia.desertcart.com

Instead of pulling off the lid every time I want to check the roasting progress, I bought a meat thermometer with a wire that you stick into the pot and this hack worked so much better. It guarantees that the heat stays in the food and the safe cooking temperature reaches.

Furthermore, I recommend placing foil between the walls of the roasting pan and the turkey to help prevent the meat from sticking to or burning on the pan. But I generally use oven mitts as I handle this 18 quart roaster oven because it heats up a little when cooking.

Pros:

  • Versatile roaster oven; can roast, slow cook, and bake
  • Features removable roaster pan and rack
  • The roaster oven can accommodate a 26-pound turkey
  • It comes with a self-basting lid

Cons:

  • It gets hot to the touch.

Advantages of Electric Roaster Ovens

1. Portability

An electric roaster oven is more portable than a standard oven making it ideal for holiday meals away and camping.

2. Ideal for Roasting Birds

An electric roaster oven typically provides a tight-fitting space for your turkey like a covered pan in a regular oven. Still, because of the smaller size of the roaster oven, the steam stays around the turkey more, so the meat is moister. Your turkey is more prone to dry out in conventional ovens.

3. Easier to Clean

Cleaning a standard oven can be time consuming. If you even have a self cleaning oven it could possibly take a while. On the other hand, an electric roaster oven is far easier to clean with some oven cleaner spray. Plus, most roasters have removable pans which is even better.

4. Quicker cooking time

Regular oven usually take forever to preheat, so before buying an electric roaster oven, it was hard for us. The smaller roaster oven heats up faster and cooks faster.

5. Cheaper

Although electric roaster ovens are more expensive than conventional ovens, they’re quite a bit less than the high end models. But if you are on a budget, a roaster oven is the cheaper option and will work just fine for those who need more oven space.

Factors to Consider Before Buying the Best Electric Turkey Roasters

1. Size and Capacity

One of the things you want to look for first when looking for the best electric turkey roaster is its size and capacity. If nothing else, roaster ovens are perfect for producing stunningly roasted meats including turkey. Therefore, the size should be the first consideration.

When you are not looking for a roaster oven to feed eight people, but don’t have the storage room for a 24-quart roaster oven, a 16 or 18 quarts will suffice. If it is not big enough for what you are going to need, then you can get a 22 quart model instead.

Smaller roast ovens, such as a 6 quart ones, aren’t made for turkeys; however, you can use them for smaller turkeys or add up the turkey in half to roast.

2. Material

Most electric roaster ovens are made from either stainless steel or enameled steel. Both materials are dishwasher safe, easy to clean and will hold enough heat, and distribute it! In addition, stainless steel is lightweight, so it is easier to take it anywhere, put it away, and generally use it.

Enameled steel is a bit heavier than cast iron but has nice even heat distribution and retention so your food will cook evenly and you’ll get better energy efficiency.

3. Portability

If you have no plans to use a portable electric roaster oven for camping, we recommend you buy one, simply because it comes in handy for potlucks, parties, and those last minute Thanksgiving plans that just won't work out.

Also, you need an oven that is easily movable from the countertop to the cabinets for storage purposes.

4. Temperature Functions

When shopping for the best electric turkey roaster, you seek wider temperature range and the options for setting. Stay clear of those that come with just an on/off switch, as the lack of a precision cooking function means you might not get the sort of thing you want to cook other than what you can do with a stew or soup.

Most roaster ovens include additional functions such as a "keep warm" or defrost function for extra usefulness. Prioritize the settings you’ll use the most in the settings you’ll use the most. Additionally, we recommend finding roaster ovens with heater temperatures that can go as high as 450°F.

5. Ease of Cleaning

How easy your roaster oven is to clean usually has a lot to do with the material. Obviously, if you’re going to purchase a roaster oven, it will be at the mercy of the material. In fact, we recommend looking for a roaster oven that has a removable pan, removable steel rack and a roaster which is indeed dishwasher safe. In addition, you can never go wrong with an enameled steel roaster oven with a smooth surface for easy cleanup.

6. Self-Basting Lid Vs. Domed Lid

A self basting lid on the turkey roaster oven makes it easy to cook the turkey with close lid to help collect moisture and allow it to drop over the food so you don’t have to worry about dry turkey. You do have to make sure the lid fits tightly, so moisture doesn't escape, to get that moister turkey.

On the other hand, there domed lid would most often enable the capacity of the electric roaster to increase. Oven space at the top is handy since turkeys can be 'lumpy.' The dome lid is also good at allowing the heat to flow to encourage the food to cook evenly.

7. Price

Electric roaster ovens are cheaper than other kitchen appliances. are more expensive than electric roaster ovens. Roast meats and vegetables with professional finish without expensive convection ovens? They're the best way to do it.

Medium sized roaster ovens go for $40 to $60. The ones under $30 are of bad materials and may burn your food, but stay away from them.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Electric Turkey Roaster

1. What is the difference between a rotisserie and a roaster oven?

Rotisserie ovens are, though, quite different from roaster ovens as a rotisserie oven will work by rotating a piece of meat on a spit inside an oven cavity. However, they have the good number of the same benefits to a roaster oven including crisp surface and higher moisture retention.

2. Is turkey better in an electric roaster oven or a conventional oven?

Electric roaster ovens require 36 percent less energy and 30 percent less time, on average, than regular ovens. Of course most people worry that roaster ovens can’t provide the browning of the turkey as standard ovens usually would offer, but they really can.

3. What is the best method for keeping a turkey moist?

To keep your turkey breast moist and juicy: Take a square sheet of foil paper. Oil one side of the triangle and place the foil over the turkey breast (oil side down) so that you temper the foil over the breast; this will help the turkey breast to stay moist.

4. Should you roast a turkey covered or uncovered?

To attain that balance, allow the turkey to spend covered and uncovered time: Most of the time, it’s best to cover the whole pan, so the meat doesn’t dry out, but you’ll want to uncover it for the last 30 minutes or so to crisp the skin.

5. Do you add water to the roaster oven when cooking a turkey?

Fill the roasting pan halfway with liquid (water or stock). This keeps the oven moist and the turkey juicy. Apart from that, you can also use this tasty liquid to baste the turkey on as it cooks.

Featured Image Source: thekitchn.com

Ian Mutuli

About the author

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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