Polymer Clay Message Board - Polymer Clay Forum - The Clay Store

The Clay Store · Site Admin Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Posts: 35

Hi all,

Can I get your feedback on using a Toaster Oven versus a regular oven to to bake your clay pieces?
I've been asked the question by a customer and I thought this would be a great place to get some good advice/opinions!
For those of you who use toaster ovens, do you have a brand you prefer? Is there one that is better than another??

Thanks everybody!!

Susan
The Clay Store

captainmatty · Starting Member Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 9

Because most of the pieces I make are small, I decided to buy an inexpensive toaster to start off. It's made by Black&Decker and is called a Toaster-R-Oven/Broiler and I think I paid around $35.00 for it. It worked well for me and saved a few dollars by not firing up the large oven as often, but as I started making larger pieces and more of them, I ran out of room in the toaster oven. I usually make several pieces and then bake them at one time, so the oven is where I end up baking most of the time. One thing I was reminded of when I started working with Polymer Clay is that whatever you use to bake the pieces on (pyrex, cookie sheet, glass pan), it's always safest to dedicate that pan or sheet to the Polymer Clay baking and not use it for food also.
Hope this helps!!

Julia · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:51 am Post subject: Toaster Oven

I've tried the toaster oven for some of my smaller pieces, but I've found that my work gets more easily scorched and burned in the toaster oven. I guess it's because the piece is so close to the heat. Anyway, I prefer my regular oven, and like CaptainMatty said, whatever you're baking your work on, don't use it again for food. I've dedicated a couple of pyrex 13x9 dishes that work well for me with a layer of parchment paper.

Julia

maya19 · Clay Captain Joined: 08 May 2005 Posts: 10

I LOVE my toaster oven for baking clay pieces!! However, right now I'm focusing on making miniatures (food, etc.) so it's much better than heating up the oven for as small as the pieces are.

Maya

Naomi · Clay Captain Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 26 Location: USA

I love my toaster oven. Almost all of the pieces I make are small enough to fit in the toaster oven. I only use my regular oven if I absolutely have to because a polymer clay piece is too big for the toaster oven. It is great not to have to heat up my regular oven (and, my entire kitchen) to bake my polymer clay pieces. The toaster oven heats up fast, and uses less energy than my regular oven. I was worried that there might be scorching when I baked thicker pieces in the toaster oven, that the heating element might cycle on and scorch my work, but I've had items baking for as long as an hour and a half without scorching. I use a Toastmaster brand toaster oven that I bought new for about $25.00. I bought the toaster oven in January of this year, and so far so good.

Makaren · Starting Member Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 2

I also started out by baking in foil pans in my regular oven but it was kind of a pain. Since my youngest moved out, I've turned her bedroom into a craft room and my husband bought me a Black and Decker toaster oven. Now when I want to bake something, I turn around in my chair, crank the knob, let it come up to heat (about 5 minutes) and put my stuff in and continue working on something else. It's really a no-brainer and much more convenient than the big oven.

I've never had much of a problem with burning things but I also used an oven thermometer until I knew the machine's "personality" and I put two 4" white ceramic tiles on the bottom to help distribute more evenly.

zoray · Starting Member Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 2

I read somewhere that if you use your regular oven that it must be cleaned each time before you use it for regular cooking. Is this true?

zoray · Starting Member Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 2

Do you have to clean your regular oven after you use it each time?

rghdrft · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:40 pm Post subject:

I'm fairly new to polymer clay - when I was trying to figure out what to use to bake clay someone recommended using a roaster. I decided to go that route - got a inexpensive one from Wal-Mart and it works great. It has a removable rack and I have ceramic tiles in the bottom. I like being able to just lift off the lid and set the pieces down into the roaster. Works for me.

mistymc79 · Clay Captain Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 10

I've never use a toaster oven before. It seems like a great concept to me. The only thing I'm concerned about is how long to allow the item to bake. I seem to have difficulty with this in my oven. With the toaster oven is it easier to calculate on how long to bake the pc?

cakes80 · Starting Member Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Posts: 3

I've heard you need to clean your regular oven each time too. With baking soda. Because a film can build up in your oven and it can get into your food.

crazycrafter · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:07 pm Post subject: Toaster oven?

I have been planning to expand my jewelry art to Poly-Clay for some time. I purchased three good books on the process. Each book cautions that you should NEVER bake clay in any oven that you will be preparing food in!! They say that, when baking, the clay releases a small amount of toxic gasses & that continually baking clay & food is ill-advised! I'm new and not trying to be a "know it all", but I am concerned for everyone's health! I got a toaster oven for $18.00 at Walmart! (and it wasn't even on sale!). Very Happy