Is the New $380 Balmuda Steam Toaster Oven Worth It?
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Balmuda’s original steam toaster oven debuted in Japan in 2015 and came to the U.S. in 2019 — and then went viral a few years after that thanks to TikTok influencer Emily Mariko. Itested the originalback then and was admittedly impressed by its ability to refresh old pastries, leftovers (like a slice of pizza), and stale or refrigerated bread. This ability was, after all, its claim to fame.
While most standardtoaster ovenscan technically heat all those things, thesteamoven excels at it. To use that function, you fill the tiny provided cup with water and pour that into a small vent at the top of the machine. As it heats, the water turns to steam which imparts moisture to your food as it browns. Even though it has a few different settings (for example, one for sandwich or milk-style bread and another for sourdough-style bread), and has three preselected temperatures for baking, it’s a particular purchase — especially at $350.
So I was intrigued when late last year the company debuted a “pro” version(now$380)that offered one key difference from its first iteration: a “salamander” setting (which you use without water). The name refers to the intense broiler often found in professional restaurant kitchens that quickly finishes dishes by browning, melting, toasting, or crisping the top. In fact, the “pizza” setting on the original Balmuda aimed higher heat in a top-down direction, but it never worked like a true broiler. The salamander setting is not only that but an extra-powerful and precise version of it. And though this might feel like a small change, I felt it to be a key function lacking in the original.
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I make a lot of open-faced melted cheese toasts, so the appeal is obvious there. It’s also great for fresh bagels. I love a toasted bagel no matter what, and this allows me to get the taste and crunchy texture of toast on top without spending so much time inside that the rest becomes too firm.
The salamander setting also means that the oven is better suited to actual cooking than it was before. I mentioned earlier that the first version had three pre-fixed temperatures for baking — but nothing ever got brown enough when I tried that method. Now, though, it does.
While it’s more compact than other toaster ovens I’ve tested (by comparison, Breville’s Mini Smart Oven fits four pieces of toast, while this fits only two,and requires an even smaller tray than a standard-size ⅛ sheet,like this), I find this helps the heat disperse especially evenly. If your goal in buying a toaster oven is to cook full dinners — like, to act as somewhat of a replacement oven — I’d opt for a different model. But if you often find yourself making food for just one, or cooking singular components of mealsfor a couple of people, this does an excellent job.
Using the salamander, I cooked chicken meatballs that browned beautifully at the end (and stayed moist on the inside).I made four, but it could fit about six golf-ball-size ones comfortably. I brought day-old pasta back to life by making a mini baked pasta for myself in a small ramekin with (yes, again) melted cheese on top. I charred peppers to add to a dip. I crisped croutons for a salad.
Two somewhat small disclaimers I believe are worth noting: Somewhat inexplicably, this version does not come with a tray insert, so you’ll have tobuy one separatelyif you don’t already own something that works. And when it comes to cooking full meals, you can only set the timer for 15 minutes at a time.
In the end, I would still categorize the Balmuda Pro as a particular investment. If you’re someone who was mostly intrigued by its ability to revive pastries, baked goods, toast, and leftovers, it really doesn’t get much better — and now with the added benefit of a strong broiler, the versatility makes it more worth the high price point.
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