If you want to protect your kitchen countertop from the heat which comes from a toaster oven while it is being used, then a counter protector will fulfill this need. A counter-saver also has the benefit of catching crumbs and spills to make cleanup easier.
There are a number of products that can be used as a counter protector for a toaster oven, including baking trays, cookie sheets, silicone sheets, trivets, hot pads, or even just a few layers of aluminum foil if you’re on a tight budget. Here we explore how to protect kitchen counters for toaster ovens.
Benefits of a Toaster Oven Counter Protector
Aesthetic
Counter protectors for toaster ovens come in a wide range of styles and colors, so you can coordinate this with the rest of your kitchen color scheme to help bring a theme together. This can add a touch of vibrancy or a pop of color to the room.
Easy clean
Using something beneath your toaster oven will keep your countertops clean, and also make your cleaning routine easier. Many types of counter protectors can be out through the dishwasher to get them clean, or you can hose them down under the kitchen tap.
Crumb catcher
Crumbs have a habit of collecting beneath the toaster oven, and these are much easier to get rid of if they are contained on a surface that you can remove. Baking sheets work especially well for this purpose, and you can then lift up the baking sheet and brush the crumbs straight into the trash.
Slip-resistant
Many types of counter protectors are slip resistant, which is great if your countertop has a glossy finish that causes your toaster to move around on the surface. Slip-resistant protectors are also really useful if you have young children or pets who might knock the toaster off the countertop. The slip-resistant quality of counter protectors will help to keep the toaster oven gripped to the spot, preventing dangerous hazards.
Types of Counter Protector
Silicone sheet
Silicone sheets make great counter protectors for use beneath toaster ovens and other small to medium sized appliances such as air fryers and toasters. Silicone sheets are able to withstand very high temperatures, so they won’t be affected by the toaster oven getting very hot. They are resistant to slipping, which can make your kitchen work area a safer place for all of the family. Silicone sheets can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher, so you won’t have any excuse for why the toaster oven area is looking grimy or neglected. Simply lift up your oven and remove the silicone sheet before running it through the dishwasher. Silicone sheets clean really well, so after a quick spin through a dishwasher cycle, it will be looking as good as new. The non-stick aspect of silicone sheets also makes them useful for catching crumbs, because fallen crumbs will tend to stay put on the sheet, rather than being blown about to other areas of the kitchen.
Trivet
A trivet can be made from metal, cork, ceramic, wood, or silicone. These kitchen accessories are not designed specifically to protect the countertop from heat, but also from scratches. When used as a counter protector beneath a toaster oven, they create a barrier between the base of the toaster oven and the countertop to prevent damage of any kind.
Metal trivets and silicone trivets work well because they are resistant to heat, but other types of trivets such as bamboo trivets and ceramic trivets can work well. Trivets come in a huge range of decorative styles, so if you’re particularly looking for a countertop protector that will add some style to your kitchen, then a trivet is a good option.
Hot pad
A hot pad is made from heat-resistant fabric and is used to put hot pans down on to protect kitchen countertops. If you have a large hot pad, this could be utilized as a countertop protector for your toaster oven. If you’re a keen sewer you could even make your own hot pad, providing you use suitable materials which will withstand high temperatures and create a heat barrier between the toaster oven and the surface of the countertop.
Hot pads can be quite decorative, and you can match the fabric to other soft furnishings in your kitchen to coordinate the look, for example, match the hot pad to your oven gloves, curtains, or seat pads.
Baking sheet or tray
A baking sheet, cookie sheet, or baking tray, can double up as a counter protector for underneath your toaster oven. This is especially useful if you want to protect your counter but don’t want to spend any money buying new kitchen accessories, because most of us have a spare baking tray that could be put to good use.
A baking tray with a slight lip around the edge is particularly handy underneath a toaster oven because it will catch all the crumbs and spills from any food you’re cooking, and the lip will keep the crumbs in place so that they don’t spread all over your counter. You can then lift up your toaster oven and slide your baking tray out when it is time to clean it, easily wiping the crumbs into the trash, and putting the tray in the dishwasher to get it sparkling clean.
Baking trays and cookie sheets are made from metal, which won’t melt or react negatively under extreme heat, making these suitable for use as a counter protector beneath appliances that get hot.
Aluminum foil
If you want to protect your countertops from potential damage or spills from your toaster oven but don’t have anything suitable, then you can use a few sheets of aluminum foil in a pinch. Just measure out between 2 and 4 sheets of foil which will be big enough to position beneath the toaster oven, and then layer them on top of each other on your countertop.
The toaster oven can then be set on top. This is not the most attractive way to protect your countertops, but it has the added benefit of not needing to be cleaned because after spills or crumbs have gathered on the foil, you can just throw it away and use some fresh pieces from your roll. This might be a particularly attractive option to anyone who hates cleaning.
Chopping board
Chopping boards and cutting boards are not intended to be heat resistant, but many of them do fulfill this task, making them suitable for use as countertop protectors. If you have chopping boards made from granite, marble, or glass, then these can safely be placed beneath a toaster oven to catch crumbs and provide a barrier against heat.
Wooden cutting boards can also be used for this purpose because the bottom of the toaster oven shouldn’t get too hot to become a problem for the wood. Use an extra large chopping board and place the toaster oven on one side of the board, creating a chopping and cooking area all in one. You can use one half of the chopping board to prepare sandwiches, and then pop them into the toaster oven right next door to toast them.
Leave a Reply