How To Make Bacon Right In Your Toaster Oven

The toaster oven might not be the first appliance you think of for bacon, but it's one of the easiest ways to get crispy, evenly cooked strips without spattering grease all over your stovetop. The setup is incredibly simple: Line the tray with foil, place an oven-safe rack on top if you have one, and lay out your bacon slices in a single layer. Set the toaster oven to 400°F and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness and how crisp you like your bacon.

It's the same logic behind why baking bacon in the oven is so reliable — it works just as well in a smaller appliance. The trick is to watch your first batch closely, since toaster ovens vary. Pull it early if you like it chewy; let it go longer for extra crisp. Save the rendered fat, too, because as any of the mess-free bacon methods prove, it's liquid gold for frying eggs or roasting vegetables later. Once you dial in the timing, you'll never bother with stovetop splatter again.

Using a toaster oven for bacon isn't just a space-saving trick — it's a smarter way to cook. Because the strips crisp up evenly without constant flipping, you can focus on the rest of the meal: Scramble some eggs, slice a tomato, or build yourself a BLT while the bacon does its thing. It also works for weeknight cooking beyond breakfast. Bacon-wrapped dates, baked potatoes with crispy crumbles, or even a tray of Brussels sprouts roast beautifully when you can slip a few slices of bacon onto the rack beside them.

Bacon has earned a reputation for versatility — fans have found plenty of creative ways to use it, from folding it into cookie dough to weaving it into lattices for sandwiches. But it all starts with cooking it properly. Avoid the common mistakes that come with cooking bacon in the oven like overlapping strips or not lining your tray, and your toaster oven batch will rival any diner's. Once you've got those crisp slices down, you can explore the best ways to use bacon beyond breakfast. The toaster oven isn't just convenient — it might be the best tool for the job.