In the past year, I've enjoyed spending much more time in the kitchen. While I wouldn't define myself as an expert cook, I've been giving it my best effort, churning out lots of soup (big lasagna soup fan), salads, and sweet treats. Alongside my culinary escapades, I've also enjoyed experimenting with new kitchen gadgets. The Ninja Creami has been my trusty sidekick for crafting dreamy ice creams and sorbets, and my nonstick ceramic Sam's Club pans have seen their fair share of action. However, the latest addition to my kitchen arsenal takes the cake — the Tovala Smart Oven Pro ($270, originally $300). This smart device is actually more of a steam oven, but it has five different modes: steaming, baking, broiling, reheating, and toasting. Intrigued? I was, too. Ahead, I break down my experience testing it so you can decide if it deserves a spot in your virtual shopping cart.

My favorite thing about the Tovala oven is its its Scan-to-Cook technology. What that means is there's a "scan" function on the toaster that you press, scan your frozen food of choice, and it'll automatically start the timer to prepare your food to perfection. It works with everything from Trader Joe's frozen meals to Eggo Waffles. It even connects with your smartphone, so you can track how much longer your food will be in the oven, or browse recipes.

Tovala brand goes beyond just producing ovens; it also offers food subscription options that are delivered right to your door. As someone who's tried a lot of ingredient meal kits and frozen meals, this one reigns supreme. After testing a week's worth of meals, I was impressed. Their biscuits are *chef's kiss* perfection, and their lunches and dinners taste like they're fresh from a restaurant. While I know this sounds like an exaggeration, it's anything but. The prep time is around one minute, as the food comes in the container it'll be cooked in, and the oven is programmed to automatically select the heat and time settings. The cooking time is longer, around 20 minutes for heartier meals, though it's well worth the wait. (PS: Each oven comes with a $50 credit for three to five Tovola meals, so you can sample the product at the very least.)

Ever since I got the Tovola Smart Oven, I've used it more frequently than my traditional oven and microwave combined. This past Thanksgiving, it proved its worth by cooking asparagus to absolute perfection. Not to mention, I've fallen in love with using it to steam salmon. And despite how often I press "start," I have yet to explore all its functionalities, such as the broil feature (a testament to how much it has to offer).

The most important thing worth noting about the Tovala Smart Oven Pro is that it must be connected to WiFi. Per the website: "In the event that you can't connect to WiFi, you can still use the buttons on your oven to access its basic cook modes. However, in order to unlock our system's full capabilities, it is best to have access to a working WiFi network." Some shoppers do not like the added element of having to connect it to a network, though it appears this is more of an inconvenience than an issue.

The Tovala Smart Oven is best for those who are looking to streamline their kitchen with a multifunctional appliance. It's ideal for those who frequently purchase frozen meals, those who might want to dabble in a food service subscription, and those who value aesthetics. Its sleek, charcoal-black stainless-steel design is a head-turner.

The Tovala Smart Oven Pro is available direct to consumer from the brand's website at tovala.com, as well from Amazon.

Rating:

★★★★★