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#1 Nesco Roaster Oven Review (And Best Factors To Consider)

Roaster ovens comes with plenty of benefits, especially for large families. If you are trying to cook dinner for a lot of people at one time, they allow you to make more dishes. That way, everything is ready to eat at the same time.

However, NESCO offers plenty of quality roaster ovens. How do you know which option is going to be the best for you? They all receive a lot of stars, so you do not want that to be the only aspect you look at.

There are plenty of different factors to consider when buying a NESCO roaster oven. 

Roaster oven dish

We browsed through plenty of customer reviews and conducted our own research to make this guide for you. Be sure you keep reading if you want to determine which roaster ovens will be the best for your kitchen!

How to Choose a Roaster Oven

If you are trying to choose a roaster oven, you probably already realize that there is a lot of different aspects to consider. You will want to think about certain features of the NESCO roaster oven, to ensure you are buying something you want to cook with.

These are the following features you will want to keep in mind:

  • Star Rating: The amount of stars should be as close to 5 stars as possible. This shows that users enjoyed it and came back to the online store to leave a positive rating. You will want to view the top review as well, since it can give you insight into how the roaster oven works, for the best shopping experience.
  • Stainless Steel: This is one of the best materials to use in a slow cooker. Stainless steel is usually not damaged by the oven's heating element and resists stuck-on food. Plus, it does not rust and is hard to damage. Most of the time, you want a roaster made with stainless steel or another durable material.
  • Quart Capacity: The oven space should suit the amount of roast you will be making on a regular basis. If you have to feed a big family dinner each night, a larger size will suit you best.
  • Ease of Use: Your new roaster oven should be simple to use. You do not want to have issues with the temperature control or any other systems when using it.
  • Cooking Control: When home cooking a variety of meals, you want to be sure you have plenty of control over the cook settings.
  • Easy Cleaning: You will want a roaster oven that is easy to clean. If it is not, you may spend time scraping roast turkey out of the corners of the oven. A stainless steel or porcelain cookwell is best for easy cleaning. Roast should not stick to these materials.

What Makes a NESCO Roaster Oven High Quality

NESCO roaster ovens are always a very high quality product. They can do more than keep food warm- they can cook a whole turkey and come with many rights reserved features. They also fit into all of the above categories. Some are even dishwasher safe or come with roast tips on top of that.

That is the main reason why these products receive so many positive comments online. They are reliable and work well, because of all these features. So, if you want to try out NESCO kitchen appliances, we are confident you will not be disappointed.

Image

Name

Best for

Material

Item Dimensions

Oven Space

Can Hold a Turkey?

Accessories

Price

NESCO White Roaster Oven

Best Overall

Enamel

23.75 x 16 x 13.11 inches

18 Quarts

18 Pound Turkey

Enamel Pan and Steel Removable Rack

NESCO Black Roaster Oven

Best Alternative to the Top Model

Enamel

23.75 x 16 x 13.11 inches

18 Quarts

18 Pound Turkey

Enamel Pan and Steel Removable Rack

NESCO Roaster Oven Silver Finish

Best Premium Option

Porcelain

23.75 x 16 x 13.11 inches

18 Quarts

18 Pound Turkey

Removable Steel Rack and Porcelain Tray

NESCO Porcelain Roaster Oven 6 Quart

Best For Small Spaces

Porcelain

15 x 8.5 x 15 inches

6 Quarts

No

Removable Rack and Tray

NESCO Roaster Oven Red, 6 Quart

Alternative to Best For Small Spaces

Porcelain

15 x 8.5 x 15 inches

6 Quarts

No

Removable Rack and Tray


NESCO White Roaster Oven

This NESCO roaster oven is well-suited for anyone to use. It is a good size with a good quarts capacity and works well alongside a conventional oven for preparing large meals. The classic design has earned it many popular comments, as well as the dishwasher safe parts.

What We Like:

  • Temperature Control: The unit can be used to slow cook, but also prepare food fast. The temperature control allows you to reach up to 450 F easily. The heating element is very powerful.
  • Handles: The model also comes with cool touch handles. Even when the indicator light shows the lid and oven is hot- the handles will still be cool enough for you to touch.
  • Design: Many customers appreciated the iconic, white design in their online reviews.

What We Don't Like:

  • Enamel Can Chip: Some users reported having problems with the non-stick coating chipping off in their reviews. You will need to be careful.

Bottom Line

Many people buy this roasting pan for cooking a turkey for holiday dinners. The model is well suited for that, holding turkeys up to 18 pounds. We would also recommend this option for larger families. The only downside is the non-stick coating. You will need to be gentle to ensure you do not scratch the inside of the oven.


Best Alternative to the Top Model: 
NESCO Roaster Oven 18 Quart, Black

NESCO Black Roaster Oven

This slow cooker is the same as the top option. However, it comes in black and is slightly cheaper. Since they are essentially the same oven, they both earned high rankings in this review. 

What We Like:

  • Temperature Control: Like the first option, this oven can reach up to 450 F. This makes it perfect for a variety of slow cooker side dishes.
  • Handles: The handles are also the same. Even while the oven is on, they will stay cool.

What We Don't Like:

  • Enamel Can Chip: This slow cooker has the same issues with chipping non-stick coating, since they are made from the same materials.

Bottom Line

It is perfect for anyone who wants the top overall pick, but needs the oven to cost slightly less. Additionally, whether you choose the black or white slow cooker will be up to you.


NESCO Roaster Oven Silver Finish

This roaster oven is about twice as much as our top pick, but comes with premium features. The porcelain cookwell also makes it more worth the price tag.

What We Like:

  • Heating Element: This model uses a special "circle of heat" feature. It keeps the warmth circulating through out the oven, cooking food evenly.
  • Self-Basting Lid: The included lid will self-baste for you. It does so by capturing condensation and dripping it back down onto your turkey or pork roast. This makes food taste much better, according to customer review.
  • Adjustable Temperature: The temperature on this oven can reach up to 450 degrees F, which allows you to use it cook anything you could in a regular oven.

What We Don't Like:

  • Lid Material: The only downside is what the lid is made from. It does not include non-stick substances. According to customer review, this can cause issues in the oven.

Bottom Line

If you want to invest in a quality roaster oven, and do not mind paying the higher price, this option should satisfy you. The oven is large enough to hold a good amount of food, and has porcelain components.


NESCO Porcelain Roaster Oven 6 Quart

If you have a limited amount of kitchen space, but still want a roaster oven with nearly 5 stars, this option will suit you the best. Anyone living in a dorm or apartment could make use of it. It does not come with a self-basting lid, but the small space allows the oven to cook food quickly.

What We Like:

  • Size: The small size can be useful to cook where you have limited amounts of space. It will not hold as much as the NESCO 18 quart roaster oven, but may be more useful to some people.
  • Side Handles: Even as the roaster cooks, the handles stay cool to the touch.

What We Don't Like:

  • The Lid: There are some issues with the lid. Mainly that it does not come with a non-stick coating. In a NESCO roaster oven review, a customer mentioned the best way to combat rust. You will need to "season" the lid with oil following each time you cook, to avoid the problem.

Bottom Line

While a lot smaller than the standard 18 quart roaster oven, this option allows you to cook in smaller spaces. It would be useful to anyone with a smaller than average kitchen.


Alternative to Best For Small Spaces: 
NESCO Porcelain Roaster Oven, 6 Quart, Red

NESCO Roaster Oven Red, 6 Quart

This is an alternative option for the above NESCO 6 quart. It is also perfect if you want a cooker, but have limited kitchen space. This model will not hold nearly as much food as the NESCO 18 quart roaster, but it will still work for many smaller meals in a pinch.

What We Like:

  • SizeSometimes, you need a small roaster oven to fit at home. This 6 quart roaster oven will barely take up any space.
  • Side Handles: Since it is the same model as the above items, these handles also stay cool during cooking.

What We Don't Like:

  • The Lid: This is not a self-basting lid and it is not coated with a non-stick material. You will need to dry it and season it with oil after cooking.

Bottom Line

This model is the same as the one before it, although it is a red color. We appreciate many things about the design, the small size, and the slightly lower cost of this product. If you need something small, this would be a better option over an 18 quart roaster oven for making meat or other food items.


How to Pick a NESCO For the Home

There are many reasons to buy a NESCO product. The brand makes high quality ovens that have a powerful circle of heat. They also are made from good materials, which ensure the longevity of the item. Overall, they are helpful to use alongside a convection oven when preparing large meals and reviews say the brand has great customer service.

But, how do you choose which oven to buy? There are many things to consider here, since NESCO offers a variety of roaster ovens. We gathered some aspects for you to consider.

Family Size

First of all, you will want to think about the size of your family, or how much food you will need to be cooking in the oven. For those following a recipe guide, it can be helpful to check over things before you order.

If you have a large family, you will want a model that is at least 20 quarts or higher. This gives you room to slow cook a turkey or large pot roast, without any issues.

NESCO ovens are easy to use and can make a variety of meat and other dishes. Some can even fit a 22 pound turkey without trouble. 

Nesco Family Size oven

So, if you have a large family you want to feed a home cooked meal, you will need to ensure you have the larger quart size for cooking.

Plus, having more space in the cooker means it has better air circulation. That makes cooking easier and ensures your recipes are cooked the whole way through.

Temperature Range

Nesco Temperature Ranges

NESCO tends to have a better temperature range than Hamilton Beach- these ovens can cook up to 450 F. That range allows you to make so many different recipes. This is beneficial for cooking more things at home.

Still, you will need to check that your NESCO cooker had the needed range for roasting. Especially if you have meals you plan on cooking with it right away.

Counter and Storage Space

Next, the amount of space you have in the kitchen will determine what size of roasters work best for you. If you do not have the storage space, it can be inconvenient to have a lot of kitchen appliances at home.

Still, you will be able to pull your oven out and set it up easily whenever you want to get to cooking. The more space you have, the large NESCO oven you can fit.

Customer Reviews

When trying to determine what NESCO oven is going to work the best for you, it will also help to read some of the reviews online. People who have used the oven to slow cook and roasting rack will be able to let you know if it is easy to clean or not. You can learn from the experiences of others who have been cooking with the product.

If you have questions, you can also post them on a NESCO roaster oven review. This will allow users to let you know more about how the product has worked for them.

Customer Review of Necso Oven

Our Top Pick For a NESCO Roaster Oven

NESCO White Roaster Oven

If you have read our NESCO roaster oven review, it will be obvious which our favorite choice is. We selected the NESCO Roaster Oven 18 Quarts in white as our top pick.

It includes an indicator light, roasting rack, and more. You can fit a lot of meat inside and use the oven to make food keep warm. Whether you want to roast, bake, or keep warm food, this model can help.

The brand says it holds an 18 pound turkey, but some users have even had luck with a 22 pound turkey.

No matter why you are buying this roaster, you will have a fun time cooking meat. It works faster than a regular oven and can be run alongside it. That way, you can prepare meat in the roaster and your side dishes in the conventional oven. This will allow you to be more productive with your recipes. And if you're short on space, consider stackable cookware to compliment.

We would recommend a NESCO to any person who enjoys cooking and making things in the kitchen. Roaster ovens are convenient, can be used on a variety of recipes, and roast the perfect turkey. If you need tips, there are plenty for these units online and in many a NESCO roaster oven review.

We also extensively reviewed the Oster roaster oven and Hamilton beach roaster oven.

About the author 

Jesse Spitzer

Jesse is a father of two and an aspiring chef. He has worked in the kitchen for over 7 years. He loves cooking and is passionate about finding ways to cook easier and more efficient. When he's not in the kitchen, Jesse can be found on on the golf course, reading a productivity book or sipping a glass of nice pinot.

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