I love this thing so much. It’s one of those appliances that’s just so clearly a product of where it’s from. If you’re a design lover you can really appreciate how japanese it is, the design language, the quirks, the uniqueness of how it works and its sensibility. It’s just such lovable appliance that people that people get so attached to.
Agreed! It’s funny you mention the design, as I also think it is awkwardly attractive. There’s just something so special about it. Oh, and it makes good toast, too! 😀
I had mine for 11 years & replaced it when Panasonic began making them again so I'm 5 years into the 2nd unit. I believe Pana is the only maker of these machines for consumers, although I've seen professional models for sale. These are different from toaster ovens-- the reason it gets so bright is because it cooks with a combination of infrared plus visible light. I've never had safety issues with these (I think most small appliances suggest unplugging when not in use). Most common uses for me: French fries/sweet potato fries, toast, bagels, pizza (e.g. Boboli or "take & bake") using foil or a pizza stone, snack foods (e.g. taquitos, frozen pizza), & breaded frozen fish like cod. It's my only small oven.
Interesting...we have had three of these over the span of 11 years or so. The controls haven't been so finicky for us, as we have figured out how to change the temp and time settings in the first couple of minutes(some settings can be changed throughout the cooking process). Also, we have zero problem cooking salmon filets IN oil, even adding and spoon basting with coconut oil in the final few minutes of cooking. Even a frozen salmon filet is ready in about 14 minutes total cook time. Yes, we have to be careful about the pizza size and we've even gone to flatbread more than pizza over the past few years. Works great for that! Thanks for the tip about not covering the crumb pan with foil(although we've had no problems with a loose piece of foil protecting most of the pan). We bake eggs(in the shell) for 24 minutes on 325F and are happy that the oven cools down so quickly after shutting off. I cook Socca in a cast iron skillet from time to time...about the only time I use the max temp setting...and we finish off pulled pork from the pressure cooker a la carnitas...without heating up the whole kitchen!! I've paid between $100 and $125 for each of ours(got the last one before all the supply chain and Covid issues)...very happy with out purchases. :)
Forgot meatloaf!!! I cook it in a cake pan so there is more crispy/glazed real estate! Works great(although you do have to re-boot after the first 25 minutes).
Wow, fantastic! Gad to hear these have worked so well for you, and versatile, too. I continue to use mine every day, but mostly for what I cooked in the video. Cheers!
You can find alot of good items @ a thrift store except good will they are too high priced for items they receive for free then they price them to high. I dont have a toaster oven but I might get onenow after this video thanks for sharing.
That's really cool Chef Matt! You've gotten several interesting cooking machines from the thrift store but I have a question: When you buy these, but they don't have the directions with them, can you down load directions from the manufacturer website? There was a dehydrator at my thrift store but not knowing how to use it stopped me from buying it
Great question, and yes, oftentimes I can find the instructions online. In this case, they were available from both the Panasonic site and on the Amazon page for the listing of this toaster oven. Cheers!
thanks for sharing your thoughts on it. i've seen these while shopping online and passed it up because of the infrared's brightness. the control panel looks fussy as you showed and too limited in temperature options. i love the compactness but it looks like it wouldn't fit my application for baking casseroles and bacon.
Thanks for watching, and yeah, for those uses this wouldn’t be the toaster oven for you. A standard one, however, will do casseroles and bacon just fine. In fact, i made both those things in my Breville toaster oven just this week. Cheers!
Good question. The only ones I know that go that high (or several hundred higher) are commercial-grade or wood-fired. But you might want to try a premium toaster oven with an air fry feature, such as a Breville. Air fryers also are the best way I’ve found to reheat pizza. Cheers!
I owend a flash express. My ex forced me to get rid of it when I got the Cuisinart oven/air fryer. And sure, that Cuisinart was far more versatile than Panasonic. The controls are absolutely wonky. And yes, it's too small to roast things, or even bake a frozen pizza. But there is nothing that does a better job than a Flash Express for few select things, such as a toast, and it is consistent. If you love toast or hasbrowns, then this is the device.
In old American cookbooks I think they just modify the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion scale slightly to more aligned when the markings on most analogue ovens dials in America. For example 180 Celsius in my Fannie Farmer cookbook is equal to 350 Fahrenheit. If I ask any modern Source I will tell me it's 356 Fahrenheit. Looks like they marked yours at 355. It's probably close enough.
Possibly, but this would not be my first - or second or third choice - for that. While it does provide a great flash of heat, this device also warns of how easily foods can combust, especially fattier foods (like meat, possibly). My preferred methods of searing after sous vide would be in a very hot pan, on a grill, or under a broiler. Great question and thanks for asking. 👍
Congrats I use my panny which is the same as yours save for the cabinet color only for toast and odd size bread products so it’s easier to keep clean. There are more expensive toaster only models out there but I’d bet few are better. My traditional toaster I gave to my brother. This one doesn’t dry out toast like a standard toaster oven, so a regular toaster would be better. I got mine in June of 2021 and it works two to three to five times a week. Its diminutive size allows it to stay on top of the granite countertops seven days a week. Amazon sells all three colors. I have a black toaster. I do not use this for food preparation. I use a standard oven, 4 in 1 microwave or a 2 qt. Airfryer. Happy New Year’s 🎉. Enjoy the world’s best toaster. I also don’t bake bread in my bread maker it’s always finished with a standard oven.😊😊😊
Tip….. using a heat approved porcelain tray or dish works better when toasting fresh bagels, sometimes the metal tray that comes with the Panasonic can still allow both sides of the bagels to toast and even burn the crust a little. A problem that doesn’t plague most traditional style toaster that allows for 🥯 bagels.
Have you tried cooking a hamburger or turkey burger by first wrapping it in tin foil, as recommended by Panasonic to prevent fire? What would be the best temp and time? That would be important to know before starting because you can’t see what the hamburger looks like while cooking if it’s wrapped in tin foil. Does it result in a soggy mess? Thanks for this video.
Howdy -- No, I have not. While that might ultimately work and cook the meat, I'm hesitant for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I like my burgers browned on the outside and sizzled; wrapping a patty in foil would negate that. I think this setup with the foil would yield something more akin to the innards of meat loaf -- and perhaps a soggy mess, lol. Secondly, I don't bake in general with the FlashXpress. It's real forte seems to be fast, high-heat cooking, vs. slower and lower heat cooking. If you want to do the foiled approach for meat, i would recommend a traditional oven or toaster oven. Cheers!
About 13 years ago I found the same toaster oven in a thrift store with the instruction manual and one of the four legs was detached from the toaster oven and was in a plastic bag attached to it and the toaster oven was brand new never used I paid $12 for it and the leg screwed right back onto the toaster oven even the screw for attaching the leg was still inside of the leg
So. We'd really like to know how well does the Panasonic toast, compared to the Breville in the background? Anyone shopping for toaster ovens is likely to end up comparing these two models.
I personally prefer the Panasonic. It’s much faster, which is the biggest benefit in my book, and I also think it just does a better job toasting. The bread is crunchy on the outside with just enough softness within. The Breville, on the other hand, is my go-to for traditional oven duties when making smaller dishes, cooking a pizza, etc.
I did have to bypass the power switch on my Panasonic flashxpress with a soldering iron I made it so the switch is always on I had to do that about 5 years ago I just plug it into an external power switch I use this toaster oven a lot I mean a lot I actually bought a brand new backup Panasonic flashxpress toaster oven just in case my thrift store flash Express fails
Very very cheap power switch it might make you think that it has burnt out heating elements I found the exact same power switch in a $3 USB powered combination fan desk lamp
@@IWantToCook if your power switch has not failed yet get a external power switch that you can just plug the toaster oven into and leave the power switch on the toaster oven in the on position and use the external power switch to turn the oven on and off I use a Alexa smart plug
@@IWantToCook the power switch in the Panasonic flash Express oven is a very very cheap very small plastic triple pole double throw switch very very cheaply made it of course is not switching the full power of the oven it is controlling a solid state relay scr or a triac or something that is doing the high power switching inside of the toaster oven
@@IWantToCook I cook a lot of french fries tater tots fish sticks breaded chicken tenders and stuff like that in my Panasonic toaster oven and I have found that if I put a plate on top of the Panasonic toaster oven a ceramic plate a regular dinner plate not a plastic or paper plate that the toaster oven heats the plate to the perfect temperature to have a hot plate to put the food that I'm cooking inside of the toaster oven on doing this even if I have the toaster oven on for 20 minutes at its maximum temperature I can still hold the plate with my bare hands yes the plate is toasty warm but it does not burn me so when I am done cooking my chicken tenders and tater tot meal I put it on a nice warm plate heat it up by the toaster oven while it was cooking my food
Had mine for about 14 years. Love it
I love this thing so much. It’s one of those appliances that’s just so clearly a product of where it’s from. If you’re a design lover you can really appreciate how japanese it is, the design language, the quirks, the uniqueness of how it works and its sensibility. It’s just such lovable appliance that people that people get so attached to.
Agreed! It’s funny you mention the design, as I also think it is awkwardly attractive. There’s just something so special about it. Oh, and it makes good toast, too! 😀
You find the coolest gadgets! I'm wondering how those hash browns would work in my Breville toaster oven. Time to visit my local Aldi!
Hope you enjoy them. They are now on my breakfast rotation! 👍
What a neat find. Glad it worked out well for you.
I had mine for 11 years & replaced it when Panasonic began making them again so I'm 5 years into the 2nd unit. I believe Pana is the only maker of these machines for consumers, although I've seen professional models for sale. These are different from toaster ovens-- the reason it gets so bright is because it cooks with a combination of infrared plus visible light. I've never had safety issues with these (I think most small appliances suggest unplugging when not in use). Most common uses for me: French fries/sweet potato fries, toast, bagels, pizza (e.g. Boboli or "take & bake") using foil or a pizza stone, snack foods (e.g. taquitos, frozen pizza), & breaded frozen fish like cod. It's my only small oven.
Fantastic! Glad to hear it works so well for you - and for so long.
Great video, very informative.
Thank you 🙏
Interesting...we have had three of these over the span of 11 years or so. The controls haven't been so finicky for us, as we have figured out how to change the temp and time settings in the first couple of minutes(some settings can be changed throughout the cooking process).
Also, we have zero problem cooking salmon filets IN oil, even adding and spoon basting with coconut oil in the final few minutes of cooking. Even a frozen salmon filet is ready in about 14 minutes total cook time.
Yes, we have to be careful about the pizza size and we've even gone to flatbread more than pizza over the past few years. Works great for that!
Thanks for the tip about not covering the crumb pan with foil(although we've had no problems with a loose piece of foil protecting most of the pan).
We bake eggs(in the shell) for 24 minutes on 325F and are happy that the oven cools down so quickly after shutting off. I cook Socca in a cast iron skillet from time to time...about the only time I use the max temp setting...and we finish off pulled pork from the pressure cooker a la carnitas...without heating up the whole kitchen!!
I've paid between $100 and $125 for each of ours(got the last one before all the supply chain and Covid issues)...very happy with out purchases. :)
Forgot meatloaf!!! I cook it in a cake pan so there is more crispy/glazed real estate! Works great(although you do have to re-boot after the first 25 minutes).
Wow, fantastic! Gad to hear these have worked so well for you, and versatile, too. I continue to use mine every day, but mostly for what I cooked in the video. Cheers!
I should buy one again. I miss it since it got broken when I moved.
Great video, I've been looking for a toaster oven.
Thank you! This one is certainly different. For a standard one, I purchased a Breville and recommend it. Cheers!
Awesome vid man. Just watched a few om this toaster and yours is sooo good.
Thank you very much! 🙏
You can find alot of good items @ a thrift store except good will they are too high priced for items they receive for free then they price them to high. I dont have a toaster oven but I might get onenow after this video thanks for sharing.
Thanks! I hope you score a great one. 👍
That's really cool Chef Matt! You've gotten several interesting cooking machines from the thrift store but I have a question: When you buy these, but they don't have the directions with them, can you down load directions from the manufacturer website? There was a dehydrator at my thrift store but not knowing how to use it stopped me from buying it
Great question, and yes, oftentimes I can find the instructions online. In this case, they were available from both the Panasonic site and on the Amazon page for the listing of this toaster oven. Cheers!
thanks for sharing your thoughts on it. i've seen these while shopping online and passed it up because of the infrared's brightness. the control panel looks fussy as you showed and too limited in temperature options. i love the compactness but it looks like it wouldn't fit my application for baking casseroles and bacon.
Thanks for watching, and yeah, for those uses this wouldn’t be the toaster oven for you. A standard one, however, will do casseroles and bacon just fine. In fact, i made both those things in my Breville toaster oven just this week. Cheers!
Cool find. I want to get one of those Ronco Showtime Rotisserie units....."set it and forget it"....😀
Oh yeah! Maybe at the thrift … 😀
Thanks
On the lookout for an infrared pizza oven that can do the 450 - 500 C max temp ..
Any suggestions
Good question. The only ones I know that go that high (or several hundred higher) are commercial-grade or wood-fired. But you might want to try a premium toaster oven with an air fry feature, such as a Breville. Air fryers also are the best way I’ve found to reheat pizza. Cheers!
A lot of toaster ovens caution against using aluminum foil on the crumb tray for that very reason you mentioned.
I owend a flash express. My ex forced me to get rid of it when I got the Cuisinart oven/air fryer. And sure, that Cuisinart was far more versatile than Panasonic. The controls are absolutely wonky. And yes, it's too small to roast things, or even bake a frozen pizza. But there is nothing that does a better job than a Flash Express for few select things, such as a toast, and it is consistent. If you love toast or hasbrowns, then this is the device.
💯👍
In old American cookbooks I think they just modify the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion scale slightly to more aligned when the markings on most analogue ovens dials in America. For example 180 Celsius in my Fannie Farmer cookbook is equal to 350 Fahrenheit. If I ask any modern Source I will tell me it's 356 Fahrenheit. Looks like they marked yours at 355. It's probably close enough.
Would you be able to sous vide meat, then use this to quickly brown the outside without further cooking the inside?
Possibly, but this would not be my first - or second or third choice - for that. While it does provide a great flash of heat, this device also warns of how easily foods can combust, especially fattier foods (like meat, possibly). My preferred methods of searing after sous vide would be in a very hot pan, on a grill, or under a broiler. Great question and thanks for asking. 👍
Quirky little toaster oven. Not for me but I'd buy one for a tenner.
Congrats I use my panny which is the same as yours save for the cabinet color only for toast and odd size bread products so it’s easier to keep clean. There are more expensive toaster only models out there but I’d bet few are better. My traditional toaster I gave to my brother. This one doesn’t dry out toast like a standard toaster oven, so a regular toaster would be better. I got mine in June of 2021 and it works two to three to five times a week. Its diminutive size allows it to stay on top of the granite countertops seven days a week. Amazon sells all three colors. I have a black toaster. I do not use this for food preparation. I use a standard oven, 4 in 1 microwave or a 2 qt. Airfryer. Happy New Year’s 🎉. Enjoy the world’s best toaster. I also don’t bake bread in my bread maker it’s always finished with a standard oven.😊😊😊
Tip….. using a heat approved porcelain tray or dish works better when toasting fresh bagels, sometimes the metal tray that comes with the Panasonic can still allow both sides of the bagels to toast and even burn the crust a little. A problem that doesn’t plague most traditional style toaster that allows for 🥯 bagels.
Thank you! I've used my vintage CorningWare pyroceram in this for similar purposes and it works great. Cheers!
@@IWantToCook 🤩🤩🤩 🎄 🎊 🕎 congratulations and all the best in the upcoming year ahead.
Have you tried cooking a hamburger or turkey burger by first wrapping it in tin foil, as recommended by Panasonic to prevent fire? What would be the best temp and time? That would be important to know before starting because you can’t see what the hamburger looks like while cooking if it’s wrapped in tin foil. Does it result in a soggy mess? Thanks for this video.
Howdy -- No, I have not. While that might ultimately work and cook the meat, I'm hesitant for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I like my burgers browned on the outside and sizzled; wrapping a patty in foil would negate that. I think this setup with the foil would yield something more akin to the innards of meat loaf -- and perhaps a soggy mess, lol. Secondly, I don't bake in general with the FlashXpress. It's real forte seems to be fast, high-heat cooking, vs. slower and lower heat cooking. If you want to do the foiled approach for meat, i would recommend a traditional oven or toaster oven. Cheers!
I've never used a toaster oven, let alone heard of this. But it's cool to know about.
Mine just busted in an accident. I was taking it camping! The best toaster over ever. I wish I’d replaced it instead of trying a different kind!
About 13 years ago I found the same toaster oven in a thrift store with the instruction manual and one of the four legs was detached from the toaster oven and was in a plastic bag attached to it and the toaster oven was brand new never used I paid $12 for it and the leg screwed right back onto the toaster oven even the screw for attaching the leg was still inside of the leg
Fantastic!!
Tiny..but Mighty 💪 Instant power broil. No preheating. Just turn it on. 🔥🔥🔥
🙌
So. We'd really like to know how well does the Panasonic toast, compared to the Breville in the background? Anyone shopping for toaster ovens is likely to end up comparing these two models.
I personally prefer the Panasonic. It’s much faster, which is the biggest benefit in my book, and I also think it just does a better job toasting. The bread is crunchy on the outside with just enough softness within. The Breville, on the other hand, is my go-to for traditional oven duties when making smaller dishes, cooking a pizza, etc.
I did have to bypass the power switch on my Panasonic flashxpress with a soldering iron I made it so the switch is always on I had to do that about 5 years ago I just plug it into an external power switch I use this toaster oven a lot I mean a lot I actually bought a brand new backup Panasonic flashxpress toaster oven just in case my thrift store flash Express fails
Niiice 🙂
Balmuda should be next ;-)
First I’ve heard of that one. I now have and another thing to hunt for at the thrift 😅
Very very cheap power switch it might make you think that it has burnt out heating elements I found the exact same power switch in a $3 USB powered combination fan desk lamp
Good to know. That is the one part that feels flimsy.
@@IWantToCook if your power switch has not failed yet get a external power switch that you can just plug the toaster oven into and leave the power switch on the toaster oven in the on position and use the external power switch to turn the oven on and off I use a Alexa smart plug
@@IWantToCook the power switch in the Panasonic flash Express oven is a very very cheap very small plastic triple pole double throw switch very very cheaply made it of course is not switching the full power of the oven it is controlling a solid state relay scr or a triac or something that is doing the high power switching inside of the toaster oven
Great! Thank you for the tip 👍
@@IWantToCook I cook a lot of french fries tater tots fish sticks breaded chicken tenders and stuff like that in my Panasonic toaster oven and I have found that if I put a plate on top of the Panasonic toaster oven a ceramic plate a regular dinner plate not a plastic or paper plate that the toaster oven heats the plate to the perfect temperature to have a hot plate to put the food that I'm cooking inside of the toaster oven on doing this even if I have the toaster oven on for 20 minutes at its maximum temperature I can still hold the plate with my bare hands yes the plate is toasty warm but it does not burn me so when I am done cooking my chicken tenders and tater tot meal I put it on a nice warm plate heat it up by the toaster oven while it was cooking my food