Toaster oven system and method

A toaster oven system, comprising:

• a main body having a cooking cavity for holding food, the main body having a front side and a top side, the front side defining a front opening of the main body, and the top side defining a top opening of the main body;
• a heating element disposed in the cooking cavity;
• a front door hingedly attached to the main body and movable between a closed position and an opened position, the front door sealing the front opening of the main body when in the closed position, and the front door not sealing the front opening of the main body when in the opened position;
• a top door hingedly attached to the main body and movable between a closed position and an opened position, the top door sealing the top opening of the main body when in the closed position, and the top door not sealing the top opening of the main body when in the opened position;
• a controller in electrical communication with the heating element and a power source, the controller configured to selectively activate and deactivate the heating element for cooking of the food in the cooking cavity when the front door is in the closed position and the top door is in the closed position;
• and
• a microswitch disposed on the main body adjacent the top opening and configured to determine when the top door is in the opened position, the microswitch in electrical communication with the controller, and the controller configured to deactivate the heating element when the microswitch determines the top door is in the opened position,
• wherein each of the front door and the top door has a glass window,
• wherein the top door has an axle protrusion and the main body has a receiver sleeve, the receiver sleeve configured to receive the axle protrusion of the top door and to permit for movement of the top door from the closed position to the opened position, the axle protrusion has an axle stopper and the receiver sleeve has a receiver stopper, the axle stopper and the receiver stopper configured to together militate against movement of the top door in the opened position more than seventy degrees (70°) relative to the top door in the closed position, and
• wherein the food is insertable or removable through either the front opening or the top opening when an associated one of the front door and the top door is in the opened position.

A method for cooking food, comprising:

• providing a toaster oven system, including
• a main body having a cooking cavity for holding the food, the main body having a front side and a top side, the front side defining a front opening of the main body, and the top side defining a top opening of the main body,
• a heating element disposed in the cooking cavity,
• a front door hingedly attached to the main body and movable between a closed position and an opened position, the front door sealing the front opening of the main body when in the closed position, and the front door not sealing the front opening of the main body when in the opened position, and
• a top door hingedly attached to the main body and movable between a closed position and an opened position, the top door sealing the top opening of the main body when in the closed position, and the top door not sealing the top opening of the main body when in the opened position,
• wherein the food is insertable or removable through either the front opening or the top opening when an associated one of the front door and the top door is in the opened position;
• moving at least one of the front door and the top door to the opened position;
• inserting the food through at least one of the front opening and the top opening;
• moving each of the front door and the top door to the closed position;
• raising a temperature within the cooking cavity, using the heating element, to a predetermined cooking temperature to cook the food;
• opening each of the front door and the top door;
• and
• removing the food from the cooking cavity.