In most cases, you do not need to preheat a toaster oven like you would with a conventional oven. Toaster ovens are designed to heat up quickly and efficiently, which means they reach their cooking temperature much faster than regular ovens. As a result, preheating is often unnecessary, especially for quick cooking tasks.
However, there might be specific recipes or cooking instructions that recommend preheating the toaster oven to ensure even cooking or specific results. If a recipe specifically mentions preheating, it's essential to follow those instructions.
For general everyday use, though, you can typically skip the preheating step when using a toaster oven. Since toaster ovens are smaller and more energy-efficient than regular ovens, they can save you time and electricity when preparing smaller meals or quick snacks. Just keep in mind that cooking times may vary slightly depending on the recipe and the particular model of your toaster oven, so it's a good idea to monitor your food while it's cooking to achieve the desired results.