I made frozen hash browns in 4 different appliances, and the best method was worth the wait

McCain's potato patties are a tried and true favorite in my family. I ate these when I was a little kid in the '90s and have enjoyed them ever since.

They come in plain and onion flavors, but I chose plain for this experiment.

The box includes instructions for the oven and air fryer, so I followed those and experimented with times for the microwave and toaster.

Based on the instructions on the box, I prepared two hash browns in a fully preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit using the convection-bake setting.

I left them to bake for 26 minutes.

The hash browns turned out crispy and flavorful all over.

I love that the oven gave me super crunchy exteriors with soft, fluffy insides.

Following the instructions on the box, I cooked the hash browns at 360 F for 12 minutes, without flipping them. The instructions didn't mention spraying the basket, so I followed suit.

When the cooking time was up, I noticed the hash browns stuck to the bottom of the basket a little bit. This didn't affect the taste, but it made it a bit challenging to remove them.

Next time, I'd spray the basket with cooking oil to prevent this from happening.

When I removed the hash browns, they weren't soggy and had a decent texture. The edges were especially crispy, which added a nice crunch to every bite.

Air frying took less than half the time of the oven. But I think leaving them in for a couple of extra minutes would've created the perfect texture.

Overall, I was satisfied with how the hash browns turned out, and I'm excited to try this method again with a few tweaks.

I knew this method would require the most research since I'd never tried it and toasters can vary significantly.

My Cuisinart four-slice toaster has a "browning control" setting. The rotary dial has six browning levels that toast from light to dark.

I set the browning control to number four, but the hash browns weren't finished when they popped, so I put them back in for a second time at the same level.

When I tried to take them out, they were crispy but fragile and broke apart. One of them also still had a slightly cool center.

I decided to do a second batch in the toaster set to six. They were still pretty frozen after one round, so I put them back down for another run.

This time, I left them to cool before removing them, hoping they wouldn't fall apart. After about five minutes, they came out fine with wooden tongs.

The toaster hash browns were a little soggy and could've been a bit crispier and more flavorful, but they were still enjoyable.

If you have limited time and don't have an air fryer, I'd recommend using the toaster. But use caution when taking them out.

Based on instructions I found online, I placed the frozen hash browns on a plate covered with a paper towel and microwaved them for 1 ½ minutes.

I found that they were still a bit cold, so I decided to put them back in for another minute.

With the additional time, the hash browns looked more cooked through and firm, even if they weren't brown or crispy at all.

But the paper towel appeared to absorb some of the moisture from the thawing process, which I assumed would at least help them from being too soggy to eat.

The microwaved hash browns were chewy and soggy but still had a decent flavor.

Even so, when time is of the essence, I think it's worth skipping the microwave altogether and opting for the toaster instead.

I can confidently say that even though baking the hash browns in the oven took the longest time, it was well worth it for producing the perfect texture and taste.

They were consistently crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

The air fryer is the clear answer if you're short on time. The hash browns came out perfectly cooked, with a crispiness that the toaster and microwave couldn't match.

Next time, I'd probably just leave them in longer.

If you have an oven or an air fryer, I don't necessarily think there's any reason to use the toaster or microwave. But if I had to pick one, I'd only use the toaster again.