How well the toasters or toaster ovens produced a batch of even, medium-brown toast. For the two that did not, the BLACK+DECKER and the Hamilton Beach, we simply watched and turned off the toaster oven once a crisp, golden brown color was achieved. The toasting time ranged from one minute, 45 cuisinart air fryer oven seconds to four minutes. The Breville toaster oven proved itself as the latest in technological advancement and the greatest in thoughtful design. Ultimately, the multitude of features is what makes it the clear winner. Helen McCue is a freelance contributor who trained as a Home Economist.
The temperature dial is marked in 50° increments without dots in-between, so it’s not easy to be very accurate when setting the temperature. Furthermore, turning the timer dial on is how each cooking function is switched on, and though it’s a good safety feature that it automatically switches cuisinart toa60 off when the timer runs out. Additionally, the toast timer on the US model allows you to choose between light, medium or dark toast, but on the UK model, toast color is selected by number. Once on the counter, I’m intrigued that such a compact appliance can perform so many cooking functions.
However, I was impressed with the bake and convection bake functions which are very speedy compared to my standard oven and do, I think, compensate for the air fryer performance. The toasting was fine, but you’ll need to turn toast for best results. I used the broil (rather than convection broil) setting and added sausages to the air fry basket so that excess fat would drip out into the tray below. It got off to a slow start and they took 10 minutes to brown, then I turned them and after only five more minutes they were browned all over and cooked right through. Browning was a little patchy but inside the sausages were moist and meaty. I think next time, I’d try the convection broil function for a faster cook, though I wasn’t unhappy with the result.
By omitting this feature, they made it more difficult for us to set accurate times and temperatures. I also tried air frying frozen breaded fish fillets which is usually my preferred way of cooking these. The crumb was cuisinart toa60 hard and overly crisped, it tasted like it had been under a broiler and the fish inside was drier than usual. Overall the air fryer function just didn’t produce the same results as the best air fryers I’ve tried.
With its identical high-end features, Cuisinart’s new convection toaster oven can do everything the Breville can but it’s one-third less expensive. I made the pizza directly on the baking tray, making sure it was well oiled, pushing the dough right up to the edges of the tray. The pizza was cooked in just eight minutes, with a light and airy base, crisp crust, and golden cheese. As directed, I preheated the oven for five minutes on the bake function, then put the muffins in and set the timer for 20 minutes. They weren’t quite done when the timer went off, so I added five more minutes. Now, as you can see in the picture, the paper cases were a bit too flimsy, so they aren’t the most muffin-y shaped muffins.
Our goal was to thoroughly defrost and heat the pizza so the cheese was melted and gooey and crust was browned and crispy. The design is somewhat dated, but the black and stainless steel makes it moderately attractive. It lacks an interior light, but the simple, clearly marked buttons and dial selector are redeeming qualities. While the brushed stainless steel is virtually the same, the clean, modern design remains second to our top pick. Sporting a more approachable price tag without sacrificing the sharp look or any important features, the Cuisinart Deluxe Convection claimed the runner-up spot.