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 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.
Also great is the Cuisinart – TOB-260N1 Chef’s Convection, which is almost identical to the Breville in features and performance, but it’s about one-third less expensive. Also for this 2021 update, we tested the Cuisinart – TOA-60, a convection toaster oven with the added bonus of a built-in cuisinart air fryer oven air fryer. It’s quite large and bulky and will have a commanding presence in your kitchen, but it’s certainly less bulky than having two separate machines. We tested all of its functions, and since it has 1800 watts, everything cooked in one-third less time than other toaster ovens.
For those who prefer to read the instructions, the easy-to-read instruction book is comprehensive and includes several bonus recipes. I followed the recipe in the instruction manual for classic roast chicken. I was skeptical about the 45 minute cook time, as my chicken packaging advised almost two hours in a normal oven for a 4lb chicken. Nevertheless, I stuck to the recipe and cooked it on convection bake without preheating for 25 minutes at 400oF, turning it down to 350oF for the final 20 minutes.
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 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.
There is a pizza stone accessory you can purchase separately if you intend to make a lot of pizzas and want a better result. All in all though, this was a delicious pizza and I was very happy with the result. When toasting bread, two slices took a little over four minutes, I didn’t turn them during toasting and although cuisinart toa60 crisped on both sides, the top was much better browned than the underside. So if you’re particular about both sides being the same color, you’ll probably need to turn the bread over mid-way through. Whenever you purchase a new appliance, we highly recommend that each customer considers purchasing an extended warranty.
We used the preprogrammed pizza function on the Breville, Oster, Waring, and Panasonic and the two new models, the Cuisinart – Chef’s Convection and the KitchenAid – KCO211BM. For the toaster ovens that did not have a pizza function, we used their bake function and preheated them to 400°F as the pizza packaging instructed. One of the most popular reasons why people use toaster ovens is convenience, specifically when it comes to speed. When it came time to start testing our finalists, we paid close attention to preheating and cooking times.
And there are many more popular air fryer recipes with full details online at cuisinart.com you can try. The air fryer is responsible for separating from 70% to 75% of the bad fat content typical fried food has. You can choose specific options to air fry specific foods, like wings, snacks, veggies, and, of course, French cuisinart toa60 fries. The temperature and time dials are also analogue rather than digital – so you’re never 100% sure what exact time or temperature you’ve set. While there’s no child safety lock, the oven does stop working if you open the door. However, as with any oven, always keep an eye on small children in the kitchen.
This test was where the Breville and Cuisinart toaster ovens excelled as their convection baking produced the lightest, moistest cupcakes. In our 2019 testing, the Cuisinart – Chef’s Convection gave us perfect cupcakes as well. On the bake setting, the heat source comes from above and below the food. As instructed by the packaging, each toaster oven was preheated to 325°F and each timer was set to 12 minutes. They all produced essentially the same results in density, texture, and color, but the shape of the cupcakes varied.