Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Review
Quick Overview
FEATURES
QUALITY
COST
Pros
Cons
For most home cooks, having a versatile appliance in the kitchen that you can rely on is heaven-sent.
Toaster ovens have been part of so many kitchens for decades because it is easy to use.
In recent years, we have seen new versions of this appliance just like the Cuisinart TOB-260N1 Chef's Convection Toaster Oven.
So, this Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven review will explore what amazing things this product has to offer to make our everyday meals extra special.
Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Review
Cuisinart is an American company owned by Conair Corporation.
It started in 1971 and is one of the most popular brands today.
This convection toaster oven from Cuisinart is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment since it came out in the market in September of 2016.
It provides excellent cooking results, sufficient food capacity, and other convenient features.
Who Is This Product For?
This kitchen appliance is perfect for those looking for an oven substitute or something that they can use as a backup.
It’s perfect for home bakers who love to serve their freshly baked creations to friends and families.
If you are looking for a reliable kitchen assistant that you can always depend on, this convection toaster oven is your best bet.
All homemakers who love to entertain at home or those who need to prepare meals for a big family, the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection toaster oven, will be a great addition to your kitchen.
The sturdy and dependable oven can handle all kinds of cooking challenges with ease and perfection.
What’s Included?
If you decide to purchase this versatile equipment, you will also be receiving the following accessories:
- Two oven racks
- 13-inch pizza stone
- Baking and drip pan
- Broiling pan
- Removable crumb tray
- Recipe booklet
Overview of Features
The Cuisinart TOB-260N1 Chef's Convection Toaster Oven has a lot to offer, such as:
- Cooking Capacity
The spacious oven has a 0.95 cubic-foot interior capacity that can toast six slices of bread in one batch.
It can fit a 12-inch pizza, two 9 x 13 inches baking pan using the two baking racks, or a three-pound chicken.
- Cooking Performance
This toaster oven can toast six pieces of bread at once with equal toasted quality on both sides.
For best results, you can indicate the number of bread slices you wish to toast so the oven can provide the correct toasting time.
One of its cooking settings is the bagel mode, which allows you to brown or toast the top of a muffin or bagel.
The speed at which you can get a perfect toast is quite impressive at four minutes.
Cooking a frozen pizza is also no problem since you can easily adjust the time and temperature according to how you like your pizza.
Roasting a chicken using the speed convection setting fast-tracks the cooking time.
It also creates an evenly cooked and browned produce.
You can be sure of a perfectly cooked meal using the oven’s five quartz heating elements.
Two of these elements are placed on the bottom of the oven, whereas the other three are on the machine's top.
The brand’s signature Exact Heat sensors produce accurate temperatures for excellent cooking performance.
Whatever temperature setting you choose to use, you can be sure that there will be no cold or hot spots appearing on your food.
- Controls and Display
Cuisinart uses an easy to understand digital interface with the information shown in the blue backlit display.
There’s a digital clock displayed on the screen. It is also fitted with a two-hour timer.
The knob and LED buttons allow you to choose the correct setting that you need at a particular time.
You can choose from among these preset functions:
- Bagel
- Bake
- Broil
- Leftovers
- Pizza
- Roast
- Sandwich
- Toast
- Waffle
- Defrost
- Keep warm
The dual cook is a smart function that will allow you to set two different levels of temperature sequentially.
This function is convenient for dishes that need temperature adjustments as it cooks.
Another cooking function is the +30 option, where you can add 30 seconds to any cooking mode if needed.
Convection cooking means faster cooking time. You can achieve excellent cooking results from the produced hot air.
This toaster oven offers two convection settings. Regular, which you can turn at any time during any selected function.
You can set this up using its designated convection touch button.
On the other hand, the speed setting allows you to use the oven without the need to preheat, saving you time and energy.
It also has its activation button in front of the appliance.
- Interior Features
You can check on the progress of what you are cooking by turning on the built-in light inside the oven as you see it through the large window.
The light will automatically turn on when you open the door.
The sleek stainless steel oven also has a non-stick coating for easy cleanup.
You will find four different rack positions to which you can use two at the same time.
- Safety
Cuisinart uses a hook catch on its door for the cooking rack to automatically slide out whenever you open the oven.
The manufacturer also fitted the main cooking rack with a safety catch, preventing it from sliding out completely.
Ensure that you place the oven where there’s a bit of clearance on the back and sides since it gets warm while in use.
- Other Specifications
You will be consuming 1,800 watts of energy every time you use the oven.
It measures 20.87 x 16.93 x 11.42 inches and weighs around 32 pounds.
The product is covered with a three-year limited warranty upon purchase.
How to Use It
You can check this detailed video review to see all the good things you will get and what the oven can do.
Alternative
At this point in our Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven review, undoubtedly, the product is quite impressive with all its notable features.
However, we would like to check on another product as an alternative option within the Cuisinart oven’s price range.
We are talking about another famous brand when it comes to kitchen appliances.
Krups Countertop Convection Toaster Oven
This kitchen appliance came out in the market a month after Cuisinart’s oven surfaced.
Some of its notable features include:
Power and Technology
The Krups Countertop Convection Toaster Oven is a sturdy product that uses 1,500 watts of power. It has a convection heating technology that allows you fast and even cooking.
Capacity
The oven’s overall compact design does not require too much counter space but boasts of a spacious cooking area.
It can hold up to six bread slices for toasting or a 12-inch pizza with its six cubic feet cooking capacity.
Versatility
The versatility of the oven is shown from the seven preset cooking modes for excellent cooking performance:
- Bagel
- Bake
- Broil
- Keep warm
- Pizza
- Reheat
- Toast
If you don’t want to use the preset settings, you can adjust the time and temperature accordingly.
Ease of Use
The oven also has user-friendly knobs and buttons for accessible settings adjustments.
You will not encounter any challenge when it comes to operation. Simply choose what kind of cooking mode you want to use.
The preset time and temperature will show on the backlit screen, which you can manually adjust according to your preference.
It also has an option to prematurely stop the cooking process if needed by pressing the start/stop button.
There’s also no need to open the oven door to check on the food.
That is because of the glass window in front of the appliance.
The brushed stainless steel of the oven’s exterior gives it a sleek and elegant look.
Cleaning is also a breeze with its removable crumb tray.
Accessories Included
Purchasing this convection toaster oven from Krups includes the following accessories:
- Baking pan
- Oven rack
- Removable crumb tray
Size and Weight
The overall measurement of the oven is 20.9 x 17.7 x 12.6 inches.
As per its weight, it's approximately 14.3 pounds.
Conclusion
If we were to choose between the two convection toaster ovens we featured, we would pick the Chef’s convection toaster oven from Cuisinart’s hands down.
The Cuisinart TOB-260N1 Chef's Convection Toaster Oven may be expensive, but this feature-packed appliance is worth the dollars.
Its various cooking modes will give any home cook plenty of options to choose from when preparing different meals for the family.
You may want to start from learning the difference between bake and broil and other cooking tips.
It has several smart features that add to its appeal. These features will significantly help all home cooks with their cooking tasks.
The alternative oven that we have reviewed is also a great choice.
It has a compact size compared to the one from Cuisinart, leaving a smaller footprint in the kitchen.
However, it only offers half of Cuisinart’s features, but its price is almost the same as Cuisinart.
Also, there are only a few included accessories with the Krups convection toaster oven.
Whichever product you choose, though, make sure that it has everything you need and want.
