Update: So far, this toaster oven can keep its five stars. I'm extremely happy with:
- The ease of cleaning the bottom tray, cheese, grease and all
- The Golden Brown & Delicious toasting of bagels, frozen waffles and bread
- The feel of the controls, even though I use medium color toast 80% of the time.
- While I have preferred functionality over form, I like the way it looks too.
Original review:
We use toaster ovens so much -no, never for real baking- but for open face sandwiches, anything where browning cheese is on top, freezer waffles and the like. Almost everything we use drips. Eventually all toaster ovens end up with grease and other solidified crud that bonds to the insides. So, we'd look for deals on the $30 Black & Decker classic toaster oven, buy two, and replace after 7-14 months rather than deep-clean them. I recycle religiously, but the B&D's only lasted about that long with our usage. As did a couple of more expensive TO's.
This time we've gone with the $99 Cuisinart. Sorry for that long history above, but I think more people will relate to this experience. Here are the nice points:
- Toast seems to take longer than the B&D, but there's a lot of room, and the golden-browning seems to be better and more even. Sourdough, whole wheat, plain white, seeded sourdough and baguette slices all seem to get this rich color that might just be the result of slightly slower toasting.
- Toasting freezer waffles is just amazing. Crisp, golden and no burns. Sometimes I like to add butter and honey at the end of the cycle and toast some more, and the results are very very good.
- Lots of space, great for that leftover pasta that you can add cream to, cover with cheese and bake over. The base is stable and the rack slides out very easily, holding a ceramic oval dish with ease.
- I kept trying to find out the wattage on this oven, one place had 900W (less than the B&D's 1300+ claim) but I haven't found it yet. I took my chances and I'm happy so far. This has two elements on top and two below. I like the results of this placement.
- For something you use every day, the controls are very pleasing to use. No cheap clunk at all. Nice heavy feel to the knobs, and an elegant start and stop button.
- The door is flat, and the hinges are a bit noisy but again the feel is solid
- The top gets hot (it's brushed stainless) and seems to want to expand. But this doesn't bother me.
- Built-in spacers are very convenient. The handles on the sides help keep some distance from other things (1/2") and there are bumpers behind to keep space between the oven and the wall.
- The interior is very straight, no funky shaping. Perfect and timeless.
- The rack is offset from the sides that slide into the toaster, offering a low or high position on each of two sets of rails. We like the upper rail, low position. Four possibilities.
If this lasts me three years I'll be very happy and at the same price point as the B&D's (which have become increasingly unreliable lately, toast buttons fail fast). Cleaning seems to be simple, stuff doesn't adhere to the crumb tray much. Cuisinarts are typically overpriced, but so far those I have, have been a great oasis when you've tried a bunch of other appliances that have problems. You eventually get to the point where "value" redefines to something that will feel good to use daily and function flawlessly. If this fails on me, I'm coming back to retract some of those five stars.
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Cuisinart TOB-50 Classic Toaster Oven Broiler, brushed stainless and blackProduct Description: With bake, broil, and toast functions, as well as a spacious 1/2-cubic-foot capacity, this toaster oven broiler can bake a whole chicken, broil fish for the family, or toast six thick bagel halves at once. The unit's three rotary dials control the temperature, function, and toasting shade, while its temperature compensation provides consistent toasting, cycle after cycle. Other highlights include a power-on LED indictor light, "start" and "stop/cancel" buttons, a tinted glass door, convenient cord wrap, a slide-out crumb tray, and a durable, easy-to-clean interior. A baking/broiling pan comes included, as well as an instruction/recipe book for getting started. The wire rack, broiling pan, and drip tray clean up easily by hand or in the dishwasher. An elegant complement to any kitchen, the classic toaster oven broiler measures 16 by 18-1/4 by 10-3/4 inches and carries a three-year limited warranty.
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I like the way this toaster oven toasts my Trader Joe's whole wheat English muffins.
