Are you looking for a versatile countertop toaster oven that can replace your stove top oven? This Cuisinart chef’s convection toaster oven review has the perfect solution for you. Unlike some standard appliances in the same price range, this specific product offers nearly all of the capabilities of your full-size stove top or wall-mounted ovens.
The Cuisinart chef’s convection toaster oven is one of the best toaster ovens we’ve found for big jobs. This includes roasting a whole chicken or baking an entire loaf of bread.
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Table of Contents
Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven Review Summary
This Cuisinart chef’s convection toaster oven has several notable features. It has a sleek, stainless steel feel that looks great in any kitchen. And although it’s not the smallest toaster oven out there in terms of size, it doesn’t take up a ton of space, either.
It has a whopping 15 cooking functions with unique settings for speed convection, sandwiches, and bagels. Powered by 1800 watts, the oven quickly heats up and combined with the Exact Heat™ sensor, you are bound to get precise temperatures with perfect results every time.
The oven is quite roomy and can fit just about every standard meal you can think of. The display is very simple, and there is a single dial control that functions as a start/stop button and timer. While the dial is not as intuitive as some other models we’ve reviewed on this site, it’s pretty easy to use.
The Cuisinart also comes with a three-year limited warranty, which is definitely a bonus and is a testament to the quality of the product.
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Cuisinart was founded by Carl and Shirley Sontheimer in 1971. The couple studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an engineer and physicist respectfully. Carl Sontheimer was the owner of a company called Anzac Electronics until he sold it in 1967.
The idea of Cuisinart came about when Sontheimer visited a houseware show in France. They came across restaurant food preparation machines that the Robot-Coupe was manufacturing at the show. The couple was confident that they could create a home version of the device. So when they got back home, they launched their own houseware business called Cuisinart.
Today the Cuisinart Corporation is a global manufacturer of small kitchen appliances. While their best-selling product is their food processor, the company has had success with other small home appliances, including countertop toaster ovens. Some of the products they offer include; coffee makers, hand blenders, hand mixers, and toasters, among other items.
Specifications
The following are the specifications of the model:
- Dimensions: 20.87 x 16.93 x 11.42 inches.
- Colors: Stainless Steel.
- Material: Stainless Steel.
- Weight: 32.4 pounds.
- Wattage: 1800 Watts.
- Volts:120 Volts.
- Temperature: 500 °F.
- Warranty: 3 Year Limited Product Warranty.
Features
Let’s continue this Cuisinart chef’s convection toaster oven review with a list of some of the remarkable features of this product.
Advanced Heating and Cooking Technology
Thanks to advanced heating technology, this smart oven is equipped with five heating elements, two on the bottom and three on the top. The Exact Heat sensors control these heating elements so that you get the exact amount of heat you need for each different meal. So whether you’re toasting or roasting, you’ll get even browning either way.
In addition to the sensors, the standard convection fan and a speed convection setting circulate hot air throughout the oven faster. This eliminates any cold or hot spots, so you won’t have undercooked or burnt sections in your food.
Lastly, it is one of the few toaster ovens that can air fry as well. Yes to guilt-free fried chicken wings!!
Easy To Use
Many toaster ovens on the market that come with this amount of features can be overwhelming to use, even with the instruction manual. That’s not the case with this convection toaster oven. It’s pretty straightforward and intuitive.
The oven is equipped with a beautiful but straightforward LCD display. You can check the temperature and time inside the oven and select your preferred cooking functions. The appliance also allows you to program your meal to cook for a maximum of two hours. This can be very useful if you have a complicated recipe that requires a bit of time.
Changing the functions and temperature is also quite simple. There is also a convection button where you can add air circulation and a button to switch on the interior light for a maximum of two minutes to check on your food.
Lastly, you can also add an additional 30 seconds to your cooking time if you need to. Most buyers had no issue using the Cuisinart without referring to the owner’s manual.
Capacity
The Cuisinart chef’s convection toaster oven has close to 1 cubic foot of cooking space. Meaning it can carry as much as 9 pieces of toast at the same time, a 13″ pizza, a large chicken, or the standard 9″ x 13″ baking pan.
It also features four rack positions so you can easily adjust the level according to what you’re cooking. The top position also pops out quite quickly when opening the door so you can remove your food without an issue.
Cooking Features
Say hello to convenience! This toaster oven had an automatic feature called the dual cook function, which allows you to run two cooking functions at two different temperature levels consecutively. So let’s say you are roasting a chicken that is done but needs a minor browning; you can easily switch to the dual cook function to finish the job.
This function is ideal for tougher cuts of meats or slow cooking items for up to 4 hours on two cooking settings.
Other functions include:
- Toast
- Broil
- Keep Warm
- Bagel
- Waffle
- Bake
- Roast
- Pizza
- Sandwich
- Leftovers
- Defrost.
The only drawback is that this extra capacity requires more countertop space, which isn’t ideal for small apartments or kitchens. Additionally, since the oven also tends to get hot, you would need a bit of space around it to cool down.
Parts and Accessories
The more parts and accessories, the better the cooking experience, and this oven doesn’t disappoint. Upon purchase, you also get the following:
- A pizza stone that is perfect for medium-sized pizzas
- Two baking racks
- A baking/drip pan
- A broiling pan
- A small recipe book
Safety
In terms of safety, the oven comes with a pair of cord cleats located at the back of the oven to store the unused cord. This also prevents you from pushing your oven against the wall, which is good because good ventilation is required.
The Cuisinart also has hook catches that automatically pull out the cooking rack. This means you don’t have to reach the oven to take out your food. Additionally, it also has a safety catch on the main rack level to prevent the rack from sliding out all the way.
Warranty
Warranty is an important feature that should not be ignored. Thankfully, the manufacturer has included a 3-year warranty on this product, which is made from high-quality materials.
Pros
- Excellent insulation: The insulation on this model is pretty good, and while it does overheat, it’s not as bad as the other models. This is especially good if you have small children running around.
- Easy to use: As we’ve mentioned before, it’s pretty easy to use.
- Versatility: It has a fantastic set of cooking features, including an air fryer model. It also has a dual cooking feature that allows you to program a cooking session with two features or temperatures.
- Quiet: Thanks to the insulation feature, it’s not as noisy as other brands that we’ve reviewed.
- Easy to clean: The way the crumb tray and the interior walls are set up makes your oven easy to clean.
- Great visibility: It has a large window with a bright interior light so you can quickly check on your food.
Cons
- Short timer options: The timer can be set for a maximum of 2 hours only. If you need more time, you’d have to manually add it.
How does it compare with similar products?
As always, we will include a brief comparison with other similar products in this Cuisinart chef’s convection toaster oven review. Having options at your disposal is always a good thing, especially for such products, because it’s essential to choose something that fits your lifestyle and cooking habits.
Below we’ve got three alternatives that you can go for if the Cuisinart is not for you.
Nuwave bravo XL smart oven
Designed to be user-friendly, affordable, and time-saving, the Nuwave Bravo XL Smart Oven has been sold to over 6 million customers worldwide. It features a unique heating technology that ensures an even cook (or bake) for any vegetable or meaty dish and more. It is powered by 1800 watts of electricity, so you don’t need to worry about hot or cold spots.
The air fryer toaster oven comes with an integrated digital temperature probe and a triac digital switch. Both allow you to monitor the temperature levels as you cook.
LUBY Large Toaster Oven Countertop, French Door Design
Slightly cheaper than the Nuwave bravo smart oven, this Luby countertop oven can easily fit up to 18 slices of bread at the same time. While it might not have some of the fancy features of the Nuwave, the Luby makes up for it due to its size and capacity. A 14-inch pizza or a 20-pound turkey can comfortably fit.
It comes with separate temperature controllers for the top and bottom heating tubes. It has four positions for racks and pans for maximum cooking flexibility. The most significant selling point might be the French door design. They allow you to open a single door to check on the food without letting too much heat escape from the oven.
Breville BOV650XL compact smart oven
The Compact Smart Oven with Element IQ comes with most of the features of the larger Breville BOV900BSS. It combines the functionality of an oven, dehydrator, and slow cooker all in one with the added bonus of not needing too much countertop space. You can use this oven for all cooking needs from breakfast through to dinner.
Comparison Table
| Product | Nuwave Bravo XL Smart Oven | LUBY Large Toaster Oven Countertop, French Door Design | Breville BOV650XL compact smart oven |
| Outer Dimensions | 20″ x 13.5″ x 11″ | 22.04″ x 16.14″ x 14.37″ | 15″ x 17″ x 10″ |
| Maximum Pizza Diameter | 13″ | 14″ | 13″ |
| Power Consumption (W) | 1800 | 1800 | 1800 |
| Accessories | Rack
Chrome Mesh Rack Grill/Griddle Plate Crumb/Drip Tray Temperature Probe Pizza Peel Pizza Cutter/Server Manual/Recipe Book Cooking Club App |
Bake tray, bake tray handle, wire rack, crumb tray | 10 x10 inch Enamel Baking Pan, 10 x10 inch Enamel Broiling Rack |
Conclusion
The Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Oven is exceptionally user-friendly and gives you a lot of value for money. The heating sensors guarantee that your food will be cooked evenly at the right temperature. Its power, cooking modes, fast cleanup, and versatility are impressive. You simply can’t go wrong with this model. But don’t take our word for it – try it yourself.