In this Cuisinart tob-135 review, we will be talking about the Cuisinart tob-135 convection toaster oven broiler. It is a known fact that very few can beat the versatility of a toaster oven. Apart from making toast, you can also melt cheese on your open-faced sandwiches, bake a sheet of cookies, crisp up and heat a frozen pizza, etc.
You will find that the best toaster ovens can also broil salmon or roast chicken at par with a full-sized oven. Today, toaster ovens are getting better and faster at toasting than they used to be. If you are still making use of a pop-up toaster and have some room to spare on the counter, you might consider purchasing a toaster oven.
Toaster ovens can easily steam vegetables or simply reheat last night?s pizza. A good toaster oven should be able to cook food without requiring a lot of energy or time. Right from reheating leftovers to making a wide range of food items like fresh pizza, toasted bread, and cookies, convection toaster ovens have come a long way since their days as Bagel Bite-making appliances.
Why do you need a convection toaster oven?
Whether your living area lacks the space for a full-fledged kitchen or you are simply looking for something to add to your kitchen appliance collection, a toaster oven is quite beneficial for any household. Apart from regularly toasting your favorite breakfast food items, a convection toaster oven can also be used for broiling some home-style barbeque ribs or baking a classic rotisserie chicken dish.
You will find that a toaster oven offers a lot of versatility that a slot toaster does not and the convenience that a conventional oven sorely lacks.
In the case of a countertop convection oven, you will have to wait for at least 30 minutes for it to preheat; on the other hand, a convection toaster oven cuts out a lot of the preheat waiting time. Alternatively, if you are eco-conscious, you will be glad to know that toaster ovens are much cheaper and an energy-efficient alternative to conventional ovens.
A toaster oven is perfect for people who cook small portions of food on a daily basis.
What is convection cooking?
Convection toaster ovens are fitted with a fan and an exhaust system that is used to ventilate and circulate hot air inside. The fan blows the hot air directly on top of the food, thereby cooking it much faster while saving energy at the same time. This type of system also removes any particular hot spots on your food by distributing the heated air throughout the oven, which allows you to achieve an even cooking.
Another benefit of convection cooking is that the amount of moisture in the toaster oven is minimized. The completely dry environment allows for better browning on your food. This happens because instead of steaming the vegetables and meats, the oven will roast them.
Apart from roasting, a convection toaster oven is also great for baking pastries, pies cookies. You can also dehydrate and toast many other varieties of food as well. If you are cooking or braising something covered, the convection oven will do it faster since you will not have to worry about the dryness.
While it is true that convection toaster ovens tend to be expensive than a traditional toaster oven, the additional benefits are definitely worth considering.
Features to consider when looking for a convection toaster oven
The type of toaster oven you end up purchasing will be determined by many factors. Some of them are:
Capacity
If you are planning on using your toaster for cooking single servings or simply to reheat your food, then a small toaster oven will accommodate your needs easily. The small versions can easily cook a 9-inch pizza or four slices of bread in one go.
On the other hand, if you want to prepare multiple servings, you need to go for a larger model, something that can accommodate a whole chicken, a 13-inch pizza, or at least six slices of bread. However, you also need to know how much space you are willing to allot to a toaster oven.
Crumb Tray
A crumb tray is a thin and small sheet that is made of stainless steel, which slides out of the bottom of the toaster oven. It is recommended that you purchase a toaster oven with a crumb tray. This is because a crumb tray will make cleaning your oven much faster and easier.
The crumb tray covers the bottom of the toaster oven completely. All the food fragments and crumbs fall on this tray during the cooking process. In the end, you can simply pull the tray out after use and sweep the contents into the trash can.
Features
As said above, a toaster oven is a highly versatile appliance because you can perform a wide variety of cooking task. Almost all toaster ovens offer the broil and bake settings, which sets this type of toaster oven apart from a regular toaster.
Other popular functions of a toaster oven include warm, pizza and bagel. Some also provide a reheat setting to simply defrost frozen food. Apart from the preset cooking functionality, other convenient features include automatic shut-off, non-stick interiors, digital displays, interior lighting, etc.
Cuisinart Deluxe Convection Toaster Oven Broiler
The Cuisinart TOB-135 toaster oven is a logical and well-thought cooking appliance that put a lot of thought into its features and controls. You can easily bake cakes and cookies, cook toast and even roast whole chicken in this toaster oven.
Setting up the cooking functions is very intuitive. You have about seven preset cooking functions; you can even cook with convection if you choose to. Also, the size of this toaster oven is quite small, so it won?t occupy much space on your countertop. If you are looking for a high-end toaster oven from one of the most respected kitchen appliance brands, then the Cuisinart TOB-135 toaster oven is a good option to check out. The cuisinart tob 135 dimensions are 19.7? x 10.7? x 10.9?.
What are some worthy features that make this toaster oven stand out from others?
This deluxe convection toaster oven is fitted with a lot of different features that makes it one-of-its-kind. Some of them are:
Preset cooking functions
You will see seven cooking functions programmed in the Cuisinart?s digital convection toaster oven ? Toast, Reheat, Keep Warm, Defrost, Broil, Bake, and Bagel. Each element of the toaster oven is used for all the cooking functions, except the Keep Warm preset. The Keep Warm preset only makes use of the heating elements located at the bottom of the appliance to maintain a steady temperature of 150F.
Additionally, you also have the option of using the convection fan in either the Broil or Bake cooking functions.
Preheat and cooking alarm
You will hear a signal that indicates when the preheating is done and the cooking has started. The alarm will start ringing once the temperature inside reaches approximately 75% of the cooking temperature. It is important to know when the preheating is done because that is the best time to put food inside the toaster oven. You will no longer face the hassle of guessing when the preheating is done. There is also an alarm that sounds when the cooking is done.
Temperature control options
The temperature inside the toaster oven can be controlled with the Temp button. Cuisinart makes use of ?Exact Heat? sensors that control the temperature. These sensors work to maintain precise temperatures inside the oven. The brand also makes use of the ?Always Even? technology that makes sure that the toast is always evenly and consistently toasted. You will fall in love with the way this toaster oven cooks and bakes. Meat, casseroles, cookies, cakes, and bread will all turn out beautifully.
LCD display
When the toaster oven is being used, you will see that the LCD screen will light up and is backlit with shades of blue. This display will show your cooking time, cooking temperature, toast shade setting, cooking function, etc. It also displays whether the appliance is cooking or simply preheating.
After a certain period of inactivity, the display will go dormant. Pressing the Start/Stop button will again activate the backlight.
Toast darkness adjustment
You have the option of adjusting the darkness of the bagels or toast by choosing a shade level ranging from 1 (lightest) to 7 (darkest). As said above, the brand makes use of the technology ?Always Even?, which delivers consistent and even toasting.
Even if you decide to go ahead and experiment to find the perfect toast setting, the appliance will store that setting into its memory. Every time you choose the Toast option, the toaster oven will make use of that setting until you change it.
What accessories are included in the packaging?
Inside the packaging, you will find the toaster oven unit, a recipe book, a broiling rack, and a baking rack. The recipe book includes all the recipes that that can be made via the Cuisinart TOB-135 toaster oven. It will also show you what all you can do with different settings and some creativity.
What are some pros and cons of the Cuisinart TOB-135 toaster oven?
Some benefits of the Cuisinart TOB-135 toaster oven are:
- The inclusion of the Crumb tray allows you to clean the toaster oven easily
- The interior is made of non-stick materials
- The controls are easy to understand and use
- With the help of the alarm, you can keep track of the preheating process
- Fitted with modern advancements, food is cooked faster and in a more even manner
- Includes a three-year warranty
Some disappointing factors about this toaster oven are:
- The appliance is poor at broiling, according to some online reviews
- The oven only has one rack
- The visibility is often poor into the oven during the cooking process
- Accessories are not dishwasher-safe
Final Thoughts
The Cuisinart TOB-135 toaster oven is a very capable pick. It is priced quite competitively and has the classic Cuisinart feel and look. It has a capacity of 0.33 cubic feet and can easily accommodate a full chicken, a 13-inch pizza, or at least six slices of bread.
This toaster oven is one of the most versatile kitchen appliances in the market today. It is fitted with many preset cooking functions like defrost, reheat, bake, warm, etc. Also, the recipe and instruction booklet are well-written and easy to understand.
The brushed stainless steel looks very clean and has a very modern design. Hence, you can purchase this Cuisinart TOB-135 toaster oven, which has a very approachable price tag. Perhaps, one of the most majorly important areas this toaster oven wins in is the generous warranty. We hope that this Cuisinart tob-135 review will help you in your search for the best toaster oven for your home or office.
Source: Cuisinart TOB 135 Review: For Your Toasting And Baking Needs
