1. Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven
What We Like
- Favorable Features Extremely peaceful environment
- Stainless steel racks that may be cleaned in the dishwasher
- Multi-functional
- Spacious
What We Don’t Like
- The surface is easily heats Up
- Overheats beyond the desired level
- Narrow space between oven rack and door
Overall
Besides air frying and toasting, the Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven can be used for a wide variety of other tasks, including roasting, baking, drying, reheating, and more.
The multifunctional Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven is evidence that air fryers have progressed significantly from the single-purpose gadgets they were when they first appeared on the small appliance market. One might argue that their rise to fame was due to the fact that they facilitated quicker meal preparation, used less oil than frying, and converted previously uninterested individuals like myself to brussels sprouts. But if I’m being really forthright, it also performs a few other functions. When that midnight cookie hunger hits, it’s your secret weapon for satisfying it. Between events, you could also prepare two individual servings of frozen chicken nuggets for the kids. It’s quicker with their assistance. As their notoriety grew, so did their usefulness. Nowadays, air fryers often come with a plethora of extra functions and settings.
They may be used as a second oven, a toaster, a dehydrator, or even a proving appliance for dough. Because of these new functions, I will be able to get rid of a few more specialized gadgets, which makes me very happy. My skepticism stems from the fact that not every device lives up to its advertising claims of producing perfectly crispy chicken wings or the greatest air-fried French fries. Whether they’re healthy or not, the calories and the sadness of eating a crooked French fry aren’t worth it.
I put the new Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven through its paces to ensure it lived up to expectations. It seemed obvious that I would start with the French fries, and any decent air fryer should be able to do that. Not only was I interested in the air frying features, but I also wanted to check whether I could get rid of my old toaster, produce apple chips in smaller batches without dragging out my bulky dehydrator, and bake cookies and bagels without turning the oven into a sauna.
Learn how it fared below.
Sleek design that requires special housing, yet
The Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven isn’t little, but it looks nice enough to keep out on the counter. Its aesthetic value is enhanced by the fact that it resembles a standard tabletop oven. This big roasting pan is perfect for roasting an entire 4-pound chicken. The oven may be installed without interfering with air circulation beneath the cupboards. A single door that slides down the countertop is not a feature I really like in an oven. It’s not easy to retrieve the tray from the oven’s bottom rack once it’s been cooked. It’s going to be difficult to grasp the tray while wearing gloves. Pinch mittens were more effective for me, but I had to pay close care to keep from scuffing my hands on the hot door. In order to facilitate cleaning in and around the oven, the structure is lightweight and can be moved with relative ease.
Effectiveness: Swift and hushed, but with a steep learning curve
Oven preheating is lightning quick thanks to the oven’s four top and two bottom heating components. The time required to preheat the oven is included into the overall time for baking. My oven was ready to start in less than 3 minutes after I adjusted the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 minutes to bake chocolate chip cookies. I should have known better than to open the oven, put in the cookies, and then leave. When I accidentally hit “start” a second time, the oven shut down and I had to restart it. This added around a minute to the time it took for the oven to reach the desired temperature after I performed it. The cookies were more evenly browned on the edges and cooked much more quickly than they do in my regular oven.
My first attempt at making French fries ended out the same way. A few of the edges had been burned. For the remainder of the trials, I used an oven temperature that was 25 degrees lower than what I had originally specified. The chicken wings I made came out crunchy on the exterior and juicy on the inside. No matter whether I began with fresh or frozen wings, the outcomes were the same. After letting frozen wings cook for approximately 10 minutes, I drizzled them with oil to help them brown and become crispy. On my second attempt, both the regular and purple sweet potato fries were wonderfully crisp. The bread and bagels I toasted came out with inconsistent browning, so there are clearly hot zones in the oven. Fries, nuggets, and pizza can all be cooked from frozen using the oven thanks to preheating options on the control panel.
Although it can reach temperatures of up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the oven’s true power comes in its ability to be set to a low setting, making it ideal for dehydrating and slow cooking. I was startled by the outcomes of my experiment with dehydrating apples, garlic, ginger, and herbs. Though I doubt I’d use it to preserve yard fruits and vegetables, dehydrating unwanted fruit sitting on the kitchen counter may help it last longer. This feature of proving dough is quite helpful. To make bread faster, I sped up the proving process, and I created yeast-free bagels in under two hours. Toasting, roasting, broiling, and baking pizza all turned out well once I lowered the recommended temperature. Reheating meals, particularly pizza, is a breeze using the reheat feature. I did manage to bake a pizza, but neither the dough nor the method left me really satisfied.
Perhaps air-fried bacon will replace my current favorite food. While I was making the rest of breakfast, I threw one full pack into the oven and it was done in minutes with far less mess than cooking it on the stovetop. For 55 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, I roasted a full chicken. I was able to get an evenly roasted chicken in under an hour. Especially excellent for such a little oven.
The oven is very silent. This oven really surprised me with how silently it ran, since I’m accustomed to many other appliances that rely on loud fans. Even when it’s still on to cool down after cooking, the noise level is negligible.
Provides a high level of commanding ability
Toasted bread, roasted chicken, dehydrated vegetables, air-fried fish, etc. are just a few examples of the many cooking methods that may be selected from the control panel. You have complete freedom to customize the duration, temperature, and airflow; the default panel just serves as a pointer. The convenience of a single knob made this feature highly accessible to me. The oven’s settings remove the guesswork for a novice chef, making it an excellent choice. Small families will be comfortable with the oven’s capacity. I roasted a full chicken weighing 4.51 pounds, toasted six slices of bread or bagels at once, and fried up two pounds of potatoes in no time. When air frying, the dial becomes quite hot, so I had to be cautious when using the oven to cook numerous items at once.
There’s a helpful guidebook with information on cooking times and temperatures for various dishes. You can tuck it away in a drawer under the stove.
Maintaining a clean environment is simple
When possible, I used the dishwasher to clean my baking pan and frying basket. Dishwashers are great for getting rid of stubborn food residue like oil and caramelized starches that would normally need a vigorous scrub. Though it is not dishwasher safe, cleaning the wire rack couldn’t be simpler. The removable crumb tray may be easily removed for hand washing.
When cleaning the inside of the oven, however, you must first unplug it, which is a little annoyance. This is a precaution and not an issue in and of itself, but every time you unplug your oven, you’ll have to reset the time. Leaving the clock unreset would not affect the oven’s functionality, but I found it unpleasant to have a clock in there in the first place.
You may wipe the oven down with some dish soap and a clean cloth. It was necessary to clean the top of the oven where the fan was located after using it for any greasy cooking.
Worth the cost: Definitely a smart financial move
Priced at roughly $300, the Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven is a popular countertop appliance. Pricey as it may seem, it is well worth the cost. Although there are less expensive options, the Cuisinart air fryer is a cut above the competition thanks to its silent operation, adaptability, and sleek design. Do it if you can afford it and find room on your shelf or table for it.
In comparison to the Instant Vortex Plus 10-Quart Air Fryer Oven, the Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven
The Cuisinart Digital AirFryer can preheat, dehydrate, and dry out bread dough, in addition to serving as a toaster oven and air fryer. When it comes to advanced features for an air fryer, the Instant Vortex Plus has it all. It has the ability to roast, bake, broil, air fry, and dehydrate, and it does it quickly. The rotisserie basket is the greatest part, saving you time by eliminating the need to rotate the food while cooking. Best of all, it’s less expensive than the Cuisinart alternative in stores. However, if you’re dead set on getting a toaster oven that can also be used as an air fryer, the Cuisinart is one of the few models that we felt was worth the extra money.
Conclusion
Remove some clutter to make room for it.
The Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven may be bulky and take up counter space, but it will end up saving you a ton of time thanks to its speedy cooking and simple cleanup. For those who are on the fence about purchasing an air fryer or toaster oven, we recommend giving this model a try.
