The Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Broiler TOB-165 raises the bar for toaster oven performance. This unit is beautifully designed all in white or stainless steel with a full-view tinted glass door. A state-of-the art touchpad control panel with digital display screen provides access to six functions including toast, bake, broil, convection bake, reheat and defrost.

The dimensions of this model (17 inches wide by 14 inches deep by 9-1/4 inches tall) are larger than others in this class; however, the tradeoff is a roomy interior with a good amount of usable space. Using the supplied bake/broil pan, you can roast a 4-pound chicken, broil a large swordfish steak or four medium hamburgers, and bake four large potatoes or a 9-inch pie. The stated capacity for toast is six slices; however, we found that six standard bread slices were a bit crowded. Four slices fit comfortably and toast to an even golden brown in about 3 minutes. Even hard-to-toast items such as bagels and English Muffins come out evenly toasted using the custom settings.

This unit performed well in all our tests. We especially liked the convection bake feature, which prepares foods up to 30 percent faster. This feature worked particularly well with baked potatoes, which come out tender on the inside with just a hint of crispiness in the skin.

There are three positions for the sturdy wire rack, to optimize the upper and lower heating elements for different functions. Cuisinart's Exact Heat Sensor constantly monitors the temperature and adjusts itself to maintain a precise oven temperature throughout cooking. We were impressed with the extra features this unit offers, including customizable function settings; electronic toast shade monitoring; rack stop, which holds its position when pulled halfway out of the oven; and audible tones, which alert you when the proper oven temperature has been reached, and when a timed function has completed.

The Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Broiler TOB-165 with Exact Heat Sensor costs a bit more than others in its class, but the quality construction and exceptional features make it worth the splurge.


Pros: Touchpad controls with digital display screens; extra features, including reheat, defrost and convection bake option; exact heat sensor for consistent temperature control
Cons: Oversize unit occupies extra counter space

Warranty
3 years, limited