My kitchen counter used to be a battlefield of appliances. A toaster here, a small convection oven there, and a standalone air fryer taking up precious real estate. Making a simple meal felt like a logistical puzzle. I knew I needed a single, powerful device to streamline my cooking process, declutter my space, and help me prepare healthier meals without sacrificing flavor or spending hours in the kitchen.
Before you invest in an air fryer toaster oven, it’s essential to understand what this category of appliance offers. It’s designed to solve the problem of kitchen clutter and cooking inefficiency by combining the functions of multiple gadgets into one. The ideal customer is someone who loves to cook a variety of dishes but is short on counter space, time, or both. This includes singles, couples, or small families who want the crispiness of an air fryer, the reliability of a toaster, and the versatility of a convection oven without buying three separate machines.
However, this isn’t for everyone. If you have a large family and frequently cook for a crowd, the capacity of most countertop models might feel restrictive, and a full-sized wall oven would be a better choice. Similarly, if you only ever toast bread or air fry frozen snacks, a simpler, single-function appliance might be more cost-effective. Before you buy, consider these key factors: your available counter space (measure it!), the types of meals you cook most often, the capacity you’ll need, and whether you prefer simple analog dials or precise digital controls.
- VERSATILE COOKING FUNCTIONS: This premium 1800-watt Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven is equipped with an air fry setting plus toast,...
- SPACIOUS CAPACITY: The Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven is large enough to toast 6 slices of bread, air fry 3 lbs. of chicken wings,...
An Introduction to the Cuisinart TOA-70
The Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven with Grill, TOA-70, is a stainless-steel countertop appliance that promises to be the central hub of your kitchen. It’s not just an air fryer or a toaster; it’s an 8-in-1 workhorse designed to handle almost any cooking task. When you unbox it, you get the main oven unit along with a complete set of accessories: an oven rack, a baking pan that doubles as a drip tray, a spacious air fryer basket, and a clever ceramic non-stick reversible grill/griddle plate.
This specific model is perfect for home cooks who appreciate functionality and power over complicated digital interfaces. Its manual dials are straightforward and intuitive. It’s not for the tech enthusiast who wants Wi-Fi connectivity or a library of preset cooking programs. It’s for the person who knows their way around a kitchen and wants a reliable tool that does its job exceptionally well.
Pros:
* Incredibly versatile with 8 distinct cooking functions.
* Spacious capacity fits a 12” pizza or a 4-lb chicken.
* Intuitive, easy-to-use manual dials.
* Powerful AirAdvantage technology for fast, crispy results.
* Comes with a high-quality set of accessories, including a grill plate.
Cons:
* The included baking/drip pan stains very easily and is difficult to clean.
* The exterior can get quite hot during operation.
* Lacks a dedicated preheat function or digital timer for precise timing.
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- AIR CRISP TECHNOLOGY: 400℉ superheated air surrounds food for hot, crispy results with little to no oil.
- CAPACITY: 3-quart air fryer perfect for cooking meals for 2-4 people, featuring an elegant ROSE finish.
A Deep Dive into Features and Real-World Performance
The 8-in-1 Cooking Powerhouse
The true magic of this premium 1800-watt Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven lies in its incredible versatility. Over the years, I’ve put every single one of its eight functions to the test, and it has consistently delivered. The functions include: Air Fry, Convection Bake, Bake, Convection Broil, Broil, Grill, Toast, and Warm.
The Air Fry function is, without a doubt, the star of the show. Using the included basket, I’ve made countless batches of chicken wings that come out incredibly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, all with a fraction of the oil used in deep frying. Frozen french fries are transformed into restaurant-quality sides in under 15 minutes. The powerful top fan and heater, which Cuisinart calls its AirAdvantage technology, circulates superheated air rapidly, ensuring an even, golden-brown finish every time.
The Bake and Convection Bake settings have effectively replaced my full-size oven for smaller jobs. From baking a small batch of muffins to cooking a 12-inch pizza, it heats up quickly and maintains a consistent temperature. The convection setting is particularly useful, as it circulates the hot air to cook food faster and more evenly—perfect for roasting vegetables or a small chicken.
The Grill function, thanks to the included reversible grill/griddle plate, is a feature you won’t find on many competitors. I’ve used it to make perfect grilled cheese sandwiches with beautiful grill marks, sear steaks, and cook breakfast sausages on the griddle side. It’s a fantastic addition that adds another layer of utility. The Broil and Convection Broil settings work just as you’d expect, melting cheese on open-faced sandwiches or giving a beautiful crust to a casserole. Finally, the Toast function is excellent, with a shade selector dial that allows you to get the perfect level of browning on up to six slices of bread at once, while the Warm setting is a lifesaver for keeping food ready until it’s time to serve.
A Surprisingly Spacious Interior
For a countertop appliance, this versatile appliance boasts an impressive 0.6 cubic foot capacity. This isn’t just a number on a spec sheet; it translates to real-world convenience. As mentioned, it can easily toast six slices of bread, which is a huge time-saver during busy mornings. I’ve successfully baked a 12-inch frozen pizza, which fits comfortably without touching the sides. The true test of its size came when I roasted a 4-pound chicken. It fit perfectly and cooked beautifully using the convection bake function, resulting in crispy skin and moist meat. For a couple or a small family of three or four, this capacity is more than adequate for daily meals, reducing the need to heat up a large, energy-consuming conventional oven.
Old-School Controls, Modern Performance
In an age of touchscreens and complex digital menus, the Cuisinart TOA-70 takes a refreshingly simple approach with three classic dials. One selects the temperature (from Warm up to 450°F), another selects the cooking function, and the third is a 60-minute mechanical timer. Some might see this as a disadvantage, but after years of use, I find it to be one of its greatest strengths. There’s no learning curve. You turn the dials to your desired settings, and it starts working. The timer ends with a satisfying “ding,” and the unit automatically shuts off, providing peace of mind. While you don’t get the second-by-second precision of a digital timer, the tactile feedback and sheer simplicity make daily operation a breeze.
Accessories and the Cleaning Conundrum
The included accessories are well-made and genuinely useful. The air fryer basket is large, the oven rack is standard, and the reversible grill plate is a fantastic bonus. However, the biggest drawback, and one widely reported by other users, is the cleaning, specifically of the baking pan/drip tray and the removable crumb tray. Despite the interior of this air fryer oven being an easy-to-wipe stainless steel, the trays are a different story. They are prone to staining from grease and drips, and after just a few uses, they can look aged and discolored. No amount of regular scrubbing seems to restore them to their original shiny state. While lining them with foil or parchment paper helps immensely, it’s an undeniable flaw in an otherwise stellar product. It’s a cosmetic issue more than a functional one, but for those who like their appliances to look pristine, it can be frustrating.
What Other Users Are Saying
I wasn’t alone in my experiences, so I looked online to see what others thought. The consensus is overwhelmingly positive. Users consistently praise the Cuisinart TOA-70 for its fantastic cooking performance, especially the air frying function, which produces crispy, delicious food every time. Many love the simple dial controls, finding them more intuitive and reliable than digital touchscreens. However, my main complaint was echoed in nearly every review: the baking pan stains very easily and is almost impossible to get completely clean, which is a significant annoyance for an otherwise premium product.
Final Thoughts on the Cuisinart TOA-70
After extensive use, I can confidently say the Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven with Grill is a top-tier kitchen appliance that solves the problem of needing multiple gadgets for different cooking tasks. If you’re tired of a cluttered counter and want a single, powerful unit to handle everything from morning toast to a full roasted chicken dinner, this is an excellent choice. Its powerful performance and 8-in-1 versatility make cooking faster, easier, and often healthier. Despite the frustrating issue with the staining trays, its cooking prowess and reliability make it a worthy investment for any modern kitchen.
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Last update on 2025-10-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API