Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven TOA-70 Review

Overview

The Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven TOA-70 is designed to replace both a traditional toaster and a standalone basket air fryer. It combines a compact convection oven with a powerful top heating element and fan so you can bake, broil, toast, and air fry in the same box. On paper, that means fewer appliances on your counter and more flexibility at mealtimes.

The TOA-70 uses simple mechanical dials instead of a digital screen. You set temperature, function, and time with three knurled knobs and adjust toast shade with another. There is no learning curve, which makes it approachable for anyone in the household, but it also means you give up some precision and presets that you might see on newer smart ovens.

Capacity is mid-sized for this category. The interior comfortably fits about six slices of bread, a 12 inch pizza, or a small whole chicken. That is enough for most couples and small families, though it can feel tight if you regularly cook for more than four people or want to roast a lot of vegetables at once.

Overall, the TOA-70 is a solid, no-frills workhorse. It excels at crisping and reheating, handles daily toasting duties well, and cuts down on oven preheat time. Its main tradeoffs are manual controls, some unevenness at full capacity, and the need to pay attention while you learn its hot spots.

Who it is for

The Cuisinart TOA-70 is a good fit if you want a straightforward air fryer toaster oven that does the basics reliably without a lot of digital features. Busy households that cycle through toast, bagels, frozen snacks, and sheet-pan dinners will appreciate having one appliance that can cover most of that.

It is particularly appealing if you have a smaller kitchen or cook for one to four people. The oven heats more quickly than a full-size range, so it works well for weeknight dinners, quick lunches, and late-night snacks. It is also practical for anyone who prefers physical dials instead of touchscreens, whether for simplicity or accessibility.

On the other hand, it is not ideal if you mainly bake delicate pastries or want very precise control over temperature in 5 degree increments. Large families that regularly cook on multiple sheet pans at once will likely find the capacity limiting. If you love detailed presets, timers for multiple stages, or smartphone control, you may feel the TOA-70 is too basic.

How it feels and performs

Design and build quality

The TOA-70 has a familiar Cuisinart look with a brushed stainless exterior, a glass door, and chunky knobs across the front. It feels solid and well put together for the price, with a door that closes confidently and a handle that stays cool enough to grab with bare hands. The unit is not tiny, so measure your counter and be sure you have room behind it for ventilation.

Inside, you get an oven rack, a baking pan that doubles as a drip tray, and a mesh air fry basket that sits on top of the pan. The interior walls have a light nonstick coating that helps with wiping down, although you will still want to line the pan with foil or parchment for especially greasy foods. The crumb tray pulls out from the bottom front, which makes quick cleanups simple and helps reduce smoke.

Controls and usability

Everything on the TOA-70 is controlled with four dials. One selects cooking function, one sets temperature, one controls toast darkness, and one is a 60 minute timer that also acts as the on and off switch. You turn the timer to start cooking, and the oven shuts off automatically when the time is up.

This setup is intuitive but not exact. The printed markings are small increments, so you are estimating rather than dialing in a precise number of minutes or degrees. For toasting, you may need a few trial runs to find the shade that suits your bread and to remember which rack position you like best. Once you know those settings, daily use is very straightforward.

Air frying performance

For air frying, the TOA-70 performs well, especially with single-layer batches. Frozen fries and tater tots come out crisp with fluffy interiors, usually in 12 to 18 minutes depending on thickness. Breaded chicken tenders, fish sticks, and similar snacks get a golden crust with far less oil than deep frying.

Fresh foods like cut potatoes, wings, or vegetables also benefit from the strong top heat. The fan is powerful enough to give you browned edges and real crunch, not just a dry surface. The main limitation is space. You need to keep food in a loose, single layer in the air fry basket. If you try to overcrowd, the bottom pieces will steam instead of crisping, and you may see uneven color.

One thing to note: the top of the basket tends to cook faster than the edges and bottom, especially for lighter foods like broccoli florets. Flipping or shaking the food once midway through the cook cycle evens things out. Reducing the temperature by about 25 degrees from what a recipe for a traditional oven calls for also helps prevent over-browning.

Toasting and baking

As a toaster, the TOA-70 does a respectable job. On the middle rack position, you can get evenly browned toast and bagels in a couple of minutes after a brief warm up. The outer edges sometimes brown a touch faster than the center, especially if the slices are not arranged evenly, but it is easy to correct by rotating the rack once if you are particular.

For baking, treat the TOA-70 like a small, strong convection oven. It preheats quickly, usually in 5 or 6 minutes to typical baking temperatures. It handles cookies, muffins, and small sheet-pan meals well. Because the heating elements are close to the food, you may want to tent the top of casseroles or cakes with foil near the end of cooking to prevent over-browning while the center finishes.

Pizzas up to about 12 inches fit on the rack. Thin crust pizza gets crisp with some char on the edges, though thick, heavily topped pies can end up a little dark on top before the base fully crisps. Using the lower rack position and reducing the temperature slightly helps balance top and bottom heat.

Heat, noise, and safety

The convection fan is audible but not overly loud. It is similar to a bathroom fan on low, noticeable but easy to talk over. Heat does radiate from the sides and top of the unit, so avoid placing it directly under low cabinets without some clearance.

The exterior gets warm to the touch during long, high-heat cooks, but not dangerously hot if used as directed. The handle stays comfortable, and the door opens and closes smoothly. The auto shutoff timer adds a layer of safety, especially for toasting or reheating when you might get distracted.

Cleaning

Cleaning any air fryer toaster oven is where the reality of daily use sets in. The TOA-70 is manageable but rewards regular light maintenance. The crumb tray at the bottom catches a lot of the debris, so sliding it out and dumping it every couple of days prevents buildup and makes the oven less likely to smoke.

The air fry basket and baking pan can go in the sink and soak if needed. The basket’s mesh can trap sticky sauces and breading crumbs, so using a little brush or non-scratch scrubber speeds things up. For the interior walls, a soft sponge and mild detergent work well as long as you do not let splatters bake on for weeks. Avoid abrasive cleaners that could damage the coating.

How to use for best results

To get the most from the Cuisinart TOA-70, think in terms of air circulation and proximity to the heating elements. For air frying, always start by arranging food in a single layer in the basket with a bit of space around each piece. A light spray of oil on the surface of foods like potatoes or breaded items will dramatically improve browning and texture.

Preheating is helpful even when a recipe does not call for it. Let the oven heat for 3 to 5 minutes before adding delicate foods like fish or baked goods. This gives you more predictable timing and prevents pale bottoms. For toast and bagels, once you dial in your preferred shade setting, try to keep the slices centered on the rack and use the same rack level each time for consistency.

Watch your temperatures. Because air fryers cook more aggressively than standard ovens, reducing recipe temperatures by about 25 degrees and checking early is usually smart. For chicken thighs, for example, you might cook at 375 degrees instead of 400 and check them a few minutes before the recipe’s suggested time. If the top is getting too dark, you can loosely cover with foil while the interior finishes cooking.

Finally, build a simple cleaning routine into your week. Wipe the interior walls and glass door with a damp cloth once the oven has cooled slightly but is still warm. Empty the crumb tray often, and line the baking pan with foil when cooking fatty meats or wings. A little consistency here keeps odors down and performance up.

Pros and cons

To help you decide if the Cuisinart TOA-70 fits your kitchen, here are the key advantages and drawbacks in practical terms.

Pros

• Versatile in a compact footprint. Replaces a toaster and many tasks you would use a full oven or separate air fryer for.
• Strong air frying performance. Crisps frozen and fresh foods well when you avoid crowding the basket.
• Fast preheating. Heats up significantly faster than a standard oven, which is ideal for weeknight cooking.
• Simple mechanical controls. Easy for anyone to walk up and use without reading a manual or navigating menus.
• Solid stainless construction. Feels sturdy on the counter, with a door and handle that inspire confidence.

Cons

• Manual dials lack precision. You get approximate times and temperatures rather than exact digital control.
• Capacity limits. Works best for one to four servings; crowded baskets or pans lead to uneven results.
• Some uneven browning. The top and back of the oven tend to run a little hotter, so rotation is sometimes needed.
• Cleaning takes discipline. Like all air fryer toaster ovens, the mesh basket and interior need regular attention to avoid grease buildup and smoke.

Final verdict

The Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven TOA-70 is not the flashiest countertop oven, but it is dependable and practical. If your goal is to simplify your kitchen, cut down on preheat time, and make crisp, golden snacks and small meals without fuss, it does that well. The learning curve is mild, and once you know your preferred settings, it becomes a comfortable everyday tool.

You should skip it if you need large-capacity batch cooking, ultra-precise digital control, or advanced cooking programs. For most households that want a straightforward, mid-sized air fryer toaster oven from a familiar brand, though, the TOA-70 offers good value and performance. Treat it like a compact, powerful convection oven, keep the basket uncrowded, and it will serve you reliably for many breakfasts, weeknight dinners, and everything in between.

See also

If you are comparing the TOA-70 to other toaster-oven style air fryers, see our detailed Emeril Lagasse french door air fryer toaster oven review and our look at the compact Our Place Wonder Oven.

• For a more feature-rich countertop oven with multiple cooking modes, read our Ninja SP300C Foodi 10-in-1 countertop oven review.
• If you prefer a basket-style design with two independent zones, see the Ninja DZ201 Foodi dual-zone air fryer review.
• Shoppers focused on juicy, crispy poultry should check our guide to the best air fryer for chicken.

FAQ

How much food can the Cuisinart TOA-70 air fry at once without getting soggy?

The TOA-70 does best when food is in a single, fairly loose layer in the air fry basket. In practical terms, this means about 1 to 1.5 pounds of fries or wings, or enough food for two to four people, depending on appetite. If you pile food higher than that, the pieces underneath tend to steam instead of crisp, so it is better to cook in two quick batches.

Does the Cuisinart TOA-70 need to be preheated before cooking?

For toasting, you can usually skip a full preheat, although the first batch may take slightly longer. For air frying and baking, a short preheat of 3 to 5 minutes improves consistency and timing, especially for meats and baked goods. Preheating helps ensure the bottom cooks through while the top browns, rather than the opposite.

Can the Cuisinart TOA-70 replace a full-size oven for baking?

The TOA-70 can handle many baking tasks, such as cookies, muffins, small casseroles, and single pizzas, but it is not a complete replacement for a full-size oven. The interior space is limited, so you cannot bake multiple pans at once. Also, because the heating elements sit close to the food, you may need to adjust temperatures down slightly and watch browning more carefully than in a larger oven.

How hard is it to keep the Cuisinart TOA-70 clean and free of smoke?

Keeping the TOA-70 clean is manageable if you do small, regular cleanups. Empty the crumb tray every few uses, line the baking pan with foil for greasy foods, and wipe the interior walls when they are still slightly warm. If you let grease and splatters build up on the walls and basket, you will start to see more smoke during high-heat cooks, so consistency is key.

What is the main difference between the Cuisinart TOA-70 and a typical basket-style air fryer?

The biggest difference is layout and versatility. The TOA-70 is shaped like a small oven, so it can toast bread, bake flat items like pizzas, and roast on a shallow pan in addition to air frying on the mesh basket. A basket-style air fryer usually circulates air more intensely around a smaller, deeper basket, which can crisp faster but is less flexible for baking and toasting tasks.

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