Black & Decker CTO6301 Digital Advantage Stainless-Steel 6-Slice Convection Toaster Oven
by Black & Decker
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List Price: Our Price: $78.00 You Save: $21.99 (22%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $41.95 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Black & Decker CTO6301 Digital Advantage Stainless-Steel 6-Slice Convection Toaster Oven
Customer Review: Great features for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently purchased this oven and so far, I am quite pleased with it. For the price, it has many more features than ovens that are substantially more expensive.
The oven feels solid and well built and looks very nice, the brushed stainless steel and black trim are quite sharp and it blends in easily with most modern kitchen appliances. There is no internal oven light but the elements glow enough for you to view the food through the clear glass front making it easy to check on the progress without opening the oven door.
It is a bit larger than a standard toaster oven but can fit substantially larger items inside, including a 12 inch pizza. You should check the dimensions of the appliance before purchasing to make sure it fits your needs and your counters for that matter.
The controls are mostly intuitive but you may have to fiddle around with it a few times before you get the hang of it. There are quite a few different options but they are self explanatory for the most part. The buttons are clearly marked with letters and a picture, which also shows up in the display when activated. The display is bright and easy to read with the digital timer and temperature setting flashing consecutively. The timer can be set for up to two hours, which is a rare find. The oven beeps with each button push and also beeps 3 times when the timer expires. It's loud but not obnoxiously so. The oven temperature can be adjusted by 5 degree increments which believe it or not is quite rare. Many other manufacturers have preset temperatures that don't always make sense and can not be altered, which is far from practical.
The oven preheats quickly and seems to maintain a steady temperature with or without the fan. The fan is surprisingly quiet especially compared with some of the more expensive ovens. Food seems to cook evenly though you do need to make sure you keep items at least 2 inches from the top element or it will burn. Larger items will typically need to be rotated at least once during cooking to ensure even browning. Toasting takes a bit longer than a regular toaster so those of you new to toaster ovens, please keep this in mind. This oven does a nice job of toasting though you may need to adjust the rack and you do need to keep an eye on it until you find the setting that suits you best. The bagel feature is also nice as it toasts the top while only warming the bottom.
The pans included with the oven are the standard broiler pan and baking tray as well as a pizza pan. The pans are a bit flimsy but many regular baking pans will easily fit into this oven and produce better results. Using the pizza pan for baking pizza will result in a very soft crust. If you want it crispy, bake directly on the rack. The rack can be adjusted to four different positions which allows for a bit more flexibility in terms of what you can fit inside the oven. Since the rack is adjustable it is not attached to the door so you have to manually slide it out to remove items but the door opens completely and lies flat so the access to the interior of the oven is easier.
The oven does get quite hot but hey, it is an oven. Just make sure the oven is located in a place where hands would not come into contact with the sides, front and especially the top. Take note of the height of the oven and make sure that there is adequate clearance on the sides and top of the oven before purchasing. The bottom of the oven does not get hot so countertops should not be damaged. The glass door also gets quite hot but the handle remains cool.
The crumb tray pulls straight out from the front and is completely flat so clean up is a snap. The interior of the oven is also easy to clean as is the outside of the oven. The power cord is a bit longer than usual which gives you added flexibility with placing the oven but you have to be careful the cord does not touch the sides of the oven as again, they do get quite hot.
All and all I found this oven to be very much worth the price. It has many more features than more expensive ovens. It looks nice and so far, seems to work quite well.
Customer Review: Good Size
Summary: 5 Stars
UPDATE TO 5 STAR RATING (Aug 2010): I am amazed, but this oven is still working just fine - and now it costs less than we paid. I have upgraded my review from 3 to 5 stars. The buttons may be wobbly, but they work. I have made everything from roasts to cheesecakes in this, with no problems. Often it is baking for 2+ hours at a time. It is used every day at least once, but usually multiple times daily. We love that it holds a 9x13 pan. It's like having a second oven when cooking for the holidays. You can cook casseroles, dressing, biscuits, etc in this while the turkey or ham bakes in your big oven.
OLD REVIEW (3 Star Rating): I have owned this oven for 3 months now after our 12 yr old Cuisinart died. I chose Black & Decker because it would hold a 9x13 pan and 6 pieces of toast, and was half the price of a new Cuisinart. We use this oven for baking or toasting every day. I have never broiled meat in it, but it broils vegetables just fine. It toasts okay and bakes evenly. If you bake in a large pan you need to turn it around half-way through the baking time. Cakes, brownies, chicken, pork chops, casseroles, etc. come out just fine.
The oven has a crumb tray that pulls out from the front. The cooking rack can be adjusted in 4 different positions. The door handle stays cool even if the oven has been on for 1+ hours. The convection fan is much quieter than our old Cuisinart. The oven is only 2 inches longer than our old Cuisinart and the depth and height are the same. So you get a much larger cooking space for the same footprint. It comes with a nice heavy 9x12 pan and round pizza pan. Being able to use the toaster oven with a large pan(instead of the large range) is a blessing in our southern summer heat.
Now for the not so good... The control buttons are flimsy, cheap plastic. They sit crooked and feel wobbly when you press them. And every time you press a button it beeps VERY LOUDLY. This oven is very complicated to use. You have to press multiple buttons every time you use it. To convection bake you must press Bake, Conv, Temp (to adjust) and then Start. Only after the oven preheats can you set the timer. You can't use it without setting the timer. If you do, it remembers the amount of time used during its last cycle and will only stay on for that long. To toast you must press Toast, Temp (to adjust) and then Start. The toaster's timer is pre-programmed by temp.
The exterior of this appliance is not stainless. I don't know what it is. I set a warm pie plate on top and now the oven is marked with black streaks that will not clean off. The interior is slick black metal, I think. The rack seems to be stainless. I don't think the included pans are stainless. This oven will truly hold a 9x13 pan if it does not have handles. Although advertised to hold a 12-inch pizza, it will not hold our 12-inch pizza stone. The oven's highest bake temp is 450 degrees. I expected more quality for its price.
Customer Review: Glad I bought this one
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a very early review but after my last purchase of a countertop oven - I am just so glad to have a good experience, I didn't want to wait. To share: If you are looking for a cool touch exterior oven, skip this. That is a rare quality in a countertop oven and one that I don't care about. I only use countertop ovens and have for years now. (The regular oven pulls 3500 watts - and is much larger than most people need.) I bake several times a week which includes casseroles, pizzas, muffins, appetizers, biscuits, quick breads - you name it, I bake it. I don't hesitate because I am not using the 'big' oven. This oven has some very nice features - esp when you consider the price.
* Convection fan you can elect to turn on
* Preprogrammed functions such as cookies, pizza, potatoes, etc.. These set the temp and time for you. You can adjust them.
* Preheat function - preheats quickly, beeps when it reaches temp
* Good internal clearance for casserole dishes
* Holds my favorite 9x12 pansChicago Metallic Commercial 12-1/4-by-9-Inch Small Jelly Roll Pan which I purchased from Amazon.com.
* I had no problems reading the display.
* Bakes relatively evenly not perfect but most any oven, even the big one, has hot spots
* Uniform baking on the bottom of my delicate rolls - nice golden brown.
* Good overall size, highly usable.
* Removable crumb tray
I don't know how long this oven will last and will update this review as I continue to test. I search a lot for the right countertop oven and this one has turned out to be a great surprise. I knew after reading the user guide that this was a good choice - they actually articulated the fact that when using convection, lower the temp by 25 degrees. Something I learned years ago by trial. Oh, and it looks nice.
Update 12-25-08 I have now baked pizzas, muffins, biscuits, and casseroles in this oven. Everything has baked nice and even which is really impressive for such an affordable oven. In looking at the elements, they look like the quartz heating elements I have seen in other brands I have owned. That might explain why it comes up to temperature so quickly and the even baking. B&D should advertise that more if that is the case. The size has still been just right too. Not too small, not too large. When using the convection fan, it does shorten the cooking time.
Customer Review: Very Satisfied - Would Recommend
Summary: 5 Stars
This Toaster Oven was the third oven that I have owned over the course of about 12 years, but this was the first one from Black and Decker. The previous two were pretty high end Cuisinart models that I really liked. I chose this model for the balance of features and price. However, I have to say that is far exceeded my expectations. I have cooked 20 meals in the oven and have not been disappointed with its performance. From frozen fish, to fresh chicken, pizza, toast, steaks, the oven has done great! I read many, many reviews on several toaster ovens before I purchased this product and found many helpful. I listed the Pros and Cons as I see them below as well as some comments on common review points.
Pros:
1) For a toaster oven I found this to be very spacious. I can find a 9x9 and 9x12 with a lid with no problem. 12" Frozen pizza was no problem either.
2) The toaster oven cooks very evenly at each setting.
3) The Convection feature is a must. This greatly speeds up cooking times, but be sure to lower the temp a bit.
4) The controls are straight forward and easy to use. You can also adjust the time and temp to any setting except for broil, which makes sense actually. Also, it remembers my settings temp and time settings so I don't have to punch them in each time.
5) It is easy to clean. The inside is coated and wipes down easily. Many people make the mistake of not cleaning their toaster ovens and wonder why they crap out on them in 1 year.
6) The oven rack is easy to get in and out which allows you to get your dish in just the right place.
7) The Price!!! I thought about buying another $150+ oven, but thought I'd save some money. One of the best purchasing decisions I made in 2009.
Cons:
1) With the big interior comes a big footprint. Make sure to measure your space before you buy (advice for any toaster oven purchase).
2) The LCD display is a little on the darker side. Its not a big deal as our kitchen is pretty bright, but if yours is not well lit that could be an issue.
What I don't understand are the negative reviews complaining that "The oven gets hot on the outside" Its a big metal box that you heat up to 350 degrees!! What do you expect? There isn't a unit out there doesn't get hot on the outside. Remember your kindergarten education and don't touch the oven without oven mitts
Customer Review: with caution this type of appliance is very useful
Summary: 5 Stars
I read reviews on so many here on Amazon, and saw how many warned about the heat of these appliances. At first I tried to set it up on a separate counter my husband had originally built for my bread machine, but it became apparent I needed a better spot for it and moved it to my regular 24 inch deep counter over my kitchen cabinets. I feel very safe using it now and found the sides are warm but not scorching hot, the top seems to only get extremely hot when you use it in broil mode. Naturally the glass door would get hot, would you touch your oven window on your range when it is turned on? I wouldn't. I had it only a short time and bought the:
Pop It in the Toaster Oven book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609807684/ref=oss_product
I bought this to get some idea on how to use the oven to do more than make toast and heat frozen foods.
The book is simple enough and I did find a few recipes that allowed me to get started.
I am glad I got it and ended up ordering another slide rack that I am waiting on.
I have done a casserole, the pecan cauliflower from the book, that my husband and I love and several other items already, I am happy with it.
UPDATE
I have used this for close rt 3 months now and find I would rather use this than my range or oven for many things. There is a learning curve, like who remembers the first time they used their first microwave? I have baked 13 by 9 cakes (only some pans will fit), hot dogs, veggie and turkey, casseroles, bagels, pizza, frozen and our home made concoctions. Plus I am willing to try other things with it. I have wondered if people could get by without a big range and I would say yes it is possible with one of these and a few other small appliances. I had a toaster oven when I was first married over 40 years ago and I never figured out how to use for anything other than toast and broiling meat. I prefer to keep this clean so I won't use it for meat, but we are very small meat consumers.