Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This B&D oven makes outstanding rotisserie meats and is a big leap in value over a traditional toaster oven, with one significant drawback: it's a very mediocre toaster. In fairness, nowhere on the packaging does this product say "toaster" -- it's simply described as a convection rotisserie oven. But if you're considering an upgrade over a standard toaster oven like I was, you're probably hoping for the best of all worlds: rotisserie, convection oven, and toaster. It nails the first two, but is merely acceptable on the third.
Rotisserie: It takes a few tries to get a feel for the timing, but once you do, you get really outstanding roasts and restaurant-quality rotisserie chicken. The rotisserie keeps juices circulating inside, so the meat doesn't dry out like when you bake it the standard way. Some have noted that it isn't really big enough for chicken, and it can be a squeeze. But if you tie the legs with cooking twine (which you should do anyway, to prevent burning), you can cook a 4-1/2 to 5 pound bird, and anything smaller is easy (the manual suggests 3-1/2 as a limit, but you can push that a bit). Pork and beef roasts are ridiculously easy -- just stab it through with the skewer and put it in -- and absolutely delicious. I'm surprised at those who say the rotisserie isn't worth it, because to me, it's the best thing about this device. Well worth the upgrade over a non-rotisserie convection oven.
Convection oven: If you're not interested in the rotisserie, you can get a good non-rotisserie convection oven for $30-$40 less. That's still $30-$40 more than a standard toaster oven, but it's worth it. A standard toaster oven isn't really for baking. It's good for reheating or melting cheese on something, but that's about it. A good convection oven like this one can be used for anything you do in a normal oven. Lasagnas (in a 9x9 pan), breads, pizzas (up to 12-inch), desserts, etc. -- all of these can be done here because the oven regulates its temperature reliably. Furthermore, the smaller size and the convection fan (which circulates the air to regulate temperature and speed cooking slightly) mean less energy. Why use a giant oven to cook a small dish? Pre-heating is quicker, cooking times are shorter, and the food is just as good. The broiler also works well.
Toaster: Again, B&D doesn't promote this as a toaster, though it does have a toaster setting. It toasts pretty evenly (no worse than a standard toaster oven on that front), but the larger size of the oven (compared to a toaster) means it takes a long time, and the toast tends to dry out. You can tinker with the settings a bit, and if you position the rack close to the heating element, it turns out fine, but expect it to take a few minutes longer than a normal toaster or toaster oven. This may also mean that you're giving back some of the energy you save by using it as an oven.
Two other drawbacks to be aware of: (1) it takes a fair amount of cabinet space, since it is a few inches wider, deeper, and taller than most toaster ovens, and (2) the glass on the front is not double-layered, and thus gets very hot -- be careful if you're using it with small children around.
Beyond that, this is a solid product. After six months of use, I'm happy I bought it, and am really glad to have another way to cook outstanding meat during the winter months when it's too cold to grill.
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Black & Decker CTO7100B Toast-R-Oven Digital Rotisserie Convection Oven
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