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Cuisinart TOA-60 vs Hamilton Beach 31127D Side-by-Side Comparison

Alan Nguyen
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 19, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 19, 2023
The front of a closed Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer. The control panel is positioned horizontally on the upper front. Below the control panel is the door handle. The glass door is covered with an illustration.
The front of a closed stainless steel Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Easy Reach Roll Top Toaster Oven on a white background.

Our Verdict

8.4
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    8.7/10
  • Design (25%)
    9.2/10
  • Usability (25%)
    7.1/10
6.2
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    6.6/10
  • Design (25%)
    5.2/10
  • Usability (25%)
    6.4/10

With its consistently excellent results, the Cuisinart TOA-60 triumphed in the battle of performance. Despite being reasonably good at making toast, the Hamilton Beach 31127D was only acceptable at baking a pizza and roasting a whole chicken. The baking french fries test, however, was where it suffered the biggest defeat.

With both having a relatively simple design, the weaknesses of the Hamilton are made all the more evident when placed next to the Cuisinart. Although the same size, the Hamilton has a lower power output and no convection system. While both feature nichrome heating elements, the Cuisinart has 6 while the Hamilton has 4.

In terms of convenience features, they score quite evenly: The Cuisinart has a slide-out crumb tray and an interior light whereas the Hamilton has a handy roll-top door and stay-on feature.

Both ovens have a 100% analog control which is simple and straightforward to use. While this means you may not be able to select an exact time and temperature, it doesn’t affect each oven’s overall performance.

The Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer is a robust, effective, and lasting unit suitable for seasoned home cooks with some money to spare. On the other hand, the Hamilton Beach 31127D 6-Slice Toaster Oven of the same size is an inexpensive unit that does its job well.

Benefits of Powerful Convection and Heating

Cuisinart TOA-60 Performance

Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Toaster Oven Performance: Needs More Power
8.7
Performance Scores
  • Toast (40%)8.1/10
  • Pizza (25%)9.6/10
  • Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)8.5/10
  • Baked French Fries (10%)9.2/10
6.6
Performance Scores
  • Toast (40%)7.3/10
  • Pizza (25%)6.6/10
  • Whole Roasted Chicken (25%)6.3/10
  • Baked French Fries (10%)5.1/10
8.1

Toast

7.3
Taste: 9
50% * 9 = 4.5
Even Surface Color: 9
20% * 9 = 1.8
Consecutive Usability: 6
30% * 6 = 1.8
  • Function: Toast
  • Number Of Slices: 4
  • Toast Level: 1/2 Medium
  • Cooking Time: 4 m
  • Second Batch: 4 m
  • Convection: Low (default)

During our Toast test, the Light toast level—around 2 minutes 30 seconds on the timer—gave no color and the Medium one—around 5 minutes on the timer—was too brown even though the color was even. We determined that right in the middle of Medium and Light toast level—around 4 minutes on the timer—was the best option scoring an 8.1/10.

Toasting bread for 4 minutes with the Cuisinart produced 4 pieces with a beautiful golden color throughout thanks to the deployment of the convection fan. This oven was the first one to score a 9/10 for even toast surface color.

The first batch of toast was quite crispy yet very soft inside, worthy of a 9/10. Our head chef Tuyet Pham determined they would be great to go with sandwiches, omelet, and eggs benedict. For soup, however, they didn’t cut the mustard but that could be rectified with the extra crispiness of a second batch.

While the second batch had a brown color, it had a few dark spots so it got a 6/10 for consecutive usability. If you want the second batch to be the same as the first, remember to lower it down to Light—around 2 minutes 30 seconds.

Taste: 8
50% * 8 = 4.0
Even Surface Color: 8
20% * 8 = 1.6
Consecutive Usability: 5.5
30% * 5.5 = 1.6
  • Function: Toast
  • Number Of Slices: 4
  • Toast Level: 3/4 to Medium
  • Cooking Time: 3m 30s
  • Second Batch: 3m 30s
  • Convection: No

We initially set the toast knob to Medium—right at the Toast icon—for our Toast test. The bread came away very dark on the bottom but barely toasted on top. Then, the halfway point to Medium gave the toast no color.

Eventually, we settled on a point 3/4 the way to Medium—around 3 minutes 30 seconds on the timer—as the best option, and awarded it a score of 7.3/10.

At our optimal toasting setting, the Hamilton Beach produced 4 pieces with a great, slightly golden-brown color. Though the oven doesn’t have a convection fan, the color distribution was about 80% even so we gave the toast an 8/10.

The first batch of toast was crispy on the outside while still soft and moist on the inside, so we gave it an 8/10 for taste. Our head chef, Tuyet Pham, said it would go very well with everything including sandwiches, soup, omelets, and eggs benedict.

The second batch represented a significant decrease in performance, scoring only 5.5/10 for consecutive usability. The toast had an uneven, dark brown color plus a burnt flavor. If you want the second batch to be the same as the first, remember to only turn the knob halfway to Medium—around 1 minute 55 seconds on the timer.

9.6

Pizza

6.6
Cooking Time: 10
20% * 10 = 2.0
Crust: 9.2
20% * 9.2 = 1.8
Toppings: 9.8
30% * 9.8 = 2.9
Taste: 9.5
30% * 9.5 = 2.9
  • Function: Bake with high convection
  • Temperature: 450°F
  • Cooking Time: 3m 30s
  • Convection: High

The Cuisinart baked a very appetizing 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza scoring a 9.6/10 despite using only the included baking pan.

Compared to the recommended 10 minutes on the label, it only took 3m 30s to bake the pizza which was extremely fast. In comparison to other toaster ovens in our Pizza test, it deserved a whopping 10/10.

The crust came out a tempting golden brown with some nicely charred spots—if a little soft due to the short cooking time. Thus, it got a 9.2/10.

The pizza itself also had excellent even coloring all over from the good convection system. Thanks to the high and steady temperature, the melted cheese was also perfectly caramelized earning it a 9.8/10.

After tasting, our chef gave the pizza a 9.5/10.

Cooking Time: 5.8
20% * 5.8 = 1.2
Crust: 7
20% * 7 = 1.4
Toppings: 7
30% * 7 = 2.1
Taste: 6.5
30% * 6.5 = 1.9
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 450°F
  • Cooking Time: 9m 10s
  • Convection: No

This oven left a bit to be desired when we tried baking a 9-inch thick-crust meat pizza. We gave it a score of 6.6/10.

It took 9 minutes and 10 seconds to bake a pizza which was slightly faster than the recommended 10 minutes on the label. It only garnered a score of 5.8/10 after being compared to other toaster ovens in our Pizza test, though.

The crust had a good golden brown color but was soft, so we could only give it a 7/10. The toppings were caramelized unevenly and some areas of cheese got darkened. On the bright side, the toppings weren’t dry, so they got a 7/10. After tasting, our chef gave it a 6.5/10.

8.5

Whole Roasted Chicken

6.3
Cooking Time: 9
20% * 9 = 1.8
Skin: 9.5
20% * 9.5 = 1.9
Doneness: 8
20% * 8 = 1.6
Taste: 8
40% * 8 = 3.2
  • Function: Bake with high convection
  • Temperature: 350°F
  • Cooking Time: 50m
  • Convection: Yes

Following our Whole Roasted Chicken test, we placed a 3 lb chicken inside an air fryer basket on top of a baking pan and it fit without a problem. Although the air fryer basket had plenty of space, the pan was quite rigid so we had to be extra careful when taking it out to flip the chicken.

Unfortunately, while cooking the chicken, fat splashed everywhere inside the oven leading to some smoking. All things considered, the Cuisinart earned an 8.5/10 for this test—on par with a good toaster oven that uses a rotisserie kit like the Instant Omni Plus 18L.

It took 50 minutes to roast, which is shorter than average and deserving of a 9/10.

Despite not having a rotisserie kit, we were able to achieve adequately crispy skin with an even golden brown color scoring a 9.5/10. We did it by spreading the chicken out and flipping it after the first 40 minutes of cooking.

High convection and flipping helped the chicken to be thoroughly cooked without any pink spots in just 50 minutes. However, the internal temperature was a little too high at 205-207°F compared to the USDA recommended 165°F-180°F, so it got an 8/10.

Due to being spread out, the wings were extremely crispy and deliciously fall-off-the-bone. However, the wings and the breast ended up a little dry so our chef gave the chicken an 8/10 for taste.

Cooking Time: 8
20% * 8 = 1.6
Skin: 5.5
20% * 5.5 = 1.1
Doneness: 6
20% * 6 = 1.2
Taste: 6
40% * 6 = 2.4
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 350°F
  • Cooking Time: 1h
  • Convection: No

Even though the Hamilton Beach could comfortably fit a 3 lb chicken for our Whole Roasted Chicken test, its performance was far from perfect, scoring only 6.3/10.

The oven took 1 hour—our standard for this test—to cook the chicken to a desirable color, so we gave it an 8/10.

After roasting, the skin took on an even golden color on top but only a very light caramelization on the bottom — although that was also even. Unfortunately, the skin was very soft, so we could only give it a 5.5/10.

The chicken reached an internal temperature of 165-176°F which was very close to the USDA recommendation. However, there were pink spots near the bone so we could only give it a 6/10.

The meat was acceptable in terms of texture and juiciness, but didn’t stand out as remarkable. Our chef gave the chicken a 6/10 for taste.

9.2

Baked French Fries

5.1
Cooking Time: 10
20% * 10 = 2.0
Color: 9.5
20% * 9.5 = 1.9
Texture: 9.2
20% * 9.2 = 1.8
Taste: 8.7
40% * 8.7 = 3.5
  • Function: Bake with high convection
  • Temperature: 400°F
  • Cooking Time: 12m
  • Convection: High

The Cuisinart baked some excellent french fries scoring a 9.2/10.

It took only 12 minutes to cook 12 oz of french fries which was very fast. In fact, it’s the fastest one throughout our Baked French Fries test so far so it scored a perfect 10/10.

Due to the shorter cooking time than ideal, the color wasn’t entirely even but was good enough for a 9.5/10.

The fries were crispy and golden on the outside while moist on the inside thanks to the strong convection and the air fryer basket. Thus, we gave it a 9.2/10 for texture.

Our chef gave it an 8.7/10 for taste.

Cooking Time: 0
20% * 0 = 0.0
Color: 6.5
20% * 6.5 = 1.3
Texture: 6
20% * 6 = 1.2
Taste: 6.5
40% * 6.5 = 2.6
  • Function: Bake
  • Temperature: 400°F.
  • Cooking Time: 27m 15s
  • Convection: No

Baking 12 oz of french fries clearly wasn’t the Hamilton Beach oven’s forte, and it came away with a score of 5.1/10.

This oven took 27 minutes and 15 seconds to put some color into the french fries. That exceeded our time limit of 25 minutes, though, so it failed the cooking time criterion of our Baked French Fries test.

Even though the fries had some golden ends, most of them basically had no color. We gave them a 6.5/10.

Despite being spread out on the baking pan, the fries didn’t crisp up, so they got a 6/10. Our chef gave the fries a 6.5/10 for taste.

Simple but Effective

Cuisinart Air Fryer TOA-60 Design Review

Hamilton Beach Easy-Reach Toaster Oven Design: No Lighting or Convection
9.2
design Scores
  • Exterior (20%)9.0/10
  • Interior (30%)9.5/10
  • Build Quality (50%)9.0/10
5.2
design Scores
  • Exterior (20%)7.0/10
  • Interior (30%)1.0/10
  • Build Quality (50%)7.0/10

In the Box

In the Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Easy-Reach Toaster Oven Box
  • Model: TOA-60
  • Warranty: 3 years (US and Canada only)
  • User Manual
  • Baking Rack
  • Baking Pan
  • Air Fryer Basket

The user manual provides numerous recipes with all the ingredient measurements, specific cooking functions, temperatures, and times. The package also comes with a simple instruction to register your Cuisinart for premium customer service, special offers, and more. Within the warranty period, the manufacturer has their own satisfaction guarantee policy.

  • Model: 31127D
  • Warranty: 1-year limited in the US and 5-year limited in Canada
  • User Manual
  • Baking Rack
  • Baking Pan
  • Removable Crumb Tray

Aside from the Hamilton Beach oven itself, the box also contained a baking pan, a baking rack, a removable crumb tray, and a basic user manual.

9.0

Exterior

7.0
  • Weight:
    21.0 lbs (9.5 kg)
  • Length:
    16.3" (41.5 cm)
  • Width:
    15.2" (38.5 cm)
  • Height:
    13.6" (34.5 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Color:
    Silver
  • Door Handle:
    Cool-touch
  • Tray Indicators:
    No
  • Crumb Tray:
    Slide-out

With its simple design, the slide-out crumb tray of the Cuisinart really stands out. The side handles make it easy to carry. It also has two buffers on the back to prevent the oven from being too close to the wall.

Our measurements of the oven’s footprint of 16.34" x 15.16" x 13.58" pretty much coincided with the manufacturer’s 16" x 15.5" x 14" with marginal differences being less than an inch.

  • Weight:
    9.3 lbs (4.2 kg)
  • Length:
    18.5" (47.0 cm)
  • Width:
    14.6" (37.0 cm)
  • Height:
    9.4" (24.0 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Color:
    Silver
  • Door Handle:
    cool-touch
  • Tray Indicators:
    No
  • Crumb Tray:
    Removable

The Hamilton Beach has a stainless steel exterior. Our measurements of the oven’s footprint were 18.5" x 15.56" x 9.41"—marginally different from the manufacturer’s provided 18.74" x 15.24" x 9.41".

What stands out most is the roll-top door with a cool-touch handle. It moves up and out of the way, giving you safe and easy access to your food before, during, and after cooking.

The oven has a back buffer to prevent it from being pushed too close to the wall. Unlike many other toaster ovens, though, you can’t wrap the power cord around the buffer.

Cuisinart TOA-60 Control Panel

Control Panel of the Hamilton Beach 31127D
  • Type:
    4 control knobs
  • Temperature:
    200°F - 450°F
  • Timer:
    1 - 60 minutes
  • Indicator Light:
    Yes
  • Status Bar:
    No
  • Light Toggle:
    Yes
  • Convection Toggle:
    No
  • Rotation Toggle:
    No
  • Automatic Preheat:
    No
  • Audio Cues:
    No

The control panel is completely analog with four control knobs and a light toggle

  • Type:
    3 control knobs
  • Temperature:
    100°F - 450°F
  • Timer:
    1 minute - 30 minutes + stay-on
  • Indicator Light:
    Yes
  • Status Bar:
    No
  • Light Toggle:
    No
  • Convection Toggle:
    No
  • Rotation Toggle:
    No
  • Automatic Preheat:
    No
  • Audio Cues:
    No

The Hamilton beach has three contoured control knobs labeled Temperature, Function, and Timer which are durable and easy to grip. While the timer only runs from 1 minute to 30 minutes, the knob has a stay-on position as well.

Cooking Functions

  • Toast (Light - Medium - Dark)
  • Air fry
  • Bake with low / high convection
  • Broil with low / high convection
  • Warm (200°F)

If you know your way around the kitchen, the bake and broil functions with low or high convection will be all you need.

  • Toast
  • Bake
  • Broil

The bake and broil functions will be all you need if you know your way around the kitchen. The temperature knob also includes a Min setting which, at 100°F, can act as a ‘keep warm’ option.

9.5

Interior

1.0
  • Heating Elements:
    6 nichrome
  • Convection Fan:
    Yes
  • Lighting:
    Yes
  • Tray Levels:
    2
  • Rotisserie:
    No
  • Safety Hook:
    Tray Level 2

For the Cuisinart, its convection fan runs as standard with most cooking functions except for Warm. It runs on the low setting for Non-Convection settings and on a high setting for Convection settings.

In addition, the oven has two heating elements at the bottom and four at the top which allows for more even heat distribution. It also has an interior light that you can turn on and off with a switch. It only has two tray levels but you can make use of the rack-up and down positions.

  • Heating Elements:
    4 nichrome
  • Convection Fan:
    No
  • Lighting:
    No
  • Tray Levels:
    2
  • Rotisserie:
    No
  • Safety Hook:
    No

Unfortunately, the 31127D doesn’t have any interior features worth mentioning, not even internal lighting or a convection system like the Cuisinart TOA-60. The only thing it has is four nichrome heating elements.

Capacity of the Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Oven

Capacity of the Stainless Steel Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Toaster Oven
  • Length:
    12.6" (32.0 cm)
  • Width:
    11.4" (29.0 cm)
  • Height:
    7.1" (18.0 cm)

Besides a 12-inch pizza or a 4-pound chicken, the TOA-60 is one of the few that actually fits 6 pieces of toast even though just barely. We measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be roughly 17 liters which coincided with the manufacturer’s provided capacity.

  • Length:
    13.0" (33.0 cm)
  • Width:
    12.2" (31.0 cm)
  • Height:
    7.7" (19.5 cm)

The Hamilton Beach has enough capacity for 6 slices of toast, a 3 lb chicken, or a 12-inch pizza.

We measured the cooking chamber’s volume to be around 19.92 liters which was vastly different from the manufacturer’s stated capacity of 10 liters. However, this could be because we measured from the cooking chamber’s walls to walls whereas the manufacturer stopped before reaching the heating elements.

Power Cord

  • Length:
    29.5" (75.0 cm)
  • Type:
    2-prong plug
  • Power:
    1800 W
  • Rated Output:
    120 V ~ 60 Hz

Even though the power cord length is enough for household use—roughly 29.52", it doesn’t fully wrap around the two back buffers.

  • Length:
    35.0" (88.9 cm)
  • Type:
    2-prong plug
  • Power:
    1400 W
  • Rated Output:
    120 V ~ 60 Hz

The power cord protrudes from the bottom of the oven which can create some inconvenient bends. Nonetheless, roughly 35" is plenty of cord length for household use. However, the oven doesn’t have a storage place for the cord.

Baking Rack

Accessories

Baking Rack
  • Length:
    12.6" (32.0 cm)
  • Width:
    11.0" (27.9 cm)
  • Height:
    0.9" (2.4 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The rack fits perfectly with the guide, which helps prevent accidents when placing your food in the oven.

  • Length:
    13.0" (33.0 cm)
  • Width:
    11.9" (30.2 cm)
  • Height:
    1.0" (2.5 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The rack fits perfectly into the guide rails, reducing the chance of an accident when placing your food in the oven.

Baking Pan

Accessories

Baking Pan
  • Length:
    12.4" (31.6 cm)
  • Width:
    11.0" (27.9 cm)
  • Height:
    0.9" (2.2 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The baking pan has a coating but is not completely non-stick so you may end up with some stubborn stains after a hefty roast. It does, however, easily catch any meat juice and drippings from the air fryer basket. Thus, it prevents mess and avoids any danger of fire from dirty heating elements.

  • Length:
    11.3" (28.8 cm)
  • Width:
    9.4" (23.8 cm)
  • Height:
    0.7" (1.8 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The baking pan is correctly sized to keep messy food from dripping directly onto the heating elements. It slides into the brackets on the baking rack’s underside, so it’s a perfect fit. Unfortunately, though it has a coating, it isn’t completely non-stick so it can accumulate some stains after a tough roasting mission.

Air Fryer Basket

Accessories

Removable Crumb Tray
  • Length:
    11.1" (28.2 cm)
  • Width:
    9.4" (24.0 cm)
  • Height:
    2.2" (5.7 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The air fryer basket’s decent elevation really helps to circulate heat around the bottom of the food.

  • Length:
    12.9" (32.8 cm)
  • Width:
    10.0" (25.4 cm)
  • Height:
    0.7" (1.8 cm)
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Not advisable

The removable crumb tray makes it easier to remove crumbs and other debris from the oven’s floor. However, some may still fall to the bottom of the oven as you take out the tray.

9.0

Build Quality

7.0

The build of the Cuisinart TOA-60 nails simplicity and durability from the materials to the user controls. That does, however, make it a little heavier than some of the same-sized ones we’ve tested including the Toshiba AC25CEW-BS and Instant Omni Plus 18L.

It’s also a little taller due to the convection fan being top, rather than side-mounted. Nonetheless, the slide-out crumb tray and carrying handles show attention to convenience.

The Hamilton Beach is well-constructed out of durable stainless steel. Its contoured knobs turn smoothly and are a nice simple touch.

Limited, but Not Problematic

Cuisinart TOA-60 Usability

Hamilton Beach 6-Slice Toaster Oven Usability Review: No Noticable Problems
7.1
usability Scores
  • User Control (30%)7.0/10
  • Ease of Use (50%)7.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)7.5/10
6.4
usability Scores
  • User Control (30%)6.0/10
  • Ease of Use (50%)6.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)8.0/10
7.0

User Control

6.0

The Cuisinart has seven settings to choose from including both Broil and Bake with high and low convection. The four control knobs for Time, Temperature, Functions, and Toast are as straightforward as possible.

The Hamilton Beach only has three simple control knobs but there are a few things to pay attention to. If you wish to set the timer knob for less than 10 minutes, you must first turn it beyond the 10-minute mark (to start the heating) and then roll it back to the setting you want.

Precisely adjusting time and temperature can be a bit difficult but it’s not a major problem. If you’re concerned, use an external timer and an oven thermometer for more accurate measurements.

7.0

Ease of Use

6.0

The safety hook for tray level 2 allows you to partially slide out the baking rack or tray to reposition the food during cooking. However, this feature makes it quite tricky to remove the tray or rack.

Although the oven has good heat insulation, the casing can still get quite hot to the touch after 400°F, especially after a long cooking time. After the oven finishes cooking, you will hear a very clear ding.

Opening the oven door stops it from cooking while also turning off the light but doesn’t stop the timer. Having no digital display, you can freely leave this oven plugged in and not worry about power consumption.

The simple analog control panel makes it very easy to adjust settings on the fly. Once the timer counts down to the Off position, you’ll hear a chime and the oven will shut itself off. Since there’s no digital display, the oven won’t draw any more power even if you leave it plugged in.

The oven’s exterior only gets hot to the touch after a long cooking time at a high temperature. The door can be kept partially open at many degrees but keep in mind that it doesn’t switch the oven off.

7.5

Cleanability

8.0

We cleaned the Cuisinart following our toaster oven cleaning guide. The internal and external coating of the oven made it easy to clean. It does have some tricky nooks and crannies but all in all, they’re not too difficult.

Cleaning up the crumbs was extremely easy thanks to the slide-out crumb tray but we still had to tilt the oven to remove all the crumbs. We thought the fishnet design of the air fryer basket might make it difficult to clean any caramelized bits of food but that didn’t happen.

During the roasting of a whole chicken, fat splattered everywhere inside the oven. It left some stubborn stains on the insulators at the ends of the heating elements. Even with a paste of baking soda and water, we weren’t able to remove them.

Fortunately, there were no drippings on the crumb tray so no worries of oxidation. In addition, we’re happy to report that the gaps between the heating elements and internal walls were large enough to clean.

We cleaned the Hamilton Beach in accordance with our toaster oven cleaning guide. The oven was easy to clean thanks to its surface coatings and the fact that it has no tricky nooks and crannies.

The removable crumb tray made it easy to clean up the crumbs, though we still had to tilt the oven to get the last of them. Unfortunately, after our Whole Roasted Chicken test, the baking pan accumulated some discoloration that we weren’t able to remove even with a paste of baking soda and water.