Cuisinart TOB-40N vs Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 Toaster Oven Side-by-Side Comparison
Cuisinart TOB-40N vs Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 Toaster Oven. A comparison between a medium-sized conventional toaster oven and a large convection unit.
Specifications
Design
The Cuisinart TOB-40N has a simple design but with some nice attention to detail. To accommodate its spacious interior, the oven uses 1800 W.
The Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 has a simple and sturdy design, plus a convenient slide-out crumb tray. The large interior houses a togglable lightbulb and convection system. A consistent disadvantage that this oven has is its low wattage compared to something like the Ninja DT201.
Usability Comparison
The Cuisinart TOB-40N doesn’t offer much in terms of ease of use. While the control panel is simple, not having a timer means you’ll need an external timer when using this oven. The oven posed no difficulties in cleaning but nothing to help either.
While the digital control panel of the Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 is straightforward and easy to use, its buttons can be more responsive. In addition to that, having to press Cancel before changing functions can get annoying.
The convection fan isn’t all-applicable, but it’s not a problem. On the other hand, the oven’s design features, including its accessories, make cleaning an effortless exercise.
Performance Test
The Cuisinart TOB-40N performed well in making toast and whole roasted chicken despite not having a convection system. However, the lack of convection resulted in uneven surface colors on our test dishes.
Even though the oven runs on 1800 W, it wasn’t able to produce a good result in baking french fries. This made the oven pale in comparison to our top picks.
The strongest performance aspect of the Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 was the even coloring on our test dishes, thanks to its convection system. However, it didn’t meet the mark in baking frozen french fries.
This was probably due to the low power output combined with the large capacity, unlike the picks on our best toaster oven list. Moreover, having only two tray positions made it tricky to get the toast done right on both sides.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Spacious and non-stick interior
- Auto-slide rack
- Easy-to-clean stainless steel exterior
- Slide-out crumb tray
- Cool-touch door handle
- Stay-on feature
- High power output
- Large capacity
- Easy-to-clean stainless steel exterior
- Cool-touch door handle
- Convenient slide-out crumb tray
- High-contrast digital display
- Internal lighting available
- Extra functions
- No convection fan
- No internal lighting
- No safety mechanism for the door
- Convection fan isn’t all-applicable
- No safety mechanism for the door
- Buttons not reliably responsive
Conclusion
The contest between the Cuisinart TOB-40N Custom Classic Toaster Oven Broiler and the Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 Digital Convection Toaster Oven was a close one. The Oster edged it out narrowly in the end—not just because it has a higher price.
In toasting bread, the Cuisinart actually had a higher score compared to the Oster. This was probably because the Cuisinart had a higher power output, hence, effectively reaching 450°F—the preset toasting temperature. For the remaining tests, including baking pizza, roasting a whole chicken, and baking french fries, the Oster’s convection system was able to assist it in getting the upper hand throughout.
Interestingly, despite being an analog toaster oven and a digital unit respectively, the Cuisinart and the Oster had the same design scores concerning their exterior, interior, and build quality. Usability-wise, they both didn’t have any note-worthy features of convenience. While the Oster’s flat buttons allowed for more precise control, they required quite a bit of force to register.
The Cuisinart TOB-40N is for you if you want an inexpensive medium-sized unit with a big capacity. Meanwhile, the Oster TSSTTVMNDG-SHP-2 is suitable for someone looking for a simple and robust large unit.
Behind the Comparison
Alan Nguyen is a writer and product reviewer at HealthyKitchen101. His major in English language teaching taught him to present concise information. In addition to his cooking hobby, he values the practical aspects of household appliances.
Tuyet Pham is an award-winning Saigonese chef passionate about delicious and healthful foods. At HealthyKitchen101, she develops recipes and collaborates with our Research, Testing, and Review lab to evaluate the performance of cooking appliances. Her assessments add a strong authoritative voice to our product scoring process.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
