It was a wet, rainy day. I wanted hot and crisp fries. I needed a good way to cook them. I set up the Cuisinart TOA 26 Vs TOA 28 to see which is best. Here are my honest thoughts.
Cuisinart TOA 26 Review
This oven caught my eye fast. It looks great on the counter. It is small but very strong. You can bake and air fry in it.
Pros and Cons
Here is a quick look at the facts.
| Pros | Cons |
| Fast cooking speed | Knobs feel stiff |
| Cooks food evenly | Hard to reach back |
| Fits small spaces | Loud ticking timer |
Using It Daily
I used this oven for a few months. I made wings, fries, and toast. The food came out very crisp.
The heat gets very hot. You must watch your food closely. I burned a few bagels at first. Now, I really love it.
Recommendation
This oven is great for one or two folks. It fits well in tiny kitchens. It is not good for big groups.
Cuisinart TOA 28 Review
Next up is the older model. The look is much the same. It feels solid and holds up well. I wanted to see if it cooks as good. Let us dive right in.
Pros and Cons
These are the main things I saw.
| Pros | Cons |
| Great for snacks | Outside gets hot |
| Simple to use | Small bake pan |
| Very quiet fan | No bright screen |
My Cooking Tests
After a few months, I really like it. The fry basket is great for quick meals. It handles cold, hard foods like a champ.
I did note the outside gets hot. You must be careful when pulling food out. Still, the dials are so easy to use. I never had to guess.
Recommendation
This model is best for folks who like dials. It is great for basic air frying. It is not good if you want fancy screens.
Detail Comparison for Cuisinart TOA 26 Vs TOA 28
It is time to put them head to head. I tested them side by side. Let us break down the main points.
Capacity & Size: Cuisinart TOA 26 Vs TOA 28
Both ovens take up very little room. They share almost the same size inside. You can fit four slices of bread in both.
| Feature | TOA 26 | TOA 28 |
| Bread slices | 4 | 4 |
| Max chicken | 3 lbs | 3 lbs |
| Footprint | Small | Small |
Rating: TOA 26: 9/10 | TOA 28: 9/10
Cooking Performance: Cuisinart TOA 26 Vs TOA 28
I cooked fries in both models. The new one gave a more even crisp. The air flows just a bit better inside.
| Feature | TOA 26 | TOA 28 |
| Air flow | Very even | Good |
| Crisp level | Super crisp | Crisp |
| Heat hold | Very steady | Steady |
Rating: TOA 26: 9/10 | TOA 28: 8/10
Ease of Use: Cuisinart TOA 26 Vs TOA 28
Both use dials to set the cook time. I found the dials on the new one feel smooth. The older one is still very easy to learn.
| Feature | TOA 26 | TOA 28 |
| Control type | Smooth dials | Stiff dials |
| Timer style | Turn dial | Turn dial |
| Learning | Very easy | Very easy |
Rating: TOA 26: 9/10 | TOA 28: 8/10
Cleaning & Maintenance: Cuisinart TOA 26 Vs TOA 28
Air fryers can get messy fast. Both ovens have a slide-out crumb tray. The trays on both are easy to wash by hand.
| Feature | TOA 26 | TOA 28 |
| Crumb tray | Slide out | Slide out |
| Inside walls | Non-stick | Non-stick |
| Basket wash | Hand wash | Hand wash |
Rating: TOA 26: 8/10 | TOA 28: 8/10
Cooking Speed: Cuisinart TOA 26 Vs TOA 28
Both ovens heat up in a flash. You do not need to wait long to cook. The new model ends up cooking a bit faster.
| Feature | TOA 26 | TOA 28 |
| Heat up time | 3 minutes | 4 minutes |
| Wing time | 18 minutes | 20 minutes |
| Fry time | 12 minutes | 14 minutes |
Rating: TOA 26: 9/10 | TOA 28: 8/10
Conclusion
Both of these ovens are great little machines. If you want the best speed, the new one wins. Picking between them comes down to small details. I hope this helps you pick the right one!