We’d also prefer dial controls over the FlashXpress’s blister-push buttons, but they’re perfectly usable and not as glitchy or mushy as others we tested. With most models, all you have to do is remove the basket, pan, or drawer, then clean these pieces by hand with hot cuisinart choppers water, some dish soap, and a non-abrasive sponge. Once you’ve bought your air fryer from Costco and used it a few times, you’ll probably find yourself wondering how the heck to clean it. The Balmuda’s controls and capacity are also limited compared to our top picks.
The biggest drawback to this model is the toast shade setting on the timer dial. You have to turn the knob past the 10-minute mark and then reverse it to the desired shade setting. However, it’s difficult to determine exactly where the dial should be placed for your preferred toast shade. Eventually, cuisinart toa60 we were able to find the sweet spot on the dial for our desired doneness, but it took multiple attempts. That said, the toast came out remarkably even for a toaster oven of this caliber. Like most toaster ovens, the Hamilton Beach will get hotter after each batch of toast you make in a row.
You’ll need to reduce the toast shade setting for each subsequent batch you make to prevent the bread from burning. Some brands will advertise the material of their toaster oven’s heating elements, and generally, ovens using quartz or ceramic will cost more than those using Calrod. But in all our research and testing, we didn’t see consistent correlations between element type and either price or performance. For instance, our budget pick, the Hamilton Beach, has the same quartz elements as the Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven, which costs more than $200. And the Wolf Gourmet Countertop Oven we tested, which normally costs over $700, uses Calrod elements, which are typically found in cheaper models. So, it’s not always worth paying more for certain elements, as performance varies with every oven.
If you’re in the mood to make something from scratch, you could also try this recipe for Thai Veggie Bites prepared in the air fryer, thanks to RecipeThis.com. Today, we’ll go over the air fryer models currently available at Costco and on Costco.com. Also, we found cuisinart toaster costco the middle shade setting for toasting (setting 4) to be a bit dark. Unlike our upgrade pick, the Cuisinart lacks a handy rack-position key on the oven door. However, when you open the oven door, you’ll find the rack position numbers printed on the side of the oven.
Up against bigger, more expensive toaster ovens, the FlashXpress more than held its own. If you have your eye on a recipe written specifically for a pod-shaped air fryer (as most are) but want to prepare it in a convection toaster oven, you can get good results with some minor adjustments. We also like that the FlashXpress beeps when the cycle has finished and turns itself off automatically (as does our other pick, the Cuisinart).