The Good: Big enough for sizable dishes, Good cooking capability, Easy-to-use
The Bad: Hard to clean, Not particularly stylish
The Basics: Despite not fitting my decor and having some issues with cleaning, the CT07000 toaster oven has proven itself as a great appliance in my mom's house for over a decade!
There are a few kitchen appliances I have yet to review that I've had around for some time and it surprised me to learn I had written a review of my mother’s toaster oven (that’s here!), despite the fact that I've gone through at least three of my own in the past ten years. I've had some experiences with terrible ones, I miss a wonderful one I used to have and now I am compelled by simple space limitations to use the one my mother has on her kitchen counter. So, as I continue to consider the various items in my kitchen, I find myself eager to evaluate her Black & Decker CT07000 Toaster Oven.
It is worth noting that this Black & Decker model has been on the market for at least a decade and if one can find it new, it is a good product, but that the odds of finding one these days - especially new - are slim. This is one of those products that the strong argument can be made for the quality making it somewhat obsolete; those who own this CT07000 toaster oven are unlikely to need to buy a new toaster oven for years . . . or decades. That means when considering things to review, this leaves one reviewing something that most people will not be able to get their hands on. That said, knowing how small appliances like this turn up on eBay, garage sales and sometimes even at discount stores, it strikes me as being worthwhile to review.
First off, the basics. The Black & Decker CT07000 Toaster Oven is exactly what it claims to be, a small oven that sits on the counter and is able to toast bread in addition to baking things that fit inside it. This unit is 23 3/8" wide by 14 3/4" tall by 17 1/8" deep and because of the heating elements inside has an internal, usable space of approximately 17" by 9 1/2" by 13 1/2". This is actually one of the more sizable units I've encountered and its usable internal space makes it possible to cook medium-sized casseroles in the toaster oven, as opposed to having to turn on one's full-sized oven. This is good both in the summer, for keeping one's home cool, and for one's electric bill, as the user of the CT07000 does not need to use as much energy because the little unit is heating a smaller area than a big oven. That said, because this is a 1500 watt toaster oven, one needs to be sure that they are plugging it into a receptacle separate from other major appliances. My mother originally had her refrigerator, microwave and this all on the same circuit and in the summer, she discovered the circuit would trip whenever all three appliances were in use.
The CT07000 is a white toaster oven and while that certainly fits my mother's decor, it would not fit mine (I have stainless steel everything in my - former - kitchen). For those looking for neutral, this works, but the plastic and glass casing looks very . . . 1970's to me. As well, because this is a sizable toaster oven designed for people who want an enduring toaster oven that allows them to escape using their primary oven, it has a pretty large footprint on the counter. In fact, while the depth of this toaster oven is barely over seventeen inches, one needs to figure that it will be at least nineteen inches away from the wall, lest one melt the cord by having it abutting the unit!
What the CT07000 lacks in style - at least for modern-looking kitchens - it makes up for in the easy functionality. This is a very simple-to-use device and while the lack of options might frustrate some user, its simplicity was actually a selling point for my mother and makes it easy to use without doing extensive manual-reading. The CT07000 is intuitive to use and includes only two dials and two buttons. Loading the toaster oven is quite simple. This is essentially a plastic and metal breadbox-shaped toaster oven with a large ceramic glass door in the front. The top of the door in adorned with a plastic handle (it does not get hot no matter how long the unit is running in my experience) and opening the unit is as simple as pulling the handle down, which rotates the front door open. Inside the CT07000 is a wire rack shelf which will support several pounds of food (I suspect some of the casseroles we've cooked in this weigh on the order of even pounds including their baking dish). Simply slide the dish into the toaster oven, set the controls and off you go!
As for the controls, they are very easy. There is an upper dial, which controls the oven part of the unit. The CT07000 has temperatures ranging from 250 degrees Fahrenheit to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and they are marked in easy-to-read fifty degree intervals. There is enough space to easily interpolate the twenty-five degree point between each, for dishes that need temperatures in between. To operate the oven part of the CT07000 toaster oven, simply turn the dial to the temperature desired and the unit kicks into action. I've found that the recommended ten minutes warm-up time is long enough to preheat the oven to the maximum temperature and allow for even baking without risk of burning one's food. As for the toaster function, this is similarly simple to use. Simple place the bread on the wire shelf in the toaster oven, turn the lower dial to the darkness indicator you wish (this goes from lightly toasted to very dark, which essentially creates charcoal toast) and press the "Start Toast" button. The unit turns itself off when it reaches the desired toast darkness and if one wishes to end the toasting cycle early, simply press the "Stop Toast" button to the right of the "Start Toast" button. I've found that it takes about two minutes to get a well-toasted slice of toast when the bread is fresh, about thirty-seconds more when the bread is frozen. As mentioned before, there are no tricks or gimmicks to using this; there are two dials (which have never fallen off!) and two push buttons which cannot possibly come off, unless pried!
Where the CT07000 runs into problems for me - outside the style - is the cleaning. Like many toaster ovens, the CT07000 has a lower tray which may be pulled out to eliminate crumbs from the bottom of the unit and this works quite well for that. However, spills to the lower heating element and anything greasy becomes near impossible to clean off the inside of the CT07000. Chicken grease, for example, seems to have discolored the front panel of the unit such that my Speedy White cleaner, which is designed to clean ceramic glass and is reviewed here! - could not get it off. I dared not use something physical - like a putty knife or chisel - for fear of breaking the glass. As a result, after ten years of consistent use, the front glass has a slight yellowish tint to it. Still, that this little Black & Decker toaster oven has held up that long is nothing short of extraordinary. Getting one's hand in to wash out the rest of the unit - make sure it is unplugged and do NOT immerse this in water! - is easy given the size of the CT07000. However, cleaning the lower heating element is virtually impossible and from time to time, anything that hits it and makes it through the guard - which is also irksome to try to clean - will burn itself off. This is fine, so long as one can deal with a smoky smell when it happens.
For those looking for a good alternative to a stove for an apartment or who want a good, but very average toaster oven, the Black & Decker CT07000 is a great way to go.
For other kitchen appliances, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Cuisinart ICE-20/ICE-21 Ice Cream Maker
Frigidaire FEF336EC Electric Range
Frigidaire FDB750RC Stainless Steel Dishwasher
7/10
For other household appliance reviews, be sure to visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!
© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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