With convection bake included in the list of features, the Black & Decker TO1640B seems like a good buy given its affordable pricing. Compared to a similar-sized Cuisinart or even Oster, you can get this Black & Decker toaster oven for much less. But then again, cheaper does not necessarily mean a better buy. You still have to see if there are weaknesses in the design. Check out both the pros and cons of this model in the review below before you make up your mind.
Black & Decker TO1640B Convection Oven Broiler Review
The key selling point of this toaster oven is the Perfect Broil system. This technology allows you to adjust the temperature when the broiling function is chosen to suit different types of food and preferences. Some models have a pre-set temperature for broil which takes away the flexibility of temperature adjustments to cater to different recipes.
Other features that should be highlighted are:
- 1500-watt
- 60-minute timer
- Stay on cooking
- Automatic shut-off
- Nonstick interior
- Removable crumb tray
- 4 cooking functions
- Size: 17.5″ (W) x 14″ (D) x 10″ (H)
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The Black & Decker TO1640B uses 3 dials as controls. The top is the temperature dial with a maximum heat of 450°F. The middle dial is the functions dial and you can choose from 4 cooking modes – convection bake, broil, toast and keep warm. The bottom dial lets you set the timer as well as toast shade. This controls set up is very similar to the Hamilton Beach 31330.
You can fit 6 slices of bread on the rack. The curved back also makes it possible to fit a 12″ round pizza. So, the exterior dimensions of 17.5″ (W) x 14″ (D) x 10″ (H) is inclusive of the curved back that juts out in the middle. The inside measures about 12″ wide and 10.5″ deep with about an inch more depth around the curved area. The interior height is approximately 5″.
Inside, there is also a dual-position rack slot. The rack doesn’t slide out automatically when you open the door the way the Cuisinart TOB-40 does. But the crumb tray is accessible from the front without having to open the door for quick clean-up. The interior is also nonstick that it cleans easily.
Should You Buy The Black & Decker TO1640B Countertop Convection Oven?
Pros
- Performs well for wide variety of food – Baking, broiling and toasting, buyers have mentioned that the appliance is able to cook everything well enough for all sorts of food. This is pretty evident in the Amazon reviews. The heat up is fast and heat distribution is fairly even for nicely cooked food.
- Value pricing – The convection feature should add to the cost of the oven but overall, it is still economically priced. It is not far off from the Hamilton Beach 31333 and $10 cheaper than the Oster TSSTTVRB04 at the time of review.
- Simple to understand – With 3 knobs detailing the functions, temperature and timer, the operations of the unit is pretty self-explanatory. The only thing to note is the setting of the toast shade or a short timer and even that, it wouldn’t take long to understand.
Cons
- Timer knob is stiff – There are quite a few complaints online that the timer knob is difficult to turn. However, it is not a defect but a design feature for a tougher dial that also turns counter-clockwise. Still, it is a hassle to set a short timer or shade setting as you would need to turn it past 20 minutes and then rotate counter-clockwise to the desired setting. It is also hard to reproduce the same toast shade results each time with this kind of control dial. Perhaps the Black & Decker TO3210SSD would be a better alternative with a dedicated toast shade dial.
- Numbers rub off – There are customers who complained that the numbers surrounding the knobs rub off pretty easily. Even wiping the surface to clean it can result in the numberings being erased.
- Does not last – While some find that the oven last beyond a few years, others experienced one form of malfunction or another after about 2 years. This could be mechanical failure of the control dials or an unresponsive heating element.
While this unit has a Stay On feature, you do have to be careful when turning this unit off. This is because the Off position on the timer dial is just next to the Stay On position and a few users have accidentally rotated the dial a little too far and inadvertently turned the oven on indefinitely. Therefore, beware of this risk if you are thinking of buying this model, especially if you have kids who will be using this too.
Overall, we don’t think the Black & Decker TO1640B would make the best toaster oven out there. We like the price but we are not too enthusiastic about the toasting function. Usually, for models with this kind of toast shade control, you will need to watch your toast to avoid burning it. If you don’t mind doing it, then you might be happy with this 6-slice toaster oven.
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