Cuisinart Compact Air Fryer Toaster Oven (TOA-28) review

The discontinued Cuisinart TOA-28 is an earlier compact oven-style air fryer, not a pull-out basket appliance. It combines a small door-front cavity, a removable AirFry basket and toaster-oven functions. Cuisinart's exact page calls out a 2.5-pound air-fry load, four slices of toast or bagel halves, and a chicken up to three pounds. Those are useful maker examples, but they are not an independent test of a crowded batch or a nominal quart rating.

Bagel instead of pizza, plus a published 60-minute timer

The TOA-28 page lists Convection Bake, Convection Broil, AirFry, Toast, Bagel and Warm. Its sibling TOA-26 page lists Pizza in place of Bagel and does not state a numeric oven-timer range. The TOA-28's product page explicitly names a 60-minute timer and a separate Light/Medium/Dark toast-shade timer. If timed oven operation and bagel halves fit your routine, that published distinction is more useful than a generic count of “six functions.” The listing does not explain the timer's operation mode by mode, so do not treat it as evidence for a longer unattended cook.

The exact product image shows a stainless-style door-front oven with one cavity and four physical dials. It also shows the removable basket and pan inside, not a drawer that can be shaken outside the appliance. Cuisinart describes one Air Fry program and single-cavity oven functions; the visible rack and basket arrangement does not provide two independently controlled zones. If you need two foods to cook at different settings and finish together, select a true dual-zone configuration rather than counting accessories or rack positions.

Measure the outside and keep the inside expectations modest

The manufacturer gives outside dimensions of 12.5 inches long by 15.5 inches wide by 11.5 inches high, and a 17.5 weight value without a unit. The review keeps the listed order and does not turn “17.5” into pounds. Cuisinart does not publish a cubic-foot cavity figure or nominal basket-quart capacity for the TOA-28. The 2.5-pound air-fry claim and a three-pound chicken example describe different food-fit guidance; neither supplies a standardized basket-volume rating. Measure your counter and check the actual model before relying on the published outer dimensions.

The listed package includes an AirFry basket, baking pan, wire rack and crumb tray. A copy of the exact-code TOA-28 instruction booklet says those accessories are hand-wash only, recommends keeping 2–4 inches from walls or countertop objects, and warns that the exterior walls become hot; it also says not to operate below wall cabinets or in an appliance garage. Measure the usable counter and ventilation space, not only the printed outside dimensions. That booklet copy prints a limited three-year U.S./Canada warranty, but its historical term is not evidence of remaining coverage on a used or discontinued unit. The product page still does not give a numeric Warm minimum, rated wattage, or electrical frequency; its manual index has additional unseen pages, so don't borrow a nearby TOA model's numbers.

Use it as an earlier-model reference, not a current-stock pick

Cuisinart marks the exact TOA-28 page both Discontinued and Out Of Stock. That makes it relevant for used-appliance comparisons and support-part identification, but not a current buying endorsement. A secondhand example needs its full model label, included accessories and condition checked; the archived product-page list does not confirm today's seller availability, price, warranty coverage or the state of a particular unit. The manual copy is useful for setup and cleaning guidance, but the supplied booklet or manufacturer support should take precedence if it differs.

Compare the TOA-28 with the newer-listed TOA-26 if a Pizza program and a directly linked manual matter more than a 60-minute timer listing and Bagel setting. The larger TOA-70NAS adds a reversible grill/griddle plate and named Grill mode, but it remains a single-cavity oven. If you want a drawer you can pull out and shake, or two independent cooking zones, a basket-style air fryer is a better form factor. The TOA-28's dated status and documentation gaps make exact identification especially important: keep the model code with the appliance and do not assume TOA-series parts, functions or manuals interchange. See Cuisinart's exact TOA-28 listing for its published specifications; the page identifies it as discontinued and out of stock.