REASONS TO BUY
Large capacity
Classic styling
REASONS TO AVOID
Large footprint
Uneven toasting
Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 Review
This is a good option if you want to toast for two people on different settings
Credit: Cuisinart
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Our Verdict
We like the ability of this large-capacity toaster, with its dual interface, to toast for different people using two different settings at the same time. Although its performance was a little inconsistent across the board, our team felt that it adequately toasted and reheated snacks, was very easy to operate, and would be a decent choice for a large family with a very busy morning routine, where multiple users can try to achieve different tasks. However, at the price point, it doesn't offer strong enough performance to earn a recommendation from our test team, and we think other options should be considered.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | ||
| Price | $70 List $66.99 at Amazon | $30 List $29.95 at Amazon | $25 List $24.99 at Amazon | $25 List $24.91 at Amazon | $70 List $34.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A good choice for multiple people with different toasting preferences | Overall this toaster brings to the table a strong performance, is compact, and budget-friendly | At the lower end of quality, but a budget-friendly option that works | An aesthetically interesting option but only provides an average level of performance | Impressive performance at a low prices makes this a compelling 4-slice model |
| Rating Categories | Cuisinart 4 Slice C... | Cuisinart CPT-122 | Black+Decker 2-Slic... | Bella 2 Slice Auto... | Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 |
| Bread Toasting Quality (35%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (35%) | |||||
| Bagel Toasting Quality (15%) | |||||
| Frozen Food (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Cuisinart 4 Slice C... | Cuisinart CPT-122 | Black+Decker 2-Slic... | Bella 2 Slice Auto... | Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 |
| Functions | Bagel Defrost Reheat Cancel |
Bagel Defrost Reheat Cancel |
Bagel Frozen Cancel |
Bagel Frozen Cancel Gluten Free Reheat |
Defrost Reheat Cancel |
| Measured Slot Dimensions | 5.4 x 4.25" | 5.4 x 4.25" | 5.4 x 4.75" | 5 x 4.25" | 9.8 x 4" |
| Measured Dimensions | 10.4" x 11" x 7" | 6.5" x 11" x 7.2" | 7.3" x 12" x 8" | 9.8" x 5.8 x 7" | 14.7" x 7.1" x 7.7" |
| Measured Weight | 5.1 lbs | 2.6 Ibs | 2.6 Ibs | 2.1 lbs | 4.3 lbs |
| Measured External Surface Temperature During Toasting | 110.8 F | 84.9 F | 101.2 F | 86.5 F | 96.8 F |
| Measured Product Footprint | 114.4 | 71.5 | 87.6 | 56.8 | 104.4 |
| Measured Watts | 849 W (2 Slots) 1700 W (4 Slots) |
935 W | 885 W | 865 W | 1339 W |
| End of Cycle Indicator | None | None | None | None | None |
| Exterior Housing Material | Stainless Steel | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Stainless Steel |
| Color/Finish Options | Black Stainless, Metallic Red, Brushed Stainless, White. | White, Red, Black | Black | Aqua, Black, Blue, Red, Sage, White | Black Plastic/Stainless |
| Standard/Long Slot | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Long |
| Available with Long Slot? | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Available in 4 slot? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model Number | CPT-180 | CPT-122 | T2569B | BOB137 | ECT-3100 |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
This large capacity toaster is an okay option for supporting the whole family's breakfast routine.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Bread Toasting Quality
Our first metric, bread toasting quality, is one of our most heavily weighted test metrics as it measures one of the most important aspects of a toaster. Unfortunately, the Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 failed to perform as well as the top models our team tested, resulting in less than impressive toast.
Across multiple rounds of testing, using different settings, the Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 barely achieved more than a very lightly toasted slice of bread with hardly any crispy texture. Results were also inconsistent across the four different slices.
The Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 is an easy to use large capacity toaster.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ease of Use
The Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 proved to be one of the easier-to-use models that our team tested. Crumb tray access at the rear is less than ideal, but two separate trays are easy enough to remove and clean. Each side of the toaster has its own control panel with a dial for shade selection and four buttons; bagel, defrost, reheat, and cancel. The design is essentially two individual toasters, sandwiched together into a single unit, allowing multiple users to toast different snacks using their preferred settings.
Rear crumb tray access is a minor annoyance.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Bagel Toasting Quality
In its first round of bagel toasting, the Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 toaster achieved a dark brown color, with the inside surface evenly toasted. However, bagels were darker on the bottom half, resulting in a crunchy, but slightly overdone texture. In a subsequent round, the top inch of the bagel didn't toast well, but the bottom half displayed a beautiful golden color. Despite this inconsistency, the texture was enjoyable, as it retained some softness while maintaining a satisfying crispness on the outside.
Overall, the Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 demonstrated decent performance in our bagel toasting tests, although achieving more consistent results would make it a much better toaster.
Uneven toasting kept the Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 from scoring better overall.
Credit: Lesley Robinson
Frozen Food
The Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 exhibited rather average performances across our individual frozen food tests. It produced waffles that were uneven with more browning toward the center and lighter browning at the edges. Our team also struggled to produce consistent results reheating frozen bread, initially creating overly darkened and over-toasted slices. Lighter heat settings resulted in patchy colors and a moderately crunchy snack.
When tasked with heating frozen strudel, the Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 again produced uneven results. While the filling was adequately heated, uneven cooking resulted in patchy colors and a pale center. While this model can handle frozen food tasks with satisfaction, it didn't do nearly as well as better models.
The Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 produced uneven waffles on the verge of being undercooked.
Credit: Lesley Robinson
Should You Consider Buying the Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180?
The Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180 is a good four-slice toaster that is easy to use but didn't perform as well as other models. Because it fell short when compared to similarly priced models, we can not recommend it over those superior toasters and better values.
What Other Toaster Should You Consider?
At around half the price of the Cuisinart 4 Slice Classic CPT-180, the Mueller UltraToast 4 Slice offers comparable performance and also has a four-slice capacity to support the whole family's morning breakfast routine, making it the better choice for most. Of course, for those prioritizing performance with a more modest budget, the Cuisinart CPT-122 is a good option that offers stronger overall performance when compared to the majority of products tested. However, if price is not an issue, and you want near-perfect performance from your toaster, then you'll want to take a good look at the Smeg 2-Slice.
—
Benjamin Hickok and Lesley Robinson
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