Cuisinart CMW-200 Review: Microwave Oven

Tara Williams

Food Writer & Editor For KitchenSanity

Tara Williams is a seasoned food writer and editor who's been with KitchenSanity since its beginning. With a knack for experimenting with food and creating delicious recipes, she's your go-to for straightforward kitchen advice and practical tips from personal experiences. As a mom of two, Tara understands the value of time. She crafts articles that enhance your cooking skills and free up time for what matters most—like family moments.

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The Cuisinart CMW-200 Convection Microwave Oven with Grill offers multi-stage cooking in a small footprint.

While it sounds like it can do it all, you need to consider what it can and can’t do before your purchase.

Ready to start cooking? In this Cuisinart CMW-200 review, we will cover its features, pros and cons, and help you decide if it’s right for you and your kitchen.

Cuisinart CMW-200 Review: Features

Creative cooking after a long day can be a challenge. However, a convection microwave/oven combo can speed up the process and get you out of the kitchen.

Microwave Cooking

While there are standard, simple settings for microwaving everyday foods, you can also defrost by weight.

This is a great way to safely defrost delicate foods, including seafood, without starting the cooking process and damaging the texture.

Per the manual, any microwavable dish will work in this microwave oven. Of course, once you turn on the oven mode, you’ll need to use bakeware.

Convection Baking

Convection baking is a faster and more even cooking method compared to traditional baking and can give a beautiful roasted finish to many types of meat and vegetables.

Per experts with TheKitchn, even a covered casserole will benefit from the warm moving air of convection as it will cook faster.

Foods with leavening agents or soft foods like soufflés should not be baked with the fan on. Keeping the fan on will most likely cause your soufflé to fall flat.

Can you use metal bakeware in the CMW-200? As long as the machine is set to convection, you can use any oven-safe dish.

Convection Roasting

Because the moving air will seal your food and caramelize fats more quickly, microwave convection ovens are the ideal roasting tool.

You will need to adjust your recipe by lowering the temperature, shortening the cooking time, or both.

Even when following recipes, it will take some patience while you get used to cooking with convection. Monitoring your convection oven as you learn the convection cooking process will pay off in the end.

Grilling Option

Convection ovens heat food by two specific methods: a heat source and the movement of hot air. This oven features a heat source at the top and a fan at the back.

By placing your cooking dish on the adjustable stainless-steel grill, you get the food closer to the heat source.

Browning the cheese on a pizza or putting a finish on a roast fowl is easy and will result in beautifully presented food.

Touchpad Controls And Programming

The display panel and programming capabilities will let you set up a series of cooking steps that include microwaving in the CMW-200.

For example, you can defrost, then bake and grill or finish the top of a casserole without ever stopping the cooking process from reprogramming.

Cooking Speed

Convection ovens cook faster at lower temperatures in less time. If your household is small, this convection oven could provide you with many of your cooking requirements and get food on the table fast.

The programming capabilities let you move from microwave defrosting to convection baking to a broiled finish. No stopping, no stirring.

Versatile and Portable – Not For Cabinets

For those with RV’s, this tool offers many cooking options in minimal space. Be sure to follow the clearance requirements for airflow to avoid damaging the product due to overheating.

This oven should not be mounted in a cabinet. The fan at the back needs plenty of venting volume, so don’t encase this oven in a cabinet or cupboard.

If you struggle to pick up nearly 40 pounds, once you’ve got it in place, it’s best to leave it there.

Also, take care to note power requirements and do not overload your system.

Related | Best Small Microwave

Let the Air Move Around Your Food

You can use regular baking dishes in your convection microwave/oven as long as you don’t use metal dishes while using the microwave setting. It’s essential not to use deep baking dishes with high sides in your convection oven so that air and circulate properly.

Per RV fans and convection cooks, if you want a crisp, brown finish on your baked goods, meats, and casseroles, use a shallow dish. This dish will make the convection feature less useful as the air can’t get at the food.

Cuisinart CMW-200 Specs

  • Power: 1000 watt
  • Capacity: 1.2 cubic ft.
  • Color: Brushed Stainless
  • Inside Material: Stainless steel interior
  • Cuisinart CMW-200 Dimensions: 21.20″ Length x 19.00″ Width x 12.20″ Height
  • Weight: 38 lbs.

What’s In The Box?

  • Cuisinart CMW-200 1.2 Convection Microwave Oven With Grill
  • Rotating 12” Glass Tray
  • Reversible Grill Rack
  • Recipe Book and Instructions
  • Limited 3-Year Warranty

Cuisinart CMW-200 Pros And Cons

Pros

  • This countertop cooking powerhouse can defrost, microwave, bake, and grill.
  • Thanks to hot air movement, convection cooking and microwaving lets you prepare food quickly and efficiently.
  • The CMW-200 is stainless steel inside and out, so it’s easy to clean and offers clean, modern lines.
  • The programmable keypad features a backlit clock with LCD.
  • The rotating glass tray keeps your food moving and cooking efficiently, and the reversible grill will keep your food at the right height from the heat source for a finished dish.

Cons

  • Needs a lot of airflow so that the convection feature doesn’t overheat.
  • While this machine can fit on a shelf, it not an OTR microwave and should not be installed into a cabinet.
  • The CMW-200 convection feature can get loud when the fan kicks in.

Related | Over The Range Microwave Reviews

Cuisinart Microwave FAQs

Are Cuisinart Microwaves Good?

We think so! If we had to give them a star rating, it would be 8/10. There are many kitchen appliances and microwave oven brands on the market, with Cuisinart being a leader and offering a wide variety of options.

Can The Cuisinart CMW-200 Be Placed In A Cabinet?

You should not install the CMW-200 in a cabinet. It is not designed for closed spaces and needs ample airflow all around the unit, particularly in the rear where the fans are.

Can You Bake A Cake In The Cuisinart Cmw-200?

Yes, you can bake a cake in this combo with the convection mode. In fact, “cake” is one of the preset options on the touch panel.

Does The Cuisinart CMW-200 Microwave Oven And Convention Grill Use Military Time?

Unfortunately, this unit only offers a 12hr clock with AM and PM.

Where To Buy Cuisinart CMW-200?

This unit can be challenging to find, as its original release date was in 2015. However, because it is such a fantastic microwave oven combo, you can easily find it online. Our recommendation? Find and check the price on Amazon.

Cuisinart CMW-200 Review: Final Thoughts

If you’re a fan of cooking ahead or someone who loves roasted foods’ flavor and look, this small convection oven can produce the finish you need.

The Cuisinart CMW-200 is the ideal cooking tool for a roasted chicken to a browned casserole.

For cooks who only need to heat leftovers quickly, this is probably more microwave than is required.

Written By Tara Williams

Tara Williams is a seasoned food writer and editor who's been with KitchenSanity since its beginning. With a knack for experimenting with food and creating delicious recipes, she's your go-to for straightforward kitchen advice and practical tips from personal experiences. As a mom of two, Tara understands the value of time. She crafts articles that enhance your cooking skills and free up time for what matters most—like family moments.

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