I read the previous review and am wondering how you WOULDN'T burn toast if you set the timer for 25 minutes! Conventional wisdom suggests that the longer you set the timer, the darker the toast. Set it too long and it turns black. Most toasters do not have varying levels of heat (at least in the "toast" setting); rather, it relies on how long you expose the bread at that temperature.
With that being said, the Euro-Pro has been an excellent value for me. It can be found at several major retailers, and I paid less than $30 for mine at Best Buy. Now, if you're all about snob appeal (or a stainless steel chassis) then you'd probably do better buying a Kitchenaid toaster. Sure, you'll pay five times the price, but that's what you get when you desire snob appeal. Actually, you get more than that with the Kitchenaid, but my level of culinary expertise doesn't require the extra features of the higher-priced brands.
Let me extol the virtues of this oven point by point:
1. The Price: It's cheap. It's really cheap.
2. The Look: No, it doesn't have the flair of the stainless steel models, but its clean, white chassis is certainly not offensive.
3. The size: It's not too big, not too small. It doesn't dominate your limited countertop, but it's much roomier inside than similarly-priced models. The Durabrand competitor from Wal-Mart is miniscule compared to this one. Unlike other models at this price, there are two racks inside!
4. Ease of cleaning: I once had a small Black & Decker oven that had a little latch at the bottom that made the bottom swing open. It was an interesting idea, but not always practical. With this one, there is a sliding crumb tray. You simply slide it out and rinse it off. Then you return to its position and you're good to go. It fits very nicely and I've not had one crumb get past it and stick to the bottom of the oven.
5. Ease of operation: It's almost a no-brainer. You have a "bake," "broil," and "toast/pizza" setting. There is a temperature setting that ranges up to 450 degrees. There's a 60 minute timer (rotary dial). There's a red light to indicate that the power is "on." Nothing more, nothing less.
6. Performance: I'm certain that a $150 oven would do better. It had better do better! But if you're looking for a BASIC toaster/countertop oven, you're probably not going to find one better. It does exactly what it claims it will do: Bake, Broil, and Toast. Now, that "Pizza" setting is really for a slice of pizza or one of those small, plate-sized pizzas. If you want to bake a 16-inch pizza, you're still going to go to the other oven in your kitchen.
Overall, this is a good oven. It would make a great gift (Christmas, housewarming, or wedding). I think it would be ideal in a dorm room or similarly-sized living arrangement. Now, you can bake a chicken breast or broil a few chops too!
***Updates***
1. I noticed the other day that there is a stainless-steel version of this same oven available for about $50---that's an extra $20 or so for essentially the same oven, but in trendy stainless steel.
2. Using the black baking tray on the "toast" setting (where the heat comes from above) will blacken/burn your food. Use this tray ONLY while in the "bake" mode.
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Euro-Pro Toaster Oven To284 Factory ServicedProduct Description: UPC: 622357000000Wimpy toaster can't handle all the toast your family goes through? Say goodbye to 2 slices at a time and try this toaster oven that can broil, bake or toast up to 6 slices at once.
. Broil, bake, toast and keep warm options let you choose the desired setting
. 0.5 cu. ft./14 liter capacity; holds up to 6 large slices
. Full range temperature control up to 450? lets you control the temperature of your food
. Convenient 60-minute auto off timer with ready signal
. Toast shade control lets you choose the option that is right for you
. Easy empty pull-out crumb tray for easy cleaning
. Cool touch handles stay cool to the touch making it easy to operate the oven
. Power light lets you see whether the oven is on or off
. Glass window lets you see if your food is cooking properly
Buy cheap Euro-Pro Toaster Oven To284 Factory Serviced now
Not a bad toaster, just not a particularly good one either.Bought it to replace a vintage toaster from the 50s and that toaster could toast perfectly.This one toasts more on the outside sides of the bread than the sides facing the center.Also, there is little leeway in settings between toasted nicely and burnt.Looks good though.
