Convection Toaster Oven

After a poor experience with a $170 EuroPro convection toaster, I researched extensively before committing to a replacement. I wanted a machine that would bake homemade pizza, make cheese toast (personal folly), and to use as a stand-in for the big oven in the Mississippi summers. Quality customer service and avoiding non-stick fumes were high priority as well. I investigated dozens of items online and in person: Cuisinart, DeLonghi, Oster, Black and Decker, KitchenAid, Hamilton Beach and the coveted and overpriced Breville. I'd forgotten about West Bend, who made the old Stir Crazy popcorn makers, until I saw this on Amazon.This manufacturer is in West Bend, Wisconsin. I emailed them asking if the machine had a non-stick interior and they responded promptly that it did not. I ordered the oven from the Amazon vendor over two months ago and have been extremely pleased. It is easy to understand and to operate and it toasts, bakes and broils well. I haven't tested the temperature or the timings, but I haven't had reason to question the accuracy of either. The convection does speed up the baking a bit.The included pan is coated with a black material and cleans easily. The uncoated wire rack isn't heavy duty but it is sturdy enough to hold food without sagging. It doesn't pull out when you open the door, but a tool is included that you use to slide the rack out or lift the pan out. Practice for a minute and you'll get the hang of it. There is no interior light but I haven't missed it.For a person who frequently suffers buyer's remorse this purchase has been a huge relief. No 'throwaway mentality' workmanship, and I'm confident that if I have a problem that the manufacturer will respond. (And for the price, I may get one for my elderly mother to replace the one she burns things in.)It does what it's supposed to do and I have yet to find fault with it. That's high praise from me; just ask my husband.

I made two mistakes with this product: 1) buying it, and 2) not returning it immediately.I bought this toaster oven in August 2012, encouraged by reviews at that time. Plenty of other products met my requirements: medium-large capacity, pizza-ready, with convection cooking. This one seemed reasonably priced and generally well liked. The West Bend appliances I've purchased over the years have been well-made, and I had no reservations about trying a new one. Please note that while West Bend is an American company, this product is made in China.When the oven arrived, I was a little taken aback by the flimsy metal housing. There was a small dent the that I decided to ignore--my old Black & Decker had bitten the dust, and I was in dire need of a replacement. One problem with thin metal is that external surfaces get VERY hot when the oven is in use. I didn't dare put anything remotely close to this product; consequently it took up quite a bit of extra space on my counter.I'm not exaggerating about hot surfaces: when I used the convection oven for the first time (at 350 degrees for 15 minutes), the tempurature-setting knob actually melted off. I managed to glue it back on, but either the thermostat's goose got cooked during that exercise, ot it never worked properly in the first place. I suspect that latter. As far as I could tell, all convection cooking took place at the highest setting (450 degrees). Surprisingly, the convection feature worked well, especially for cooking items straight from the freezer. Resetting the temperature appeared to have no effect on the heat level, so it was necessary to watch items closely when baking them.A rather vague timer controls on/off functions. I never managed to find a setting that consistently toasted something lightly (like a croissant) without burning it. Bread toasted well. The manual-crank timer feels like something out of the 1960s, though, and sometimes it stopped altogether during the toasting process.This poor creature died four months after I purchased it. While I was examining return options, though, it mysteriously returned from the dead. Maybe it was just resting. Hard to tell, with a toaster oven. It worked--albeit erratically--for two more months. At that point it died permanently: one day it stopped doing anything and never revived.I may have received a lemon; many people seem to have had better luck. I have serious questions about quality monitoring during the manufacturing of this product, though, if I received such a poorly made one. Due to my experience and my concern with quality control, I can't give this product more than one star or recommend it to anyone.