I have been made more aware of the lack of nutritional value of food that has been microwaved. As I was researching how to cook and reheat food in ways other than microwaving, I was brought to toaster ovens. So I researched and asked around about pros and cons of the different toaster ovens on the market. The kitchenaid appealed to me for its size, I cook and reheat a lot. I also liked the look of it and the reports of how it worked. So after buying this one, I wondered why I had never owned one previously. It definitely has allowed me to stick to my microwave for minimal things. I like how leftover food heats up in little time and I like the way it comes out like it was baked in an oven. Love it!!! Even Heating I haven't had any issues at all of not heating evenly. No matter what shelf I use it comes out evenly hot. Ease of Cleaning Very easy to clean. I use white vinegar water in a spray bottle and everything needing to be cleaned wipes out. The tray included with this toaster oven is very easy to clean up. Durability Part of the reason I purchased this oven is that it seemed to be more durable than many I looked at. Design I haven't found anything that I haven't liked about the design of this toaster oven. I like the appearance of it also and it looks great on my kitchen counter.

NBWyoming

USA

We use this KitchenAid Countertop Oven mostly as a toaster, and it seems to take much longer to toast a bagel or bread than a simple toaster does. I like using it to reheat pizza, or other baked dishes. It takes up a lot of space on the counter top, and we have to resist the urge to store things on top of it, especially plastic containers. We discovered just how hot the surface gets when we forgot to move a tub of protein powder and it got soft and melted. It's not well-insulated against radiant heat and needs a few inches of clearance from the wall for maximum safety and performance, a fact that is clearly stated in the instruction manual. Even Heating I've never tried to bake cookies or anything in it, so I can't attest to how evenly it heats. Toast seems to be evenly browned. Safety The door isn't insulated, so it gets hot. But so do the sides of a regular toaster. Use common sense, and you'll be fine. Ease of Cleaning Easy to wipe the surface clean. Comes with a crumb tray that slides out easily. Durability I've had a "Refurbished" model for a year of nearly daily use. There was no indication of whether it was just an open box return, or if it had been broken and repaired. No problems. Design It is aesthetically pleasing, but seems huge for a counter top appliance. Not for tiny kitchens, unless it is a replacement for a standard oven.

AllSheWrote

Boynton Beach, FL

I grew up with a toaster oven. It was a small, cheap model--significantly smaller than the KitchenAid twelve-inch countertop oven. I loved it because I could use it to butter toast before it was toasted or reheat a slice of pizza without it getting soggy in the microwave or heating up the whole house by using the oven. So when I got married, I happily registered for this model, thinking it looked really nice and high-quality. And it is nice and high-quality, to an extent. It works well for reheating foods and making toast, though since it's relatively large for a small oven, it takes awhile to toast/reheat things (5+ minutes to even cook toast or a poptart). I don't recommend baking things in it (i.e. cookies)--the oven cooks unevenly (hotter towards the back), and the temperature seems to be higher in general, so cookies will overcook on the outside and be raw in the middle. I guess you could get an oven thermometer to correct the temperature and flip the tray around halfway through if you really wanted to cook in it.

elledent

San Antonio, TX

We received this toaster oven for the holidays as a gift, and it looks great. It fits in very well with our updated kitchen and stainless appliances. All of the functions appear to work well, and the baking temperature seems to be fairly true, though sometimes I need to bake an item for a bit longer than the recipe calls for to get it done. The unit is easy to use, just make sure your top dial is on the type of cooking you want to use-toast, bake or broil, then make sure you use the time dial for broil or bake, and the toast dial for level of done-ness on your toast. The light turns on and sounds like it is on, even if you turn the wrong one, and it is not actually doing anything! My husband has checked on his toast three times, complaining that it is still cold, when he turned the time dial instead of the toast dial, haha! Overall, I like the toaster, but must warn you about how HOT the door and outside of the oven get. OUCH!

Crissy699

Attleboro, MA

I was disappointed in this. I could have spent less for the same quality. I burned myself repeatedly before I learned to be as careful as possible using it. Comes with a few extra pieces- a rack ,tray, and bottom tray. Some were very awkward fitting. I might next time go for a smaller version, taking up less space. It emits quite a bit of heat. I do like that it has a timer. It looks good- which does not make up for utility. Because it is used on a countertop, I would keep all objects away from it. Obviously it is an oven and gets hot,but it gets extremely hot on every square inch. I use this usually just to heat toast and sandwiches, instead of heating up the house with the oven. Even Heating Havent had any noticeable issues. Can fit a Totinos size pizza in it, but not a larger one. Safety I have burnt myself many many times using this, on the metal above the handle usually. Every part of this gets extremely hot, including the sides where the cord might touch..

sellington

Hockley, TX