Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I received this as a gift to replace my old toaster oven that went up in flames (literally). Initially I was hesitant because of the reviews of the previous model and saved all of the packaging thinking there was a good chance I was going to have to return this. After using it for about a month I have been pleasantly surprised to find that it has met all of my expectations off a toaster oven, exceeding them in certain circumstances. As with most appliances, the "getting to know you" period was a bit frustrating. Some things that you may want to consider are: 1- the print on the dials is very small, 2- the bake/ toast setting are the same on the dial, 3- there is no timer to automatically shut the oven off, 4- the first/lightest setting for toast begins with turning the dial at least one third of the way but is difficult to set because the print is difficult to see and in an unusual position. Darker settings are even more difficult to determine, 5- turning the dial back once you have reached your desired toasting is difficult and requires "breaking in" to the point of initially I didn't think it could be turned back until I read another reviewers comment, 6- the tray does not slide out as the door opens, you have to manually pull it out like you would in a full size oven, 7- the drip/baking tray they provide with the oven is junk. It actually warps in the oven once it heats up causing what ever is on it to slide to the opposite corner. Once you have become familiar with the oven, in my case this was only a day or so because I use it all the time, you begin to appreciate its advantages. Some things to consider are: 1- fairly even baking temperature that allows for a broad range of cooking. I've made brownies, a cookie cake, chicken parmigiana, pizza (both frozen and fresh), baked chicken cutlet, shepards pie, and molten lava cakes to name a few. These were intentionally chosen to see how well the oven could cook the food through and it has performed well on all of them. 2- cooking something from a frozen state does not leave you cold spots on the food. Food comes out with a consistent temperature throughout (no more pizza burnt around the edges and cold at the center bottom). 3- the size of the interior allows for easy to find pans to fit with room to spare. I've been using a 9 x 9 square baking pan for most of my cooking with excellent results and easy removal because the pan has handles. 4- although it has a good sized interior, the space it takes up on the counter is comparable to other toaster ovens that have a smaller interior 5- it cooks and toasts quickly even without the convection feature used. I was able to cook a tray of brownies (think moist and gooey here, not cakelike consistency) in about 8 minutes. 6- super easy to clean. The nonstick interior allows for a quick wipe to remove any splatters and the crumb tray is located right in front. It easily slides out for a quick wipe and slides right back in without having to move the toaster oven to get to the back like some other models. 7- it's EASY to use. I didn't have to worry about trying to remember programming codes or scrolling through things on a digital keypad to use it. No need to rely on the guide book once you get to know the oven. Sometimes I just want to toast my bagel and not feel as if I'm launching the next space shuttle. I would have given this toaster oven a higher rating but held back because of two reasons. The first being the poor design on the toasting knob which should have been a no brainier for them to fix before it was in its final design stages, although you quickly get to the point of knowing where to turn the dial without even having to look. Certain foods require a drip tray and making one that is such poor quality that it could actually be a fire hazard (think pan warping with grease dripping down onto heating coils) when it would be just as easy to have a more durable pan only shows how everyone is looking to cut corners and in the end it costs the consumer more. I expected better from a brand like Cusinart. Overall this toaster oven has exceeded my initial expectations and if I can get my cat out of the box, I will finally be getting rid of the packaging. This was a great gift that I will use on a daily basis as it makes getting meals ready a lot easier. Thanks Marly! Now if it could just make a good mojito.....