Disappointed and regretful

Does my title say enough?

I purchased this countertop toaster oven for its attractive stainless steel appearance and no-nonsense interface. Manual knobs and timers have always made sense to me... besides, who really needs a digital toaster? The DeLonghi sports three large knobs; one for mode (toast/bake/broil), one for temperature, and a timer which rings a bell when completed. Simple enough. There is a removable glass tray with a broiler pan that sits in it. The rack is height adjustable and comes out with a little effort, and the lower crumb tray slides out for cleaning but tends to spill debris as it does so.

Once sitting on the countertop the DeLonghi is certainly an attractive appliance. That is where the appeal ends.

The unit takes quite a long time to toast bread, let alone heat leftover pizza or prepare side dishes. The heating elements are quite close to the rack which causes uneven heating (read: localized burning). The oven itself is large enough for 6 slices of bread, but you will get 2 burnt pieces, two medium, and two raw... all at once!

It took me more than a month to realize how truly bad this device is, so a return was not possible. For the money I spent I am reluctant to replace it. I suppose it may 'fall' victim to some damage in the future which might speed up its life expectancy. Until then I have to stand in front of it to monitor my toast progress lest I incinerate slice after slice searching for the right spot on the rack.

There are better and cheaper choices out there. Keep looking.