Toaster ovens revisited ...

[Robin Garr]

I'm researching toaster ovens for gift possibilities, looking for durability, quality and, of course, value.

Fifteen years ago, my DeLonghi was a no-brainer, and it's still serving me well, going strong and even with the original interior light. But it seems to me that the last time this topic came up in the forum, I was told that the brand has been sold and devalued and they're not much good any more.

So, what's the best?

I'm not sure it's the best, but it works pretty well.
Rival TO606

Personal opinion on it
Pros:
its deep (12"?) so I can fit in a cast iron skillet
it toasts pretty evenly
it heats up quickly

Cons:
The convection causes a loudish (and annoying) rattling at times
The temperature settings arent all that accurate (need to monitor with an oven thermometer)

[Jenise]

Bill, your mentioning the cast iron skillet fitting in there makes me wonder how you use it. Do you use it like a salamander for broiling off the top of something?

Bill, your mentioning the cast iron skillet fitting in there makes me wonder how you use it.

I use it when I'm doing steaks sometimes, Jenise. Being apartment dwellers at the moment we dont have a grill. I heat the skillet up on the stove, do one side of the steak (the side with some type of rub on it) on the skillet, flip the steak and toss it in the toaster oven (450F, bake) for a few mins.