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JANUARY 2024 UPDATE (ORIGINAL REVIEW DECEMBER 2019) We've now been using this for just over four years (it gets used 3-4 times per week), and have been really happy with it. The text on the stop/start button has faded, but otherwise the toaster oven is just like new. I still find the controls a little gimmicky (I thought I'd get more used to them over time), but the air fryer and convection functions work great. ORIGINAL REVIEW: This is a beautiful toaster oven (I can’t believe I typed that about a toaster oven…) with convection and a ‘frying basket’ marketed as an air fryer… while I disagree with the marketing, it is a very well-performing toaster oven. I’ve always had Black & Decker toaster ovens, and my last two were also marketed as Air Fryer ovens – I’ll make some comparisons throughout this review. UNBOXING & WALK AROUND The materials on this unit are very impressive for a toaster oven. It is much shorter in height compared with previous models I’ve owned (dimensions approximately 18.5” wide x 15” deep x 9.75” high (measurements include the door handle which adds approx. 1” to the depth of the unit). Aside from the large viewing window, all components are (or are made to look like) high-gloss stainless steel and/or chrome. On the right of the oven is the display and controls. Controls are outlined below in the “control functions section” of this review. The display has a backlight which is always on – when not in use, the display shows the time. Included with the toaster oven is a traditional rack, a bake pan, an easily removable crumb tray, a pizza tray, and a frying basket. The useful dimensions of the frying basket measure 11” wide x 9” deep (measured at the base of the rack). On the back of the unit is a 42” power cord. Unlike any toaster oven I’ve ever seen, this model has a gasket around the door to minimize airflow and heat loss. SET UP Insert the crumb tray and bake rack. My unit had lots of Styrofoam ‘beads’ on it – be sure to remove them before turning on the oven. Plug it in, and you’re good to go. Delonghi recommends a 30 minute bake cycle at full temperature before cooking any food. CONTROL FUNCTIONS At the top of the control panel are three small buttons (clock set, °F/°C selector, “from frozen” toggle). The main knob below it allows you to adjust cooking mode (toast / pizza / bake / broil / airfry / convection / cookies / keep warm / heat). The knob at the bottom of the unit is used to set temperature and cooking time (or pizza diameter if you are using pizza mode), there is a “set” button in the middle of it. Between the knobs is a start/stop button with a ring around it that glows while the unit is running. The “from frozen” button allows you to differentiate between fresh and frozen pizza which adjusts timer. The lower knob ‘skips’ when rotating to adjust temperature/time which is annoying but tolerable. COOKING We’ve always used our toaster oven for baking small meals and for toasting bread/English muffins/Eggos. This one works the same as any other, but requires a little more effort due to the controls requiring a timer to be set regardless of cooking mode you select – this makes it annoying to preheat, but is nice in that it prevents you from being able to forget the unit running. This toaster oven also has an interior light that is always on while the unit is running – it is very nice to have, and helps you time food removal based on browning/crispiness. Don’t rely on the preset timers – we make 12” homemade pizza and remove it before the toaster tells us to (even if we select a smaller 6” pizza size). ”AIR FRYING” We’ve experimented with frozen mozzarella sticks, appetizers, frozen fries, and samosas so far. Rather than the recommended 400° to 450°F shown on the food packaging, we put them in the toaster oven in “Air Fry” mode for the time recommended on the box, and found they do turn out better than when prepared in the oven (well cooked, crispy but not burned outside). This makes sense, since the flow-through air fryer and convection fan are optimal for baking. Compared to my previous B&D Airfry model, this seems to work much better – I believe the convection fan is stronger, which leads to crispier food without burning. Also, the door is insulated and sealed around the edges which allows better heat retention at the front of the oven. The fan is louder than I’m used to and runs after the toaster oven is turned off. THE GOOD + All functions (including air fryer) perform as advertised + Included fryer tray lends to crispy meals and can be used as a second rack for reheating + Very attractive all-stainless steel looks + Insulated front door much cooler to touch during use compared to other models + Internal light helps you see how far along your cooking is THE BAD - Too many presets, and a timer is always running - Extremely high price relative to more traditional toaster ovens, or even cheaper air fry models - Exposed & curved lower element hard to keep clean - One more unnecessary clock in the kitchen OVERALL This is a very attractive toaster oven that does an excellent job cooking food evenly. The controls are gimmicky but (for me) this can be largely overlooked based on cooking quality... if you prefer more basic/manual controls, I’d recommend looking for a different toaster oven.