Elite Gourmet by Maximatic Americana Collection ETO147M Diner 50’s Retro Countertop Toaster oven, Bake, Toast, Fits 8” Pizza, Temperature Control & Adjustable 60-Minute Timer 1000W, 2 Slice, Mint

Now that I've used the Elite Gourmet countertop toaster, convection, rotisserie oven for toast, pizza, chicken, turkey, and Swedish meatballs, it's time to give my honest evaluation: I love it!A little background and why I chose this product: I recently had to move into affordable housing and still will pay for gas and electricity. I'm now on a fixed income. The first time I used the apartment's oven, my apartment went from 68° to 77°. It took all afternoon for it to cool down. I started to look for a good quality countertop unit with a rotisserie. I was about to purchase one costing nearly $300 which was rated close to 5 stars. But nearly all of the 1 star reviews said the same thing, there was an odor that wouldn't go away, the materiel was flimsy, and the rotisserie function was faulty. Always go to the 1 star reviews first. If they say the same thing, look for something else or see for yourself at a local store if you can find the item. I did. So back to searching I went and came across Elite Gourmet with only 4 stars. Plus it was offered at over 50% off. The 1 star reviews were varied. Amazingly, they were from people who obviously didn't read the instructions or realize that they were dealing with a miniature oven. And ovens get hot. Even the beautiful Brevilles have problems, plus none of them have a rotisserie. So I bought the Elite Gourmet and I'm so glad I did. My apartment never heats up when I use it.Some advice if you are getting this or any countertop oven: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. After wiping it down and prior to first use, set the oven function, not the convection function, to 450° and heat it for around 15 minutes or so. There will be a slight odor, but it will dissipate. I waited for it to cool down and wiped it with a clean damp cloth again before using it.Next, get familiar with the appliance and its accompanying accessories. Practice removing the baking sheet and wire racks using the tool that comes with the oven. Attach and remove the rotisserie rod. If you aren't sure or have never used the type of rotisserie attachments included, go to YouTube and watch a video. Make sure you have the racks in properly before placing or removing items, especially heavy ones. Last, remember to wear oven mitts. The elements are much closer to your hands then the ones on larger ovens and they get just as hot. Also, use just the oven function, which is at the off position on the function dial, when you make toast. The convection function will dry out your toast.The Elite Gourmet has beautiful French style doors and fits beautifully in the corner of my counter. It's convenient, well-priced, and performs wonderfully. This is not an airfryer, but using the convection feature can sometimes perform the same or better depending on what you are making.Hope this review helps you if you're looking for a countertop oven.

When the oven on my antique stove stopped working, I was faced with two choices: Give up my beautiful cream and apple-green enamel classic and buy a modern stove, or find an alternative. I chose an alternative. In the ensuing 10 years I used two different brands of counter top ovens, neither of which were satisfactory. They were too small, barely accommodating an 11" pie plate, and neither of them heated accurately. Cookie tins were twice the size of both ovens, and my 9x13 baking dish was several inches too wide to fit. Roasting a turkey was entirely out of the question, and the baking at Thanksgiving and Christmas I had relished (and my family enjoyed for many years) was exceedingly difficult because of the limitations of both ovens. The day I served baking powder biscuits for breakfast that were half the size they should have been and never browned properly was the day I was done, done, done. I embarked on a year-long search to find a satisfactory counter top oven and visited dozens of websites. I looked at countless brands and models, and either they didn't meet my requirements for size and quality, or the reviews were terrible. Then one day when I had nearly given up hope, I found the Maxi-Matic Platinum Double Door Counter Top oven. The skies opened and the birds sang, as I read the specs on the ETO-4510M Toaster Oven. They’ve been singing ever since. This oven is far superior to the humble toaster ovens I've used over the years, and its 23L-capacity accommodates my 11" pie plate and large, collectible muffin tin with ease. And yes, my glass 9x13 baking dish also has plenty of room. Rotisserie, Bake, Grill, Broil, Roast, Toast, Keep Warm; it's all part of what this oven does so well. Cleanup is a dream, so easy that splatters from a roast simply wiped off later. This oven is also well-constructed with double doors that fit properly without a gap in the middle. On top of everything else, it deserves the designation "Platinum" in its name for a simple elegance that I find very pleasing. I *have* found that the oven runs hotter than the gauge indicates, but overcoming that obstacle was easy with a high-quality oven thermometer. Each setting has a consistent temperature, and the increases are in even increments. I now have a chart posted inside the cabinet door above the oven, and I know exactly where to set the dial(s) for the temperature I want. There are two additional changes I wish the manufacturer would implement: A switch to turn off the light inside, and a "Stay On" feature for the timer. Presently, the oven timer stays on for one hour, then shuts itself off. (I suppose this is a safety feature as so many senior citizens are a bit absent-minded at times, but it would be nice if I had the option for longer cooking times.) Again, I overcome this feature by setting an alarm to reset the oven timer when more cooking time is needed. For me, these three minuses are insignificant compared to the many advantages of this oven. I am almost deliriously happy with it, and if I could give it ten stars I would gladly do so. NOTE: I would definitely NOT recommend placing this or any other oven above shoulder height. Should anything go wrong when removing baked goods from an oven this high, terrible burns are almost a certainty.