Black & Decker Toaster Oven with Convection Cooking

Customer Rating:
Summary: This caught on fire!
Comment: This is not a review that the numbers are too small, there is no light, I do not like the beeping. Other than a small fire, I LOVED this toaster oven, but it is hard to get over flames in your kitchen.

While I have had B&D toasters for over 15 years, I was shocked to be standing in my kitchen while I watched the top heat element spark and flame up while making dinner. I use this toaster oven on a regular basis for baking and broiling and have had no problems for nine months. When I was six minutes into broiling a steak (one of the main uses), it started to spark and at seven minutes it broke out into flames that did not decrease when the unit was unplugged.

My mother also owns the unit and uses this more than the stove. The day before my fire, her unit would not work unless the timer and temperature were both on (had not happened before). I find it odd that two toasters in two states would break in the same weekend.

Customer Rating:
Summary: FIRESTARTER!
Comment: We were reasonably happy with this toaster oven; Even if it didn't toast well or evenly, the glass gets very dirty, it gets very hot and the heating element coils catch on fire frequently. We were willing to settle for this less than stellar functionality until this morning when toasting some hash brown patties. All of a sudden there were sparks flying out of either end of the toaster oven (literally sparks of fire shooting all over the kitchen counter and toward me) and then before you know it the unit was on fire inside. Thankfully we were able to unplug it before there was any real damage; no damaged kitchen cabinets and no kitchen fire - but if we had left the kitchen for a minute, our kitchen could have caught on fire. This is the second TRO651 that we purchased, and the second one to bite the dust! I will definitely buy another toaster oven, but I will definitely NOT buy another Black and Decker.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Product
Comment: Black & Decker makes pretty good light-use power tools so I figured this oven would do the trick too. Not so. The "convection" fan, which didn't noticeably improve cooking from the start, ceased operation after about 10 uses and after about 3mos. the toaster function quit. This was not from high volume use - we're talking one person using it about 2-3 times/week and mostly on toaster setting. The only way is works now is on "oven" setting. This product is weak for the $50-plus price tag.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Poor Construction
Comment: I had numerous problems with this Toast-R-Oven. I've only had it slightly over a year and I am now junking it and looking for a new one by a new brand.
Within about one month, the oven temp dials popped off, and continued to do so each time I used the toaster. The handle to the glass door came loose next and must be reattached each time or I will burn my fingers. The coils are placed in such a way that it overcooks near the front of the oven, but not enough in the middle. Toast is ALWAYS inconsistent, sometimes burnt on the ends but not toasted in the middle. It Never toasted evenly on both sides. Any attempts at baking result in the same problems.

On the plus side, I did not have some of the other problems often seen with toaster ovens. The timer turns off automatically when I open the door. It was a simple chirp that could be heard but not too loud. I liked having the crumb tray pull out from the front. And the coil protetion was helpful for dripping pizza and such.

Considering the price of this toaster oven and the problems I have had, there are others that are much cheaper which I am sure would do a much better job.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Toast in this?
Comment: As someone who got this as a gift, maybe I can be a little less impassioned. This is large enough that making toast in it doesn't make any more sense than using a conventional oven to do the same. The timer is very useful to me. The calibration on it may lean towards hotter than my conventional oven but it is very useful as a second oven for a NY apartment dweller.

As for the failure of B&D to stand behind defective product, that is an American industry problem that will only be solved by Congressional legistlation to force companies to replace or refund defective products. B&D is just as reprehensible as almost every other American company - I suspect that to be responsible would be a dire competitive disadvantage. You want to see that change then make it a matter of public debate. Unless they are all forced to do it, none of them will (or probably can afford to) do it.