Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is my first ever online product review but I am so impressed with this product I want to share my positive experience with others.
Having owned cheaper toaster ovens over the years, I was always disappointed with the product quality, reliability and performance. While they all did an OK job of toasting a bagel or reheating a slice of pizza their use was limited, poorly constructed, flimsy and lacking features.
This time I was determined to purchase a quality high end, well constructed unit that not only offered more features but superior performance.
After much research on the web, reading customer/product reviews and doing in-store comparisions between various toaster ovens, I narrowed it down between the Krups FBC2 or FBC4 and the Cuisinart TOB-175C convection taster oven. In the end I decided to purchase and try out the Krups FBC2 toaster oven for the following reasons:
1 - The overall design, sleek appearance and most importantly, solid high quality contruction. Just compare product weight. The Krups appears to be more solid and better built, which may account for its added weight.
2 - The illuminated LCD digital controls are very intuitive and easy to use. The temperature adjusts in 25 degree increments proving to be a very fast and convenient feature. While some people might prefer 1 degree adjustments, I don't miss not being able to set it to odd settings such as 314 or 438 degress. 275, 300, 325, 350, 400, 425, 450 etc work fine for me.
3 - The offset grille provides more heating positions for more accurate heating and cooking.
4 - Even with its compact design, it has a slightly larger interior cooking area.
5 - Last and definately not least, I read only positive reviews about the quartz convection heating eliments, and having now used it, I can see why. This oven seems like it heats up almost instantanously with nice and even heat distribution. What an incredible improvement over the much cheaper units I have owned in the past.
I was so impressed with the Krups KBC2 toaster oven, I decided to return it and purchase the more expensive FBC4 model from Amazon because it offered even more features. Believe me, I am not disappointed. While the Krups FBC2 is an equally excellent product, the FBC4 also has:
1 - A stainless steel exterior finish which I really like because of its quality, appearance and durability, especially after reading reviews indicating there were issues with the Cuisinart exterior finish flaking.
2 - The convection oven feature significantly reduces cooking/reheating time.
3 - It has a Bagel toasting setting not available on the FB2 where it toasts bagels on the sliced side while only heating up the crust side. Like other units on the market, the FB2 toasts both sides. While this does a decent job of toasting bagels, the FB4 Bagel toasting feature results in a perfectly toasted bagel every time.
4 - While I have not yet used the defrost feature, I am looking forward to using it since I am not a big fan of microwaves.
In conclusion, I could not be happier with my decision to purchase a Krups toaster oven. The FB4 has definately exceeded my expectations and I look forward to using it for many years to come.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Krups FBC4-13 6-Slice Convection Digital Toaster Oven with Preset Cooking Functions
Attractively designed in chrome with black accents, this six-slice toaster oven offers a large 0.59 cubic-foot capacity and convection baking, which circulates heated air around food for faster, more even cooking. Its patented quartz cycling technology alternates 1600 watts of power to each set of 3-quartz heating elements (one above and one below) to produce maximum radiant heat. In addition, the unit's highly polished stainless-steel reflective crumb tray directs heat to all interior corners for optimal results.
Ultra-precise temperature controls in 25-degree increments range from 150- to 450-degrees F, and for simple one-step cooking, the toaster oven provides six preset cooking functions--pastry, bagels, brownies, cookies, thick pizza, and thin pizza. The unit's defrost function uses the convection fan only to gently and evenly defrost food without producing hot spots. For toasting, it has nine levels as well as browning with a countdown timer.
Other useful details include an illuminated LCD control panel with easy-to-use controls and high-quality soft-touch buttons, a digital clock that displays when the cooking functions are not in use, and a 90-minute digital timer with auto shut-off after elapsed time. Accessories include a non-stick bake pan, broil tray, and thermal-resistant tongs for safe removal of hot pans or food. The durable, non-stick interior cleans up in a snap, and two rack positions offer added versatility. The toaster oven measures 20-1/2 by 14-3/4 by 10-3/8 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.
