Customer Reviews

Proctor-Silex 31120 Pizza Oven

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I did a lot of research on toaster ovens before buying. I wanted a toaster and my wife wanted something that could toast sandwiches as well. Well this does both and so much more. I never wrote a review before but I thought I would write one now just to help people out that are looking and very picky like I am.

This toaster oven is spacious if you're looking for a pan to use inside this I found a 12x12x3 cake pan fits perfectly.

I originally bought it at Walmart for $29.94 + tax + shipping = $44 but they ended up never shipping the product after a week so I canceled and found Amazon had it that day for $29.99 + free shipping (my luck day). I would have happily paid $45 for this either way.

After reading the 80 or so reviews at Walmart, the reviews on Amazon, and various other websites I concluded the following: All toaster ovens are made in China, meaning they will break sooner or later even if the $249 at Macy's. If your lucky it will be later. After looking for a long time and various brands I could not find one toaster oven that was not made in China so I ruled that out of my decision making. I want it to last so I ruled out anything that had electronic controls since they are more likely to break, keep it simple purely mechanical. That left my choices pretty slim. All the other toasters (Black and Decker, Delonghi, Oster, etc..) had quite a few reviews about uneven toasting. Which is important to me since I was originally buying this mostly to toast.

I really couldn't find too many people saying anything bad about this toaster either besides the "Toast" setting is hard to see. I didn't think it's too difficult to see its in Red maybe because it blends in with the black and doesn't stick out as much as the white text does. If you read the instructions it even tells you where to find the toast setting and how to use it. Turn timer past 10min mark and then back to the light toast or dark toast setting and put the oven temperature to Toast (turns on both top and bottom burners at high heat).

Also, all toaster ovens will make a smell when first turning ON. It even explains that in the manual. Turn heat setting to Toast and put timer on Always On with all the trays inside for 15 minutes and then turn OFF. It will smell bad so be prepared this is normal. I would have done this outside or in my garage if I knew it was going to make such a bad smell (like burning tires).

After that I was ready to put this bad boy to use. I made some toast at the light toast setting following directions and it came out perfectly. The next day we broiled some fish in the oven using a small cake pan covered in foil and then near the end took the foil off and put on Toast setting to get the top of the fish a little crispy.

This oven does goto 450 degrees so be careful. The oven sides, top, and back will get HOT. This is common with all toaster ovens. I read some complaints about the rack not sliding out when you open the door, but a pair of tongs or oven mitt solves that problem.

We won't be using our big electric oven any more. We are just 2 people and there is plenty of room in this toaster oven to make enough food for the two of us.

Last, all my kitchen appliances and counter tops are black and this blends in nicely. It looks stylish to me and I don't mind leaving it out all the time.

Amazon shipped this product the next day and I ended up getting it 3 days earlier than expected delivery date. Don't waste your time with Walmart they are just expensive after taxes and shipping and you will be lucky to even get it. Just pay the extra dollar and get it from Amazon.

You can fit a 9" brownie pan or a pizza, and it doesn't take up a huge amount of space on the counter, tho it is deep. Put it somewhere where you don't want to use the space in front of it for working. It's big for just making one slice of toast, but as soon as you put a couple of English muffins in there, you're glad you have the room. The oven *does* have a 450 degree setting, I don't know what the earlier review was about. My one complaint is minor, and that is, it's a tiny bit complicated to make toast: you have to set the temperature dial all the way past broil to toast, then push the timer past 10 and back to one of the squares that indicate either darker toast or lighter toast, and it isn't marked that that is even what they are, you have to read the manual. But, it has an easy-to-remove crumb tray and I figure that's an even trade. I just leave the dial on "toast" unless I'm using it to bake or broil.

Has 3" of vertical space above the rack.

Let's say a large chicken breast wrapped in alum foil is almost 3 inches thick and reaches up close to the top where the burner is. But nevertheless it bakes perfectly! For a quick Dennys stew I wrapped baking potato, onion, and carrot in with a microwave thawed chicken breast (or stewing beef chunks). Set at 450, "STAY ON", for hour + 15 minutes for extra long/very well done.

Timing/temperatures matches the range oven exactly.

Pizza is tasty crisp, unlike a soggy microwave pie.

Buy a 12" x 12" six cup muffin tray and it will fit in there and work fine.

Crumb tray slides out below.

Used in our house almost every single day for 2 years. Probably last another 10, it is simple mechanically.

One reviewer commented the oven does not reach the desired 450 degrees for frozen pizzas but enlarging the furnished pictures shows the temperature dial can be set to 450 and further, increased by setting dial to broil which is more than sufficient for a pizza. The machine's versatility and price make it a bargain. A great little appliance.

I've come to rely heavily on comments here when making purchases so I want to return the favor. We got this item about three months ago. Calling it a pizza oven does it an injustice, although it does medium size pizzas (we use Trader Joe's 3 cheese mostly). It is a very competent all around small electric oven that works as you would want it to. The controls are simple, but adequate, and the simplicity seems to me to be an advantage. The size is ideal for us. It handles four tostada shells or four large bagel halves easily. It heats evenly. It doesn't get too hot on the outside, except for the top. It fits on the counter nicely. And it looks good.

This is a good basic toaster oven. It does not have enough wire rack adjustment slots, only one. It does a pretty good job of toasting bread. However it seems to take a longer amount of time than usual to bake or reheat something on the oven setting, even on 450 degrees. Overall it is a good basic toaster value for $29.00 just don't expect too much. It does get fairly hot on the exterior. It is large enough to fit a 12" pizza (like Tostinos). The metal tray is somewhat flimsy and lightweight. It has a bell that dings when done timing and the oven shuts off too.

I've had this toaster oven for about a month and a half. I really like it because its easy to use and it works. All you have to do is set the temperature and the amount of time and that's it. The coils on top and on bottom are really good too because it evenly cooks whatever you put in there. No complaints so far.

I bought this oven to save money on my gas bill. When I read it would hold a full size pizza, I had my reservations...,but it does. This is a good little oven. I wish it had some type of insulation so it wouldn't get so hot on the outside. Glad I bought it.

If your just want to make regular toast then buy a toaster. But if you need to heat/cook foods and don't want or need to use a large oven then this oven toaster works very well. We have had several over the years and this seems to be the best so far and the drip tray is great. No more holding the toaster oven the sink to clean out the crumbs/dropings just slide out to tray at the bottom of the oven compartment and rinse it in the sink. Oh and the controls can be confusing at first but are eaily mastered.

Very satisified.

All the 'toaster/oven' reviews I've read seem to have a problem making good toast, which is what it would be used for the most. So just for the heck of it, I took a look at this 'pizza oven', Not needing or wanting a "pizza oven". I make homemade bread, so the slices are too thick for a regular toaster. This little machine is wonderful! On the dial, you can choose light of dark toast, and it comes out evenly toasted...with a 'ding' when it's done. Just 2 dials, 1 for toast color/oven temp, and 1 for timer. No fancy digital junk! Simple! It does take up a little more counter space in front of it {a few inches}, because it's big enough to handle a frozen pizza, which I haven't done, yet. It comes with a tray and a raised grill that's 'perfect' to re-heat pizza that tastes like brand new. No more microwave reheating for me! The crumb tray just pulls out from the front...easy! Crumbs do gather in the front under the glass door, but no big deal. I just use my kitchen brush to get rid of them. I've used this little gem several times every day for over a month, and whether for toast or other 'oven' duties, I couldn't be happier. I hope it holds up for many years, and when and if it dies, I sure hope another one can be found!