Oops, I may have just bought the last one! Started off with the brand new shiny model, fancy knobs, sleek look, and all that jazz. Nice little gadget, except it’s actually way smaller than the old model. Yep, they went backwards! Trying to cook for a family in convection-microwave-sized shoebox? Yeah... not gonna work. So, I went retro and grabbed the old, much larger model. At around $200, this thing is a steal. The new one’s dial to set time is neat, though it feels like it could snap off if you look at it wrong, and it’s whisper-quiet, like it’s sneaking around the kitchen at night. But besides that, the old faithful beats it in almost every way. Now, the programmed settings on both? Utterly bonkers. I swear Toshiba’s secret mission is to make microwaving feel like rocket science. Who remembers all those confusing presets? It’s the 21st century, Toshiba! We have smart fridges that can order pizza, how about a microwave that functions without a PhD in buttonology? And the clock? Oh boy. It loses time every time the power blinks, which is like three times a week in my house. I have a computer from the 1970s that remembers the date better than this microwave. Seriously, it’s like a time traveler stuck in a time warp. All in all, though, it’s a great microwave. I now have two of the exact same model in the kitchen which is a blessing, one set of crazy programs to memorize! The convection function is fantastic, so if you can find one still floating around, grab it before I do! Read more
This oven does a whole lotta things. We bought it when the last multi-use unit we had stopped working and this has replaced it well, aside from not having a broiler function. It does take longer to cook things than the previous oven we had, but it boils water faster, which I do almost every day to make a cup of tea. This oven also stays cleaner longer, and is easy to clean when you need to. These countertop ovens really make sense when you have something you want to reheat or cook without requiring your standard size oven. It's a good value, easy to use, and quiet. Read more
Fantastic! Toshiba ML-EC42P(SS) 4 function Microwave / Air Fryer / Convection / Combination Before I get into MY review I'd like to address someone else's review. ==================== When I was checking out the Microwaves, I stumbled across a review for THIS one that claimed that you couldn't type in the time to microwave, and so were stuck with 1 to 6 minutes, and then you were forced to press the "More" or "Less" buttons raising or lowering the time by one minute. Or using the "Start / Play" button to ad 30 seconds. Limiting the times you can microwave starting at 30 Seconds, 1 to 6:30: .5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5 Minutes. Though you can add more minutes by pressing "More". If this were true, this would be a HORRIBLE microwave, as we know that a handful of seconds can be the difference between perfectly cooked food and burned or overcooked food. She doesn't know what she's talking about, obviously didn't read the manual OR EVEN LOOK at the keypad. You CAN work it like she described, though I don't know WHY you'd WANT TO! First, she describes ONLY using the Quick Start buttons, which are the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and, if we're being honest, the "Play" Button (adding 30 seconds to the total, each time you press it). In conjunction with the "More" and "Less" buttons, adding or subtracting 1 minute at a time. All of this is explained in the manual. But, if you're not a "Manual" kind of person, then you only need to read the keypad. If a person does that, he or she will run into 3 buttons directly above the number-pad: Micro, Conv, and Combo. (With an Airfry button one line underneath the top left row.) With just the lightest application of "the Little Grey Cells" a reasonably intelligent child would be able to be able to make these associations: Micro = Microwave Conv = Convection Combo = Microwave then Convection Cooking If you press the Micro Button, the unit displays, "00:00:00" and if you start typing in the time that you want, it will start filling up time by inserting each new number at the right-most spot. So if you type "100" the unit will display "00:01:00", and if you add a number 2 the display will show "00:10:02", or 10 Minutes and 2 Seconds. As you can see, it's not too complicated. Review review is over. My review continues below. The ML-EC42P(SS) is a fantastic machine! I had some concerns about this machine: 1) Microwave is only 1,000 Watts. Danger of under-cooking. More and more foods say they "Require" 1,200 Watts, 2) Air Fryer might be wimpy. 3) Some reviews say the manual is confusing. PROS: 1) Manual isn't bad. I've read MUCH WORSE. Just read it a few times, and keep it handy for referring to it when you're confused. 2) That it is a 1000 Watt oven is rarely an issue. But when it is, you can extend the time by a few seconds, or minutes. 3) Air Fryer does a really decent job! Sometimes it takes MORE time than using the microwave (for instance, "Hot Pockets") would be. But it's a "Set-it and Forget-it" deal, and produces MUCH better results. (For instance, microwaving 2 Hot Pockets takes 2 or 3 minutes, while "Airfrying" takes about 13 minutes. But, the unit turns itself off after it's done. 4) The Convection function can either heat to a specific temperature (Press: Conv->Set Temperature->Play->Play), OR it can cook for a SPECIFIC length of time (Press: Conv->Set Temperature->Play->Type in Time to Cook->Play). 5) Auto Defrost works like a charm! CONS: 1) Flat, smooth, bubble Keys / Buttons kind of to press / find. No bumps or lines to distinguish where they start or stop. I slide my finger across the button I want to press. 95% success. 2) Only 1000 Watts. 3) Keypad NOT backlit. 4) Keypad / Display can be hard to read. 4) Not smart. Read more
