great oven - you can get it at Bed, Bath and Beyond with a 20% off coupon - they send them out in their flyers.

Great question. My concern is also regarding durability.
I posted this concern in the Breville post above as a good many posts on amazon report Breville oven failure after one year. I have not purchased due to this one concern -- even with the BB&B discount, those ovens are pricey.

I have heard good things about the Breville oven.

I have the DeLonghi convection countertop oven. It is a bit less than the Breville and works great. DL makes a number of them - I think ours is this one we have. It must be 5-10 years old at this point.

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Delonghi-DO1289-Digital-Convection-Toaster/5256560/product.html?cid=202290&kid=9553000357392&track=pspla&ef_id=Hj5OfMff7CUAAExb:20130401022920:s

Macy's has one on sale - it might be the newer version of it but not sure.
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/delonghi-d02058-digital-convection-oven?ID=580888&cm_mmc=Google_DMA_Home_Electrics_PLA-_-PLA+Home+Brands+-+Electrics_PLA+-+Electrics+-+De%27Longhi+-+2-_-29289148796_-_-_mkwid_4DfuH5Cg_29289148796%7C-%7C4DfuH5Cg

Here are some Zingerman pot pies that I made during reno in my dining room kitchen.

FWIW, there is not an appliance in our new kitchen that someone hasn't had die in less than the first year. I researched and read reviews ad nauseum, and couldn't find any oven, countertop or wall, that was 100% failproof. Some reviews described epic fails. I kept the boxes and receipts and hoped for the best.

Our Breville counter top oven and our countertop Panasonic Inverter microwave have both passed the six-month mark, so I feel like I won a lottery. Sad, isn't it?

Sometimes you just have to take a chance and keep fingers crossed.

Had this before we did a full kitchen remodel. We loved it and hated to part with it, but it went to my father-in-law and he uses it now. We had it for about 2 years, it was a great appliance. It cooked better than our old full size range oven, though that was not convection like this is.

It is pricey, but if you can afford it I say go for it, you won't regret it.

Phil

Have the Breville Smart Oven and love it. got it last month in prep for our kitchen remodel. It is getting a full workout since my old oven has died in anticipation of being replaced. Will add that is is on the exclusion list for the BB&B coupons.

I just want to add that, as some have posted on GW before, I bought a Breville oven (mid-sized) at BB&B yesterday and they DID take the 20% coupon. It does site Breville as an exclusion, but they seem not to care.

Now I hope it will last, and that I will love it . . . .

I have owned the Breville800XL for 2yrs. Purchased at BB&B w/20% coupon. It is used almost daily, not one problem yet. 4kids, my mom, husband, father n law and myself. I have baked whole chicken, pasta dishes, pizza, all types of frozen kid foods, scratch banana/pumpkin breads, scratch pound cakes, cookies, bundt and cupcakes the (6 muffin pan). It toasts sliced bread and bagels just fine. It is digital, has a timer, convection, warming feature. During rebuild, it was used as our primary oven for months. I have a friend that loved my breville, purchased a less expensive $80 and has thrown it out, "piece of junk". Some people would never spend 200 dollars on a toaster oven. For us, it was well worth it!

question about toasting in the Breville...
All reviews I've seen on the topic say it toasts fine/well....but is it fast or super slow?

My in laws have a large I think cheaper version of this at their vacation home. The first round of toast in the morning takes FOREVER. It hast to warm up or something. Its really frustrating.

I just don't want to spend $200 on a slow toaster, even if it has other great qualities.

I'm in my fifth year with the smart oven. Great appliance. Not a single problem. Gets used constantly. Well engineered and very high performing. I used to replace toaster overs every year or two. This one's a keeper.

It is somewhat slow as a toaster. I takes about 6 minutes to get the toast as dark as I like it. I would prefer it to be faster but 6 minutes isn't forever.

For toast- If you only need it toasted on one side use the broiler in the top position.. it's very fast.

If you are using it primarily for toast then get the smallest size Breville (they make 3 sizes) The smallest size puts the bread closer to the heating elements, so it will toast faster with a bit less drying out.

We bought one in early April, when our oven died and we decided not to spend a few hundred dollars fixing it, since we're hoping to start demolition on a kitchen renovation in late June.

I can't speak to longevity, but so far, we've been happy with it. The first set of toast, pretty brown but not super dark, takes 4-5 minutes. The only reason I know how long it takes is that when you turn it on, the screen automatically shows a timer. It doesn't feel like it's taking much more or less time than my old Cuisinart toaster oven, but I never timed that.

I use it successfully to bake bread a couple of times a week and I my husband cooks fish in it several times a week.