A toaster oven is a toaster oven, right? Well that’s what I thought! Read on and find out why the Breville BOV800XL Smart Oven – Convection Toaster Oven is a top of the line kitchen appliance that provides the right settings for all of your cooking and baking needs.

Some Quick Details…

I always recommend that you read the manuals that come with any home appliance that you have purchased. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the appliance’s unique features, safety suggestions, and maintenance requirements. Before I discuss the finer details of the Breville BOV800XL, here is a brief overview of some of the product’s features.

• Durable Construction

• Seven Adjustable Controls

• Element IQ – Proprietary Cooking Technology

• Variable Rack Height

• Plate Warming Tray

• Nine Preset/Customizable Functions

The Controls

• The Convection Button is pressed to turn the convection fan on and off. The convection oven setting is on by default in the Bake, Roast, Pizza, Cookie, and Reheat functions. Convection cooking is off by default in the Warm function, but may be turned on by pressing the convection button. The convection setting provides heated air which is circulated throughout the toaster oven, resulting in much faster and efficient cooking.

• The Temperature Conversion Button is pressed to switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius. The LCD screen will display the F or C symbol for its related setting.

• The Frozen Foods Button is pressed to activate or deactivate this feature. This setting adds additional time to allow for defrosting. By default, this setting is ‘off’ in the Toast and Bagel functions and ‘on’ in the Pizza function.

In my opinion, the LCD screen, dials and buttons are all well laid out in the Breville BOV80XL. This makes changing settings a snap.

Element IQ – BOV80XL – A Smart Toaster Oven?

The Element IQ is the brain of the Breville Smart Oven. It is responsible for cycling the heating elements in the toaster oven and also controls the nine pre set functions. Element IQ also maintains any custom time or temperature settings that a user may have entered. These settings are maintained until the user changes those settings, or the power is removed. I have found that Breville has a winner on its hands with the Element IQ technology. It provides consistent results for more even cooking and baking.

Variable Rack Height

The Breville BOV800XL allows the wire rack to be placed in three positions. The toaster oven door’s glass window is marked with Broil for the top position, Toast, Bagel, Pizza, and Cookie for the middle position, and Bake, Roast, Reheat and Warm for the lower position.

These positions are recommended by Breville to be a guide in your cooking and baking. In my experience, certain foods and recipes may require that you experiment by changing the position of the rack.

Another feature of the wire rack system is the Magnetic Auto-Eject Rack. With the wire rack placed in the middle position, a magnet on the toaster oven’s door pulls the rack halfway out when opened. This feature is convenient and helps to safely remove the food.

The Warming Tray

The top of the Breville BOV800XL gets hot during normal operation as do all toaster ovens that I have ever owned. Breville recommends that nothing be placed on top of the oven when in use. However, there is an exception. Breville indicates that one layer of ceramic plates may be placed on the toaster oven’s top, allowing it to act as a warming tray.

Nine Convenient Functions

The Breville BOV800XL convection toaster oven provides nine versatile preset functions that are also user adjustable. When the default setting of any function is changed, the BOV800XL will remember the custom setting for the next time it is used! I am very impressed by the results that can be achieved by using this toaster oven. Below is a list of the nine unique functions and their use:

Toast Function

• Browns the outside of the bread while keeping the inside soft

• Insert the wire rack into the middle position

• Turn the Function Dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Toast Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the browning setting

• Browning settings range from 1 (lightest) to 7 (darkest)

• Turn the Time Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the number of slices

• The number of slices allowed is from 1 to 6 slices

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate the setting

Bagel Function

• Allows the cut side to be crisp and the bottom to be lightly toasted

• Place the cut side of the bagel toward the top heating elements

• Insert the wire rack into the middle position

• Turn the Function Dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Bagel Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the browning setting

• Browning settings range from 1 (lightest) to 7 (darkest)

• Turn the Time dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the number of halves

• The number of bagel halves can vary from 1 to 6 halves

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate the setting

Bake Function

• Great for cakes, pastries, and frozen meals

• Use the Breville enamel baking pan or approved container for baking

• Insert the wire rack into the bottom position

• Turn the Function dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Bake Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the baking temperature

• Turn the Time Dial the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the required baking time

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate the setting

• The screen will show a blinking ‘Preheating’

• When the oven reaches the correct temperature, the convection oven will beep indicating it is ready

Roast Function

• Best for cooking meats and poultry

• Use the Breville enamel Baking Pan or approved container for roasting

• Insert the wire rack into the bottom position

• Turn the Function dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Roast Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the roasting temperature

• Turn the Time Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the required roasting time

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate the setting

• The screen will show a blinking ‘Preheating’

• When the oven reaches the correct temperature, the convection oven will beep indicating it is ready

Broil Function

• Ideal for broiling small cuts of meat, fish, vegetables, and browning casseroles

• Use the Breville enamel broil rack baking pan inserted into the Breville enamel baking pan or approved container for broiling

• Insert the wire rack into the top position

• Turn the Function dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Broil Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the broiling temperature

• Turn the Time Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the required broiling time

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate the setting

• Watch closely and press the Start/Cancel button to turn off the toaster oven if the food is finished before the set time

• At the end of the cycle, the oven alert will beep

Pizza Function

• Use the Breville pizza tray for cooking the pizza

• By default, the Frozen option is on. Deselect this option if you are baking a fresh pizza

• Insert the wire rack into the middle position

• Turn the Function Dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Pizza Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to the left to decrease, or to the right to increase the temperature

• Turn the Time Dial to the left or right to adjust for the size of the pizza; 6, 8, 10, 12, or 13 inch

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate this setting

• The LCD screen will indicate a blinking ‘Preheating’

• Once the oven has reached the set temperature, the temperature alert will sound

Cookie Function

• Great for baking homemade and frozen or ready to bake cookies

• Use the Breville enamel baking pan, Breville non stick 13? Pizza Pan or approved dish

• Insert the wire rack into the middle position

• Turn the Function Dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Cookie Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to adjust the baking temperature

• Turn the Time Dial to adjust the baking time in one minute increments up to maximum of 1 hour

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate this setting

• The LCD screen will indicate a blinking ‘Preheating’

• Once the oven has reached the set temperature, the temperature alert will sound

Reheat Function

• Excellent for heating up leftovers

• Place food on the Breville enamel Baking Pan or in an oven-proof dish

• Insert the wire rack into the bottom position

• Turn the Function Dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Reheat Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to adjust the baking temperature

• Turn the Time Dial to adjust the reheating time in one minute increments up to 1 hour, and in 5 minute increments between 1 and 2 hours

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate this setting

Warm Function

• Keeps hot foods at the recommended temperature of 160°F or greater to prevent bacterial growth

• Place food on the Breville enamel Baking Pan or in an oven-proof dish

• Insert the wire rack into the bottom position

• Turn the Function Dial until the arrow on the LCD screen reaches the Warm Function

• Turn the Temperature Dial to adjust the warming temperature

• Turn the Time Dial to adjust the time in one minute increments up to 1 hour, and in 5 minute increments between 1 and 2 hours

• Press the Start/Cancel button to activate this setting

As you can see, the nine functions included with the Breville BOV800XL are very versatile. By simply adjusting the location of the wire rack and making changes to the Function, Temperature and Time dials, the BOV800XL is an extremely versatile convection oven that would make a great addition to any kitchen.

The additional features of the Frozen Food button, Convection button, and the Temperature Conversion button are also welcomed conveniences. Breville appliances are known for their quality and durability. I highly recommend Breville, and I think the BOV800XL is the best toaster oven around.

What’s Included?

• 13? Pizza Pan

• 12? X 12? Enamel Baking Pan

• 12? X 12? Enamel Broiling Pan

• Wire Rack

• Crumb Tray

Does the Breville BOV800XL Include a Warranty?

Yes, the Breville BOV800XL includes a one year limited warranty from the date of purchase. Breville warrants that this convection toaster oven is free of defects in material and workmanship.

What Others Are Saying

The Breville BOV800XL has received rave reviews from most of the online consumers. It has received an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon! With over 300 reviews on Amazon this speaks to the quality of the Breville BOV800XL convection toaster oven.

Here are a few comments to date:

• “Beauty and Function – What more can you ask for?”

• “Like a full-size convection range in a little package”

• “You will LOVE this oven–BUY IT!!!”

Any Complaints?

I have found very few complaints on this convection toaster oven. One consumer did express concern with not being able to use foil inside the Breville.

I consulted the manual for the BOV800XL and found the following quote; “When using metal foil to cover accessories, pans, and dishes, it is recommended that the wire rack be in the middle or bottom location.”

Also, one online consumer contacted Breville customer service and they responded as follows: “You may use foil, however make sure you monitor the cooking and also keep the foil from touching the heating elements.”

So there you have it. It appears that you can use foil, but take caution so that it does not touch the heating element. In my opinion this applies when using any toaster oven.

Where Can You Buy the Breville BOV800XL Convection Toaster Oven?

You can buy this Breville Toaster Oven from Amazon. At the moment they include free shipping. From what I can tell when comparing prices with other online merchants, Amazon does currently have the best deal. Click here to view on Amazon.

Overall Rating:

Total Customer Reviews: (201)

List Price: $119.99

Sale Price: $69.99

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

The original juicing machine! This powerful, electric home juicer is one of the classic “As Seen On TV” products — and is used and endorsed by the legendary fitness guru Jack LaLanne. Featuring patented juice extraction technology, an extra-large feeder tube, a whisper-quiet 3,600 RPM motor and a surgical quality stainless steel blade, this commercial quality unit is up to any juicing task. When through juicing, the unit is easy to clean for the next use. Comes with recipe/instruction booklet.

(Note-we are working on a high quality article for this post and we will publish it soon, dont worry)

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We always love to drink freshly squeezed fruit juice. I prefer this more than a cup of coffee. That natural fiber and vitamins will surely help in our digestion and prevent us from nasty colds and flu. If you want to savor a freshly squeezed juice right in your own home, you need a ‘juicer.’

A juicer is different from a blender. A juicer can only liquefy fruits or vegetables that are succulent (water-retaining). If you want to juice up something dense, say, a carrot, it may or may not juice it up properly. It is recommended that you chop it into small pieces first before putting hard and dense fruits and vegetables inside the juicer. Much better if you blend it first.

There are two kinds of juicers, and they are described on how they create the perfect juice:

• Centrifugal juicer – this type of juicer uses a rotating strainer with small blades to shred the fruits or vegetables until they liquefy. The main problem here is the pulp, where it may clog the strainer causing poor performance of the unit (less juice). With proper maintenance, this can be easily avoided. Juicers of this type are cheap and easy to maintain.
• Masticating juicer – this type of juicer uses a screw to that is controlled by a gear, almost the same operation like those screw compressors used in heavy industries. This is the one that ‘chews’ and compresses the produce slowly but surely (it goes through different stages). The price of this type of juicer is expensive. But masticating juicers are preferred by chefs and health enthusiasts as the juice being made is more nutritious than those being made by centrifugal type juicers. You can compare this by its color and taste.

There are other kinds of juicers in the market, but the above are the most commonly used ones. Choosing the juicer of your choice is a little tricky as the results may truly vary from one product to the other. Below are some simple tips to help you before your purchase:

• Juice quality – If you are getting the tastiest juice on the unit being demonstrated, buy it if you have the money.
• Price – Price is always a factor. Expensive units produce good juices, cheap ones are easily broken and makes poor quality juices.
• Easy to use and assemble – The instructions are explained in detail and less accessories to assemble or put apart.

Are you ready to buy a new juicer? I have reviewed below some of the latest juicers available on the market as below:

1). Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor

Big mouthed juicers are really convenient for putting in apples; large semi cut fruits and vegetables. The motor capacity of this Hamilton Beach is 800 watts and it gives 24% more juice than other brands. There is an extra pulp bin where it can house more pulp which prevents the unit for being clogged easily, and you can also use the pulp for dips and baby food as well.

The most impressive thing here is this unit is easy to clean and assemble. Like you, I don’t like complex machinery when it comes to food preparation. Previous customers have experienced it themselves. For the price of $ 60 at Amazon, this juicer is a steal! But one small catch though, just do not overwork the juicer to prevent overheating of the motor. This has happened on some customers, but not a big deal.

For ease of use and good price, I give this juicer a 4 star out of 5 rating.

Photo: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81v0D-a8gAL._AA1500_.jpg

URL: http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-Mouth-Juice-Extractor/dp/B002OF3FBK/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1329460720&sr=1-2

2). Omega J8006 Nutrition Center Commercial Masticating Juicer

This Omega J8006 juicer looks like a “Mercedes Benz’ of juicers. As mentioned on the title, it is a masticating juicer meaning it thoroughly chews up fibers to get those extra vitamins, enzymes and minerals from fruits and vegetables. It does this in two stages. You get more juice and a real dehydrated pulp. The motor is a powerful one but rotates about 80 RPM. Aside for getting a good nutritious drink, this unit is quiet, easy to maintain, and guaranteed to last.

Some setbacks though, and the first one is the price. For $ 300, that’s a whole lot of money even for a juice buff will think twice. There are some reports that the auger, or the part which helps on liquefying the produce is not aligned properly, causing some plastic parts to be included in the juice. It could be an isolated case, but the problem is still there and it wasn’t resolved. And also, you have to cut the fruits and vegetables into small pieces so that this juicer can give its full potential. Still, lots of customers are satisfied with this product.

But money is still a big factor for my side. I will give it 3.5 out of 5 stars for now, and if there is a good discount, I’ll raise it a notch.

Photo:http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RJIP5dJ%2BL._AA1000_.jpg

URL:http://www.amazon.com/Omega-J8006-Nutrition-Commercial-Masticating/dp/B001L7OIVI/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1329460567&sr=1-1

3). Jack Lalanne PJP Power Juicer Pro Stainless-Steel Electric Juicer

As seen on TV! I was surprised on seeing this unit getting some views and hits on the internet. Yes the advocacy of nutritious food intake is commendable. But our concern is if the unit will last and if it is easy to clean.

This Jack Lalanne PJP Juicer Pro stainless steel Electric Juicer has a 3,600 RPM motor, an extra  large chute and pulp collector, and a stainless steel blade and mesh filter to ‘juice’ up those fruits and vegetables quickly and easily.  Price at Amazon is around $ 133, which is satisfactory.

The answer to our concern on the first paragraph is negative. The pulp is stuck on the rotating blades at times which are hard to clean.  Not dishwasher safe either and it will leave you frustrated for cleaning this by hand. I have noticed the motor is of poor quality. To confirm that, some reports came in that the motor has burned for about 1-2 weeks use. Worse, some defective units are shipped to the customer and it may take some time to replace it and deliver a working unit again.

But if you have this unit as a gift, bought it on a discounted rate, try to juice single fruit items only in a simple ‘non-stressful’ operation for the juicer unit. Hopefully, it may work just fine. 3 stars out of 5.

Photo: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71F-b-wd35L._AA1500_.jpg

URL:http://www.amazon.com/Jack-Lalanne-PJP-Stainless-Steel-Electric/dp/B0018Q7LCK/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1329460420&sr=1-1

4). Breville Fruit and Vegetable Juice Extractor

I like this Breville juicer a lot. Before I get too excited, here are the specs:

• 700 watt motor that operates at 14,000 RPM for max extraction.
  • Extra-large 3-inch centered feed tube; stainless-steel micro-mesh filter
  • Dishwasher-safe parts; custom cleaning brush included
  • Measures 9-1/2 by 8-3/4 by 16 inches; 1-year limited warranty

The unit is simple but gorgeous. I am fan of simple but utilitarian designs and the Breville design department has done a good job on this. I can even see those juice and pulp while it is being liquefied, a cool visual treat indeed. When it comes to power, you will be awed as this can juice pineapples with its rind on. The unit can be assembled and disassembled easily for quick cleaning and a cleaning brush is included as well. I am satisfied with it like everybody else who bought it.

There are some bad points that causes concern, the blades have no replacement and it seems Breville has poor customer service. That is a shame as this product has some potential. Some users complain about the leaks which go into the motor housing. Since this is a bladed and centralized type of juicer, the nutrients and quality of the juice is not at par with masticated type ones. Since the motor is too powerful, the pulp keeps on splashing around. And the ‘easy to clean part’ seems to be overrated as the mesh is fragile; therefore it is hard to clean.

For now, I still like it. For the price of $ 100, let this be my entry level juicer for now, a nice 4 out of 5 stars for this juicer.
Photo: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Ubl9GqgkL._AA300_.jpg
URL: http://www.amazon.com/Breville-BJE200XL-700-Watt-Compact-Fountain/dp/B000MDHH06/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1329460232&sr=1-1

5). Nemco 55850 Easy Juicer 

Nothing beats food preparation where you put your heart and muscle into it. This Nemco 55850 manual juicer is a slightly small version of those manual juicers used in Mediterranean and Asian kitchens where citrus fresh juices are highly prized. No need to plug it. With just a small push on the non slip handle, you can make instant juices easily. Chrome and porcelain components are also coated to resist citrus acids. A gripped feet is also designed to avoid slipping on countertops.

The amount is a hefty $ 229 more or less. I will give it 4.5 out of 5 stars because there is no ON/OFF button. It operates only through pure muscle power.
Photo:http://www.katom.com/largeproducts/128/128-n55850.jpg

URL:http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ZJAS0Q/ref=asc_df_B002ZJAS0Q1755092?smid=A3OJS1UM61W602&tag=nextagusmp0356066-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B002ZJAS0Q
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