Breville The Compact Smart Oven BOV650XL

Bottom Line

The Breville The Compact Smart Oven BOV650XL may be labeled "compact," but it still has decent capacity. It toasts four slices of bread, roasts a 3- to 4-pound chicken or bakes a 12-inch pizza and does all of it very well, owners say. Some report that their ovens died in a relatively short time, but nearly all say that Breville was quick to replace them, even some whose warranty had run out.

Performance

Big features in a small package. The Compact Smart Oven is a smaller version of Breville's popular convection toaster oven. Reviewers say it cooks everything evenly, from chicken to pizza to cake, but can toast only four rather than six slices of bread. The BOV650XL has eight pre-set functions, its backlit LCD calculates the correct time and temperature, and it shuts off automatically. A number of users say the instruction book includes some good recipes.

Some say their ovens died prematurely, but nearly all praise Breville's quick action to replace them. The Compact Smart Oven comes with a one-year warranty.

Ease Of Use

Great features. Eight pre-set functions -- toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, cookies and reheat -- make the Breville The Compact Smart Oven very simple to program and use. It even remembers personal-preference settings.

The oven's interior walls feature a nonstick coating and its pullout crumb tray is easy to clean. Accessories include an enamel baking pan and broil rack, as well as a ribbed plate warming tray. None of the accessories is dishwasher-safe, a professional reviewer notes, and some reviewers wish the oven rack would automatically pull out when the door opens.

Appearance

Looks sharp. Owners say the Breville's stainless steel finish looks attractive in a variety of kitchens and its compact size takes up less space than other toaster ovens. A large display and minimalist controls give it a modern styling that many reviewers like, particularly those who prefer appliances that have a high-tech look and feel. Footers lift it well away from the countertop. Users call it very durable and sturdy, and say it holds more food than it appears able to.