The Oster Counterforms Toaster Oven 6292 is like having an extra oven in your kitchen -- only in scaled down form. This unit is rather large. The extra depth enables the unit to fit oversize trays and round items, including a 12-inch frozen pizza.

We were intrigued by the unit's many functions, which include bake, convection bake, broil, toast, bagel, pizza, defrost and dehydrate. The functions are activated by depressing the up and down menu buttons and selecting the appropriate option on the digital screen. Additional menu buttons let you choose the oven temperature (150 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit), and timer (up to 120 minutes). The LCD screen glows blue while you are selecting your options, then fades to dark -- an energy-saving mode -- after 30 seconds.

In fact, we'd be surprised if there is a function the 6292 can't handle. The convection bake feature circulates the air so foods cook faster and more evenly. The pizza function combines the convection fan with a higher temperature for a crisp crust. Defrost and dehydrate also incorporate the convection fan into their cycles (using a lower temperature) to maximize the defrosting and air-drying effects.

We especially liked the timer option, which lets you preset the cooking time and then shuts the power and heat off automatically when finished. The up and down arrows can be used at any point to increase or decrease the set cooking time and temperature.

Additional features include a full-view tempered glass door with stay-cool handle, nonstick interior walls, a removable/reversible wire cooking rack, removable slide-out crumb tray, and interior light. Three rack positions let you place the food in the best proximity to the heat source. The unit also comes with its own shallow 9x12-inch bake/broil pan, which is handy for all sorts of things -- from burgers and chicken to grilled cheese, nachos and fruit rollups.

The many features offered by the Oster Counterforms might seem overly complicated the first time you use it; however, the user-friendly digital display with its pre-printed selections will guide you through the steps. An internal light illuminates the oven's interior whenever a function is in progress. When a cycle is completed, you will hear a gentle series of beeps.