We have had this unit for 3 months and have had no issues with the display. It is designed to be illuminated for a few minutes during and after the controls are initiated. This is a great feature. In terms of the toasting "creativity", you are able to adjust to your desired toasting time very quickly and precisely. The control is through a menu-driven knob, which allows you to scroll through various cooking options (toast, broil, bake, pizza, etc). The timer is not one of those typical spring-loaded levers or knobs, it is an actual computer controlled clock. Excellent design!