Latest news with #toasters
CNN
18-07-2025
- CNN
The best toasters of 2025, tried and tested
The best toasters we tested Best toaster: Breville 'A Bit More' 2-Slice Toaster Best budget toaster: Cuisinart 2-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster CPT-122 Even as kitchen appliances get more advanced and further outfitted with modern tech, traditional slot toasters will never go out of style. They're tiny, reliable and — if we're being honest — the source of one of the most satisfying moments in the world of cooking. You know that click. When your toast pops up with a perfect golden tint, everything that hits your senses is a delight. Call me a purist, but no toaster oven or air fryer can scratch that same itch. Already reaching for the butter and jam? You'll need a toaster that can consistently produce that crunchy crust to lather up. It should be able to handle other toasting tasks too, like frozen waffles, toaster pastries and chunky bagels. Luckily, I put seven different toasters through a series of trials using precisely those foods so you don't have to. Ultimately, two units delivered the results I wanted at a price that was hard to beat. Breville 'A Bit More' 2-Slice Toaster Key features that grant a sneak preview at your toast's progress and the option to add just "a bit more" time to reach your desired doneness make this stainless steel toaster a winner. Cuisinart 2-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster CPT-122 What this model lacks in premium materials (it literally has "plastic" in its name) it makes up for with undeniable value as a fast-working master of the basics. While all the toasters I tested were adequate at browning bread to my liking, none of them packed as many useful features into an attractive package at a compelling price quite like Breville's 'A Bit More' 2-Slice Toaster. Its thoughtful design will be appreciated by those who want their toast to the perfect level of doneness, whatever that is according to their preferences. Sure, it's not all that different from any other slot toaster — drop in your bread, push the lever, wait — but that's where the Breville gets interesting. A countdown bar ticks away as your toast cooks, letting you know when it's almost done. Feeling impatient? A 'lift and look' lever lets you take a peek at your toast without fully interrupting the cycle. Worried you're going to have to push it back down once done because your toast wasn't done? Just tap that 'a bit more' button to add some extra time. The guts of the toaster get the job done too, of course. It doesn't overtoast bagels. It gave a crust to pastries while warming the filling within. On regular white bread, the medium setting led to a perfect gold every time. It took about two minutes and 30 seconds to get there, but only the Revolution R90, a digital toaster more than triple the price, worked significantly faster. As far as doneness, the difference was negligible. Prev Next While testing this toaster, I couldn't help but think that serious toast enthusiasts devised its design. Unlike most slot toasters, the main interface is on the long side of the unit, so it sits horizontally on your counter instead of vertically. It's different, but it makes sense because it provides a larger surface for the buttons and settings you'll want to see every time you use it. Sure, the crumb tray (which has tall rails to prevent spillage) and the lever are moved to the sides instead of the front. But the former is one section you won't visit often, and the latter is something you can use without a direct view anyway. Aside from a brief one-year warranty, the only other flaw on the Breville toaster is the clearance from the toasting slots to above the unit. When finished toast pops up, it doesn't leave a lot of room for you to grab it, even when you use the lever to push it up an extra smidge. You'll have to watch your fingers or consider picking up a pair of toast tongs to avoid burns. Any modern kitchen won't need much adjusting to welcome the 'A Bit More' to its ranks, as its stainless steel finish matches the standard look for fridges and ovens. If the look and features have sold you but the two-slot sizing is coming up short, a long-slot version of the same toaster is just $10 more. It should fit longer styles of bread and four slices of your typical loaf. Sure, it might cost, ahem, a bit more than what you'd find in the bargain bin, but getting this kind of precision and performance for making toast, all for less than $100, is a value that's hard to top. The Cuisinart 2-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster shows it doesn't cost much to get good toast if that's all you're after. While it doesn't include all the bells and whistles of my top pick or far pricier options, it will deliver what you want out of it without breaking the bank. Despite being priced at the bottom of my testing pool, the Cuisinart toaster produced results that ranked closer to the top. Though I found it to come on a bit strong when cooking a bagel or pastry at a medium setting — its bagel function doesn't decrease half of the heating coils like most toasters — it thawed and browned a frozen waffle to perfection in less than two minutes. It truly shined when tested on consecutive white bread toasts, finishing in give or take two minutes with proper crisping achieved. Though the build on this plastic toaster is not as robust as others I tested, keep in mind that it's just a toaster. It doesn't need to be professional grade or boast designer looks. I ran it through a lot of toasting during testing, and I have even purchased one for my sister-in-law when she requested a toaster for Christmas. All reports have indicated it's holding up just fine, and any issues that do arise will be covered for now; Cuisinart backs this toaster with a three-year limited warranty. So, who should buy this instead of the Breville? For starters, it's a compelling alternative to my top pick because it's less than half the price. That may be worth it for you without needing another reason, but if speed is important and looks are not, zero in on the Cuisinart because that's its specialty at its core. Also notable is that the four-slot version has separate levers for each side, allowing for different toasts at the same time. It, too, is super cheap. Especially if you don't plan to tinker with settings or toast different varieties of bread, the 'lift and look' and 'a bit more' functions on the Breville are likely not worth the added cost. Just go with the Cuisinart, set it and forget it. I blew past recommended carb intake levels by toasting white bread, frozen waffles, breakfast tarts and bagels to see how each toaster handled the different items. I defaulted to the medium setting on each unit — typically level 3 out of 6 or level 4 out of 7 — then adjusted from there depending on the initial results. I also made several sets of toast consecutively to see how residual heat from the previous session affected the next. Throughout it all, the following criteria guided my evaluations. Toasting performance Accurate browning: Whether you prefer a golden crisp or a borderline burnt charring, it's vital for a toaster to toast to the appropriate doneness based on your selected setting and preference. I noted which toasters had continuous toast settings or those that moved up in notches. Consistency: What about when your family member wants to pop their bread into the toaster immediately after yours? I made back-to-back-to-back sets of toast to see how that carryover heat affected consistent results. Options: Is there a frozen setting? What about bagels? The toasters that allowed users to really dial in on how they wanted their item toasted — to a degree more specific than just levels of brownness — gained standing in my rankings. Speed: When you or your kid have a bus to catch, there's a big difference between a toaster that finishes its job in 90 seconds and another that takes three minutes. I timed my toasts to get a handle on which units still delivered acceptable results with speed. Design Slot size: Are the bread slots wide enough for a bagel? How about some brioche? I kept a close eye to see how thicker items fit into the toaster and if their edges got too close to the heating element. Levers and toast retrieval: Nothing spoils the joy of freshly popped toast quite like burning your fingers trying to pick it up. I noted how much clearance there was from the top of the toaster to the top of any contents in the slots, accounting for the ability to further raise the bread with the toaster's lever. Crumb tray and cleaning: Toasters can be crumb magnets, so I valued those that minimized the mess and made it easier to clean up. Placement and size of the crumb tray mattered, as did the exterior surface of the toaster. Aesthetics: Every design choice in your kitchen contributes to the overall vibe, so I accounted for the visuals of each toaster. Did it look modern and sleek? Retro and charming? Cheap and tacky? Value Price: How much you plan to use a toaster will affect how you feel about its price. I put each model against its price tag to see if it provided adequate value. Warranty: I compared the term and scope of each manufacturer's warranty. Are two slots enough? The volume of toast you make during a given session will provide your answer here. It's probably not wise to buy a two-slot toaster if breakfast in your home involves feeding lots of mouths. Though those compact models were the focus of our testing in this exercise, four-slot and long-slot toasters will usually double your toast output. The best four-slot toasters will allow the two halves of the toaster to work independently of each other. Many of the models I tested come in larger iterations that do just that. But if you don't need extra toasting capacity, a two-slot toaster is a simple solution to making breakfast better. It doesn't take up as much space on your counter, there's less of it to clean and, as I showed with my tests of consecutive toasting, a good one will be able to handle a few servings of toast one after the other. Do I need a toaster oven? It can feel redundant to own both a slot toaster and a toaster oven. The latter can even overlap with an air fryer. And to have all three on your countertops? Enough. While it's tempting to opt for a do-it-all appliance such as a toaster oven, I'd argue most of those can't match the convenience of a slot toaster, especially if you know you're going to be making toast frequently, being able to pop some bread into the toaster and have it easily accessible while, say, frying an egg or making coffee is well worth the investment (which, by the way, is usually less expensive with slot toasters). How much is too much to spend on a toaster? The next part of this article will unveil a $300 toaster. It might be hard to fathom ever spending that kind of money on slightly warming bread, but depending on how often you make toast and how important it is to your daily routines — you know what they say about the most important meal of the day — the value of a toaster varies by user. I don't make toast daily, but I come close to that frequency because I chef up more breakfast sandwiches than is good for my health. But look the other way and you can see the benefit of a toaster at a tenth of the price, such as our budget pick from Cuisinart. It works. It isn't flashy. You won't feel like you have to use it because you shelled out big bucks for it. But when you do have a hankering for toast now and then, it will be there. Revolution R90 Digital Toaster The R90 ditches dials and knobs for a touchscreen interface that specifies what you're toasting and how brown you want it. It works well — if you want to pay for it. The Revolution R90 excels at making toast precisely how you want it. The touchscreen menu reveals six options — toaster pastries, English muffins, bread, bagels, waffles and Revolution's sandwich cooker, the Toastie Press — then seven levels of doneness. You can tip off the toaster that your contents are frozen or if they need a few more seconds to reach perfection, as with my top pick from Breville. The results of my tests were largely elite. Though using the frozen function overcooked the waffle, the R90 lightly toasted the outside of the bagel while maintaining a doughy interior. When toasting white bread, this model produced the fastest and most consistent results. Every time, I had perfectly golden brown toast in a little more than 90 seconds. I'd be more than pleased with this kind of quality at an overpriced brunch, and if toast is a vital part of your breakfast habits, the R90 is worth consideration to bring that ability home. Though the R90 fancifies one of the most basic kitchen appliances — it automatically lowers your bread without pushing a lever, and a chime replaces the coveted click of a traditional toaster popping up — it doesn't overthink all the basics. A convenient grip on the front helps when moving it back and forth from underneath your cabinets. Its matte black finish doesn't get as dirty as a chrome appliance, and its Amazon Echo-esque look blends right in because the screen turns off when not in use. The only thing holding the R90 back from a higher spot in my rankings is its price. At $300, you could buy three of my top picks from Breville and still have cash left over. That cost doesn't include Revolution's Toastie Press sandwich cooker, which turns your toaster into a vertical panini press, though you can bundle it for $20 extra. Considering the R90 is Revolution's budget model and not quite a 'smart toaster' — the brand has two units priced higher, including the $400 R180 Connect Plus that features a digital picture frame and current weather conditions on the front — I would have liked to see this two-slot toaster a little more competitively priced. Revolution's site argues the R90 makes toast more fun than ever before. I don't disagree, and if you're in that same camp, you'll love the R90. But your money will be better spent elsewhere if you're only looking for a toaster for its utility. Smeg 2-Slice Toaster If aesthetics are your No. 1 must-have, the retro vibes from this Smeg toaster are worth a long look. Hidden under its facade is terrific durability. If my inbox is any indication, toasters are one of the product categories CNN Underscored readers care a lot about. Before this round of testing, one reader implored me to try a toaster from Smeg because his had been toasting for eight years strong, making it the best he and his wife had owned in 49 years of marriage. Could he have been a sleeper agent for the brand? Sure. But after including Smeg's two-slice toaster in this round of testing, I found no evidence that his claims were artificial. Though a dashing retro exterior may draw you in — I tested a beautiful matte black finish — the heavy, durable build is what won me over. Toasting performance wasn't lacking either, as the Smeg granted plenty of clearance for retrieving toast and a 1-to-6 dial that clicks for every half step. Of course, you'll have to pay up for the entire package, making the Breville a better buy in my eyes. Haden Bristol 2-Slice Toaster Combining a matte putty finish with chrome accents, this toaster had a polished look without a preposterous price. Its performance wasn't too shabby either. If the Smeg toaster catches your eye but you can't bring yourself to spend that much, Haden's Bristol toaster is a handsome alternative. This model is a Williams Sonoma exclusive with a matte tan or putty color and chrome finishes. If I had one gripe with its design, I would've liked a bit more clearance for grabbing toast off the top of the unit. The Bristol's toasting performance was largely positive. Though it vastly overcooked the toaster pastry on a medium setting, it nailed bread toasting in the same amount of time as my top pick. Consistency was its strongest quality, delivering nearly identical toasts no matter how quickly I started the next cycle after the last. Oster 2-Slice Touchscreen Toaster Slow toasting times and a touchscreen that wasn't easy to interact with pushed the Oster down in my rankings despite a few strong features. This affordable model from Oster has a touchscreen (like the $300 R90) and gives users the ability to peek at toast before it's done (like the $90 Breville). But I found some flaws in its toasting performance that were hard to overlook when considering the benefit of those features. It has only six heat settings and took longer to finish a medium-level toast than everything else in my product pool. It unevenly overcooked bagels, removing any semblance of chewiness. Its touchscreen was also harder to view and use than the one on the R90, which is tilted up toward your face. The Oster screen, with blue letters on a black background, is flat, facing outward, which is kind of awkward. Zwilling Enfinigy 2-Slice Toaster A carryover from my own kitchen, this toaster is sturdy and reliable but doesn't do much to warrant a splurge. I had this toaster in my kitchen for more than three years, and it scores durability points for surviving the grind of heavy use. Its toasting performance gets the job done too, frequently handling all sorts of breads and bagels with satisfactory results. But its several flaws were enough evidence compared to the competition in my testing pool that I wouldn't buy the same toaster if it kicked the bucket tomorrow. The Zwilling Enfinigy has a small crevice between its toaster slots and the rest of its exterior shell. It's where crumbs go to die, an impossible cavern that's such a pain to clean that I rarely do. Despite only being a two-slotter, this toaster has some serious heft too, at about 10 by 8 by 13 inches. It doesn't do much to justify costing more than both my overall winner and budget pick. The following FAQs were answered by the author of this guide, CNN Underscored associate testing writer Joe Bloss. Why does my new toaster smell? Why does my new toaster smell? Don't worry, as every toaster I tested produced a nasty burning smell the first time or two I used it. It's totally normal. What you're getting a whiff of is manufacturing oils and packaging debris burning within the toaster. It'll go away, and it's not dangerous. Do I need a slot toaster if I have a toaster oven? Do I need a slot toaster if I have a toaster oven? I'd argue yes. A good toaster oven can whip up great toast, but a slot toaster delivers quick convenience that's hard to replicate, especially for a reasonable price. Even our favorite budget toaster oven, the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Air Fryer Toaster Oven, is more expensive than my top slot toaster, the Breville 'A Bit More' 2-Slot Toaster. CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test nearly all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have an experienced team of writers and editors with many years of testing experience who ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when it makes sense to ensure we are testing each product accurately and speaking about the pros and cons of each. For this article, associate testing writer Joe Bloss stuffed loads of bread, bagels, waffles and pastries into a variety of toasters to find the best options for your kitchen. Don't worry, these were grocery store bagels, not the real thing from a New York deli, which should never be toasted. Bloss is just as serious about his breakfast as he is about product testing. He's penned guides on the best food processors and French press coffee makers.
CBS News
17-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
The majestic "Toaster Tree" of Pope County, Minnesota
The town of Sedan, Minnesota, has gone out of its way to celebrate an every-day household item. Surrounded by scenery, Terrace Mill is an historic site in Pope County. It offers peace and tranquility, while its neighbor down the road offers kitchen appliances. Sedan is a few miles from the mill and its population is 45. It's a "don't blink or you'll miss it" type of town. But when the tree outside Mayor Keith Kirchhevel's house began to sprout toasters, visitors didn't blink — they stared. It all began 27 years ago when his small appliance went haywire. "Smoke was coming out so I just pulled it out. There was snow on the ground, so I threw it outside," Kirchhevel said. Later, when his daughter was talking about how much snow there was in the yard, Kirchhevel tied the toaster to a branch so they could remember how the high drifts were after they melted. "There were a couple of pranksters, I'd say. The next day they were here putting up more toasters," he said. "It's just never stopped." For a while, every day was like Christmas morning, with Kirchhevel waking up to find something new. There are now nearly 50 toasters in the tree. And from time to time, other odd and unusual things have been added. "There was a whole boat in this tree once," he said. Kirchhevel had to take that one down because it didn't fit the countertop appliance criteria. He made an exception for neighbor and city clerk Julie Lloyd and her pizza oven. "Since it had a heater element in it, it qualified for the project," Lloyd said. If anything, she's noticed more traffic in this one-horse town. "Cars going really slow and then, they'll stop, and a group of women will get out and get their picture taken with the toaster tree," Lloyd said. It's even "popped up" on the internet, gaining its own following in the U.S. and overseas. Lloyd once got a Facebook message from China. "I had to send it to my foreign exchange student to translate it for me, and they asked me about this idea and how much we charge for it [laughs]," she said. Toaster tourism has become a thing in this small town, and it shows no sign of burning out. "It's kind of neat. You go places and if you say 'Sedan,' this is what they know about," Kirchhevel said. "We enjoy life and we like people," Lloyd said. "Come and check us out." The "Toaster Tree" is located on Marsh Street, which is essentially Sedan's main street.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
The 16 best toasters of 2025, tried and tested on toast, crumpets, muffins and more
While the humble kettle may be fading in popularity in favour of modern hot water taps, the toaster shows no signs of going out of style. You'd be forgiven for thinking the best toasters of today remain largely unchanged from the models of 20 years ago, but the truth is they've had quite the innovation. Bex Dixon, kitchen expert at Currys, said toaster sales at the company have been up six per cent year on year. 'We're seeing a trend for more premium toasters with unique settings and longer slots. The latest designs are particularly good for those who enjoy toasting more artisan-style bread, such as sourdough.' In an effort to find the best toasters to upgrade your kitchen, I've trialled the latest models from well-known kitchenware brands including Dualit, Sage and Russell Hobbs. You can read my reviews below, followed by some expert advice from AO's own kitchen expert on how to care for them and what features to look out for. But if you're in a hurry, here's a quick look at my top five: The best toasters: At a glance JUMP TO REVIEWS Are more expensive toasters better? You can expect to pay anything from £20 to £220 for a toaster, with prices varying noticeably by brand. You'll pay for a design that feels more durable and has smoother controls. Most toasters now come with a defrost and cancel button as standard and a variable toasting control dial, but the more expensive designs tend to have extra settings for keeping your bread warm or a high-lift function for checking your toast without interrupting the cycle. 'Spending a little more on your toaster will offer more functionality,' says Thea Whyte, small appliance expert at AO. 'The best features include being able to reheat toast without burning, clever heating tech that toasts your bread twice as fast and settings for perfecting bagels and crumpets.' How to choose the best toaster Toasters often have useful cancel, defrost and reheat settings to make it easy for you to prep your bread. Think about what you'll want to toast; more advanced designs offer specific settings for bagels or crumpets so your bakes are toasted on one side and warm on the other, or come with extra capabilities like a grill or panini press. Here are the other key criteria to consider: Design: Check if the toaster comes with any matching appliances in case you want to upgrade your kettle and blender too. Look for controls that are easy to decipher on busy mornings, as some designs highlight their controls with icons rather than text. Cord length also matters if you have a limited number of power sockets on your worktop. Finally, if you're buying a four-slice toaster, check to see if you can control the slots separately to save on energy. Keep warm features: Being able to keep your bread warm for a certain time after it pops up is a useful extra, particularly if you're prone to setting and forgetting about your toast. For croissants or buns, look for a design with a warming rack. Smooth operation: A high-lift function makes it easy to check your toast without interrupting the heating cycle. More premium models tend to benefit from smoother push-down lever controls and durable, easy-to-clean finishes. The best toasters also offer steady heating controls that produce more even results, ensuring your toast doesn't burn easily. Size and slot width: You can choose from a wide range of two and four-slice toasters to suit small or large kitchens. If you have a small space to play with, consider a thinner, long slot toaster that can still fit four slices. If you plan to house your toaster in a cupboard, consider the weight as some can be considerably heavier than others. Toasters with wider slots will fit chunky slices of bread such as home-cut sourdough and thick-sliced sandwich loaves, so keep that in mind too. How we tested the best toasters To find out how each toaster performs, I tested each design using different types of bread, bagels and crumpets. I toasted a square white sandwich tin, an oversized seeded artisan and a medium-cut tiger loaf to see how even the toasting results and how easily the slots accommodated the bread. I tried out the extra shortcut settings for crumpets, defrosting and reheating where available. I rated each toaster on design and performance, how flexible the toasting controls were, taking into consideration noise levels both when in use and when the toast popped up. I was also keen to see if the toaster remained cool to touch in use and whether it was easy to clean after use. To really transform your breakfast routine, read our guides to the best waffle makers and best coffee machines next. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. All reviews are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. The best toasters for 2025 1. Best Buy Toaster: Sage the 'A Bit More' Toaster 4 Slice If you're willing to spend a little above the average for a good quality toaster, this is an excellent choice. I've been using a Sage coffee machine for years and recently gave Sage top marks in my review of the best microwaves. I was pleased to find their toaster offers a similarly smooth user experience. It comes in two and four slot options. I tried the four slice, which has a generous length and deep slots that makes it easy to accommodate large and thick slices of bread. I managed to fit three small slices of tiger bread into one slot and a large, seeded sourdough slice in the other. The front of the toaster has a slider with an LED panel that controls the 12 browning settings, which can be adjusted in small increments from 0-5. This makes it easy to experiment with timings to get your bread toasted just how you like it, though it won't let you heat up individual slots. I found setting 2 gave me evenly toasted bread from corner to corner in around a minute. The exterior of the toaster stayed relatively cool to touch, too. There's a crumpet/fruit loaf button that toasts the insides of the bread without burning the outsides, which I found worked nicely for sliced breakfast muffins, too. The toaster also has an 'A Bit More' button, which gives you a little extra heating time of around 30 seconds. This button feels a bit gimmicky as you could just use the slider to add more toasting time, but it could prove useful if you're in a hurry. The toaster hums slightly when in use and emits a sharp beep as it pops up to let you know your toast is ready. The alert volume can be adjusted, however, which is good for those who like to keep early morning noise to a minimum. Key specifications 2. Best Value Toaster: Morphy Richards Motive 4 Slice Toaster This is a good four-slot toaster for less than £50. The four slots are split into pairs that have their own set of controls, which means you don't have to heat up the whole toaster when you only want to prepare two bits of bread. The levers don't push down as smoothly as some of the more premium toasters I've tried, but overall I was impressed at how evenly my bread was toasted and how generous in size slots are. Having two separate crumb trays in the base of the model makes it easy to keep clean, too. The control dials have the same seven settings and you'll also find standard reheat, defrost and cancel buttons. While the settings don't indicate how many minutes you can toast for, they do offer a good range of toasting options for evenly toasted bread and crispier crumpets and muffins. I found my toast came out way too light for my liking on setting two but that I got two minutes of slow and steady toasting on setting three. I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to ramp up to the most powerful setting of seven, unless you like your bakes a little on the burnt side. But considering its price you can't can go wrong with this design, which also has a matching Motive Jug Kettle for £39.99. Key specifications 3. Best Two-Slice Toaster: Kitchenaid Toaster 2 Slice Kitchenaid's Artisan K400 came top in our review of the best blenders and we rate their food processors highly, too. This toaster also comes in five colourways to match other appliances in the KitchenAid range. It has a truly premium feel to it and while there's a hint of a clumsy jangling sound when the toast pops up, I found it notably quiet in operation compared to other toasters on the list. The body of this all-metal toaster is solid and refreshingly fuss-free, making it easy to wipe and buff clean. I measured the cord at 103cm, which is above average and means it's easy to position on a worktop. Cord storage keep things neat, as does its crumb tray. The toaster features extra-wide slots to fit bread, crumpets and muffins, and a high-lift lever that lets you check in on your bread mid-cycle and easily reach smaller slices of toast that would otherwise require a lot of fiddling to get them out. I needed to consult the manual to decipher the icons on the control buttons, but discovered the settings quite versatile once I worked them out. There are seven toasting controls to choose from, with a sliding control conveniently positioned next to the main lever. While there are no specific crumpet or muffin settings here, there is one for bagels that lets you toast the inside while gently warming the outside of the bread. But what I like most about this model is the keep warm setting. Press this just before you push the toasting lever down and it will keep toast warm for three minutes after popping up. If, like me, you find it hard to multitask in the kitchen, this feature will be much appreciated. Key specifications 4. Best Four-Slice Toaster: Cuisinart 4 Slice Toaster It's clear why this classic toaster is part of Cuisinart's Style Collection, and it comes in a Light Pistachio or Frosted Pearl with stainless-steel finish that will add a subtle hint colour to your kitchen scheme. You can also mix and match with the Cuisinart Multi-Temp Jug or Traditional kettle, from £90. One of the pros of this four-slice design is that it can save energy by letting you control each pair of slots separately, so you won't have to heat up the whole toaster unnecessarily when you simply want one portion of toast. It also has two crumb trays that can be emptied independently and two lift-and-look levers so you can check your toast without pressing cancel and interrupting the toasting cycle. The cord is 94cm, so not the longest I've found, but the toaster itself does come with ample cord storage underneath. There are six toasting settings to choose from on the dial, which work smoothly and quickly to produce even results. The browning control numbers are written in black on chrome which means they aren't the easiest to read, but the Bagel, Defrost, Reheat and Cancel buttons are spelt out clearly making it easy to operate. Key specifications 5. Best Toaster for Bagels: Zwilling Enfinigy 4-Slice Toaster The good looks of the Zwilling Enfinigy toaster will instantly add a touch of luxury to a kitchen in need of a little lift. Crafted by renowned Milanese designers Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez, the premium square design comes in black or silver finishes to match its similarly styled blender and kettle. Crucially, it also performs exceptionally well. Quiet in operation, the toaster has a control dial that lets you ramp up the browning level from one to seven. It's a powerful model and level four was plenty for achieving a satisfyingly crunchy slice of toast. The bagel setting gently toasted my bagels and worked on delicate burger buns without burning them, too. I appreciated how smoothly the lift lever operated, softly popping up when the toast was ready. This was particularly helpful for reaching shorter slices of bread that needed extra help exiting the toaster. It's design touches such as this that make a premium toaster stand out from the rest. Key specifications 6. Best Stainless Steel Toaster: Procook Stainless Steel Toaster With a similarly curvaceous steel design to that of the Dualit and Morphy Richards toasters featured here, this stainless steel model is equally eye-catching. It comes in a two or four slot option ready to take on toast, muffins, flatbread and bagels, and has a reheat button that warms up forgotten toast for 30 seconds. Everything about this toaster looks and feels premium, from its stainless-steel gun-metal finish to its two sets of smooth toasting controls. It might be large, but it doesn't feel too bulky. The slots are generous too, measuring 3.5cm compared to Dualit's 2.8cm, and make it easy to throw in a thick slice or even a waffle. You can also buy it as a set with the matching Procook Gun Metal kettle for £158. Key specifications 7. Best Long Slot Toaster: Russell Hobbs Luna Toaster 2 Slice Long Slot Copper For small kitchens with tight worktops a long-slot toaster like this is a handy option. The slim model has an attractive stainless-steel and copper finish and while the cord is not as long as other toasters (74cm) the shorter length may prove helpful in a smaller kitchen. The toasting controls and slider allow you to switch between six adjustable browning options. The sides can get a little hot to touch when you use the toaster, so bear that in mind if your worktop is crowded. It would perhaps make more sense if the controls were positioned on the slim end of the toaster to allow it to be slotted in between appliances, but they are still easy to reach. But overall, this produces fast and powerful results. It comes with fast-toasting technology that is 55 per cent faster than its predecessor, in fact. While there is no specific bagel or crumpet setting, there are cancel, reheat and defrost buttons here and a lift and look lever so you can monitor your toast without interrupting the toasting cycle. Key specifications 8. Best Toaster for Individual Heating Slots: Dualit NewGen 4-Slice Toaster Hand-built in the UK with fully replaceable parts, I love the classic styling of this toaster that disguises lots of clever features among its controls. But for all its snazziness, it is fairly bulky and pricey. You will also need to spend a bit of time getting to know how it works to get the best from it. It has 2.8cm slots that cater for a Dualit sandwich cage so you can make toasted sandwiches, but these need to be bought separately. It's important not to overfill sandwiches; you don't want melted cheese falling out and make a mess inside. What's good about this design is that you can heat up just one slot or all four. Rather than indicate the browning level on the controls, this toaster has a timer so you can toast bread from under one to three minutes. It's powerful, too. I found toast and bagels browned evenly in just a minute and a half. I also like the fact that the crumb tray is in front, rather than hidden at the sides so it's easy to empty, while the 'Peek and Pop' ejector easily lets you check in on your toast while it's browning. I couldn't work out how to cancel the timer, however. Key specifications 9. Best Looking Toaster: SMEG TSF01 Two-Slot Union Jack Toaster Smeg sells two Dolce & Gabbana toasters that are stupendously desirable, expensive and almost permanently sold out, so if you're looking to add some character to your kitchen then the Union Jack design is an excellent (available) option. That's if you don't already have one of their statement fridge freezers. This toaster has an enamelled finish and a control panel that is simple to use while packing a range of features. It has reheat, bagel and defrost functions, and a browning dial with six heat settings. The stop button is easy to find, too, should you find your toast has had enough. I instantly liked the on the lever beacause it makes it easy to use, letting you push the lever up and down smoothly. The bagel setting is a nice touch, just make sure you put the pieces in the right way round. Key specifications 10. Best Toaster for Large Slices of Bread: De'Longhi Ballerina 4 slice Green Toaster Distinctive in its design, this toaster has a ridged body that is surprisingly easy to clean and buff. Its Laguna Green finish makes it one of those designs that I think benefits from the matching kettle, which is also reasonably priced at £62.99. Just like the Kenwood toaster, this De'Longhi model has two control levers to toast either four or two slices, but it only has one set of controls for browning, defrosting, reheating and cancelling. I could notice the power here as the toaster got hot quickly and doesn't need that much time to brown. I found setting four left my bread a little burnt so swtiched reverted to level two to get a nice crisp finish on my toast. Key specifications 11. Best Sandwich Toaster: Ninja Foodi 3-in-1 Toaster, Grill & Panini Press £149.99 Buy now Price at Ninja This model works as a traditional toaster stand-up for two slices with bagel and defrost settings, but it can also be flipped on its side, which converts it into a grill and panini press. Working these settings out requires referring to the comprehensive instruction booklet, but once I'd worked it out, I found it easy to use and appreciated the recipe ideas it comes with. As with most Ninja appliances, the LED display is easy to follow and clearly illustrated with written text, which is something I appreciate in a hurry as it takes out the guesswork. The design is pretty bulky and feels more like a countertop cooker rather than a simple two-slice toaster. That said, I think its three-in-one capability is excellent for anyone who loves a toasted sandwich, or wants to reheat leftover pizza slices. Key specifications 12. Best Mid-Range Toaster: Hamilton Beach Rise 4 Slice Brushed & Polished Stainless Steel Toaster Design-wise, this toaster's shiny steel finish looks great on the worktop and at 19.5cm high, its frame isn't too bulky either. Its brushed and polished stainless steel design makes it one of the more attractive toasters I've tested and I can imagine comfortably living with this on my worktop. Over the course of the week I found it easy to keep it fingerprint and smudge-free using a microfibre cloth to buff it clean. It has four generously sized slots making it a great choice for a family of four. Each pair of slots can be controlled independently of each other and it comes with your standard reheat, defrost and cancel settings alongside six browning levels. I found a happy medium at level three for white toast and bagels. While there's no specific crumpet or bagel settings, the slots are wide enough to fit your standard American bagel and English muffin. There are two small removable crumb trays around the back of the toaster and while they aren't that deep, they slide out smoothly to make cleaning easy. I enjoyed using this toaster and while it's near silent in use, my only misgiving is that the levers rattle slightly when they get pressed down and pop up. That said, this makes it easy to hear your toast when it's ready. Key specifications 13. Best Toaster for Crumpets: Breville Edge Silver 4-Slice Toaster Similar in style to the Sage 'A Bit More' toaster, this Breville design has a brushed stainless-steel finish with two long slots to cater for four slices at a time. While it looks great on the worktop, I did find myself having to buff it regularly to keep it looking in tip-top condition as its marks and smudges quite easily. It's a powerful model and my toast browned quickly, although not as evenly as some of the more premium toasters I've tried. I like the variable-width bread slots that makes it easy to insert thick and thin slices as this makes it particularly good for crumpets. There's also a crumpet setting to help you get them cooked just right for some afternoon tea. Key specifications 14. Best Toaster for Croissants: Philips Conscious Collection 2 Slice Toaster Made from 100 per cent bio-based plastics from biological and renewable materials, Philips is keen to highlight the eco-credentials of this toaster. Call me superficial but while this may make your kitchen greener, what truly stood out for me was the integrated bun rack. These racks are rather scarce in the world of toasters but they let you warm croissants and tea cakes by sitting on the top of the toaster's slots. There's a good range of browning controls here too, but these and the defrost and reheat icons all illustrated in grey on the silk white matte finish that I found a little hard to read when in a hurry. I had to press down quite hard to click the lever into place, but the toasts almost pops out at the end so you'll definitely know when it's time to butter it. It comes with a dust cover that keeps the look modern and minimalist, but you will need to remember to allow the toaster to cool down before you place it on top. Key specifications 15. Best Toaster for Anti-Jamming: Kuro 4 Slice Toaster This toaster has a smooth black finish with a stainless steel top, but the lever controls are plastic and don't slide down as smoothly as other toasters I've tried. However, it has an anti-jamming feature that is meant to stop pieces of toast getting stuck so you're not left fishing around trying to get it loose. The toaster slots can be controlled in pairs to save on energy when needed and have a generous, self-centering function to fit a range of bread sizes, crumpets and thick bagels. The design does lack a high-lift lever to check in on your bread, though. The control dial has seven browning levels and as it's fairly powerful you may find that sticking to the lower levels is sufficient enought. I tried toasting some bread on level four and it came out burnt, but level two was plenty to brown my bread in well under two minutes. Key specifications 16. Best Toaster for Stylish Colours: Kenwood Elegancy 4 Slot Toaster in Mocha This toaster is similar in style to the Cuisinart model. While the body of this toaster is made from plastic, it feels durable and has a sturdy base. I like the Mocha finish here, which is easy to wipe clean and doesn't leave fingerprint marks. There are two lever controls here to operate each side of two slots, but there is only one browning control dial. This means that while you can toast fewer slices when desired, you won't be able to have different toasting levels on either side. There are no bagel or crumpet pre-sets either, but I found the variable browning control powerful and flexible enough to get my desired level of toasting. Key specifications Best toaster FAQs What features should I look out for on a toaster? Look for a flexible design that comes with shortcut settings for popular tasks such as reheating, keeping warm and defrosting bread or toasting crumpets and bagels. A high-lift function allows you to check your toast without interrupting the heating cycle and wider slots will fit chunky slices of bread. More premium models tend to benefit from smoother push-down lever controls and durable finishes that are easy to keep clean. If you want to warm croissants or buns, look for a design with a warming rack too. A decent cord length will come in useful if you have a limited number of power sockets on your worktop. The best designs offers steady heating controls that produce more even toasting results and ensures your bread doesn't burn easily. If you're buying a four-slice toaster you may want to check to see if you can control how many slots heat up to save on energy. This also works well when two of you want your bread toasted differently. Is a two-slice or four-slice toaster better? 'A two-slice toaster is great if you have limited worktop space because it's energy-efficient and suitable for individuals or small households,' says Thea Whyte, AO's small appliance expert. 'A four-slice toaster is ideal if you need to serve multiple people quickly and is good for families or larger households, as it offers more flexibility since you can toast various types of bread simultaneously.' What do the numbers mean on a toaster? 'The numbers on your average toaster don't tend to indicate the toasting time, but illustrate the level of browning for your bread,' continues Thea Whyte. 'The higher the number, the longer the toasting time, resulting in a darker and crispier toast. Toasting levels vary from model to model, however, so the number four on one toaster control panel will give you different toasting results to another toaster.' How do I clean a toaster? Lynsey Crombie, Queen of Clean, suggests: 'Prep by unplugging the mains, take out the crumb trays and shake into the bin. Soak the trays in some warm soapy water and give them a little scrub to get rid of any stubborn crumbs if needs be. 'Shake the main unit over the bin to remove any further crumbs. Wipe over the outside of the toaster and the cord, which can often look grubby. 'If you have any rust/burnt marks on the silver where the toast pops up, add some cream cleaner to a recycled toothbrush and gently scrub the patches, rinse and buff dry with a microfibre cloth,' she adds. 'Dry and shine up the rest of the toaster with a dry microfibre cloth. Leave to fully air dry before you use again.'
