Simple but essential, the best toaster is the classic companion for making speedy breakfast or brunch. While toasters all do the same task, they work in different ways. Some have dedicated modes for toasting bagels, leaving you with a chewy exterior and crisp interior, and others have long and wide slots that can handle artisanal bread or even pastries.
We tested the quality, functions, and the toast made by each toaster, but style is also a major factor. After all, a toaster will typically sit on your counter each and every day, and if you choose the right one, it can last decades.
If you need to serve toast for more than four people at once or looking for even more versatility, you can also take a look at the best toaster ovens, which cook a lot more than just bread — some even air fry.
Best toaster 2023
Why you should buy it
Reasonably priced, four slots for family breakfast, great performance
Why we love it
It's easy to select your chosen setting, be it Bagel, Reheat, or Defrost. It's also possible to choose from 12 brownness settings, with up to 6 notches as well as halves for the extra picky members of your family.
The design feels high quality, with a stainless steel exterior and sleek matching levers. You can also pull out two crumb trays independently to empty out the toaster and keep it clean in-between uses.
Good to know
We enjoyed the bagel setting, but keep in mind that you need to place the two slices facing away from each other to use this mode, which feels counter-intuitive.
The levers have some added lift, which is great for pop tarts and other smaller toasted goods, but it doesn't have the added lift of some other toasters, so it's not the best for seriously small slices.
If you’re really serious about toast, the Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster is for you. Packed with clever toasting tech, this machine is the 21st century’s answer to getting the perfect slice of toast.
Why we love it
There are dual slider controls (each control has two slots) for the toast level. Once you’ve loaded the toast into a slot and have hit the Toast button, the toast is automatically lowered and LEDs on the front show the toasting progress. It's a totally seamless process.
Want to see how well your toast is doing? Press Lift and look, and your toast is raised automatically to give you a sneak peek, before dropping down. If your chosen setting wasn’t quite good enough the ‘A Bit More’ button toasts for a little longer.
Features
Wide slots accommodate most bread sizes, and there are special modes for dealing with frozen bread and bagels. Toasting is excellent, producing consistent results time after time.
Though, we should mention that the toaster uses a "Restaurant Style" approach for a crispier side, and a softer side, so if you're expecting equally browned sides, this may not be the toaster for you, but a scroll through the reviews and people are extremely passionate about this toaster. One Amazon reviewer noted how five years later, it's still working just as well as it did on the first day, a testament to its longevity. While another, who thought he was having a product malfunction, found out from Breville reps that one of the features of the smart toaster 'is recognizing fluctuations in electrical power and it shuts itself down to protect the onboard software!'
It misses out on being our absolute top pick due to the price.
Why you should buy it
The best toaster for long slices of homemade bread
Why we love it
Zwilling is known for quality construction and sleek, simple designs, and the Zwilling Enfinigy Cool Touch 2 Long Slot Toaster is no exception. It comes in two colors and has a compact frame that makes it suitable for understated designs.
It has extra-long and wide slots that make it perfect for those who like their artisanal bread fresh from the bakery, often with long slices from the midsection of a sourdough loaf, or a generous wide wedge of some brioche.
Simplicity is key here, so while you will not have large dials and Smeg-style funky button controls, there is everything you need to defrost, reheat, or cancel your setting. You can turn the dial at the front of the toaster to increase the toasting time. There is also an insert at the top of the toaster which can be used to heat up pastries without forcing them into the toaster slot.
Good to know
The small dials on this toaster mean it's not as simple to use as other toasters. While it lacks clear dials and settings, there's everything you need to defrost, reheat, or cancel your setting.
Why you should buy it
Wide slots for thick-cut bread.
Why we love it
You can adjust the brownness of either side independently, and there's a button for bagels or to eject your toast when you suspect it's done. The slots also lift with an impressive clearance for shorter slices. The slots are very wide- perfect for thick slices.
The sleek finish is complete with sturdy dials to adjust brownness, and the independent controls will be useful for different family members with different preferences. If you've got a KitchenAid mixer in your home, this four-slot toaster will match beautifully. It comes in silver, black and red.
Good to know
The lack of a defrost button is a missed opportunity — it's a small feature but it can make all the difference.
Why you should buy it
A compact toaster that's perfect for small apartments.
Why we love it
Four-slot toasters tend to be quite big and bulky, so if you need something smaller and less obtrusive, the Cuisinart 2 Slice Compact Plastic Toaster is smart choice. This tiny model is designed to sit face-on, so it doesn’t take up much width on a counter. Although the product name has the word ‘plastic’ in it, the exterior is neat and clean, looking far better than you might expect.
The controls are simple, with a dial labelled one to seven for the toast setting, defrost, reheat, and bagel settings. The slots are a good size, too, and should take most store-bought slices.
Features
Toasting is generally very good, although some complain that the toaster it a little overpowered, so try with the lower settings first. There are some complaints about uneven toasting, but turning bread part way through can fix that issue.
Why you should buy it
The most stylish toaster you can buy
Why we love it
Stylish kitchens deserve a stylish toaster to match, and the Alessi Plissé Toaster comes in white, red, black, or grey. This toaster comes with a striking exterior that wraps around the entirety of the toaster, and subtle controls for defrosting and cooking bagels. Gorgeous looks aside, the Alessi Plissé Toaster is neat and compact while still making a statement. It has two slots, and there are six browning levels for perfect toast every time.
Good to know
You will have to pay extra for toasting racks, but they have striking handles that pair with the toaster and are great for more delicate items such as pastries.
Why you should buy it
The best retro toaster
Why we love it
We loved the Smeg 4 Slice Toaster TSF03 from the second we took it out of the box. We tested it in a fetching pastel blue but it comes in all sorts of colorways, including black, pink, silver, cream, and much more. The controls are very tactile, with metallic levers that have added lift to elevate even the smallest slices clear of the toaster.
We also enjoy the controls, with a light-up button for defrosting and reheating as well as a simple dial to increase or decrease the brownness settings. Our toast came out beautifully toasted with consistency across both sides of the slice, and the crumb trays pop out for easy cleaning.
Good to know
While we liked the toast, we did missed a bagel setting. It's expensive, but the Smeg 4 Slice Toaster TSF03 is an investment that will last for years. We've also tried and enjoyed its two-slice counterpart, the TSF01.
Our Smeg 4 Slice Toaster TSF03 review has more details.
Why you should buy it
A stylish toaster for a low price
Why we love it
Want all the style of the best toaster but in a two-slice option? The Café Specialty 2-Slice Toaster has rose gold accents and comes in either a white, silver or black option. We love the simple curved design, and it's a compact option for smaller kitchens or households. This toaster not only looks great, but it's also a treat to use as well. There's an express finish option for rushed mornings and eight intensity settings to choose from.
Good to know
Other users have found that the aluminum finish isn't as high-quality as other toasters.
Why you should buy it
A great performer with replaceable parts, ensuring a toaster that lasts for decades.
Why we love it
Dualit offers a good, old fashioned appliance where all the parts can be repaired and replaced. This is not only means longevity, but eco-friendliness, because you aren't throwing a broken toaster every few years.
The Dualit 4 Slice Newgen Toaster follows the traditional looks of toasters past but has new features that set it apart. In addition to just heating, this new model has a proper defrost setting and a setting for heating up bagels.
Otherwise, it’s business as usual, with the option to choose how many slots you want to use (one to four) to save on running costs and a mechanical timer dial. Extra deep and wide slots let this toaster take most types of bread, and you can buy an optional warming rack or sandwich cage.
Good to know
With a mechanical dial, timings aren’t as precise, so there’s a bit of a learning curve with this model. Gien the slightly limited feautres,With a little practice, though, you can get even results every time.
Why you should buy it
A smart toaster for those who love gadgetry.
Why we love it
This toaster has a frankly ridiculous number of settings. There's dedicated functions for tackling toast, English muffins, bagels, waffles, and toaster pastries, and there's also specialised options for gluten-free bread, so it's a good option for celiacs. Not only that but there's also a panini maker, which made a good tasty cheese and ham panini. It's easy to use thanks to an innovate touch-screen display, which displays a digital or analog clock when idle.
Good to know
For all its tech and smart capabilities, this toaster is inconsistent at the most basic function of a toaster. The toast, bagels, and waffles Camryn made were all toasted unevenly. Given that it retails for $350, it's not the best value for money.
Toaster FAQs
What is the best toaster?
The Cuisinart CPT-180 Classic Toaster is our top pick of the best toasters, thanks to its reasonable price and classic design. We also enjoyed its bagel setting and the ability to control both sides independently.
The Cuisinart 2 Slice Compact Plastic Toaster is the best two-slice toaster you can buy, especially if you're looking for something affordable, and if you want something more premium, we love the Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster.
Features to look for in the best toasters
All toasters do the same thing, but there’s some key differences to bear in mind.
Make sure of the number and types of slots. Couples in apartments only need a two-slice toaster. Larger families will need a four-slice capacity. Try to get wide slots on your toaster so you can accommodate different foods. This is particularly true if you use bagels, homemade, or fresh-baked bread.
Some models have a defrost option. This usually doesn’t mean that your bread will be defrosted (although some have this feature) but that your frozen slices will be defrosted and then toasted. This latter mode can be called ‘frozen’ on some toasters.
A bagel setting can be good, too. It varies between toasters, but generally a bagel mode only cooks the underside of your bagel, leaving the top alone. With some other models, the second element may be heated to a lower temperature. Make sure you read the manual so that you know which way to insert your bagel.
A reheat mode is useful if you like your toast warm, as you can stick it back in without overheating it.
Look out for any optional accessories: a sandwich cage lets you make toasted sandwiches, and a warming rack sits on top and is good for pastries and croissants.
Should I buy a two- or four-slice toaster?
If you go through a lot of bread or have a larger family, then a four-slice toaster is generally the best bet to make more toast at ones. If you don’t eat a lot of toast or don’t have much room, then go for a smaller two-slice model.
Take note of the configuration of the toaster. Some four-slice toasters use two long slots instead of four slots. The downside is that you may not fit in two slices side-by-side; the upside is that the longer slots can be better for artisanal bread.
How much energy does a toaster use?
Most toasters will use around 800 to 1200W on average, with four-slice toasters using towards the top of the scale, and two-slice models using less. That’s a rough guide, but as they’re small and dedicated, toasters are more energy-efficient than using your oven’s grill to do the job.
Many models have energy-saving features. Toasters with four slots, for example, will generally have two sets of controls, each controlling two slots. When you only use two slots, you’re using half of the total power; you only run the toaster at full capacity when all four slots are in operation.
How much does a toaster cost?
$50-$100 is a good ballpark that should ensure good performance and high quality. Our favorite, the Cuisinart CPT-180 Classic Toaster, is $70. For occasional users that need a two-slice model, you can pick up a reasonably good toaster for less than $30. At the other end of the spectrum, designer toasters can start from upwards of $300, and there's even Smeg's Dolce & Gabbana model for a whopping $800.
How we review the best toasters
In our guide to the best toasters, we tried as many toasters as we could hands-on. We considered the design, functions, and cost of toasters to decide if they were worth the investment. You'll know if we tested something hands-on because we give all the toasters we try a rating out of five. If there's no rating, we decided to include the toaster in our guide based on online reviews and the design but did not get the chance to try it ourselves.
We're always testing new toasters to make sure our best toaster guide features the very top options you can buy, so we update this guide on a regular basis to make sure it includes all our picks.
For more insight into our hands-on review process, refer to our dedicated page about how we test.
-
-
When is it antisocial to grill? The rules from the experts
Being a good neighbor doesn't cost anything, and under the terms of HOA, being a bad one could be pretty expensive
-
Bathroom dressing rooms – 10 elegant ideas for getting up, dressed and ready to roll
Speed up your morning routine by combining bathing and dressing in one stylishly appointed bathroom dressing room. Here, we share our favorite ideas
