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If you’re looking for a quick and convenient way to toast your favorite breads and bagels, the This Old House Reviews Team is here to help. We researched the best toasters on Amazon and created a buyer’s guide to help you make an informed purchasing decision. Here are our top toaster picks.
Top 4 Toasters
- Best Four-Slot Toaster: Cuisinart CPT-180P1 Metal Classic Toaster
- Best Basic Toaster: Amazon Basics Extra-Wide Slot Toaster
- Most Compact Four-Slice Toaster: Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 Maxi-Matic Toaster
- Best Display: Revolution R180 High-Speed Toaster
Best Four-Slot Toaster: Cuisinart CPT-180P1 Metal Classic Toaster
This four-slot toaster has two adjustable toasting dials on either side to help you toast up to four slices of bread, bagels, and pastries to your liking. Additionally, this counter toaster has a stainless steel exterior that will match other appliances in your kitchen. It’s also compact for a four-slot toaster, making it an excellent choice if you have limited counter space.
Key Features
- 11.15 by 10.65 by 7.5 inches
- Four standard slots
- Two sets of buttons, dials, and levers
- Six browning functions
- Bagel, defrost, reheat, and cancel buttons
- Three-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews raved about this toaster’s multiple browning settings and even toasting of all items, including bagels, frozen waffles, and slices of bread. Other satisfied customers reported that their Cuisinart counter toaster was still going strong after many years of frequent use. Critics of the Cuisinart toaster complained about it breaking shortly after receiving it.
Best Basic Toaster: Amazon Basics Extra-Wide Slot Toaster
This affordable toaster from Amazon Basics has an easy-to-use lever and two toasting slots for heating bread, bagels, and other items. Additionally, this slot toaster has a removable crumb tray for easy cleaning and a long power cord for more placement versatility.
Key Features
- 10.7 by 6.42 by 7.56 inches
- Two standard slots
- One set of buttons, dials, and levers
- Six browning functions
- Bagel, frozen, and cancel buttons
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Many reviewers noted that this toaster was quiet and easy to use. Reviewers indicated that it was a great budget-friendly option and that it cooled down quickly after use. Comparatively, negative reviews pointed out that this toaster stopped working after a short period of time because it wasn’t durable.
Most Compact Four-Slice Toaster: Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 Maxi-Matic Toaster
This toaster from Elite Gourmet has two 10-inch slots that can each toast up to two slices of bread. This unique design with two slots rather than four slots allows it to take up less counter space. The toaster also has a toast shade selector for choosing how dark you want your toast to be.
Key Features
- 14.68 by 7.13 by 7.68 inches
- Two long slots
- One set of buttons, dials, and levers
- Six browning functions
- Defrost, reheat, and cancel buttons
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers recommended this four-slice toaster for its even toasting, slim design, and removable crumb tray. Other positive reviews raved about its long slots that easily fit large slices of bread. However, some customers disliked the customer service they received when they tried to exchange their faulty toaster. Others said that their model ejected their bread too far.
Best Display: Revolution R180 High-Speed Toaster
This intelligent toaster from Revolution is equipped with a touchscreen display that has settings for toasting adjustments and alerts for notifying you when your toast is ready. In addition to this, this high-speed toaster has a smart reminder that tells you when you need to empty its crumbs. You can also choose between an analog or digital clock for when it’s in sleep mode.
Key Features
- 11.65 by 6.13 by 8.4 inches
- Two standard slots
- LED touchscreen
- Seven browning functions
- Five bread types
- Fresh, frozen, and reheat options
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews loved the advanced technology and contemporary design that this slot toaster offered. Many satisfied customers said that it was a game changer for their kitchen, as it worked faster than other toasters they previously owned. Negative reviews criticized this toaster for breaking down quickly and for giving them error messages.
Buyer’s Guide
Before buying a toaster, it’s important to consider how each model’s design and specifications impact its performance and user experience. Here are four factors to keep in mind before making a purchase.
Number of Slots
A toaster’s slots are the designated areas for toasting bread, bagels, and other baked goods. While most toasters have two slots, some models offer three or four. For example, the high-capacity Cuisinart CPT-180P1 Metal Classic Toaster features four slots for bulk toasting.
On the other hand, some toaster models are designed with extra-long slots for toasting large pieces of bread or two slices at once. For example, the Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 Maxi-Matic Toaster contains two 10-inch slots.
Material
Most toasters are constructed using either metal or plastic. Metal is durable and has insulating properties that keep a toaster warm to provide an even toast. While metals, such as stainless steel, are a go-to choice for toasters, plastic is often used as an affordable alternative.
Settings
Most toasters have settings that let you change the shade of your toasted bread. For example, the Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 Maxi-Matic Toaster has a six-shade adjuster that ranges from a light browning to a dark toast. Other models like the Revolution R180 High-Speed Toaster come with food settings that adjust the heating time based on the item you’re toasting.
Additional Features
Many toasters come with additional features that help you remove collected food particles or retrieve your toasted goods. For example, the Cuisinart CPT-180P1 Metal Classic Toaster has a removable crumb tray for simple cleaning. Other models like the Amazon Basics Extra-Wide Slot Toaster have extra-lift levels that help you safely remove small toasted items from their slots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between toaster ovens and toasters?
Toasters are compact appliances that toast small items, such as slices of bread and bagels. Toaster ovens use similar heating elements, but they can toast and reheat larger items, such as sandwiches and pizza.
What should I look for when I’m buying a toaster?
Before purchasing a toaster, consider each model’s available slots, toasting settings, and additional features. If you’re looking for a straightforward, affordable model, the Amazon Basics Extra-Wide Slot Toaster is a good option. If you’re looking for a toaster with advanced settings that are tailored to a wide range of breads, bagels, and pastries, the Revolution R180 High-Speed Toaster may be a better choice.
How can I keep my toaster clean?
To maintain your toaster, gently brush its coils to remove stuck-on crumbs. If your toaster doesn’t come with a removable crumb tray, turn it upside down over a large trash can, and gently tap the crumbs out.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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