The Art of Toasting: Top Best Toaster Picks

Toasters are a mainstay of the kitchen. They are a simple appliance with a clear purpose, and when you want toast you need a toaster. But with so many different toasters on the market, which one is right for you? We have done the research to find the best toasters.

Cuisinart CPT-180 4Slice MTL Clas Toaster - Quantity 2

This 4-slice toaster from Cuisinart is a great addition to any kitchen. It features extra-wide slots for any type of bread or bagel and individual control knobs for customized shades of toast.

Pros

• Heats quickly and evenly
• Nice styling fits most kitchens
• High build quality
• Easy to clean
• Controls are intuitive

Cons

• Gets very hot
• May take two tries to get darker toast

Review

This toaster from Cuisinart has a beautiful classic style with a brushed stainless steel finish. You will enjoy using it every day.

With room for up to 4 slices of thick bread or bagels, this toaster is great for families. It has 4 functions for toast, bagels, defrost, and to reheat. These are each visible thanks to LED lighting. Each side has a control knob which allows you to choose the shade of the toast from light to dark. You can find the perfect setting for your toast. The defrost button is a nice feature letting you start with frozen bread and get delicious toast without burning the surface.

The slots are 1.5 inches wide, so you can fit anything from toast to bagels to frozen pancakes without any problem. The extra wide carriage lever is a joy to press down while you wait for the toast to pop up.

The brushed stainless steel exterior is easy to keep clean, and both sides of the toaster have removable crumb trays for discarding residue from your toast.

Some customers complain that getting darker toast may take two cycles, and the heat from the toaster is pretty enormous, so you want to be careful about putting this near anything flammable or that can be damaged by heat.

With its classical style and great functions, the Cuisinart classic 4-slice toaster is a great choice for any home.

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KitchenAid KMT4115SX 4-Slice Toaster with Manual High-Lift Lever, Brushed Stainless, Metallic

This beautiful alloy steel toaster by Cuisinart will look great in your kitchen. It features 4 extra wide slots for toast or bagels along with easy-to-use controls and removable crumb trays.

Pros

• Durable quality
• Stylish stainless steel finish
• Easy to clean
• Toasts evenly

Cons

• Makes a loud beep when it finishes
• A bit slow

Review

This stylish toaster from KitchenAid is powerful and easy to use and will look great in any kitchen.

KitchenAid is well-known for making high-quality appliances, and this toaster is built to last. It features 4 extra-wide slots for toasting perfect breads, bagels, English muffins and more. With 1440 watts of power, this toaster is fast and heats evenly for great toast every time.

This toaster is perfect for families with separate controls for each side, so one person can have their toast dark, while the other gets lightly toasted bagels. It has 2 settings, bagel and toast, with control knobs to select the shade. It adjusts for 5 settings 1 (light) to 5 (dark). These controls are well-designed and easy to use.

The high lift lever makes a satisfying click as you set it down, and when the toast pops up, you can easily lift it out with the lever. One downside is that the toaster does make a beeping noise when it finishes.

With removable crumb trays, the toaster is easy to clean. It is hand wash only.

Some customers say that it does take awhile for toast to get dark, so this is something to consider.

The KitchenAid KMT4115SX is well-designed and built to last, and it will make a statement in your kitchen.

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BLACK+DECKER 2-Slice Extra Wide Slot Toaster, Classic Oval, Black with Stainless Steel Accents, TR1278B

This affordable toaster by Black+Decker does the one job it has been designed to do: it makes great toast. Featuring 2 extra-wide slots, it can accommodate bagels and thicker breads.

Pros

• Great value
• Smooth lever mechanism
• Includes defrost feature
• Heats fast and evenly
• Compact design

Cons

• No indicator light
• Cord is not on the backside

Review

For an affordable toaster that does exactly what it was designed to do without any fuss, this Black + Decker 2-slice toaster is a good option.

It offers quality toasting at a reasonable price with extra-wide slots for bagels, burger buns, and most types of bread. The bagel button and defrost button are not the best as they do not click, and there are no indicator lights to let you know what is happening. The shade selection dial is quite simple and works well giving you the option from light (1) to dark (7).

The lever is a bit loose and plastic feeling, but it is springy and allows you to push the toast out for easy access after it is finished toasting.

The black exterior hides most fingerprints and other marks and goes with just about any type of kitchen design. It has a drop-down crumb tray that lets you remove crumbs. It isn’t as nice as a removable tray, but it works well enough.

The compact design is nice, although it is a bit taller than you might expect. The one strange design feature is that the power cord does not come out at the back of the toaster.

Overall, if you just want a simple toaster that does a nice job getting your toast evenly browned, then this Black+Decker is a great choice.

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Breville 4-Slice Die-Cast Smart Toaster BTA840XL - BREBTA840XL

This smart toaster by Breville has great build quality and design giving you 4 slices of perfectly toasted bread each and every time. It features a stainless finish with push-button controls.

Pros

• Fantastic design and build quality
• Toasts quickly and evenly
• Easy to clean
• Automatic features are cool

Cons

• Expensive
• Plastic slider knob feels a bit cheap

Review

Breville is known for making high-quality kitchen appliances that are smart and built to last, and this toaster fits the bill for one of the best toasters you can buy.

At the heart of this beast of a machine is an 1800 watt power unit, which means your toast will heat quickly and toast evenly no matter which of the 4 slots you put it in. One innovative feature of this toaster that you will notice right away is that there is no tell-tale lift lever. Instead, it has an auto-lift feature called “Lift & Look” that lowers the toast and raises the toast at the push of a button.

This is just one of many smart features that this toaster boasts. If you look at the toast, and it isn’t quite brown enough, just push the “A Bit More” button to give it just a bit more time. It has a variable browning control with an LED indicator, so you know exactly how long your toast will take.

In addition, it has a Defrost control so you can start with frozen bread or pastries. It also has a Bagel button and even a Fruit Bread button giving you lots of options. The slots are extra wide, so you can fit in bagels, burger buns, and thicker slices of bread.

The stainless steel exterior is a complement to your kitchen and the minimalist design is beautiful to look at. The removable crumb tray makes it easy to clean, and it comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

The Breville 4-Slice smart toaster will be a great addition to your kitchen, and you will find it a pleasure to use each and every morning.

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Hamilton Beach Digital 4 Slice Extra Wide Slot Stainless Steel Toaster with Bagel & Defrost Settings, Toast Boost, Slide-Out Crumb Tray, Auto-Shutoff and Cancel Button (24796)

This Hamilton Beach toaster features a digital display so you can see your toast choices at a glance. It includes a toast boost feature that pushes the toast out of the slots for easy handling.

Pros

• Digital controls make it easy to operate
• Extra-wide slots
• Toast pops up nice and high
• Easy to maintain and clean

Cons

• May have a bad smell the first time you use it

Review

This digital toaster from Hamilton Beach makes your morning toasting routine easy and carefree. It features 4 extra-wide slots to give you lots of toasting options.

This is a powerful toaster with 1560 watts of power for fast and even heating. It features a digital display so you can see the toast settings and make your shade selection with the push of a button. One issue with this is that it doesn’t always save your settings, so you may need to reselect your shade.

It is finished in brushed stainless steel that looks great with a modern design. It has 3 settings allowing you to toast bagels and even start from frozen bread using the defrost feature. You can fit anything from Texas toast to English muffins in the extra-wide slots.

One thing you will really like is the high-lift toast boost which lets you get the bread or waffles out easily without burning your fingers. The removable crumb trays make it easy to maintain and clean after use.

Customers do note that you might get a plastic smell the first time you use it. You should let it get hot once before you actually cook your first toast just to be safe.

Hamilton Beach has been making great kitchen appliances for over 100 years, and this digital toaster is a great evolution of their design. It will make a great addition to your kitchen.

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Toaster buying Guide

A sandwich toaster is an essential kitchen appliance that should be present in every home. The best toast makers are those that can serve the purpose of sealing fillings in sandwiches. With the wide variety of sandwich toasters on the market, you might find it difficult to find a sandwich toaster that can provide the best service. It is also easy to mistake a sandwich maker with those that can only toast bread. The sandwich toasters in our guide can be used to grill and make sandwiches.

What Is a Sandwich Maker and How Does It Differ from a Toaster?

The main difference between a toaster and a sandwich maker is that the latter is more versatile. A sandwich maker is crafted with ceramic plates that can cook a variety of foods such as paninis, waffles, meats, sandwiches, bacon, regular toast, and several types of bread. Additionally, a regular bread toaster depends on radiant heat and can only brown plain bread slices.

Even though regular toasters and sandwich makers seem to perform similar functions sometimes, they have other significant differences including design, their price and overall versatility.

Types of Sandwich Maker Toasters

Panini Press Sandwich Maker

A panini is a sandwich made using Italian bread and is usually served warm. A panini press sandwich maker contains fixed grill plates. It can be used to grill and toast several types of food and make different sandwiches. An advantage of a panini press is that it can grill anything from vegetables to meat products.

Four Triangle Sandwich Maker

This is the most common type of sandwich toaster and probably the oldest. The appliance has evolved and now includes square-shaped heating plates which are split to form triangles. Four triangle sandwich makers are designed to accommodate four sandwiches, depending on the size of each.

Two Square Sandwich Maker

Unlike the four triangle sandwich maker that can make four sandwiches, the two square sandwich maker can only accommodate two. The sandwiches are square-shaped with no divisions at the center.

Single Sandwich Maker

This is generally the smallest sandwich maker type as it allows only one sandwich to be placed into its plates. It is good for single people, but for households with more people generally bigger toasters are necessary.

Material

There are two main materials used on the surface of sandwich making toasters; metal and plastic. Metal is the most commonly used material as it allows for cooking of various foods. Sandwich toasters use aluminum while others are made with Mica which is fireproof. The plastic used to make sandwich toasters is made heat-resistant using flame retardants and smoke suppressants. Plastic sandwich makers are not so common and can be more expensive than metal toasters.

Types of Sandwich Toaster Plates

Different sandwich makers have different plates in them. The type of plate to choose would depend on how much you are willing to pay for a sandwich toaster.

Fixed Plates

Most of the sandwich toasters come with a fixed plate in various shapes. They are generally not detachable and when cleaned you must be careful to use too much water. The best way to clean them is through wiping. Fixed plate machines in general tend to be cheaper although other factors like material, size, manufacturer affects the price as well. Most of the time the fixed plates are grill plates, four triangle plates, or griddle plates.

Removable Plates

Removable plates offer more convenience when cleaning as they can also be washed in dishwashers. Also, devices with removable plates tend to have more than one style of type, some offering multiple plates, like waffle maker plates, grill plates and others.

What To Look For When Purchasing A Sandwich Toaster

There are several factors about a sandwich maker that should not be ignored if you want to go home with the best appliance. Not all sandwich makers are as good or beneficial as they seem as they may lack crucial features. Here is a list of the most crucial features to look for in a sandwich maker;

Handle

If the handle and the latch are not created using materials that are strong enough or through strong construction, it is a great possibility that you will eventually have a toaster with a broken handle, something you want to avoid. You should know that some of the deals or offers given by retailers may be a sign of poor quality products. It therefore means that you must refrain from purchasing overly cheap sandwich toasters.

Power

The range of maker’s power is from 640 watts in mini sandwich makers to 1,400 watts in top professional sandwich makers. As in most cases, it is advisable to buy appliances with an average power (about 750 watts). The higher the watts in a sandwich maker, the more expensive it is likely to be. Also, remember that the wattage will later add up in your electricity bill so you should choose an appliance with average power consumption, usually between 500-700 watts)

Non-Stick Plates

Most of the sandwich toasters on the market are made using non-stick plates although there is a way of making the sticky ones non-stick. Use two tablespoons of baking soda, half cup of white vinegar and one cup of water then mix them in the sticky sandwich maker. This will instantly make them non-stick.

Thermal Insulation

The thermal insulation of the kitchen sandwich maker helps to avoid burns in the process of cooking. When purchasing a sandwich toaster maker, it is advisable that thermal insulation is not only installed on the surface but also on the handles of the sandwich maker.

An indicator of Heating-Readiness

Such an indicator can signal the on/off of the appliance. It’s not the most important feature to have in a sandwich maker, but it is nice to have this sensor. This way, you will always know when the sandwich maker is ready for use. The sensors also help to minimize power wastage as it shows the exact time when it is appropriate to start cooking.

Dishwasher Safe

It is not a wise decision to put any electrical device in a dishwasher because it will lose its functionality. If you prefer to use a dishwasher, it is best to get a toaster with detachable plates. Also, there are plates specifically meant for handwashing and others are dishwasher safe.

Cord length

Cord length is a factor that you should be keen about when purchasing a sandwich maker. The cord should be long enough to offer convenience and ease of use. You need a cord that can easily reach the nearest countertop without causing trouble. However, a cord that is too long can be a trouble, therefore it is necessary to have a place to store the cord in the sandwich maker or simply buy one with the best approximated length to suit your needs.

Design

Although this is a subjective thing to look at, the design matters. Each kitchen has its own design, and it is possible to find a sandwich maker that fits the design of the kitchen. Some designs are created to suit the modern style while other traditional ones.