7 Best Toasters for Different Bread Types

Over 90% of households have a toaster!  Although it is not an essential appliance, toasted bread is a staple food for many so having a toaster that will toast a simple slice of bread as well as a bagel or muffin surely makes life easier!

Toasters are designed in all shapes and sizes, and some have the traditional two slots while others have four slots. Also, there are many ranges of versatile toaster ovens available to buy. From artisan bread to classic toast bread, sliced thick or thin, today’s variety of toasters on the market turn any bread into a crunchy slice. We have listed a few of our favourites for you.

List of best toasters

• Most popular 4 slices – Cuisinart CPT-180P1 Metal Classic 4-Slice Toaster, Brushed Stainless
• Most popular 2 slices – Cuisinart CPT-160 Metal Classic 2-Slice Toaster, Brushed Stainless
• Best budget 4 slices – Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 Long Slot 4 Slice Toaster
• Best budget 2 slices – Hamilton Beach 2 Slice Extra Wide Slot Toaster with Shade Selector
• Best retro design 4 slices – BUYDEEM DT640 4-Slice Toaster, Extra Wide Slots, Retro Stainless Steel with High Lift Lever, Bagel and Muffin Function, Removal Crumb Tray
• Best retro design 2 slices – REDMOND 2 Slice Toaster Retro Stainless Steel Toaster with Bagel, Cancel, Defrost Function and 6 Bread Shade Settings Bread Toaster
• Best toaster oven – Hamilton Beach Countertop Toaster Oven, Easy Reach With Roll-Top Door, 6-Slice

Things to consider before buying 

Number and size of slots

Toasters come with two or four slots for toasting bread and choosing the right toaster depends on how often you are using your toaster and how large your family is. The size of slots is also important and depends on what you are toasting. If you plan to use only slices of bread, basic slot size will be okay, but if you like to toast bagels, croissants or muffins, you might want to consider a toaster with wide slots or even a toaster oven. Keep in mind that more counter space will be needed for larger toasters with increased and wider slots.

Cost

A good toaster doesn’t have to be expensive. Basic, cheap models without extra features will toast your slice of bread perfectly, and more sophisticated models will come at a higher price. We recommend investing in a sturdy model if you are using it regularly. 

Special features

Some toasters have special features available such as defrosting frozen items, one side toasting, and keeping warm are just a few to mention. However, different settings to toast from light to dark and a ‘high lift’ function are handy as you don’t need extra tools like tongs to take out the toasted bread. 

Easy of cleaning

As with all appliances, it is important to be able to clean easily. Removable crumb trays make the process easy and when clearing the crumbs regularly avoids burnet bits and might also extend the lifetime of the toaster machine. 

Overview of best toasters

Most popular 4 slices – Cuisinart CPT-180P1 Metal Classic 4-Slice Toaster, Brushed Stainless

Cuisinart is known for its beautiful designs. This brushed stainless steel toaster with polished chrome and black accents is no different and looks great in any kitchen. There are two control panels, two 6-setting browning dials, dual reheat, defrost and bagel buttons with LED indicators  and some extra features such as extra-lift carriage lever, and a convenient cord wrap. 1.5-inch (3.8cm) wide toasting slots handle all types and sizes of bread.

Each side can be used at the same time with independent settings and there are separate slide-out crumb trays for easy cleaning. Some Amazon buyers state that it is on the larger side and takes up space, and that the toasting times can be inconsistent.

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Most popular 2 slices – Cuisinart CPT-160 Metal Classic 2-Slice Toaster, Brushed Stainless

This 2 slice toaster from Cuisinart is smaller and fits comfortably on your kitchen countertop. It has exactly the same functions as the 4 slice toaster. Perfect for a small family and tinier kitchen.

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Best budget 4 slices – Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 Long Slot 4 Slice Toaster

This classic looking toaster does everything from reheating to toasting on 6 adjustable levels. The wide slots fit slices of bread as well as bagels and specialty breads.

A cancel button releases the toast quicker than the setting allows. The self centering guides make even toasting easier and cleaning is easy with a drop down crumb tray. There is a one-year guarantee which makes this a very attractive buy.

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Best budget 2 slices – Hamilton Beach 2 Slice Extra Wide Slot Toaster with Shade Selector

This Hamilton Beach toaster with wide slots warms consistently and quickly. Illuminated buttons have a choice of  toasting level, bagel setting, and defrosting. The shade selector means your toast can be lightly toasted or very crunchy. A high-lift boost raises foods a little higher than usual when ready allowing for easy removal of bread without burning hands. The crumb tray is easy to remove and clean. This toaster works particularly well for bagel lovers as it warms the bagels perfectly on the inside without toasting it too much on the outside. 

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Best retro design 4 slices – BUYDEEM DT640 4-Slice Toaster, Extra Wide Slots, Retro Stainless Steel with High Lift Lever, Bagel and Muffin Function, Removal Crumb Tray

We all know that Smeg is a fine brand when it comes to retro design but this 4 slice toaster is a very good contender, especially when it comes to the price.

This toaster has wide slots with self-centering guides and seven shade settings. The 4 slice dual independent control panels allow high lift for easy removal of the bread. The special bagel toasting function heats up both sides of the bagel initially, then only toasts the cutting side of the bagel. A negative point to this toaster is the release of a strong odour when using it for the first few times. Run the toaster a few times without bread to eliminate the odour.

Best retro design 2 slices – REDMOND 2 Slice Toaster Retro Stainless Steel Toaster with Bagel, Cancel, Defrost Function and 6 Bread Shade Settings Bread Toaster

Another well priced brand with retro design is this Redmond stainless steel toaster. Time and shadows of toasting are controllable with 6 different baking settings from 70 to 220 seconds. Cancel, bagel and defrost are three unique features easy to set with a push of a button. This user-friendly toaster is easy to use and is available in nine attractive retro colours.

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Best toaster oven – Hamilton Beach Countertop Toaster Oven, Easy Reach With Roll-Top Door, 6-Slice

If you are toasting a lot and you have a large family, a toaster oven might be more convenient. The roll top door moves up and makes it easy to access food on the inside. 

There are multiple functions such as convection, bake, broil, and toast with two rack positions. This toaster fits 6 slices of bread, and the interior is spacious enough to cook other recipes from snacks to side dishes. This appliance is a little large compared to a classic toaster and the easy roll top door makes it difficult to clean the inside of the window. Otherwise a very good appliance.