Toasters
Before you begin shopping for a toaster, you need to decide whether you want a pop-up toaster  or a toaster oven. The answer to this question comes down to whether or not you want just to toast bagels and sliced breads or if you have loftier ambitions of melting cheese (maybe even with tomato and pesto ) or warming Nutella on a hunk of French bread (which I highly recommend). If square slices and Pop-Tarts are all you plan on toasting, the obvious and cheaper choice is the standard pop-up. Square food, square slots. If you are looking for a toaster oven, check this buying guide.
Toaster Types
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Standard
Usually these come in plastic or metal and they can fit from 2 to 6 slices. Available in basic finishes like white and chrome, or in more colorful options. (Above: Hamilton Beach toaster.) |
Professional Toaster
Heavy-duty die-cast aluminum pro toasters can weigh a lot and cost a lot, but they will make beautiful toast. |
Toaster Oven
The alternative to the standard toaster for baking, cooking and toasting. |
Recommendations
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- Cook's Illustrated (subscription required) has one of the few reviews of toasters available.
- Cook's only rated toasters costing less than $30. (Many toasters cost more.)
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Features to Look For - Slots: 2 slots saves space, but 4 slots saves time, especially in a large household.
- Deep slots up to 5.5" deep for toasting all types of bread, even baguettes.
- A bread lift is essential and usually standard. It's what pushes the toast up out of the toaster.
- Bagel setting allows you to toast only one side of the bagel.
- Adjustable Temperature: Temperature settings should range from defrost to high to get a variety of toasting speeds and intensities.
- Cleaning: A sliding crumb tray is an easy way to keep the countertop crumb free.
- Extras: A cord wrap will keep an unruly cord under wraps.
- Automatic shut-off is a UL standard required safety feature.
If you are absolutely incapable of making up your mind, Hamilton Beach makes a toaster/toaster oven, which satisfies all toasting and small oven needs. Keep in mind though, if one part breaks, then you are left with a bulky machine that only does half the job.
If you consider yourself a toast connoisseur like Renelle, a fellow Shopwiki user, does, perhaps her thoughts will aid in your decision-making process. "Toaster ovens, in my experience," Renelle writes, "make lousy toast. The oven tends to burn the bread close to the source of heat, leave the rest of the bread undercooked at the edges. If you are particular about your toast being evenly toasted, a regular pop-up toaster is a necessity."
Renelle certainly knows what to expect out of a piece of toast, and if you caught yourself inadvertently nodding in agreement with Renelle's words then the pop-up toaster is for you.
One word of advice, always unplug the toaster before attempting to pry anything out. Death by toaster leaves a questionable legacy at best.
Related Buying Guides
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