7 Best Toasters, According to Our Tests

Myself and my peers have tested many Cuisinart toasters over the years, all of which have received high testing scores. This one offers a more digitized experience by housing most of the settings on a screen on the front of the toaster.

"It offers different settings for different types of bread [white, whole grain, bagel, sweet, waffles, English muffin and gluten-free], which is helpful now that people are eating more than just packaged white bread, which toasts differently than something baked with less sugar and preservatives," says Nicole Papantoniou, director of the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab.

There is also a shade selector that allows you to choose anywhere from lightly toasted to dark (levels one through seven) and options for defrosting and toasting single slices.

I recently tested the Cuisinart CPT-540 4-Slice Motorized Toaster too; it performed well and would be a great option if you have a larger family or want to designate a separate set of slots to gluten-free bread to avoid any contamination. I was especially impressed with how evenly and consistently bread was toasted.

The superior combination of performance, features and affordable pricing impressed our team in Lab testing. At just about $50, it features a long slot design perfect for fitting a single piece of artisan sourdough or two slices of sandwich bread side by side.

Its narrow design also means it takes up less space on your countertop. I love that it features a clear window to monitor how toasted your bread is getting, and it comes in seven different colorways (black, white, cream, gray, aqua, red and yellow) to add a pop of color to your countertop.

In our testing, we especially appreciated how easy it was to remove the crumb tray to keep the toaster tidy. This model received a perfect score when testing for consistency — all slices of toast came out the same shade of golden brown.

One consumer tester said, "I like that it toasted my bread evenly every time I used it," but they didn't like that, "the popping up of the bread has way too much power. I had to watch the toaster as it worked to make sure it didn't pop my bread up and out onto the floor each time I used the toaster."

This super sleek toaster from Zwilling features two long slots perfect for toasting up to four slices of sandwich bread or two long slices of sourdough bread. This model comes with a shade selector featuring seven different levels of browning and preset buttons that feature bagel, defrost and reheat.

In my Lab tests, slices of bread came out evenly toasted (no un-toasted edges, like some competitors), and the shade selector did produce different results, offering users a variety of toast shades. I was so impressed that I took this model home for long-term testing and have found it to perform just as well after a year of use. I especially like it for toasting long slices of my homemade sourdough bread which doesn't fit in most toasters.

This long-slot toaster boasts a larger footprint, so it will take up more space on your countertop than some other toasters on the market. I did also find that this toaster toasted bread slower than other toasters I've tested (three minutes on setting four versus 1:45 minutes on setting four from our fastest toaster tested), but if you're not in a rush, its results are worth the wait.

This toaster also offers accessories you can buy, like a bun warmer for getting perfectly toasted muffins or hamburger buns and a sandwich rack for making toaster paninis.

Krups toasters have performed well in previous testing, able to turn out slice after slice to the same degree of doneness without burning by the second or third batch. This stainless steel model is dependable for toasting white bread to a delicate golden color as well as rye bread to a deeper brown. It's great for entertaining too — it toasts up to four slices at once.

This model features dual independent control panels so you can toast a frozen bagel on one side and a fresh piece of whole grain bread on the other, and each will be cooked to the correct doneness.

Additional features include six browning settings, plus defrost, reheat and bagel. A high lift lever helps retrieve smaller pieces of toast. Reviewers have noted that this toaster takes more time to toast each slice of bread, but thankfully you can toast four at a time.

One analyst made five batches of toast consecutively in the Breville Die-Cast Two-Slice Toaster and it toasted consistently from batch to batch. With the push of a button, the grates lower your toast automatically — no lever-pressing. It also features extra-wide slots for bagels and thicker slices of bread. We found the "Lift and Look" setting to be particularly convenient: It allows you to check on your toast's progress, and if your toast isn't browned enough, you can use the "A Bit More" setting to add extra time.

While a slice of bread pops up high enough to be easily grabbed and an English muffin half can be grabbed from the slots without burning one’s fingers, this toaster does not lift half of an English muffin as high as some other toasters.

The pull-out crumb tray on the base makes it easy to clean, although it is not dishwasher safe. Also worth noting: The sleek die-cast metal housing with brushed steel exterior makes it major eye candy for your countertop, coordinating with other Breville appliances that you may own.

Super basic but affordable, this Hamilton Beach model has seven toast shade options. Papantoniou especially loves that the stainless steel exterior makes it a bit more elegant-looking than other basic toasters, which are often plastic. With its small dimensions, it's perfect for apartments, small kitchens or even motorhomes.

This model also features family-friendly cool-touch sides to avoid burns, which is especially helpful if it's stored in a small kitchen where you might accidentally brush the toaster while cooking.

While this model does not feature different bread settings like the other toasters we've tested, it features extra-wide slots for thick-cut Texas toast, bagels or English muffins, though you may have to adjust the shade setting for thicker or frozen pieces of bread.

If good looks are a high priority in your kitchen, the Smeg Two-Slice Toaster is worth the high price tag. With its bright, glossy finish (that comes in 14 colors and patterns!) and its retro aesthetic, this sturdy toaster is a beauty that takes up minimal counter space. When you select a setting, it locks into place so you know you've set it precisely and extra wide slots ensure that you can fit thicker cut slices of bread or bagels.

In our testing, it toasted evenly and showed a good range of toast shades. It was able to toast five consecutive batches of toast consistently. A long-term consumer tester who has had this toaster for almost a year noted, "this toaster toasted bread well and didn’t over or undercook. Always has a nice toasted look with crunchy exterior and chewy inside."

This model comes with six browning levels and a backlit chrome knob that offers reheat, defrost, cancel and bagel settings. For easy clean-up, there is a removable crumb tray. If you still want a retro toaster, but in a larger size, Smeg also has a four-slice size available.