How to buy the best toaster: Our guide to features, sizes and styles
Find the right machine that will help you brown your bread evenly
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Your support makes all the difference.No kitchen is complete without a toaster. And although they are up there with the easiest of all small appliances to use, buying the right one to suit your household and worktop space can be harder than you think.
There are plenty of factors to consider when it comes to the toast itself, too: How quickly and evenly will it brown my bread?
Is it likely to toast one side better than the other or even burn it? Will it fit slices of artisan sourdough or a homemade bloomer?
What about bagels, teacakes, crumpets and even croissants? Can I time it to be ready when my bacon and eggs are? What bells and whistles do top dollar toasters come with – and do I really need them? Just to name a few.
Read on to find out what to look out for and what are the main features available.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
What to consider when buying a toaster
Before you part with any cash, make sure you think about the following…
Slot size
This is particularly important if you’re a fan of homemade breads and/or larger loaves as many toasters struggle to fit these in, leaving the top of the slice poking out of the top. Meanwhile, fans of crumpets and bagels should look for extra-wide slots.
Browning control
Nobody wants a patchy, uneven slice of toast. To make sure your chosen appliance browns bread perfectly, check the slots inside the machine. The elements fitted inside each toasting slot are responsible for browning your bread. The further apart the elements are from each other, the more likely you are to get patchy, uneven pieces of toast.
Power
The higher the wattage, the greater the power and the faster your bread turns into tasty toast. But it’s not just a question of speed. Slower wattage toasters often produce inferior, more chewy, less crunchy results. Look for 1000W or higher for a two-slice toaster and 1800W or higher for a four-slice machine.
Ease of cleaning
Some toasters look great but show up every fingerprint and unfortunately they don’t come off easily. Check that the toaster you buy can be wiped clean to look like new. Crumb trays should be easy to remove and clean too.
Life expectancy
Although it doesn’t always follow that the more expensive the toaster the longer lasting it is, the best quality elements, build quality and materials will affect both the price and longevity of your appliance. Find out if the manufacturer has a repairs service and if replacement parts are available. You can also help prolong the life of your toaster by regularly emptying the crumb tray.
Energy efficiency
In order to save energy, it’s worth checking whether you can choose how many slots to heat up at once in your chosen appliance. Only using the number of slots needed will make your toaster more efficient and help reduce uneven browning – for example, if you’re only toasting one slice of bread but two slots heat up, one side will end up being browner than the other.
Style and colour
Toasters are available in pretty much every design and colour you can think of – from modern geometric patterns to country kitchen styles. For the best look, try to match it with the style of your kitchen and if you like coordinating appliances, look for a toaster with a matching kettle.
Standard toaster features
Defrost: Most toasters have this feature which allows you to defrost and toast bread seamlessly straight from the freezer.
Cancel: Another basic feature, this one allows you to stop proceedings mid-cycle.
Reheat: This warms up toast which has already started cooling without browning it any further – handy if your coffee or eggs aren’t quite ready.
Crumb tray: Most toasters have this concealed in the base, where it can be easily removed and emptied – although some make a messier job of it than others.
Extra toaster features
Keep warm: This is similar to a reheat function, but goes one step further by keeping the toast warm until you’re ready for it.
A bit more: If your toast isn’t quite brown enough for your liking, you press this button to give it just a little bit longer.
Quick look: This handy function means you don’t have to reset the cycle to take sneaky peek on the progress of your toast
High lift: This setting allows you to push the bread higher than normal so you can pick it up without burning your fingers – particularly useful for smaller items like crumpets.
Countdown timer: Usually exclusive to higher end toasters, this feature counts down (usually on a digital display) until your toast is ready so you can time everything else to be ready simultaneously.
Variable width slots: A lever allows you to compress your bread as it lowers down to ensure even browning on very thin slices, and conversely to widen it out for bagels or teacakes.
Bagel setting: Bagels and crumpets should be served with only the cut side toasted and this function allows you to do just that.
Bun warmer: This enables you to warm buns, pancakes or croissants on the top of the toaster using a separate rack (or you can get an integrated version that works with a lever).
Sandwich toasting cage: Very few toasters come with one of these compressing cages with a solid bottom, which is a shame as it’s a simple but great way of making toasties without having to use a separate machine.
Two-slice or four-slice?
Most toasters are two-slice or four-slice, although you can get six-slice appliances. The majority of models have one slot per bread slice, which is the bulkier option, although some have a long single slot that can take two slices, these are more slimline and space saving.
Consider not only how many people there are in your household, but how much workspace you have and how regularly you use the toaster.
If you can afford it, go for a four-slice model as they tend to be heavier, and therefore more stable, as well as offering more variable settings. They are more versatile too – especially those that allow you to brown toast at different levels at the same time.
Toaster reviews
Here's our top pick from our reviews on a range of models
Best two-slice toaster – Russell Hobbs inspire 24370: £30.63, Amazon
You’ll have no trouble matching this glossy textured toaster to your decor as it’s available in black, white, grey or red and with the option of a matching kettle. The cancel, reheat and defrost buttons all light up when in use and you get six browning levels to pick from – we found the third setting ideal for terrific toast. With a cooking time of just two and a half minutes (and quicker for subsequent rounds) it’s speedier than many and everything about it feels robust. It fits all manner of bread types and sizes, but other toasters we tested were easier to clean.
Best four-slice toaster – Haden salcombe toaster: £46.99, Wayfair
A firm favourite, this is easy to use, fits every shaped slice – even taller and thicker ones – and browns bread quickly and faultlessly, producing toast that would pass muster at even the swankiest hotels.
It looks good too – whether in black with copper trim or (our favourite) teal blue, both of which have a matching kettle available. Besides all the usual features, there’s a lift-and-look function and extra-lift for smaller breads like crumpets and it does a good job with muffins and bagels too. At just two-and-a-half minutes it’s also quick.
For more toaster reviews, read our round-up of the best two slice toasters here, the best four-slice toasters here and the best sandwich toasters here.