Our team has tested over 65 toasters and toasted almost 2,000 slices of bread to find the best of the best.
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Whether you want to perfectly brown a thick slice of artisan multigrain bread for avocado toast, slightly char a piece of sourdough for garlicky shrimp and white bean toast or lightly toast a bagel for a classic egg-and-cheese sandwich, a great toaster should be able to accommodate it all.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab we've tested 68 toasters in the last decade and I've personally tested over 10 new toaster models in the last year alone. To determine great toaster models, we tested a wide variety of toasters: two- and four-slice models, plastic and metal options, long-slot and smart versions — in addition to toaster ovens, air fryer toaster ovens and breakfast stations.
✔️ Number of toasters tested: 68 ✔️ Testing period: 10 years ✔️ Slices of bread toasted: 1,962
We also sent toasters home to consumer testers to get long-term testing data. There are a lot of good toasters on the market, but what separates a good toaster from a great toaster is one that delivers on superior performance, consistency and efficiency. These high-performing models can accommodate all styles of bread, fit nicely on your countertop and most importantly consistently produce evenly cooked toast.
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.
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.
Our team of experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab have tested hundreds of appliances over the years, including toasters, toaster ovens and air fryer toaster ovens.
In our quest to make the perfect toast and find the best toaster on the market, we left no crumb behind: We've tested over 65 toasters in the last decade to determine how quickly and evenly they toast white bread. In our most recent Lab test, I tested 10 new toasters, toasting over 150 slices of white bread.
In the Lab, here's what we review, in part:
✔️ Ease of use: We review the owner’s manual, evaluate how intuitive it is to use the controls, as well as whether slices pop up high enough for easy grabbing and finally, cleanability.
✔️ Temperature: We evaluate surface temperatures for each unit during toasting.
✔️ Toasting range: We evaluate each toaster's range by using each setting, and then lining up toasted slices side by side from light to dark. We use a BSI shade gauge (shown here) to evaluate each piece of toast.
✔️ Toasting consistency: We toast consecutive batches of toast at the medium setting to compare them for consistency from batch to batch (as shown in this photo).
✔️ Size: We check whether or not the slots can accommodate thick bagels, long slices of bread and small English muffins.
✔️ Durability: We send toasters home to consumer testers to test for long-term toaster durability and anecdotal consistency. While we may see a toaster perform well in the Lab on its first few toasts, it's important in our testing to determine the longevity of a toaster and ensure its a toaster you will be able to have on your countertop for at least five years.
When choosing a toaster, consider how many slices of toast you regularly make at once and what size of bread you like to toast.
The exterior material of toasters is more about looks than anything else. In our tests, we did not find that the material affected the quality of the toast.
Look for a toaster with the right settings for you in terms of bread options and doneness settings.
While not every toaster will have additional special features there are some nice-to-haves that you can look for when selecting a toaster.
A toaster is great for someone with limited counter space and with limited toasting needs. If you love to toast bagels, breads and waffles and don't need to toast or bake much else, then a reliable toaster is your best bet.
A toaster oven is great for someone who not only toasts bread but also likes to broil toppings like cheese, to heat up frozen pizza or even to roast vegetables. While a toaster oven will take up more counter space than a toaster, it will offer additional features that can help reduce the use of a microwave or a standard oven (especially great on a hot day).
An air fryer toaster oven is great for someone who loves toasting just as much as they love air frying. Eliminating the need to have two appliances, an air fryer toaster oven will help you toast bread, air fry chicken wings and possibly even bake a cake.
From our testing results, we found that some of the slower toasters churned out the more consistently even results. While speed is important to us, we do prefer a toaster that produces evenly toasted bread consistently. The fastest toaster we tested did not make this list because the toast it produced had charring in the center and un-toasted edges.
All the toasters on this list will toast to a medium shade in less than three minutes, which we find is acceptable, especially if you'll be performing other kitchen tasks at the same time, like brewing coffee or scrambling eggs.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, Eva Bleyer has tested all types of kitchen products, from blenders to kitchen scales. Eva conducted the most recent side-by-side test of both toasters and toaster ovens. Eva is always looking for the next best toaster to create delicious toast, whether it's topped with fluffy scrambled eggs or cottage cheese and seasonal fruit.
Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou oversees all content and testing related to kitchen appliances, tools, gadgets and gear. She's been testing kitchen appliances professionally since 2013 and has worked at a kitchen appliance company, where she helped develop popular air fryers and related recipes. She has tested many toaster, toaster oven and air fryer toaster ovens in her time at GH.
Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
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