Best Toasters

Breville's 'A Bit More' 2-Slice Toaster is thoughtfully designed, and the 'Lift and Look' function that lets you check progress mid-cycle is its most useful touch. TechGearLab rated it highly for ease of use and consistent performance, while noting one corner of each slice browns unevenly. Results are reliable on medium and dark settings, though bread toasting overall rates as merely moderate. It fits people who want convenience and predictable outcomes; those chasing the best value or peak performance should look at other models.

The Elite Gourmet 2-Slice Cool Touch Toaster browns evenly across 6 levels, and its extra-wide 1.25" slots take bagels and thick breads. Reviewers praised the compact design, the cool-touch exterior, and the cancel function. The lightweight polycarbonate body reads as inexpensive to some owners, and a few found very large bagels won't fit properly. Small spaces and light-to-moderate use suit it; a household toasting all day should buy something sturdier.

TechGearLab's review of the Amazon Basics 2 Slice Toaster came out split: it does bagels and frozen waffles well and struggles with plain bread. Six browning settings and extra-wide slots serve bagels nicely. Bread is another story, with light settings barely warming it and medium settings producing patchy, uneven results. The bagel function is consistently good. Households that mostly toast bagels or frozen items will be fine; anyone who wants reliably even toast won't.

TechGearLab found the Bella 2-Slice Slim Toaster saves space and turns out consistent toast on the medium setting. The extra-long slot and six-shade controls draw praise; what's missing are the specialized functions, with no bagel or frozen food settings. Small kitchens and minimalist users who value counter space over advanced features are the fit.

TechGearLab found the GE 2 Slice G9TMA2SSPSS easy to operate, with clear indicators, and good at reheating frozen bread. It falls down on bagels and on frozen waffles and strudels. The stainless steel finish shows fingerprints, and toasting results come out inconsistent. It's affordable and it looks good, but reviewers rated its performance mediocre next to competitors like the Cuisinart CPT-122.

The Proctor Silex 4-Slice Toaster has extra-wide slots sized for thick breads like bagels and Texas toast, plus a Toast Boost function that lifts smaller items clear. Seven shade settings and an integrated cancel button cover the controls. A pullout crumb tray makes cleanup easy, and automatic shutoff handles safety. Reviewers found it simple to use and effective across various bread types, though detailed user feedback on it is limited.