The Best Toasters for the Kitchen

Featuring five different browning settings, the Krups 4-Slice Toaster is carefully designed to evenly toast any thickness of bread. The slots self-center around any slice the user chooses, so thin slices of sourdough or thick slices of buttery brioche will both emerge evenly golden and not patchy or burned. This Krups toaster also includes a high-lift lever, making it easy for users to check slices mid cycle or remove them without burning their fingers. The Krups has four preset functions: regular, bagel, defrost, and reheat, allowing users to customize the duration and strength of heat. When it’s time to clean the toaster, a removable crumb tray eases the task.

Cuisinart’s Countdown 4-Slice Toaster boasts dual LCD displays and an array of settings to precisely customize your toasting. A countdown timer on the LCD display makes it easy to see when your toast will be ready. A useful bagel setting only heats the upper elements, making for the perfect bagel—crispy on one side, chewy on the other. Users choose between seven different toasting shade settings, each of the four slots featuring independent controls, so no one has to compromise on toast color. The Cuisinart toaster also features defrost and reheat settings, which helps to bring food up to temperature without the risk of burning it. When toast is done, slices can be removed easily with the high-lift lever. This handy lever allows you to remove smaller slices, without risking your fingers. For smaller homes, the Cuisinart Countdown is also available in a two-slot version.

For cooks who multitask in the morning, the digital display of the Holife Stainless Steel Toaster is a useful feature. This unique stainless steel toaster boasts an LCD countdown, which lets cooks know exactly how long remains in the toasting cycle. Illuminated by a subtle blue backlight, the display adds a futuristic touch to the kitchen. Each slot is 1.5 inches wide, enough to accommodate a range of breads, bagels, pastries, and more. With six browning settings, Holife’s toaster makes it easy to toast bread to exact specifications. Thanks to its special ‘bagel’ and ‘defrost’ buttons, the device is versatile enough to handle a wide array of heating tasks. The toaster’s exterior remains cool to the touch due to its anti-overheating protection. A removable crumb tray makes cleanup easy, and an integrated cord wrap keeps the toaster tidy and less likely to be swept off a counter.

Smeg is known for their attractive vintage designs paired with outstanding performance. With its powder-coated steel body and polished chrome base, this toaster is a great long-term investment for the kitchen that won’t go out of style. The retro-style toaster features wide slots and self-centering racks, making for a consistent and even toast. Six browning settings, reheat, bagel, and defrost settings offer versatility to the toasting experience. Four nonslip feet keep the toaster securely in place on the counter, and a removable crumb tray makes for an easy cleanup. The Smeg is available in seven different colors, so cooks can choose the right shade to complement their kitchen.

The AmazonBasics Extra Wide Slot Toaster offers high functionality with an easy-to-swallow price tag. With six shade settings to choose from and slots that are 1.25 inches wide by 5.24 inches long—more than large enough to accommodate an array of breads and other toastable foods—the AmazonBasics toaster has the versatility to handle almost any food. The toaster also features a bagel setting, which only cooks one side for crisp bagel tops without rock-hard bottoms, and a defrost setting for frozen bread. Users can halt the toasting process at any time by pressing the ‘cancel’ button and easily remove the toasted slice with a high-lift lever. A cord wrap allows cooks to tuck extra power cable neatly out of the way.