Introduction

Comparing expert tests with user reviews of toasters

Toasting technology has changed little in the last 100 years. Toasters apply radiant infrared heat to bread via wires made of a nickel-chromium alloy that encircle mica sheets on either side of each toasting slot. The wires come into contact with the mica sheet, producing heat radiation. The greater the number of wires, the more radiation there is. Cook's Illustrated magazine found that the best toasters had at least nine evenly spaced wires per slot. When the bread's surface reaches about 310 degrees Fahrenheit, sugars and starches caramelize, turning bread brown.

We found a number of insightful toaster reviews both in print and online, but none are very recently written. For its most recent report, dated November 2007, ConsumerReports.org tests 18 toasters and makes recommendations based on both style and functionality. ConsumerReports.org's editors conduct rigorous performance tests, evaluating browning consistency and ease of use. However, there's not much in the way of discussion about individual toasters, and some of magazine's top-rated toasters have been discontinued since the report was published.

We also found useful, but older reports at Slate.com, Cook's Country magazine and CoolHunting.com. At Slate.com, Tom Bartlett tests toasters by throwing a party and inviting his friends to push eight toasters to the "very limits of bread-browning." Although the tone is irreverent, there's a lot of helpful information here. An older article in Cook's Country focuses solely on two-slot toasters in the $15 to $30 range. Editors test 12 toasters, favoring performance over style, evaluating consistency, ability to brown toast to various shades and evenness of coverage. They also judge the usefulness of special features, including settings for pastries, bagels and waffles, as well as defrost functions. A smaller review in CoolHunting.com focuses on four stylish toasters. In addition to these and other toaster reviews, we also consulted owner-written reviews at Amazon.com, Cooking.com, Viewpoints.com, Buzzillions.com and Epinions.com, which are helpful for assessing long-term durability and ease of use. User reviews have the advantage of being more up to date.

While many toasters perform safely and reliably, others fail to impress professional reviewers and users. One example is the slender, stylish Rowenta Morrison (*Est. $150), which has touchpad controls and six browning settings. Reviewers report that despite its designer looks, the Rowenta toaster tends to produce tiger-striped toast. Another pricey model, the two-slot Viking Professional Toaster VT200, is panned by editors at CoolHunting.com for its resemblance to an "industrial washing machine" as well as its "altogether pedestrian" toast. The T-Fal AvantŽ Deluxe TT7461002 four-slice toaster (*Est. $55) gets poor marks from Slate.com for its slanted design, which can burn bread and makes toast difficult to retrieve.

Many owners also report frustration with the Oster Inspire 6330 (*Est. $65), which is said to burn toast to a crisp on one side, while leaving the other side pale. Numerous owners posting to Amazon.com say that this toaster's build quality could be better.