Toasters Reviews

We found a number of insightful and comprehensive toaster reviews both in print and online. In its most recent update, Consumer Reports tests 20 toasters and makes recommendations based on both style and function. As is typical for this publication, Consumer Reports' editors perform rigorous performance testing, including a toaster's browning consistency and ease of use, but there's not much in the way of discussion about individual toasters.

We also found useful reports at Slate.com and Cook's Country magazine. At Slate.com, Tom Bartlett tests toasters by throwing a toaster 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. In addition to these and other toaster reviews,wWe also consulted owner-written reviews at Amazon.com, Cooking.com and Epinions, which are helpful for assessing long-term durability and ease of use.

While there are lot's of toasters that perform safely and reliably, there are others that fail to impress both professional reviewers and users. For example, the slender, stylish Rowenta Morrison (*est. $150) has touchpad controls and six browning settings, but reviewers report that despite its designer looks, the Rowenta toaster tends to produce tiger-striped toast. The T-Fal Avant� Deluxe 4-Slice toaster (*est. $60) gets poor marks from Slate.com for its slanted design, which can burn bread and makes toast difficult to retrieve.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Reviewers and users name Krups toasters as a top choice more often than other brands. The two-slice Krups FEM2B and FEM3B are very similar. The latter is a digital version that adds an LCD display and an extra warming level, but costs $20 more. The Krups FEM4B is a four-slice model with dual controls that's otherwise similar to the FEM2B. It is also available in white as the Krups FEM4W. Other toasters that get recognition include the Oster Counterforms 6335, which performs well and adds a unique touch of style without breaking the bank. The Braun Impressions HT600 is a single-slot toaster that's a good choice for those who enjoy artisan and other unusually shaped breads. The DeLonghi DTT900 is pricey, but looks good, works well and has an unusual and practical approach to handling crumbs. The Proctor-Silex Cool-Touch 22450 is not without flaws, but it outperforms anything else near its budget price.