There’s the cheekily named “A Bit More” button that you can press if you really just want a little extra browning and “avoid doing a full second round of toasting,” Slagle says. “This might sound funny, but it’s a graceful machine,” Slagle says, adding that it “dings kindly when it’s ready.” Michael East of Griddle King likes that it doesn’t “pop” like other toasters, so it doesn’t fling crumbs all over the place. The big selling point is the toaster’s duo of wider long-slots, designed for up to four slices, and it allows you to get toast to a shade resembling the inside of a toasted nut, Slagle says.īut it also has a number of features to satisfy even the most discerning of toast people. “It’s the toaster for toast people” is how Ali Slagle, author of I Dream of Dinner (So You Don’t Have To), described this Breville Die-Cast. Slots: 2 long slots for 4 slices | Settings: 5 (plus bagel and frozen) with progress bar | Size: 17.7” x 14.9” x 7.5” | Extras: One-touch lowering, LED lights, “A Bit More” and “Lift and Look” functions And it has a certain Jetsons-like charm, despite its heft. It’s surprisingly easy to wipe down with a dish towel to restore its original glossiness. That KitchenAid quality is no joke: One Amazon review I read before the brand sent it to me for review described the toaster as “built as solid as a 1957 Buick.” I have accidentally banged the toaster around and there’s not a scratch on it. I have put it through the wringer with Pardilla family brunches, where pancake-like stacks of toast are passed around. Plus, the KitchenAid lets out an assertive beep when toast is ready - so I never have to chew through cold toast because I couldn’t hear a ding. The high-lift lever also means I’m able to delicately take toast from the top without having to play the saddest game of hot potato. First are the extra-wide slots, which have let me easily toast slices from thicker loaves. There are two features that really make the design stand out from all the other toasters I tested. I prefer a 2, which produces the perfect sundown shade I talked about above, whether I’ve put in a slice of an already brown multigrain from the bag or a hand-cut chunk of ciabatta. It’s got five browning settings, each of which is distinct 1 gives you a barely there blond, while 5 gets you to scorched territory. I use it at least three times a week and sometimes twice a day when I really don’t feel like cooking. It has popped out perfectly golden toast from the first time I pushed down the lever. I have had this KitchenAid toaster for almost a year now - it’s the one I depend on most. Slots: Extra-wide for 4 slices (or 2-slice version) | Settings: 5 (plus bagel and cancel) | Size: 11.4” x 7.7” x 7.7” | Extras: High-lift lever I even tested out a number of the models you’ll see below - I lost count of how much toast was eaten in the process. So I talked to fellow toast-heads to make sense of the market. (A delightful fact: The first toaster was actually invented before sliced bread in a real chicken-or-the-egg kind of scenario). There are simple, industrial models (your KitchenAids and your Cuisinarts), retro-inspired styles ( Smeg, obviously), and even avant-garde options, like an Italian-designed Alessi covered in plissé pleats. (Besides, I don’t like the sogginess that sometimes happens with a pan.) And the toasterscape is chock-full of choices, which makes it harder to know what to buy. Sure, you could make toast with a butter, pan, and some patience - as some folks I reached out to do - but I’m still on the side of those who consider a toaster a useful appliance to own. For one thing, it should produce a hot and crispy slice quickly - and I mean that - with a little “ding” to let you know your toast is done. So that’s made me slightly obsessive about what makes for the right toaster. Usually, I like my toast to be ombré like a sunset, with a lemon-colored center and amber edges. I’m a self-professed toast snob, with strong opinions on things like what a crunch should sound like.
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