While a two-slice toaster will only have a single browning control (timer), on a four-slice model you may be provided with one or two such controls. A single control means the timer is set for all four slots, which is fine if you all want your toast done the same way. Two timers means you can set each pair of slots separately so you can toast, say, crumpets on one side while doing toast on the other, or have “his and hers” slots set to your personal preferences. What features should I look out for in a toaster?

Now it’s time to clean the outside. Using a damp sponge or microfiber cloth with some dish soap, give the outside a scrub. This will shift any unsightly fingerprints or splatters. Then rinse away the soap with a damp microfiber cloth and buff. If there’s just one or two of you and you’re not a fan of fancy loaves then we’d say a simple two-slot model with just a couple of functions will probably suffice. Two slot models are also better if you’re a bit tight on space as it’s a product that usually has a permanent, easy-to-access home on your worktop. There’s no automatic pop-up, although it does have lovely wide slots, you just lower your toast in manually using the lever at the front then turn the browning control to the desired setting and it starts to count down. The Cuisinart Style Collection 4 Slot Toaster is the perfect choice for bagel lovers. It's a more common feature in American toasters to have a bagel setting, which will toast the inside of the bagel while leaving the outside nice and chewy, but because Cuisinart is an American classic brand, we got to experience the joys of a bagel setting for ourselves. One thing to note is that you should place the bagel with the outside facing in if you want the inside to be toasted on the bagel setting. We also think the De'Longhi Ballerina Toaster is reasonably priced for how luxe it feels to use. Its design was noticeably sturdy during testing and the toast comes out with far fewer lines on the bread.

We’ve tested all the top models to find the best toasters that deliver the finest, most perfectly cooked toast

The results were impressive: toast was evenly done, and it’s faster and more power-efficient than anything we’ve seen at this price. The slots are really wide, too, so getting bigger items to fit isn’t a problem. Speaking of which, there’s a bagel mode so you can get them crunchy on the outside and doughy on the inside – as nature intended. It’s also easy to clean, but it’s better suited to standard-sized loaves, so probably not your best bet if you use homemade bread. And the shiny look shows up every mark. During testing, the Elegancy performed well. We were able to achieve a nice even brownness using all the settings for the most part, although sometimes the level of browness did vary – something we see a lot on mid-price toasters. The defrost setting works best on a lower setting and doesn’t dry out bread too much. What’s more, we found it very easy to clean thanks to crumb trays that are easy to remove. All in all, this is a nifty little toaster with some great functions at a decent price. For couples and families, a four-slot or four-slice model is a better option – ensuring preparing toast for your brood at breakfast-time or simply serving up eggs on toast for two is an altogether speedier affair. If you’re fixated on a particular look, don’t despair, many brands produce two- and four-slot toaster models that look the same. Why do I need a toaster?

While a new toaster isn't the most costly appliance you need to invest in for your home, the best on the market aren't exactly cheap. That's why we've put all of the toasters in this guide to the test - so that you know whether they are worth your cash before you part with it.A reheat button usually activates a short (one-minute) cycle to heat up cold toast. Note that on some toasters, this function is marked on the timer dial instead of being a separate button. Similarly, the “a bit more” button gives your toast an extra 30 seconds. Perfect for smaller and solo households, the catch is that it only comes in white with a grey panel, so colour fans will have to look elsewhere.

It’s also available as a four-slice model, which should perform similarly to this one and has the advantage of two great big slots (rather than the more common four smaller slots) so that you can toast longer items with ease. While it’s the unique patented ProHeat elements are virtually indestructible, if anything should go wrong, parts are super easy to replace or repair. That makes this a sustainable, quality and durable buy - the full works. During testing we were sold by the touch screen panel that you use for controls, and we loved the long, wide slots on offer too. How we test toasters It also has a defrost button so there aren’t any ‘Oh no, I forgot to take the bread out of the freezer’ moments, while the one side toasting function is good for bagels and the reheat perfect for those of us that sometimes get distracted and leave the toast to cool.

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Designed for all homes, families and purposes, the Breville range of toasters bring together attractive design with industry-leading functionality. An absolutely vital kitchen appliance, we understand the importance of a reliable and high-performing toaster. Whether you’re looking for a simple two slot machine to toast your daily slices or a more comprehensive appliance to meet the needs of every member of the family, Breville’s range will have the machine for you.

With greater functionality than ever before, the latest Breville range of toasters gives you improved freedom. Feel like lightly toasting a delicate croissant? Not a problem with Breville’s innovative range of feature-laden toasters.

From the simple to the stylish, the traditional to the contemporary, the Breville range of toasters is hugely varied and diverse.

It’s fair to say that our design team have outdone themselves with the latest range - creating a selection of attractive and stylish toasters to complement the kitchen of even the most house proud family. Whether you’re looking for a toaster with a sleek and modern design, or one with a more traditional appearance, we’ll be able to help you find the toaster to perfectly suit your needs.

The Strata range of toasters is perfect for the modern kitchen – combining contemporary design with a huge range of toasting options, this is a great appliance to add to your growing roster of kitchen gadgets and gizmos.

At the other end of the scale, the Impressions range boasts a charmingly traditional design, which belies the high-tech features of these toasters.

All designed for absolute simplicity of use, Breville toasters perfectly complement the busy morning routine – helping families enjoy a stress-free and nutritious start to the day. Not only do our toasters offer simple usability, they’re easy to clean and maintain – vital if you’re already running around after a busy family.

The two wide toasting slots were more than big enough to cope with doorstop slices carved from a whole farmhouse loaf, as well as standard supermarket medium pre-cut bread. For a gorgeous-looking toaster if your budget is a bit bigger, look no further. As well as a decent variable control to give you your chosen perfect shade of brown, you should also look for defrost and keep warm functions. Hand-built in the UK since 1945, this is the toaster to buy if you don't want to fork out for another one for many years to come. It's a steep investment, yes, but the price reflects the fact that its makers believe it’s a toaster that will last a lifetime. It browned faster and more evenly than most other models on test, producing perfectly browned bread in a little over a minute and a half. Most others took more than two minutes and while 30 seconds might not seem much, if you’re rushing to get the kids to school, that could make all the difference. A bagel setting is handy for anything, like bagels or English muffins, that you want to toast on just one side.

Although it’s not huge, it does everything you need it to, and it does it all well. There are six browning functions; we opted for mid-way but noticed that once the toaster was warmed up, we could dial it down a bit. We think timing is important too, which is why we assess how long single slices take to toast using the same setting on every model, again for testing consistency. Once all the toasting and tasting is done, we look at build quality and style, and whether these reflect a model’s price tag. Your toaster should be as functional as it is stylish, which is why our testing takes everything into consideration. You heard that right - the technology within this toaster is automatically monitoring the toasting time of your slice, so that it never overdoes it. And once you've got to optimal toastiness, you can save your settings for the next round. High lift saves you from burning your fingers by pushing the slots up so you can retrieve your toast safely.