Toasters

[xraytech]

I'm considering a new toaster, which means brand new and not a vintage one.
I'm looking for recommendations on what performs well and is reliable.
I'm looking for a two slice toaster.

 

[panthera]

The only good new toasters

Are commercial. All the rest are electronic horse feathers.

Been through this with two friends who wanted 'new', not vintage in the last few years - nothing, regardless of price, especially the UK overpriced 'items' is worth the money.

They both finally bought commercial at a local restaurant outfitters. Both 120V, 20Amp (the 'funny' plug) and both are happy to this day.

 

[ea56]

I know you want a new toaster, but I have to agree with Keven, none of the new toasters are very good. You can't go wrong with a vintage Sunbeam Toastmaster, either a T-20-, T-30 or a T-35. I have a T-35 that I bought at Goodwill 10 yrs ago for $5.99. It looks and works like brand new, I wouldn't trade it for any other toaster.
Eddie

 

[circlew]

Residential toasters weren't even very good in '79. My sister got 3 of them as gifts when she and her first husband married. She went through all of them in less than 5 years. She then bought a Toastmaster commercial toaster, which was quite expensive. It still works great.

 

[petek]

haven't been toaster shopping in ages...  I just checked CR and on their recommended list the highest rated 2 slice is 

<h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 36px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; font-family: 'Averta W01 Light', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; color: #333333; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Averta W01 Semibold', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Krups</span> 2-Slice KH732D50 toaster scored an 80 price $60</h1>
 

or this fun looking Cuisinart with the glass sides scored 78   $60

<h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 36px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; font-family: 'Averta W01 Light', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; color: #333333; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Averta W01 Semibold', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Cuisinart</span> View Pro Glass 2-Slice CPT-3000 toaster</h1>
 

 

 

[xraytech]

I already have a vintage toaster, a 1952 General Mills model.
A vintage model doesn't fit my needs as they seem designed for toasting sliced white Town Talk bread.
Most of what I toast is Jewish Rye, Italian, and artisanal multi grain breads that are either too thick to fit in the hole or are too long and only 3/4 of a slice fits in the toaster.

I'll look at the Krups model, may just get a commercial one on next trip to Restaurant Depot

 

[iheartmaytag]

Main complaint

With most modern toasters is they dry the bread out and toast too slowly.

 

We have a Toastmaster 4 slice. It was inexpensive,  It's adequate.  Every review I have read from Amazon, to Cook's digest: "toast is too dry". 

 

 

 

[gusherb]

The best modern consumer toaster I found when I was really searching last was a base model white Cuisinart I got back in 2010 for $25. When it comes to appliances I want no frills and want it to do the one thing an appliance is supposed to do well (I think most of us here feel the same or we wouldn't be here!), it fits the bill considering I make toast maybe a dozen times a year. If I made toast every day I'd have invested in something commercial or gone vintage.

The one thing that really aggravates me about modern toasters, the ones I've used, is if you set it for the right darkness on the initial use it will toast much darker on the consecutive cycles after that (since its already been preheated). Idk if vintage toasters had this issue or not.

 

[countryguy]

I have a Cuisinart 4 slice with wide slots, automatic that toasts quite well and quickly. I believe it comes in a 2 slice model as well. I had a Kitchen Aid automatic previously and it was terribly slow and did not toast well.

http://https//www.cuisinart.com/products/toasters/cpt-440.html

 

[mattl]

I've been  satisfied with the Kitchen Aid long  slot toaster Kelly gifted me a number of years back. I make my own sourdough rye and I can fit a nice long slice in there, or 2 slices of regular bread.  It has a bagel setting as well as reheat and frozen.  I was after a thin toaster as I keep mine in the wall and a typical  2 slice would never fit.  I had been using a Cuisinart branded one but it died. 

 

I make toast frequently and this fits my needs.  I do have an old Toastmaster from the 50's but it really does not fit the bread I use, it's been decades since I bought simple white bread -- what it was designed for.

 

[ea56]

I never buy white sandwich bread, but I do regularly toast big slices of whole wheat bread in my Sunbeam and also english muffins on occasion with no problem. But these older toasters do have their limitaions as far as the size of bread slices they will accommodate
Eddie.

 

[gansky1]

Lifetime Achievement Award goes to...

Have tried many vintage and modern toasters and always come back to the GE. Two slice but roomy enough for artisanal breads, rollls, bagels, etc. as well as many other baking/heating tasks.

 

[mattl]

Here is a picture of how I did my toaster, I made a pullout shelf under it and tuck it back in when not in use.  The space used be occupied with a true built in toaster - it was a 4 slice model that managed to catch fire.  Believe it was Modern Maid.

 

[vacuumguy99]

dualit toaster

They are on the expensive side at around $200 but they are hand built in the UK and are suppose to be really good long lasting toasters.

http://https//www.dualit.com/products/classic-toasters

 

[rp2813]

Sam, I agree about vintage toasters being designed for Wonder/Bimbo/Town Talk sliced white bread.  I loved how our vintage Sunbeam Radiant Control turned out perfect toast, consistently browned from the first automatic cycle to the last, but with anything other than plain white bread, it was a crap shoot.

 

We found an excellent deal on a KitchenAid Pro Line toaster several years ago at Tuesday Morning.  It will accept halved bagels, and I like the manual raise/lower feature.  You can check for browning without shutting off the toaster, and keep one slice lowered while buttering the other.  It's a little slow on the first cycle, but reasonably expedient on subsequent ones.

 

We also had a slim cool-touch-exterior Bosch (I think) with a single long slot for quite a while.  It worked well for oversized slices, which have to be cut in half to fit in the KA, and its slim shape against the back splash economized on counter top work space.

 

 

 

 

 

[jamiel]

I think I have that Bosch you're speaking of. Has a cord wrap on the bottom and I like the wall-hugging design. The crumb tray slides out from the short end. I would buy it again, although I suspect it comes from the source of all modern toasters, the Number 1 small appliance factory in Harbin, PRC (ha ha)

 

[rp2813]

Jamie, that does sound like our old Bosch. 

 

[circlew]

Wasserstrom has 4-slice toasters by Toastmaster and Star. Both these brands are made by Holman in the USA. They are all over $600 each.

Commercial Toasters for Restaurants: Conveyor, High-Volume, Bun Toasters

Freshly toasted buns and sandwiches are a treat for the senses, so heat it up with our compact slot toasters, high-volume conveyor toasters, and bun toasters. For additional Small Equipment information or specifications, please contact our Customer Service department at 1-877-425-8906.

www.wasserstrom.com

 

[48bencix]

Self Lowering

Did any company every make a Self Lowering toaster beside Sunbeam? That feature always has seemed luxurious to me. I got a new Sunbeam in 1980 that is self lowering, still use it. For the second toasting the lever must be adjusted, it always was that way, and it is radiant control.