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Few foods are as moreish as a perfectly golden slice of toast: hot, crunchy and preferably buttery. There’s a reason why toast remains a favourite breakfast option, second only to cereal.
And yet you probably give no more thought to your toaster than your kettle. However, unlike the kettle, there is greater room for error when it comes to toasting bread. No one ever discarded their over-boiled water on to the compost heap, but many burnt slices of toast have ended up with the peelings.
Not only should a good-quality toaster suit your bread of choice – whether that’s thick, rustic slices, bagels, crumpets or basic white bread – the best toasters can also save time, money and waste.
At a glance
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Best toaster overall:
De’Longhi Ballerina Seta four-slice toaster
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Best budget toaster:
Russell Hobbs Brontë 2S toaster
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Best premium four-slice toaster:
Dualit NewGen Classic four-slice toaster
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The best two-slice toaster:
Bosch Compact toaster Styline Black
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Best wide-slot toaster:
Sage the Smart Toast four-slice toaster BTA845UK
Why you should trust me
Although I am a porridge person during the week, at the weekend there’s nothing I like better than toast, bagels, English muffins and all the other good things that pop out of my toaster. So I relished the opportunity to test toasters, even if it meant sparking a one-woman bread shortage at my local Lidl. I’ve tested plenty of toasters during my 15 years as a professional product tester. I’ve tried everything, from those that gently rise to greet you with steaming golden slices to models that attempt new world records in distance pinged across the room. Consider this article my toast to toast.
How I tested
Think back to when you bought your last toaster and the acrid smell of its first use as the coating burned off the element. Multiply that by 13, and you’ll have an idea of the fug that filled my kitchen before testing these toasters. The fumes made my eyes water, and set off my smoke alarm. Fanning the fumes out of my front door, I had to shout at confused neighbours that it was “just all the toasters”, and that nothing was on fire.
To make it as equal a contest as possible, I tested each toaster from cold with two slices of basic white bread (12 x 11cm) for up to three minutes on its level three – which is often the middle setting (manually popping up if necessary). While still hot, I then toasted another two slices to see how consistently the bread toasted when the toaster was used concurrently. If toast began to blacken, it was ejected before that occurred, and the time spent toasting was recorded.
Using the same parameters, I then toasted bagels, noting the width of slots and ease of retrieval, followed by taller “toastie” bread (13 x 10.5cm), comparing the height of the slots to the slices and measuring the consistency of browning to the top.
For crumpets, I chose level four on each toaster for up to four minutes, and noted whether I needed tongs to retrieve them afterwards (once the toaster was safely switched off, of course). I also used defrost settings to toast frozen bread straight from the freezer, noting if there was any difference in colour compared with fresh bread using the same browning level.
For each of these tests, I scored the toaster out of five, using the total score to determine its selection here. Two of the toasters had bun warmers: I tested these to see how well heat penetrated items on the rack, but the results were not factored into the overall score.
I tested 13 toasters. Those I tried but haven’t included are: the Daewoo Sage Green Cascade two-slice toaster, which is best for smaller items as its 11cm slots meant even the tops of standard slices remained pale; Swan’s Windsor two-slice textured toaster, which, although affordable, toasted slowly and made retrieving bread difficult; and the Breville Edge silver four-slice toaster, a long-slot toaster that tended to blacken slices unevenly, while leaving tops pale.
Those that I’ve recommended have been chosen for their consistency and ease of use. Value for money has also been considered, as well as build quality. All samples tested have been returned to their supplier or donated to charity.
The best toasters in 2025
Best toaster overall:
De’Longhi Ballerina Seta four-slice toaster
Seriously gorgeous, and available in a choice of five subtle shades (with matching plug and flex), you may wonder if the Ballerina Seta toaster is all style without substance. Fortunately, it isn’t: it has everything you need to make breakfast go smoothly, including a handy reheat if your toast has gone cold, consistent browning performance, and a high lift for plucking out small items, even crumpets.
Why we love it
No matter what you like toasting, the versatile Ballerina Seta is sure to do a great job. Standard bread fitted all the way in, and toastie slices only peeped out slightly. While it wasn’t a perfect fit, the tall toast it produced was some of the best I tried – with rising heat, there was only a tiny sliver of pale at the top. It also performed brilliantly with frozen bread, turning out golden, evenly toasted slices.
It’s a shame that … there might be two pairs of slots, but there’s only one set of controls.
Height/width of slots: 14cm x 3cm (HW)
Dimensions: 32 x 30.2 x 20.7cm (WDH)
Slices: 4
Additional features: reheat, defrost
Best budget toaster:
Russell Hobbs Brontë 2S toaster
Easy on the eye and with a charming moniker to boot, the Brontë 2S’s fluted exterior is sure to appeal to those who like attractive design without blowing the budget. There’s no compromise on useful features either, with reheat and defrost options, a lift and look feature so you can check on progress without cancelling toasting, and a high lift for retrieving smaller items.
Why we love it
If you don’t like to wait for toast, the Brontë 2S is probably a good fit: it carbonised the first two slices, proving how fast and hot it could be. I gave the next two slices just under two minutes and was rewarded with toast perfection. The high heat worked well for crumpets, but singed the edges of a bagel: you will have to keep a close eye on it to get the best results, or start at level one and work your way up.
It’s a shame that … the slots aren’t deep enough for tall bread – about an inch of toastie bread stuck out of the top, while standard slices didn’t toast right at the top.
Height/width of slots: 12.8 x 3cm (HW)
Dimensions: 27 x 19 x 18cm (WDH) JL says H18 x W19 x D27cm
Slices: 2
Additional features: defrost, reheat
Best premium four-slice toaster:
Dualit NewGen Classic four-slice toaster
Handmade in the UK and fully repairable, Dualit’s NewGen works a little differently from the toasters you might be used to. Not only can you select how many of its four slots you heat (so that you don’t waste energy on those you’re not using), but it also uses a mechanical rotary timer that ticks down to when toast is ready. A manual eject lever allows you to lift slices easily to check on progress.
Why we love it
This model scored the same as the De’Longhi above and offers everything you could ask for in a toaster, but it’s pricey. The timer gives you a good idea of how long is left on the cycle, and it toasted fairly evenly and consistently. For bagels, it performed of all, with good browning on the inside, while smaller items were retrieved easily. It also scored highly for durability: there are few things that can go wrong with it, and if they do, every part can be replaced.
It’s a shame that … it’s the most expensive toaster here, but if you’re serious about toast, this is the one to choose.
Height/width of slots: 13.2 x 3cm (HW)
Dimensions: 36 x 22 x 21cm (WDH)
Slices: 4
Additional features: bagel, defrost
The best two-slice toaster:
Bosch Compact toaster Styline Black
Bosch’s Styline toaster offers a dizzying nine toasting levels, giving a finer degree of control over your perfect slice. And for those who enjoy freshly warmed bakery treats, there’s a gentle heat setting to use alongside an integral rack – not just a clever space-saver but brilliant for those who tend to mislay accessories.
Why we love it
The Styline put in a consistently good performance with everything tested, resulting in evenly toasted slices and golden crumpets. And while toastie slices didn’t fit all the way in, rising heat meant they browned towards the top. I also really liked the low heat for bun warming – although it doesn’t heat thicker items quickly, so you’ll need to flip them over a few times.
It’s a shame that … defrost doesn’t quite deliver: compared with the slices toasted from fresh, the frozen bread had one pale half, with the other unevenly browned.
Height / width of slots: H14.6 x W3.5cm
Dimensions: 31.3 x 17 x 18.4cm (WDH)
Slices: 2
Additional features: integrated bun rack, warming, defrost
Best wide-slot toaster:
Sage the Smart Toast four-slice toaster BTA845UK
Whether it’s homemade bread or a rustic slice, the extra-wide slots on Sage’s the Smart Toast have you covered: each one is about 4cm wide. And the design has done away with levers. Instead, bread is lowered with the push of a button before rising once done. There are several features for the aficionado too, including 30 seconds extra via the A Bit More button, a dedicated crumpet button and a light that ticks down as it toasts.
Why we love it
Sage’s toaster turned out near-perfect standard toast, even from frozen, without a hint of blackening. It performed equally well with toastie bread, but a lack of depth meant the slices poked out slightly at the top. I also liked the slow rise to prevent toast pinging across the kitchen. I was less impressed with the crumpet button, however; it’s meant to work for bagels too, but it scorched them quickly.
It’s a shame that … the slots might be wide, but they’re not as deep as some, which could be limiting.
Height/width of slots: 13.5 x 3.5cm (HW)
Dimensions: 28 x 26 x 19cm (WDH)
Slices: 4
Additional features: A Bit More, Quick Look, crumpet, frozen
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The best of the rest
Morphy Richards Cassini four-slice toaster
Best for: sleek design
The Cassini only narrowly missed out on being in the selection above, its price being a little steep for how well it performed. I liked that the plug and flex matched the toaster and that its high lift makes it easy to retrieve crumpets and bagels. However, toastie bread sticks out the top, leaving the upper inch of slices pale.
It didn’t make the final cut because … consistency could be spotty, with some slices toasting well and other items less so.
Height/width of slots: 12.3 x 3.6cm (HW); dimensions: 31.7 x 29.7 x 20.6cm (WDH); slices: 4; additional features: frozen, reheat
Laura Ashley China Rose four-slice toaster
Best for: country kitchens
Come for the designer print, stay for the performance. This Laura Ashley-branded toaster delivered generally good consistency for standard slices, including frozen bread. And while it didn’t do quite as well with toastie slices – leaving pale parts at the top and sides – I felt that it offered plenty for the price, including a high lift and easy to use, foldable warming rack that will fit in a kitchen drawer.
It didn’t make the final cut because … there’s little guidance for warming, which meant I scorched the bottom of the buns during testing.
Height/width of slots: 13 x 2.9cm (HW); dimensions: 29 x 19.3 x 28.5cm (WDH); slices: 4; additional features: defrost, reheat, rack
Smeg two-slice toaster
Best for: retro style
If you can tear yourself away from the glossy finish and delectable colours of Smeg’s 50s-style toaster, you’ll discover that it makes rather good toast. That said, once hot, the consistency slides: the second pair of slices I made were darker than the first, despite being on the same setting for the same amount of time. The bagel function worked well, leaving the exterior soft and the inside perfectly toasted. However, toastie bread was disappointing, leaving the top pale.
It didn’t make the final cut because … no high-lift means it can be tricky to retrieve smaller items without tongs.
Height/width of slots: 13.5 x 3cm (HW); dimensions: 31 (32.5 including the ball lever) x 19.5 x 19.8cm (WDH); slices: 2; additional features: defrost, reheat, bagel
Lakeland Rapid toaster
Best for: small but busy households
While there’s not usually much waiting around for toast, on some mornings every minute counts. This is where the Lakeland Rapid toaster can be useful. It’s fast: having carbonised the first two slices in two minutes, when I tried again from cold it delivered toast in 1min 20secs, needing only a few seconds less for its consecutive pair. However, it does have a tendency to scorch edges and corners, especially on frozen bread and thicker items, and there’s not enough depth for toastie slices. That said, I liked its wide slots and high lift.
It didn’t make the final cut because … the downside of speedy toasting is that bread can burn quickly too.
Height/width of slots: 13.5 x 2.9cm (HW); dimensions: 17.5 x 30 x 20cm (WDH); slices: 2; additional features: defrost, reheat
Zwilling Enfinigy four-short-slots toaster
Best for: the easily distracted
A toaster that promises never to burn your toast is an attractive premise. However, the reality of the Zwilling Enfinigy is that it’s fairly slow to brown: three minutes on level three yielded a pale, barely toasted result. Tops of slices also tended to be pale, more so for the toastie bread. I did like the Enfinigy’s gradual lift though, and felt that if the appeal of no burns outweighs the waiting around, it could still be a good investment.
It didn’t make the final cut because … after four minutes on level four, crumpets weren’t golden brown and still fairly doughy rather than crisp.
Height/width of slots: 13 x 3cm (HW); dimensions: 28.8 x 29.2 x 20.6cm (WDH); slices: 4; additional features: defrost, reheat; bagel
What you need to know
What key features should I look out for?
While they’re not all strictly necessary, there are plenty of features that will make your toaster more versatile and convenient to use. A must for me is the high-lift lever, allowing you to retrieve bagels and other small items without burning your fingers or reaching for the tongs. Another handy one is “lift and look”, so you can check on toasting progress without cancelling the cycle.
For busy mornings, toasters with a reheat setting mean no more cold slices at breakfast, while defrost settings add gentle heating to the beginning of the cycle to thaw your bread before toasting. And for those who like homemade bread or toastie slices, toasters with extra-wide or long slots should be able to accommodate different types of bread with ease.
Other features I consider as nice-to-haves include the ability to add on a little extra time – for more browning without starting a new cycle – and bagel or crumpet options that usually toast the top or cut side without the same intense heat as the base.
Two-slice toasters v four-slice toasters
The best deciding factors between a two- or a four-slice toaster are the size of your household and how often you enjoy a slice of toast. For those who eat toast frequently, or are catering for a crowd, a four-slice toaster is ideal, offering the highest capacity, and sometimes more handy features than a two-slice counterpart. However, if toast is an occasional treat, or you live in a solo household, a two-slice toaster will take up less space on your countertop and usually be more affordable.
What do the numbers mean on my toaster?
For most, the numbers refer to intensity, ie how brown the toast will be, with the lowest digits corresponding to lightly toasted slices and the higher ones to dark brown toastiness or items that need more heat, such as crumpets.
These “capacitor-based toasters” feature a circuit that turns off once its capacitor (an energy-storing electrical component) charges up to a certain voltage. However, there’s little consistency between manufacturers and models. Less common are timer-based toasters, where the numbers refer to how many minutes the bread will be toasted.
How to clean your toaster
Always unplug your toaster before cleaning. The majority have crumb trays that slide out to be emptied, so be sure to do this once a week if it’s in regular use. Hold your toaster over a bin, slide out the tray and empty it, using a small brush to dislodge debris. Next, hold the toaster upside down and give it a shake – this should remove more crumbs. Wash the tray with washing-up liquid and water, rinse and dry thoroughly before replacing. Finally, wipe down the outside with a damp, slightly soapy microfibre cloth, paying attention to dials and handles. If you find any crumbs in these parts, use your small brush to remove them. Dry with a towel.
How to recycle your toaster
If your toaster is no longer working, there are several ways you can recycle it. These include at your local recycling centre, at stores that offer the Retailer Take-back scheme, kerbside recycling bins and drop-off points. Use the postcode checker at Recycle Your Electricals to find options near you. If your old toaster is working, some charities accept unwanted electrical items.
For more home appliance inspiration from the Filter:
The best coffee machines, tested
The best kettles to save energy and speed up your cuppa
The best air fryers, tried and tested
Rachel Ogden has worked as a consumer journalist for decades, becoming an expert unboxer before it was a thing, although she is less successful at repacking. Her home has hosted hundreds of small appliances from toasters and air fryers to robot vacuums, while outside, you’ll find her messing about with barbecues and heaters. It takes a lot to impress her – many appliances have tried and failed
