From pastel shades to bright colours Smeg has the best toasters covered
7 of the best toasters
Is there anything more comforting than hot, buttered toast with a steaming mug of tea in the morning? Given the joy it brings, getting the right toaster is more important than you might think. Good Homes magazine has picked seven of the best toasters on the market to ensure the perfect breakfast…
1. Optional accessories
You can count on Smeg to make your worktops look sleek and sexy and their 50s style toaster is no exception. Coming in eight shades, from black, cream, and bright red to pastel pink, green and blue, Smeg’s TSF03 four-slot steel toaster (£199) will add a pop of colour to the kitchen.
Looks aside, this one is super practical and great for big families (or hearty toast eaters) there’s four spacious slots and six browning levels to accommodate every taste of toast, whether its burnt or naked. It’s also got two independent controls, pre-set programmes for reheating, defrosting and single-side toasting and a separate bagel button. Who doesn’t love a bagel button? Sandwich racks and bun warmers can be bought separately.
- Four Slice Toaster in Pink, £199.95 from Smeg – buy here
2. Perfect browning
If you’re looking for a smart toaster for your kitchen, then the Dualit 4 Slice NewGen Classic Toaster (£219.99) could be the one. It’s also a great buy for any best toast techies out there, as it comes with so many features.
Namely its Perfect Toast Technology, a patented technology which calculates not only the temperature of the toaster but also its surroundings, which pretty much guarantees you will get your toast just how you like it every time. Genius.
It also toasts right to the edges and has a patented Peek & Pop feature that means you can lift the toast with the eject button, mid toasting without interrupting the cycle. Burnt toast will be a thing of the past.
- Dualit 4 Slice NewGen Classic Toaster, £219.99 from Dualit – buy here
3. Versatile toasting
From sandwiches to tacos, enjoy versatility in your cooking with the extra wide long slot, and 12 presets including reheat, defrost, waffle and bagel.
You can watch the toasting process through the glass windows for perfectly browned results.
Plus, the windows and crumb tray can be removed for quick and easy cleaning.
For the ultimate convenience, the i-Master Series 7 2-Slice Smart Toaster (£159.99) also has a countdown timer so you know exactly when your toast will be ready. Additionally, the electronic riser lifts the toast (or other doughy treat) up smoothly so burnt fingers are a thing of the past!
- i-Master Series 7 2-Slice Smart Toaster, £159.99 from Haier – buy here
4. Innovative features
You can count on the Classic Collection from Rangemaster (£149.99) to produce a sleek all-singing, all-dancing kitchen appliance that weighs in as one of the best toasters on the market. This one has style and substance, with four long slots that hold extra thick toast, and a bagel feature, that handily toasts one side while warming the other.
Frozen bread is defrosted quickly and toasted well and there’s six browning levels, plus a lift-and-look feature to check midway through a cycle. The crumb tray is easy to remove and cool-touch sides, mean there’s no danger of the toaster getting too hot.
- Rangemaster classic 4 slice toaster in black, £129.99 from Aga Cookshop – buy here
5. Curvy design
If you’re bored of all the regular rectangular on the market, then The Funky Appliance Company has you covered with the Funky toaster (£89.99). With a curved design and triangular buttons, this one has a slightly sci-fi feel about it.
The controls are easy to use and come with a handy high-lift function, wide, deep slots, and the option to control each side of the toaster so whatever your family’s toast preference, everyone will be happy. It also has handy anti-slip silicone feet. This cool design is one of Good Homes’ favourites of this pick of best toasters.
- FUNKY large retro 4-slice toaster, £89.99 from Amazon – buy here
6. Good all-rounder
This 4 variable width slot Swan Retro Toaster (£59.99) with a self centering function will evenly toast your bread, bagels and crumpets of all sizes with perfect consistency.
It has a whopping seven different browning levels, so you can get the toast that suits your tastes the most. It’s packed with multiple functions to give you more control, so you can toast from frozen, reheat without burning food, or cancel mid-cycle.
The dual controls allow you to toast on all four slots with one set of controls.
Additionally, the removable crumb trays collect all excess crumbs which can then be emptied into bin for quick and easy cleaning.
It’s the perfect choice if you’re looking for something retro but a cheaper version of other brands, this could be the toaster for you.
- Swan retro 4-slice toaster, £59.99 from Swan – buy here
7. Eco-friendly
Finally, a sustainably designed toaster, the Philips Eco Conscious 5000 Series (£49.99) credentials are excellent. Made from bio-based plastics from plant oil waste for a low environmental impact, it has eight browning settings, while the automatic power button saves more energy.
Small and compact, this toaster looks super smart with its silk white matte finish and won’t take up loads of space on the worktop. It has a bun-warming feature and a handy lid that you can pop on top to keep the toaster clean. For every one of these toasters sold, you’ll be helping reduce C02 emissions.
- Eco Conscious Edition 5000 series toaster, £49.99 from Philips – buy here
How do you clean a toaster?
Despite being used almost daily, toasters are often one of the most neglected kitchen appliances when it comes to cleaning.
Experts at Ninja Kitchen explain that as toasters can quickly accumulate crumbs and debris, which not only looks unhygienic, but can also pose a fire risk if left unchecked.
Regularly emptying the crumb tray and ensuring the appliance is unplugged and fully cooled before cleaning can help to maintain performance and improve safety.
Ranking in joint second position, with over 1.1 million Google searches in the past month alone*, is toasters and blenders.
Appliance experts at Ninja Kitchen reveal that, despite being used almost daily, toasters are often one of the most neglected kitchen appliances when it comes to cleaning.
Experts explain that toasters can quickly accumulate crumbs and debris, which not only looks unhygienic but may also pose a potential fire risk if left unchecked.
Regularly emptying the crumb tray and ensuring the appliance is unplugged and fully cooled before cleaning can help maintain performance and improve safety.
How do toasters work?
A toaster works by converting electrical energy into heat, radiating the heat to toast bread – and hen using a timer or thermostat to eject once complete.
The bread is held in a metal carriage inside the toaster, with infrared radiation from the heating element dying and charring the bread to create a brown colour.
Toasters use a timer or thermostat, depending on the one you go for, to control the duration of toasting. The thermostat monitors the temperature of the heating elements, while a timer will count down the toasting cycle. A spring mechanism then releases the bread causing it to pop up.
Modern toasters often have adjustable browning settings, defrost modes and automatic bread centering – this means you can personalise your toast to your tastes.
How long do toasters last?
Most toasters will last between 5-10 years, with higher quality models potentially lasting longer if taken care of properly.
In contrast, cheaper or lower quality toasters may only last 3-4 years due to less durable materials.
The frequency of use plays a part in how long your toaster will be effective, as does a regular cleaning and maintenance of the appliance, and the type of bread you use inside. For example, bagels and dense breads might put more strain on the toaster and cause it to not work as well.
If you notice your toast is taking longer to brown or is toasting unevenly, this could be a sign you need a new model. Additionally, if the buttons or levers become loose, or strange smells or smoke start appearing, it’s probably time to go shopping for a new model.
When were toasters invented in the UK?
The first stand-alone, electric toaster was invented in Chelmsford, England in 1893. It was by Crompton & Company and the bare wires toasted just one side of bread at a time.
This wasn’t the first toaster though, as before the electric toaster was developed, sliced bread was toasted by placing it in a metal frame or a long-handled toasting fork and then holding it near a fire or grill.
From the 16th century onwards, long-handled forks were used as toasters, while in the 17th century in Scotland, wrought-iron scroll-ornamented toasters appeared.
The automatic pop-up toaster, was patented by Charles Strite in 1921.
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