Best Toasters in 2025: Top Picks & Buying Guide

Best Toasters in 2025: Top Picks & Buying Guide

A quality toaster can transform your mornings — giving you perfectly browned bread, bagels, or crisp croissants with minimal effort. Modern toasters offer advanced features like defrost mode, reheat, motorized lift, and wide slots. Below are top toaster models from basic to premium, each with detailed specs, strengths, and limitations to help you choose the right one for your kitchen.

Top Toaster Picks with Details

1. Breville Smart Toaster BTA840XL — Best Overall

• Power: 1800 W

• Slots: 4

• Browning Settings / Special Modes: Bagel, Defrost, Frozen, Pastry, Reheat, Toast, Waffle

• Dimensions: ~7.7″ (H) × 10.9″ (W) × 11.9″ (D)

• Why It Stands Out: This toaster delivers exceptional toasting performance, consistency, and versatility. The automatic and motorized lift, and features like “Lift & Look” (to check mid-cycle) and “A Bit More” (add 30 seconds) let you fine-tune results without restarting cycles.  Its brushed die-cast aluminum build gives it a modern, durable finish, and wide slots accommodate artisan bread or bagels.

• Drawbacks to Note: It’s on the higher end of the price spectrum. It is heavier than many standard toasters. Some users may find the controls or lift mechanism more complex.

2. Cuisinart Classic CPT-180 — Best Budget / Value Option

• Power: 900 W

• Slots: 4

• Browning Settings / Features: Defrost, Reheat, Bagel modes

• Dimensions: ~8.1″ (H) × 12.5″ (W) × 11.3″ (D)

• Why It’s a Strong Value: It offers even toasting across slices, customizable settings, and a clean, classic style without breaking the bank. It handles bagels and thicker slices well.

• Things to Watch Out For: The crumb tray is located at the back, making cleaning slightly less convenient. Also, the lifting height is a bit low, which can make retrieving small slices tricky.

3. Smeg TSF01 2-Slice Toaster — Best Premium / Style-Focused

• Power: 980 W

• Slots: 2

• Modes: Reheat, Defrost, Bagel

• Dimensions: ~8″ (H) × 12″ (W) × 8″ (D)

• Why You Might Love It: Smeg brings flair with its retro styling and multiple color options. It performs well on bagels — earning top scores in Smeg’s category in tests. The crumb tray is removable, and the toaster offers reliable premium touches.

• Potential Drawbacks: It tends to run hot, so you need to be cautious on mid to high browning settings. The exterior can also heat up. Also, the crumb tray is at the back, which can be inconvenient when placed against a wall. It’s priced at the premium end.

4. Dash Clear View DVTS501RD — Best Single-Slot / Novel Design

• Power: 1100 W

• Slots: 1 (long slot that can fit two slices)

• Browning Settings / Modes: 7 settings including Defrost, Reheat, Bagel

• Dimensions: ~7.8″ (H) × 15.7″ (W) × 6.6″ (D)

• Why It’s Unique: It features a large glass panel in front so you can watch your toast as it browns. Performance was solid in tests, with strong results on evenness, consistency, frozen bread, and bagels.

• Caveats: Because it has a wide footprint, it takes up significant counter space. The crumb tray is on the left side and doesn’t slide out smoothly compared to others. Also, only one slot (though it fits two slices in length).

5. Oster Convection 4-Slice Toaster Oven — Best Toaster-Oven Hybrid

• Power: 1400 W

• Capacity / Functions: Toast, Bake, Broil, Turbo (convection), Warm

• Dimensions: ~9.8″ (H) × 16.6″ (W) × 14.3″ (D)

• Why It’s Versatile: This toaster oven can replace a small oven for many tasks. With convection / turbo mode, you can bake or broil small items (pizza slices, muffins) in addition to toasting. It includes a baking pan.

• Things to Note: In some tests, temperature ran hotter than set (about 20 °F difference). The interior is not nonstick, so cleanup requires care. The cord is short, limiting placement flexibility.

How to Choose the Right Toaster: Buying Advice

When selecting a toaster, consider these key factors:

1. Number of Slots & Bread Types
   Two-slot vs four-slot vs long single-slot models. If you often toast multiple slices or have a family, these matters. Dual-control four-slot models allow different settings on each pair.

2. Slot Width & Self-Centering
   Wide or adjustable slots accommodate thick artisan bread or bagels. Self-centering slots help ensure even toasting.

3. Browning Settings & Functions
   Look for adjustable dials or digital settings. Extra functions like defrost, reheat, bagel, and cancel are helpful.

4. Lifting Mechanism & Ease of Use
   Motorized lifts, “Lift & Look” previews, or “A Bit More” add-on features help you avoid guesswork and re-toasting.

5. Crumb Tray & Cleaning
   A removable, easily accessible crumb tray simplifies cleanup. Front trays are better than rear ones if your toaster is near a wall.

6. Counter Space & Footprint
   Consider width, depth, and clearance. Single-slot models might take more width but less depth. Designer toasters also tend to occupy more vertical/horizontal space. Build Quality & Materials
   Stainless steel or die-cast aluminum are more durable. Insulation and heat-resistant surfaces reduce risk of burns.

7. Safety Features
   Auto shut-off, anti-jam mechanisms, and cool-touch exteriors are important safeguards.

8. Budget & Value
   Toasters range from affordable to high-end designer models. Choose the features you truly need (e.g. motorized lift, extra slots) rather than paying for decorative options you’ll rarely use.