Toasters
We compared the most-recommended toasters on browning evenness, bagel performance, build quality, and ease of use to find the ones worth a permanent spot on your counter.
A toaster seems like the simplest appliance in the kitchen, yet the difference between a great one and a mediocre one shows up every single morning: even golden browning versus one pale side and one scorched, bagels that crisp on the cut side only, frozen bread that comes out right the first time. Reviewers at Consumer Reports, RTINGS, CNN Underscored, and Reviewed keep landing on the same short list of models — and so did we.
Below are our picks for 2026. Each was judged on evenness from edge to edge, consistency across back-to-back batches, how well the bagel and frozen settings actually work, and day-to-day details like slot size, crumb tray, and controls.
The die-cast stainless body feels built for a decade, and the motorized lift lowers and raises bread with one press. Its "Lift & Look" button lets you check progress without cancelling the cycle, and it handles thick bagels as well as thin sandwich bread. The toaster kitchen pros keep recommending.
RTINGS' top-tested 2-slice for good reason: excellent, repeatable browning plus the signature "A Bit More" button that adds a few seconds of toasting when your slice comes up a shade too light. Extra-wide slots and a high lift for small slices round out a package that undercuts the flagship's price.
If you want every slice identical at every setting, this is the one — testers found its browning almost eerily uniform, batch after batch. The cool-touch housing stays safe around kids, and the reheat and bagel modes are genuinely well calibrated. Pricey, but the most consistent toast we've seen.
Priced near the bottom of every test pool yet scoring near the top, this compact Cuisinart proves good toast doesn't need to cost much. You get 1.5-inch slots, bagel and defrost buttons, and a slide-out crumb tray in a footprint that fits the smallest kitchens. The easy first pick for a starter kitchen.
Four extra-wide slots with independent controls per pair, so one side runs bagels while the other does frozen waffles. It delivers the same remarkably even browning as its 2-slice sibling and the exterior stays cool through back-to-back breakfast rushes. The four-slot to beat for busy households.
The right toaster comes down to how many slots you need, what you toast, and how much consistency matters to you. Here's what we weigh most.
The single biggest difference between toasters is how evenly they brown — edge to edge on one slice, and slice to slice in the same batch. Premium models like the Zwilling and Breville earn their price here; if you only toast occasionally, a well-reviewed budget model is plenty.
Standard slots handle sandwich bread fine, but thick-cut sourdough, bagels, and Texas toast need wide slots (around 1.5 inches). A high-lift lever also matters more than it sounds — it keeps you from fishing English muffins out with a fork.
Two slots suit most couples and save counter space. If you're feeding three or more people at once, a 4-slice with independent controls per pair of slots means nobody waits — and different breads can toast at different settings simultaneously.
Rounding out your breakfast counter? Pair your toaster with one of our best espresso machines for the full café experience, or see our air fryer picks for fast weeknight dinners. Bakers should check our stand mixer roundup — fresh bread makes any toaster look good.
Premium toasters brown more evenly, handle thick bagels and frozen bread better, and last longer. But well-reviewed budget models make perfectly good toast — pay more only if you toast daily and care about consistency.
The bagel setting heats mostly from the inner elements so the cut side crisps while the outside stays soft. The frozen setting adds defrost time before toasting so frozen bread browns like fresh instead of burning outside and staying cold inside.
A 2-slice model suits one or two people and takes less counter space. Households of three or more, or anyone toasting for a crowd at breakfast, will appreciate a 4-slice with independent controls for each pair of slots.
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