A toaster is a kitchen essential that often goes unnoticed until it stops working. Whether you prefer a golden brown finish or like your toast lightly toasted, finding the perfect toaster can make a significant difference in your breakfast routine. With so many options available on the market, choosing the right toaster can be overwhelming.
That’s why we have curated a list of the best toasters for your kitchen that will ensure your morning toast is always perfectly crisp and delicious. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the top contenders in the world of toasters, comparing features, functionality, and design to help you find the perfect toaster to elevate your morning toast game.
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Table of Contents
How to Choose the Best Toaster for You
Choosing the best toaster for you depends on several factors, including your needs, preferences, and budget. Here are key considerations to guide you through the selection process:
Types of Toasters:
Pop-up Toasters: Best for toasting standard bread slices. They usually have two or four slots.
Toaster Ovens: More versatile; can toast, bake, broil, and sometimes even have convection capabilities.
Conveyor Toasters: Designed for commercial use with high-volume toasting needs.
Slot Size and Number:
Slot Width: If you enjoy toasting bagels, artisanal bread, or thick slices, look for a toaster with wide slots.
Slot Length: Longer slots can accommodate different bread shapes.
Number of Slots: Two-slot toasters are standard for smaller households, while four-slot toasters are better for families.
Material and Build Quality:
Common materials include plastic, which is budget-friendly, and stainless steel, which is durable and has a sleek appearance.
Check for sturdy construction and a guarantee or warranty. A longer warranty may be an indicator of better build quality.
Browning Control:
Adjustable browning settings are essential for getting your toast just right. The more settings, the more precise the control.
Some toasters offer special settings like bagel or frozen, which adjust the toasting cycle accordingly.
Functionality and Features:
Lift and Look: Check your toast without canceling the cycle.
High-Lift Lever: Helps with the safe removal of smaller items.
Crumb Tray: A removable crumb tray makes cleaning easier.
Reheat and Defrost Functions: Useful for reheating toast without browning it further and defrosting frozen bread.
Automatic Shutoff: A safety feature that prevents overheating.
Consistency and Speed:
Look for a toaster that toasts evenly on both sides.
Consider the toasting speed, especially if you have a busy morning routine.
Design and Aesthetics:
The toaster should complement the kitchen’s decor. There is a wide range of styles, from retro to modern.
Size can also be an important consideration, especially in smaller kitchens with limited counter space
Ease of Use and Cleaning:
Simple interfaces with clear controls are often better.
Toasters should be easy to disassemble or have accessible parts for thorough cleaning.
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The Best Toasters NZ
1. Kitchenaid Toaster – 2 Slice
The KitchenAid 2-slice toaster combines functionality with style. Its stainless steel finish brings an elegant air to any kitchen, ensuring it’s not just an appliance but a part of your kitchen’s aesthetic.
Safety and convenience go hand in hand with this toaster. Seven shade settings give you control over your toast’s crispiness, while the cool wall construction ensures the exterior remains safe to touch. The Keep Warm feature is a bonus, keeping your toast at the perfect temperature until you’re ready to enjoy it.
Maintenance is a breeze thanks to the slide-out crumb tray, allowing for quick and easy clean-up after use. This thoughtful design aspect ensures that your kitchen stays neat, complementing the toaster’s efficient performance and sleek appearance.
2. Cuisinart 2 Slice Toaster
The Cuisinart 2-Slice Stainless Steel Toaster shines with its modern, square-shaped design and user-friendly front knobs. Its polished finish not only looks good but is crafted for longevity and consistency in toasting performance.
Toasting versatility is a core strength of this appliance. The extra-wide slots welcome a variety of bread, from thick slices and bagels to specialty items, without a hassle. Coupled with a high lift lever, this toaster prioritizes safety and convenience, allowing you to retrieve hot items with ease.
Designed with practicality in mind, it boasts 7 browning settings to customize each toasting session. The handy reheat button provides additional functionality, refreshing your toast without browning it further. This toaster is a reliable ally for those seeking a perfect breakfast companion.
3. Dualit NewGen 2 Slice Toaster
The NewGen 2-slice toaster stands out with its unique color scheme, featuring a silver center flanked by brass sides. This blend of colors adds a touch of sophistication to any kitchen decor, making it as much a statement piece as it is a daily convenience.
This appliance is designed to accommodate a variety of bread types, thanks to its generously sized slots. Whether you’re toasting thick homemade slices or chunky bagel halves, the NewGen toaster ensures every item fits comfortably.
Ease of use and safety are thoughtfully considered, with a high lift feature that allows for the hassle-free retrieval of smaller items, minimizing the risk of burns. The inclusion of a removable crumb tray streamlines the cleaning process, making this toaster both practical and user-friendly in maintaining kitchen hygiene.
4. KitchenAid: Proline 2 Slice Toaster
The KitchenAid Pro Line 2 Slice Toaster is not just a toaster; it’s a statement of style with its sleek Frosted Pearl exterior and a modern domed top. The design is not only about looks but also functionality—the dome allows for extra space to fit larger items like bagels or thick bread slices.
With seven shade settings and an LED indicator light, this toaster provides precision control over browning, allowing you to achieve your perfect slice of toast every time. The cancel button is a simple yet crucial feature, offering peace of mind and preventing any risk of burnt toast.
This appliance is equipped with four toasting functions and an automatic sensor, ensuring consistent toasting with every use. The bread automatically lifting and lowering mean you can say goodbye to manual levers. The KitchenAid Pro Line Toaster brings ease and convenience to your morning routine, making it a valuable addition to any kitchen.
5. Breville The Toast Select Luxe 2 Slice Toaster
The Breville Toast Select 2-Slice Toaster stands as a testament to both form and function, encapsulating a premium feel with its brushed stainless steel housing. This appliance promises to turn breakfast into a joyful experience, bringing both style and a spark of fun to your kitchen counter.
This toaster gives you the freedom to customize your morning toast with six shade settings, ensuring your bread is toasted to your exact preference. Precision is at your fingertips, offering the versatility needed for the pickiest of toast connoisseurs.
With the addition of the mid-cycle cancel button, Breville provides a level of control that is both appreciated and necessary. This simple yet effective feature allows you to halt the toasting process immediately, granting you extra peace of mind and the assurance that your breakfast will be just the way you like it, every single time.
6. Sunbeam: Maestro 2 Slice Toaster
The Sunbeam Maestro 2 Slice Toaster brings a blend of technology and convenience to the forefront of your kitchen experience. Encased in stainless steel, it exudes durability while the LCD countdown display adds a modern touch, allowing you to monitor the toasting progress at a glance.
This toaster is equipped with thoughtful features including six browning levels to cater to a wide array of preferences, and a defrost setting specifically designed to handle frozen bread and bagels. Sunbeam’s QuickCheck allows you to check on your toast’s progress without interrupting the cycle, and the high-lift lever facilitates safe removal of your toast.
Sunbeam has also prioritized ease of maintenance with this model. The two separate slots accommodate thicker breads with ease, ensuring even toasting, and the removable crumb trays being dishwasher safe is a testament to the brand’s commitment to convenience, ensuring that cleanup is as simple and efficient as your toasting experience.
7. Sunbeam Diamond Collection Toaster
Sunbeam’s Diamond Collection 2-slice toaster merges simplicity with a touch of sophistication. Its sleek silhouette ensures that it will seamlessly integrate into your kitchen’s decor, while the diamond-textured sides provide an element of refined elegance, elevating the overall look of your countertop.
This toaster is all about personalization, featuring 7 browning settings to dial in your preferred level of toastiness. Whether you like your bread lightly warmed or deeply bronzed, this toaster caters to every taste, ensuring your morning starts just right.
The design is not only about aesthetics but functionality too. The self-centring bread slots are engineered to promote even heat distribution, which translates to consistently golden toast slice after slice. The appliance strives to deliver excellence in every use, marrying style with performance for your kitchen.
8. Delonghi Distinta Moments 4-slice Toaster
The Delonghi Distinta Moments 4-slice toaster proves to be both an aesthetically pleasing and highly functional addition to any kitchen. Its matt-textured metallic finish isn’t just about good looks; it’s about bringing a touch of sophistication to your countertop.
One of the highlights of this toaster is its dual independent control panels, which provide the flexibility to toast bread to varying degrees of brownness simultaneously. This is ideal for households with diverse preferences, ensuring everyone’s toast is just right for them.
The Distinta Moment distinguishes itself with a generous 4-slot capacity, making it perfect for families or when entertaining guests. The inclusion of defrost, reheat, and bagel functions adds versatility, streamlining your breakfast routine and simplifying the path to perfect toast every time.
9. Cuisinart 4 Slice Stainless Steel Toaster
The Cuisinart 4 Slice Stainless Steel Toaster is a convenient and adaptable kitchen appliance, ideal for both larger families and those with a penchant for hosting. It comes equipped with four spacious slots and two separate control panels, catering to a variety of toasting preferences at once.
Ease of use is central to this toaster’s design, featuring high lift levers that ensure the safe retrieval of your toast, bagels, or pastries without the risk of burnt fingertips. This design consideration is especially user-friendly and minimizes the fiddling often associated with removing smaller items.
The toaster’s wide slots are a nod to versatility, allowing for a range of bread types and sizes. With seven browning settings at your disposal, the power to customize is in your hands, whether you desire lightly toasted bread or an extra crispy bite. A simple press-down gives you that additional crunch, tailoring each toasting cycle to your taste.
10. Russell Hobbs Brooklyn 4-Slice Toaster
The Russell Hobbs Brooklyn 4-Slice Toaster in matte black with copper accents offers a sophisticated, contemporary look that’s sure to complement the modern kitchen. The stainless steel body promises durability, and the striking color scheme makes it more than just a utilitarian device—it’s a statement piece.
Designed with user-friendly controls, the toaster includes intuitive dials for adjusting to the perfect browning level, while the additional buttons provide options for specific tasks such as toasting bagels or defrosting frozen bread. The lever mechanism is a familiar and straightforward way to initiate toasting.
Functionality meets versatility with the toaster’s wide slots, accommodating everything from the thinnest slices to the thickest bagels or even frozen waffles, ensuring a perfect fit and even toasting. The high lift lever is a thoughtful feature that allows for the easy and safe removal of smaller items, while the automatic self-centering guides guarantee an evenly browned toast every time, making the Russell Hobbs Brooklyn Toaster as reliable as it is stylish.
FAQs
How long should a toaster last?
On average, a toaster can last between 5 to 6 years. Usage, maintenance, and build quality significantly affect its lifespan. Regular cleaning and proper use can help extend its longevity.
Is it worth buying an expensive toaster?
Investing in a more expensive toaster can be worthwhile if you’re seeking durability, more consistent toasting, and advanced features like wider slots, precise browning control, and special settings. Consider how often you use it and your specific toasting needs.
Which brand toaster is best in New Zealand?
Breville and Sunbeam are often highly rated for reliability and performance. Consumer NZ and other product review sites typically feature these brands among their top picks, reflecting user satisfaction and quality.