Best toaster 2022: For a delicious and easy breakfast

June 04, 2022

Imagine a kitchen without a toaster - you probably can't, right? Toasters are a staple in most people's kitchens, and with so many different models on the market, it's important to understand how to find the best toaster.

Buying a new toaster should be easy: find one you like in appearance, one you can afford, learn about the toaster's features, and then choose one that you like.

What features should you look for in a toaster?

The reheat button usually activates a short (one-minute) cycle to reheat cold toast. Note that on some toasters, this function is marked on the timer dial instead of a separate button.

The keep warm function lets you keep the heat on until you're ready to make coffee or orange juice or something. The toast function is fabulous if you're running late. And the warming rack lets you warm up snacks like croissants, etc. using the radiant heat from the toaster.

The defrost setting for frozen bread is useful. It defrosts the bread first, then goes into the toasting cycle. Each model is different: on some models you have to press the defrost button, while on others you have to do it after you turn on the toaster.

A pause - sometimes called a lift and look - means you can reach a sneak peak in the cooking process before pressing the button again where you left off.

The high lift protects you from burning your fingers by raising the openings above, so you can safely see how the toast is progressing.

The blitz setting is handy for anything, like if you want to make a blitz or an English muffin and only need to use one side. That's totally possible.

A sandwich rack can be a godsend if you like grilled sandwiches.

Bosch City II TAT6A913GB: The best compact toaster

If space is at a premium—or you just don't need a four-slice model—check out this great modern toaster, which comes in black and stainless steel or gray.

It gets the job done quickly and efficiently, with easy-to-use controls and even cooking. With six browning settings and the usual cancel, defrost and reheat buttons, it also has an extra lift function for things like hard-to-remove crisps and an integrated cookie warmer if you want to gently warm your cookies.

On top of the toaster, thick slices are not a problem, although tall slices will be cut out of the top and will be easier to clean.