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| TopTenReview |
Nothing gets a day off to
a great start like a golden piece of toast smothered in butter or marmalade.
Quick and easy toast can enhance any breakfast. The best toasters take the
thought out of preparing perfect toast. They will brown a bagel, toast a
baguette or warm artisan bread just how you like it. A great two- or four-slice
toaster will not only toast well but will look great on your kitchen counter,
too. Like a throw pillow on a couch or decorative frame on a wall, a toaster is
a perfect appliance to add an artistic accent to your kitchen.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Many toasters will do what you want them to do – toast bread. Yet
a toaster can be much more. It can serve as an able chef's tool in any kitchen,
helping you make the most of any dish that involves toasted bread. When you are
considering the best toaster for you, think about the features in each toaster,
the toasting functions each uses, the size and design of the toaster and the
help and support the companies will provide if you have trouble using it.
Features
A precise shade setting can be the difference between a perfect golden brown and an inedible charred black. Look for a toaster that has a wide variety of shade settings to choose from, and more importantly, a precise way to choose between setting levels. Some toasters only allow you to select a fixed number of shade settings with no variance between those preset settings. This can be frustrating if you prefer a browning level between the shade settings or if you toast artisan breads that vary greatly from piece to piece.
A precise shade setting can be the difference between a perfect golden brown and an inedible charred black. Look for a toaster that has a wide variety of shade settings to choose from, and more importantly, a precise way to choose between setting levels. Some toasters only allow you to select a fixed number of shade settings with no variance between those preset settings. This can be frustrating if you prefer a browning level between the shade settings or if you toast artisan breads that vary greatly from piece to piece.
You should also be thinking about the convenience of the toaster.
Some newer toasters provide an automatic toasting feature. You won't have to
lower a toasting lever anymore to start a toasting cycle. Automatic toasters
are motorized to complete the toasting cycle at the push of a button or by
sensing toast when it's inserted into a slot. Some toasters allow you to toast
four or six slices at once. Others let you toast longer or wider pieces of
toast or bagels. The best toaster for you makes it simple to get the perfect
crunch on your breads just the way you want it.
Toasting Functions
A toaster can have amazing features, but if you cannot easily use it, then it is essentially useless. Many toasters have standard setting buttons: bagel, warming/reheat, defrost and cancel. Yet, some do provide additional toasting functions that will make it much easier to toast the perfect slice of bread. Look for toasting functions that let you observe the toasting of the bread mid-cycle and add more time if needed with a single button.
A toaster can have amazing features, but if you cannot easily use it, then it is essentially useless. Many toasters have standard setting buttons: bagel, warming/reheat, defrost and cancel. Yet, some do provide additional toasting functions that will make it much easier to toast the perfect slice of bread. Look for toasting functions that let you observe the toasting of the bread mid-cycle and add more time if needed with a single button.
Design
For a modern toaster, how it looks on the counter is almost as important as how well it toasts bread. You won't be happy if you have to hide it deep inside a cupboard any time you have company because it looks like a something you just pulled off a scrapheap. You also won't be happy with your toaster if it burns you every time you mistakenly touch its sides while trying to use its controls. A great two- or four-slice toaster will aesthetically add to any counter it sits on, and give you great use, cleaning and storage features.
For a modern toaster, how it looks on the counter is almost as important as how well it toasts bread. You won't be happy if you have to hide it deep inside a cupboard any time you have company because it looks like a something you just pulled off a scrapheap. You also won't be happy with your toaster if it burns you every time you mistakenly touch its sides while trying to use its controls. A great two- or four-slice toaster will aesthetically add to any counter it sits on, and give you great use, cleaning and storage features.
Help & Support
For small appliances, especially oft-used kitchen appliances, it is nice to know you have a warranty if something happens to it. Most toasters come with strong warranties that cover the appliance for at least a year. You should also be looking for a company that provides user support if you have questions about different advanced toasting features.
For small appliances, especially oft-used kitchen appliances, it is nice to know you have a warranty if something happens to it. Most toasters come with strong warranties that cover the appliance for at least a year. You should also be looking for a company that provides user support if you have questions about different advanced toasting features.
Ultimately, the best toaster for you will help you to get toast
the way you want it every time you use your toaster. You should be able to use
your toaster to accommodate the breads, bagels and pastries you like to eat.
Consider the features, toasting functions and design you need to get just the
toasting experience you’re looking for.
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