Philips Viva Collection Toaster, 950 W, 1 Liter, INOX, Black/Silver

Product Information

The CPT-T40 4-Slice Touchscreen Toaster outperformed the competition in our tests, particularly when you factor in its price. Touchscreen controls on the front and six shade settings give precise control, and features include bagel, defrost, single-slice toasting, a +30 second option when the toast needs just a little more time, and a cancel button that stops the toasting right away. A defrost setting is useful for frozen bread. First, it defrosts bread then switches to the toasting cycle. Each model is different: on some models, you need to press the defrost button before you push the bread carriage down, while others are pushed once you’ve activated the toaster.

While a two-slice toaster will only have a single browning control (timer), on a four-slice model you may be provided with one or two such controls. A single control means the timer is set for all four slots, which is fine if you all want your toast done the same way. Two timers means you can set each pair of slots separately so you can toast, say, crumpets on one side while doing toast on the other, or have “his and hers” slots set to your personal preferences. What features should I look out for in a toaster? Of course, bread isn’t the only thing you can toast. Cut a bagel in two to get a delicious alternative or even toast some crumpets for a fluffy treat. We gave this toaster high marks for its consistent performance, whether we toasted four slices of regular toast, two extra long slices, or two split bagels. The brownness corresponded to the toaster's setting time and time again. We did note that when you’re using the bagel setting, it toasts slightly lighter, but does get a great golden brown color on the cut-side if you crank it up to high. This also has reheat and defrost settings.

It's also a good idea to turn the actual toaster upside down and give it a shake over the trash can or sink to dislodge any additional crumbs. If any crumbs remain, you can use a small brush to clean them from the toaster slots.

During testing, the Elegancy performed well. We were able to achieve a nice even brownness using all the settings for the most part, although sometimes the level of browness did vary – something we see a lot on mid-price toasters. The defrost setting works best on a lower setting and doesn’t dry out bread too much. What’s more, we found it very easy to clean thanks to crumb trays that are easy to remove. All in all, this is a nifty little toaster with some great functions at a decent price. An added bonus with Zwilling's Enfinigy line is its accessories; there are pieces sold separately for toasting sandwiches or warming buns. The only extra features this bare-bones, slightly compact model has are seven browning settings, a high-lift lever for English muffins and the like, and a cancel button for when you don't want to wait. During testing, this did get very hot when on the hottest setting, with the bread closest to the heating element (the farthest left slot) coming out a little darker than expected. The unevenness across the four slots was consistently noted, but it does serve up golden-brown toast when you figure out the learning curve.But what type of bread did you toast? A piece of half and half with a combination of burnt and lightly done sides? Or a slice of white bread heated for the bare minimum for it to be considered warm bread? Or even a slice of wholemeal burnt to a crisp? Well, whichever you choose, we have the bread type and toast-making appliance for you. Two levers each control a pair of toast slots, and each pair can operate separately, so it’s easy to toast one side lighter and the other side darker at the same time. This toaster’s display rests in standby mode when it’s not being used and wakes up at the touch of an icon, ready to help with breakfast tasks. High lift saves you from burning your fingers by pushing the slots up so you can retrieve your toast safely. It’s also available as a four-slice model, which should perform similarly to this one and has the advantage of two great big slots (rather than the more common four smaller slots) so that you can toast longer items with ease. Features found in most four-slice toasters include a crumb tray, lift lever (allowing you to lift the finished toast higher to avoid getting burned), and width slots. Depending on how wide they are, the width slots will allow you to fit and evenly toast more than just a regular slice of toast, such as bagels, artisan bread slices, pastries, and more.

Smeg, an Italian company, has been making inroads in the American market and gaining a following thanks to the retro look of its appliances and unique color options that will make a statement in any kitchen. The exterior of this toaster is powder-coated steel with polished chrome accents, but its accolades go beyond just its good looks. Ding! You hear the noise and your heart leaps. The smell is next, as you walk into the kitchen, that beautiful mix of dough and charcoal that signals it’s done. You walk over to your toaster and pull out a piece of brilliantly toasted toast. You bite into it and the delight of the crunch is only beaten by the warm, slightly burnt taste that envelops your tastebuds. KRUPS KH734D Breakfast Set 4-Slot Toaster: With six browning settings, a sleek design, and built-in cord storage, this Krups four-slice toaster was a favorite for a long time. That said, we found it left a lot to be desired: The shading was inconsistent and very uneven across the functions. Toasting bread skewed toward very dark browning while toasting bagels skewed very light. On top of that, it was a "fingerprint nightmare." Sleek design and high-quality appliances are what Zwilling is known for, and we were not disappointed in its four-slice toaster. It comes with seven browning settings, plus defrost, reheat, and bagel functions, all easily viewable with LED-lit controls. When your bread is done, you have both a soft-lift and high-lift option. A bagel setting is handy for anything, like bagels or English muffins, that you want to toast on just one side.How well the four-slice toasters toasted fresh bread and bagels: We toasted four bread slices or two halved bagels during each test, filling all slots. To accurately gauge heat level and evenness, we ran each test on light, medium, and high settings. We recorded how long each setting took and compared doneness levels. We also noted how easy it was to insert and remove the bread. When you're done, the exterior is easy to wipe down and the 40-inch cord has concealed storage, so you can keep this statement piece on your counter.