How to Buy a Toaster

Tips on buying a toaster

1. What do you want to toast? You can buy a slim toaster that will only accept thinner foods like slices of bread or an English muffin, or you can buy one with wide slots for toasting bagels. To put it another way, a toaster is what you eat. Some toasters even have external dials that allow you to adjust the width of the bread slots.

2. When shopping for a toaster, you also want to keep in mind how much toast you usually make at once. You may only toast two pieces of bread or two halves of a bagel at once. But if you are serving yourself and someone else, or an entire family, you likely end up toasting at least four pieces of bread at the same time. Shop for the maximum amount of toasting capacity if you have several people to please.

3. When considering the size of a toaster, you also have to consider where it will go in your kitchen. If you have an abundance of counter space, then buying a big toaster to fill it may be what you want to do. On the other hand, if you have limited counter space, you will likely want a smaller toaster. There are toasters that have one long slot which fits two slices of bread crust to crust. These “tandem” toasters are long and thin, instead of square and squat like traditional toasters, and they fit into narrow spaces.

4. Finally, chose a toaster that fits your style and the style of your kitchen. Toasters are no longer limited to reflective aluminum. You can buy them made of stainless steel or brushed aluminum, and with matte, black, red, white and chrome finishes. There are few limits to the selection of toasters available today.

Caution

Be wary of buying a used toaster without first testing it out. You want to make sure that the electrical cord of a used toaster is not cut or frayed, as can happen over time with many electrical appliances. You also want to make sure nothing like cheese has melted onto the toaster elements. Food-covered elements are less effective at toasting and often create an odor when heated.

Where to buy a toaster

You can pick out a toaster online and have it on your kitchen counter within a day or two. Try one of these great appliance retailers–

Toast to your heart’s content with one of the many toasters available at Cooking.com. They come in all shapes and sizes here.

Chef’s Catalog will provide you with just about any toaster design available. Find tandem toasters, and several varieties of four-slot toasters.

Toast up a storm with any one of a number of toaster models available from Target. Enjoy the choice of sleek, retro and futuristic designs.