Buying guide for Best stainless steel toasters
Whether you like toast piled high with avocado or toasted bread for sandwiches, a toaster is one of those essentials no good kitchen should be without. Stainless steel toasters are both a stylish and sensible choice. Not only do they look great and add shine to your countertop, but they also tend to be more durable than models with a plastic outer.
One of the first factors to decide on when shopping for a stainless steel toaster is whether you require a two- or four-slice model. If you pick out a four-slice option, you may want to consider one with independent controls, which means you don’t have to use all four slots at once and you can select different browning shades for each slice. Other factors to consider include the size of the slot and what settings you require. For instance, some toast lovers may also appreciate a setting that’s just for bagels.
Key considerations
Two-slice vs. four-slice
Stainless steel toasters can either be two-slice or four-slice models. Unless you live alone or only one or two people ever eat toast at the same time, it’s best to choose a four-slice option. The vast majority of four-slice toasters feature four single slots side by side, but you can find some slimmer yet deeper models with two extra-long slots next to each other, each of which can hold two standard slices.
Slot size
A standard stainless steel toaster slot is designed to hold a regular piece of store-bought sliced bread. However, if you want to slice and toast nonstandard bread products, such as bagels, burger buns, artisan loaves, or baguettes, you might find that they either don't fit in your toaster at all or you need to turn them around partway through so that you don't have one untoasted part. The answer is to choose a toaster with extra-wide or extra-long slots. Extra-wide slots are great for thicker items, such as bagels or buns, which are often too thick for standard toasters. Extra-long slots can fit the equivalent of two slices of bread side by side, so they can fit demi-baguettes or slices of homemade boules.
Expert Tip
If you often toast bread from nonstandard loaves, choose a toaster with slots that will fit bread that's slightly taller or wider than average.
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Features
Independent controls
Four-slice toasters with independent controls allow you to control pairs of slots independently of one another. With independent controls you aren't forced to use all four slots at once if you're only making one or two slices of toast. They also let you choose different browning settings for each pair of slots, which is great if you're making toast for two people with different toasting preferences.
Bagel setting
The bagel setting is becoming popular to the point where you can find it on the majority of stainless steel toasters. This setting toasts only one side of your bagel (or of any other bread product of your choice) to prevent your sesame seeds and other bagel toppings from burning.
Browning setting
All stainless steel toasters, without fail, have browning settings to control how light or dark you want your toast. So, whether you enjoy toast that’s so pale it's basically just warm bread or a piece that’s been blackened to a crisp, simply choose the correct setting and your toast will come out to your liking.
High-lift function
The high-lift function allows you to manually lift the level higher than its neutral point, which is handy for getting small bread products out of the toaster. Choose a stainless steel toaster with a high-lift function if you regularly toast bagels, crumpets, burger buns, or anything similar.
"Although stainless steel looks great, it can be trickier to keep clean. However, you can find some fingerprint-resistant stainless steel toasters. "
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Stainless steel toaster prices
Inexpensive
Stainless steel toasters generally cost a little more than those with plastic outers. Expect to pay between $30 and $50 for basic models with just the standard features. However, toasters in this price range may not toast evenly, and you may have issues fitting tall or thick slices in the slots.
Mid-range
Mid-range stainless steel toasters are usually priced between $50 and $100. Unless you want all the latest features, you should find a solid model in this price range.
Expensive
High-end stainless steel toasters cost from $100 all the way up to $300. These are the best toasters on the market, they're highly durable, toast evenly every time, and may offer a range of high-tech features.
Did you know?
Some stainless steel toasters feature a countdown timer that tells you exactly how long you have until your toast is done.
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Tips
- Decide whether you'd like a stainless steel toaster with a motorized lift. Motorized lifts gently raise and lower your toast and are usually only found on high-end toasters. Although it can be a nice feature to have, it's not necessarily worth the extra cash if you've never had any issues with levers.
- Think about what kind of finish you'd like your toaster to have. Do you want high-shine polished stainless steel or a matte brushed finish? Both look lovely, but high-shine finishes show marks more easily.
- Consider how much counter space you have. If you make toast regularly, you'll probably want to keep your toaster out on the counter at all times. Find out the dimensions of your chosen stainless steel toaster to ensure you have room for it.
- Be careful of the toaster's exterior. Although you can find cool-touch models, stainless steel toasters do heat up on the outside as they work and some models can be hot enough to burn you.
FAQ
Q. What is a crumb tray?
A. A crumb tray is a tray that fits in the bottom of the toaster to catch any crumbs that fall from your bread as its toasting. Whichever stainless steel toaster you choose, it will have a removable crumb tray, either pull-out or spring-loaded. It's important to remove and empty the crumb tray regularly. This will help keep your toaster doing its job effectively and will increase its longevity.
Q. How can I tell which shade setting to set my toaster to?
A. The majority of stainless steel toasters have between five and seven shade settings, which you can choose from depending on how light or dark you like your toast. But which is the right one to get your desired level of toasting? You can get a rough idea of which setting to use according to your preferences — the lowest setting for extremely light toast, the highest setting for extremely dark toast, or somewhere in between — but it can take some trial and error to find the exact setting that will get your toast precisely how you like it.
Q. Can a stainless steel toaster rust?
A. Although it is technically possible for stainless steel to rust under certain conditions, your stainless steel toaster won't rust in a normal kitchen environment. It's fine to wipe it down with a damp cloth, but make sure it's unplugged from its power outlet first.
