I discovered the Breville toaster oven last year on this site and bought one for my daughter. It was such a hit that I bought one for me this year, and my friend liked it so much, she also bought one. You can sometimes get great prices on sale. The crumb tray pulls neatly out the front from under the door, and the top works really well as a plate warmer (it gets hot). For this particular oven, I might reconsider the toaster oven vs. traditional toaster question.

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Here is a link that might be useful: Breville toaster ovens

We just got a Cuisinart 4 slice in SS about 3 weeks ago. So far it's great! We replaced another Cuisinart toaster that was several years old and still worked just fine (but it was white and I wanted SS to go with our appliances.)

HA! chicagoans , your toaster looks for all the world like an old-timey radio.

I'm certainly no toaster expert. The only one I ever bought was el-cheapo Sunbeam from Big Lots. Guess I shouldn't have been that surprised that it didn't work so well. Last year I was looking to spend some credit card reward points and thought I'd see if there was a red toaster available. I was hoping for a Kitchen Aid. What they had was a Viking. It's a little more industrial looking than I would like, but it was only costing me points, not $$$, so I got it. Wow. It's amazing. Perfect toast and bagels. I'm guessing in the real world it is pricey, but it is a good one. FWIW, Amy

We went through a toaster every year for a while (gets daily use). Bought a DeLonghi about six years ago that is still running strong. There current model is a bit more futuristic than the retro one we have, but still cool.

Here is a link that might be useful: Delonghi Toaster

I bought the classic large chrome Dualit about a decade ago. I just love the way it looks, which is important since I have minimal counter clutter.

IMHO, it is one handsome toaster.

Unbelievably to me, however, it does not do a good job, even at $300+! To get an even toast, I habitually toast things half way, then turn it around and finish the toasting. RIdiculous. Totally form over function on this one.

But then Ive never owned a toaster I thought was great. How hard is this technology, really?

Here is a link that might be useful: good looking toasters

I don't have any person experience, but I, too, am looking to go back to a toaster. I'm looking at this one, now:
http://www.amazon.com/Breville-Lift-Look-Touch-Toaster/dp/B005BWMMCQ

I like that it can fit 4 standard slices or 2 longer slices of bakery bread. Also has a bagel setting that, from reviews, seems to truly work.

HA! chicagoans , your toaster looks for all the world like an old-timey radio. suzanne: that's it exactly! I'm embarrassed to say that I don't even know what the buttons are for... I just really like the retro look.

I have that same toaster as chiagoans, except in the two-slot model. Like mtnrdredux, I get to enjoy a thick layer of black carbon on one side with lukewarm bread on the other. I've already returned it once, so I just flip it manually.

For the same effort, and more reliable results, I use my one of my parents' wedding gifts:

marcolo--too funny. I think I actually have an old toaster with a covered cord like that buried in the basement...maybe I'll give it a whirl first before I invest in a new one...it would be authentic retro...and probably will do a great job.

Thanks to everyone for their recommendations...I will check them all out....

I guess I'm the non-conformist. We toast every day, 4 of us, and I have had a cheap 2 slice Proctor Silex toaster for at least 15 years and it's only just dying now.

I am not a toaster owner and have only recently caved and bought an inexpensive toaster oven, only because I have a hidey-hole for it. But I do highly recommend this book, The Toaster Project, which provides an answer to mtnredux's question.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Toaster Project

This isn't my toaster but I have the same model

As a result of consolidation I have both the Cuisinart toaster pictured above and the Dualit toaster. Very different price points and features.

I really like the Cuisinart and don't care that it looks retro. It toasts evenly, adjusts browning easily and those cute little buttons are very very handy IMO. One is a defrost setting, one reheats (I am a chronic toast forgetter), one is bagel for one-side toasting and one is cancel, which makes it stop & pop. At this price point, I think the Cuisinart is a great performer. It has held up well and is easy to clean.

The Dualit is another story since mine is going on 25 years old and it still works just fine. It's a completely different system since it has no push-down/pop up mechanism to break, just a lever that raises and lowers the toast. A switch either makes 2 or all 4 slots work at one. To toast, you twist the dial and time -- about 2+ minutes for dark -- determines the browning. Relatively easy to clean though with wide slots skinny slices can get stuck occasionally.

Agree with mtnrd that browning is not especially even on the Dualit, but it was the best choice at the time. The Cuisinart at less than 1/3 the price but no toaster can compete with the Dualit's longevity and sturdiness. It's actually quite close in concept to the vintage toaster someone posted.

Wish someone could comment on the Magimix toaster with transparent sides as I am obsessed with the look though definitely not the price point ($50 more than the Dualit!) For what it costs it should do 4 pieces at once and play the Marseillaise. OTOH, kids would probably love it.

After our kitchen renovation, our Breville Toaster Oven (which is, by the way, outstanding) went onto the counter in an adjacent pantry/laundry room, and we got a 2-slice toaster with a retractable cord which gets tucked back into an upper cabinet when not in use (to keep the counter a little tidier.) It is an Oster, not at all expensive (about $25-30), but it has performed beautifully for both toast and bagels, we are very happy with the solution, and I would recommend it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Oster 2 slice toaster with retractable cord

We have a Kitchenaid two slice and it is great. It actually TOASTS. I can even toast bagels on the bagel setting and they don't burn. It has a warm setting, too.

It doesn't seem like they make this style anymore, boo. Seems it's still available, though.

Here is a link that might be useful: KA Toaster

We also have a Cuisinart 4-slot toaster RBT-385PC in stainless steel that we bought at Costco #553787 for $39.99. Similar to chicagoans, but more squared off. Love the wide slots and the bagel setting. The slide out crumb tray is convenient. The four buttons are bagel, defrost, reheat, cancel. Pictures are online, not my actual toaster ... it doesn't have the blue label across the bottom, so that must peel off. I only bought it 7 months ago, but I don't see a lot of my exact model available online and do not see it on Costco's website. The last picture may be the new model ?? I see it shows the toasting time on the new one.

I have the Breville and it's worth every penny. If you have a BB&B you can always use the 20% coupon.

It toasts better than ANY toaster I've ever owned, bakes, broils, reheats. I've cooked an apple pie in it, made grilled cheese, pizza, brownies, roasted almonds and walnuts. Whatever fits into the oven comes out great.

It's unbelievably versatile, easy to clean AND I don't think I used my oven once in the summer. It's a wonderful addition to the kitchen.

I replaced my toaster oven with an Advantium MW/convention/halogen oven. I love the oven, but making toast in it is a PITA (you have to turn the bread over halfway). So we bought this red Cuisinart 4 slice toaster as well. I think someone already posted the SS version above.

I love this thing, it has a defrost+toast setting, which makes perfected toasted bagels and byalis from frozen in one step. It also has a "warm" setting, which i didn't think I would use, but I have to admit sometimes i use it to refresh hours-old toast left over from breakfast! And o yeah, it makes perfect regular old toast as well.

I have this Breville one and it's the best toaster I've had.
The toasting is pretty even, it toasts one side only (for bagels or English muffins), handles two long slices (for certain homemade or artisan style loaves or four regular size slices, handles thick slices, and being able to lift and check without turning it off and having to push it back down is nice. The only thing I would change is making the setting number easier to read for tall folks.

Maybe someone can answer a question for me: How many slices of toast will the Breville toaster oven do at once? There are 9 of us, and I've about given up on making toast b/c it takes so long, even with a 4 slot toaster.

Kareemd515 who resurrected this thread is a spammer, but I missed this thread the first time around, and it's a fun one so I'll post. For anyone who has a small kitchen in which counter space is at a premium, like us, I recommend a "long slot" toaster. We bought a Haier 2-slice toaster, and its footprint is long and narrow at about 5". It lives up against the backsplash, and doesn't take up much counter room. Its blue LED countdown lights are fun too. I checked Amazon, and it looks like the Haier is not available anymore, but I saw a Cuisinart long slice toaster on the page with similar slim footprint. The Cuisinart is much more expensive than our Haier was, and it has "motorized lift", which sounds cool(?).

I will also link for fun a youtube video of another toaster that is so cool, but sadly, no longer made.

Haier TST120SS long slot toaster

Fun Toaster on Youtube

alwaysfixin - that video is hilarious! Can you imagine spending the time to film and then make the music come out just right at the end? Somebody really needed a creativity fix - I can relate.

Laughable, the Breville I posted a photo of will toast 4 slices of a standard loaf. If you have a round, wide or other artisan loaf, it may only toast 2 slices, but that is why I like the two long slots as opposed to 4 shorter ones -- plus it takes less room on the counter.

Thanks Lascatx, I appreciate the info. : )

So let's see... 2 pieces of toast per person for breakfast is 18 slices of bread, divided by 4 = 4.5 Breville toasters. Hmmmmm. That's $450, and lots of counter space, even with a narrow footprint.

See my conundrum. Maybe we'll stick with regular bread-- (insert smiley with eyes spinning.)