The Best Toaster in Australia for 2022
Or how to convince your dad that toast is a perfectly acceptable dinner.
Whether you demand café-perfect toast from your toaster or use it occasionally to heat up a treat (hello Sunday afternoon Pop Tart), a toaster is an essential bit of kitchen kit (like a kettle). A top toaster consistently produces evenly browned toast. It’s easy to use and even easier to clean. Here are Australia’s best toasters, chosen from hours of research that includes expert testing and real Aussie reviews.
How we picked
To decide Australia’s best toaster, we started with CHOICE, Australia’s leading consumer advocacy group. They’ve put a lot of toasters through their paces in their test kitchen, which gave us insights into the technical performance of some toasters.
We then turned to ProductReview.com.au, Australia’s first consumer opinion website. This let us know which toasters are most loved by Aussies.
Our final check was Canstar Blue, an Australian consumer review and comparison website. Their toaster brands survey let us know which brands are most trusted by Aussies, although it didn’t give us specific models.
Armed with plenty of toaster-contenders, we narrowed them down by our criteria. We wanted toasters that covered a range of budgets and needs: from toast addicts who’d use it daily to toast dabblers who’d let it gather dust in the cupboard. Regardless of what features they offered, we wanted them to be easy to use and clean.
Toasters are subjective. Some people love carbonated toast. Others want their bread barely kissed by heat. So, we didn’t delve too deeply into their perceived performance. We also didn’t specifically focus on size: this guide covers both the best 4-slice and 2-slice toasters.
Once we applied our criteria, we found the top toasters in Australia.
The best 4 slice toaster
If bread in all its forms does it for you – think thick artisan loaf, fruit toast, crumpets, bagels or pastries – you’ll love Breville the Smart Toast. Its 4-slice capacity offers wider slots, capable of handling larger-than-standard bread sizes.
It has 5 settings to customise your toasting experience: Fruit Bread (which also works for crumpets), A Bit More (if it’s not quite toasted enough), Lift and Look (to check progress without cancelling the cycle), Defrost and Bagel. A sliding toasting scale is combined with LED lights to show you the toast browning progress. Forget having to press your toast down: it has 1-touch lowering. This automates the toast-lowering for gentler handling. It also gently and quietly raises it up when it’s done, rather than noisily popping it up. It beeps to let you know when your toast is ready.
If you’re toasting for more than 1 person, the dual independent controls are handy. These mean each pair of toasting slots can work independently, for different brownness levels.
At RRP $199.95, this is a toaster for people who love toast in all its forms and will frequently use it. Breville was rated #2 in Canstar Blue’s recent toaster brand survey and this is currently ProductReview.com.au’s most popular toaster. Over 200 Aussies have reviewed it, where it’s earned over 3 stars.
The best 2 slice toaster
If you can’t bring yourself to spend $200 on a toaster, meet the Sunbeam Long Slot 2 Slice Toaster TA4520. It has a RRP of around $50. As its name tells you, it’s got long slots to handle a range of bread types, especially longer ones like sourdough or ciabatta.
A QuickCheck feature lets you check the progress of your toast at any point without interrupting the toasting time. The high lift lever makes removing crumpets and muffins simple. It has 2 additional settings: reheat and defrost.
It’s easy to use, featuring a dial to select your toasting level and a lever you push down to lower the bread. Self-centring slots help ensure your bread is always evenly toasted.
It has good, although limited, consumer reviews with Aussies complimenting its ability to uniformly toast bread. Sunbeam is also Canstar Blue’s 6th most popular toaster brand. Aussies awarded it 4 stars for overall satisfaction but 5 stars for ease of use and cleaning. It’s also been put through its paces by CHOICE.
The best value toaster
The most affordable toaster we reviewed, at around RRP $30, the Kambrook The Smarter Choice gives you everything you need. It has a 7-browning option dial, plus 2 settings (reheat and defrost). It has extra lift for easily getting out smaller items, like crumpets. Plus, it has a removable crumb tray at the front. These minimal features mean it’s simple to use and clean.
It has good, although very limited, consumer reviews with people praising its value for money. It’s also been reviewed by CHOICE and Kambrook is Aussies’ 3rd most popular toaster brand.
The best luxury toaster
Serious about toast? Here’s a serious price: RRP $400, making the Dualit NewGen the most expensive toaster we reviewed. Given it’s handcrafted in the UK, with the assembler’s name on the base plate, it’s not that surprising. Plus, it was first designed in 1946 and has won awards for its design.
Beyond its looks, it has a dial to select your toast level plus a defrost and bagel setting. An energy-efficient slot-selector means you can heat either 1 or both slots, depending on what you need. The manually operated ejector lever lets you check the bread while toasting it, giving you control.
It has a high-lift mechanism to remove small items easily and a removable crumb tray. All its parts are fully repairable or replaceable and it comes with a 5-year warranty.
It has almost 4 stars on ProductReview.com.au, but from a limited number of reviews. Aussies love how all its parts can be replaceable (although given Dualit is based in the UK, this may not be as simple for Aussie-based customers) and how beautiful it looks. It hasn’t yet been tested by CHOICE.
The best toaster for durability
We reckon the Sunbeam Café Series is one of the longest lasting toasters out there. For starters, it has replaceable elements. It also has a 5-year warranty on the elements. This is impressively long for a toaster. Finally, there are plenty of consumer reviews talking about how long it’s lasted. In some cases, up to 10 years.
Durability aside, it has extra wide and deep toasting slots, making it ideal for thicker bread. It has the same self-centring feature for even toasting and offers a crumpet setting too. It offers 6 browning options on a handy dial, plus a high-lift lever for things like crumpets and muffins and a removable crumb tray.
It has almost 100 consumer reviews, awarding it almost 3 stars on ProductReview.com.au, and Sunbeam is Canstar Blue’s 6th most popular toaster brand. It hasn’t yet been tested by CHOICE.
The best toaster and kettle
If you’re all about matching looks, consider the DeLonghi Brillante Exclusive. The unique faceted finish is available on a 4-slice toaster and a kettle.
For RRP $129, you’re getting retro styling, plus a 5-level browning dial and reheat and defrost functions.
It offers variable width slots to handle thicker bread, and the 2 slots can be heated independently. This means you can make 1 or 2 slices of toast without wasting energy. It also has 2 removable crumb trays for easy cleaning.
Although it hasn’t been tested by CHOICE, it has great, although limited, consumer reviews.
The best toaster for New York vibes
Dreaming of New York? Save on plane fare by buying the Sunbeam New York Collection 4 Slice Toaster instead. It’s available in 13 on-trend colours, although the black bronze gives us most NYC vibes. It also illuminates a soft glow when it’s toasting which is a unique design touch.
Looks aside, it’s got dual controls for each slot. Well labelled buttons and dials make it simple to use. The QuickCheck feature lets you check your toast, without interrupting the cycle. It has 9 browning settings, plus cancel, defrost and reheat.
It’s been reviewed by CHOICE and has good, although limited, consumer reviews.
The best 1 slice toaster
Whether you’re buying for a student, your only flattie is you or kitchen space is limited, a 1 slice toaster could be a good choice. That’s where the Russell Hobbs Studio 1 Slice Toaster comes in. Compact, it has a digital display to show your toast shade selection and the time remaining. It also has defrost, reheat and cancel functions.
Russell Hobbs has some big claims about it. They reckon its ‘Faster Toasting Technology’ toasts one slice in 80 seconds. They also reckon it saves up to 45% energy and is 30% smaller than another of their 2 slice toasters. All we know is that Russell Hobbs gets Canstar Blue’s most satisfied customers award for toasters.
It’s been reviewed by CHOICE and gets a glowing consumer review on ProductReview.com.au.
The best artisan toaster
For cafe-quality looks at home, meet the KitchenAid 2 Slice Artisan Toaster. Available in 7 classic colours, including retro pistachio, this is a toaster for the design minded.
The LED display lets you know how long is remaining. It also remembers your personal settings, so no faffing around when you’re tired in the morning. Use the dial to select your perfect toast shade. Note there are no half steps though, i.e. you can have a 4 or 5 but not a 4.5. Rather than popping aggressively, it gently lowers and raises your bread when you press the Toast button. It also beeps to let you know when it starts and finishes. Which is handy if you don’t want to stand there watching a countdown.
It has a dedicated crumpet setting and keep warm, defrost and reheat functionality. Wider than average slots suits thicker bread and muffins. RRP $249, it comes with a 2-year replacement warranty on parts. It’s been reviewed by CHOICE and gets a decent number of consumer reviews, awarding it almost 3 stars.
The best retro toaster
The Smeg TSF02 is for people who want a beautiful looking toaster. The 50s styling is a joy to behold on your kitchen benchtop. It has 2 extra-long and wide slots. This means you can toast 2 larger or longer bread slices (think ciabatta) or 4 ‘regular’ bread slices.
It offers 6 browning levels and 3 pre-set programmes: reheat, defrost, and bagel. This makes it incredibly easy to use. It also features a stylish push down lever. The crumb tray is removable for easy cleaning.
It comes in a range of beautiful vintage colours and with a 2-year warranty. It has a good number of consumer reviews, earning it just under 2.5 stars. Expect to pay around $200+.
The bottom line
A top toaster quickly and consistently produces evenly browned toast, done to your own specifications. It’s easy to use and clean and becomes a beloved piece of kitchen equipment thanks to its toasting prowess.
We think the Breville the Smart Toast is Australia’s best toaster. Thanks to its wider slots, it can handle a wide range of bread, from thick artisan loaves to bagels and pastries. With 5 settings, you can customise your toast to your needs. It promises no surprises, due to its Lift and Look and 1-touch lowering / lifting features. At RRP $199.95, this is a toaster for people who love toast in all its forms and will frequently use it.
A more affordable alternative is our runner-up, the Sunbeam Long Slot 2 Slice Toaster TA4520, at just RRP $50. Its long slots handle a range of bread types, especially longer ones like sourdough or ciabatta. It also has a QuickCheck feature (its equivalent of Breville’s Lift and Look) and offers reheat and defrost settings. Although it’s packing less than our winner, it’s (far) less expensive.
Features to consider
Ready to go toaster shopping? Keep an eye out for these features.
Number of slices
Toasters are available in 2- or 4-slice size. What you choose depends on the size of your household and how much toast you eat. A 4-slice toaster suits families well. They are a lot bigger though, so make sure you’ve got plenty of space. To avoid wasting energy, look for toasters with eco modes. These normally allow you to toast 1 or 2 slices of bread, without heating up the other slot’s elements.
Easy to use
Look for easy-to-understand controls. They might have icons or text. Dials and buttons are standard and suitable for most users.
Defrost setting
If you’re taking bread directly from the freezer and putting it in the toaster, a defrost setting adds extra time to thaw the bread. Even our most affordable toaster, the Kambrook The Smarter Choice KTA120, has this feature.
Reheat setting
If you haven’t eaten your toast straightaway and it’s gone cold, the reheat setting will heat it back up for you. Again, even our most affordable toaster has this.
Crumb tray
All toasters should have an easily removable crumb tray. Bonus points for this being at the front, so you don’t need to pick it up and move it to get to the tray.
Slot length
If you’d like to toast more than your standard bread, something like ciabatta, pay attention to slot length. You may need to get a long slot length toaster. This isn’t necessarily a feature you pay more for: our best 2 slice toaster, the Sunbeam Long Slot Toaster, is long length and its RRP is just $50.
What you get if you spend more
Paying more is unlikely to get you better toast results. But it may get you a better-looking toaster (hello Dualit NewGen).
LED progress indicator
If you’re wondering how far through the cycle your toast is, look out for a toaster with a LED progress indicator. It’s ideal for anyone who doesn’t like surprises.
High lift lever
To avoid small things like bagels or hot cross buns getting stuck in the toaster, some toasters offer a high lift lever. It also helps you avoid burning your fingers as you struggle to extract them.
Motorised lift
For that hotel-at-home feeling, opt for a motorised lift. Rather than popping your toast up, it’ll gently raise it. Only our Breville winner offers this.
Multiple settings
As well as standard defrost and reheat, some toasters offer other settings, like dedicated bagel ones.
Preview feature
Whether you smell burning or you’re impatient for perfection, some toasters have a preview feature. This lets you check your toast’s progress, without interrupting the toasting cycle.
Dual controls
Different to eco mode – which only heats up 1 slot’s elements – dual controls mean you can use 2 different toasting cycles at the same time. Which means if you’re preparing toast for more than 1 person, or are using different types of bread, it’s a handy feature.
Good looks
If you want to make a statement in your kitchen with a stunning toaster, you’ll need to pay more to enjoy the retro stylings of Smeg and Dualit.
Sources
- "How to buy the best toaster for your kitchen", CHOICE
- "Toasters", ProductReview.com.au
- "Toaster Reviews & Ratings", Canstar Blue
