I rarely make toast. People made fun of me because I just used the oven if i made toast. I finally broke down and bought a two slicer/bagel size Black and Decker. I've used it now for 5 years, and have perfectly browned toast and bagel thins. Similar to this model. http://www.blackanddeckerappliances.com ... t2030.aspx
I like that it has a cancel button, and a feature that lets you lift the toast up a bit so you aren't sticking your fingers down in it. I actually am surprised that it has been so good, coils are still evenly browning. All for about $25.

You could get this one, assuming you don't mind a little demonic activity at breakfast. Anyway, it makes good toast.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:You could get this one, assuming you don't mind a little demonic activity at breakfast. Anyway, it makes good toast.

That clip made my day!

None of the ones listed by that article are plastic-bodied. I find stainless toasters difficult to keep clean, I'd much prefer a "cool-touch" model.

After about 2.5 years (and a few crappy toasters -- I'm especially looking at you Cuisinart!), I've finally found one that I think is worthy of recommendation: the Breville BTA840XL. At about $175 retail, it's not inexpensive but I've had it for about a month and so far, it's been excellent. It toasts quickly and evenly. The slots are nice and wide. The bagel setting works very well -- it toasts the cut side evenly and leaves the outside soft. There are a couple of other convenient features, including the "a bit more" button, which sends the toasted item back down for just a bit more toasting and the "lift and look" button, which raises the item out of the slot so you can glimpse it and sends it right back down for further toasting unless you press the cancel button. It also happens to be aesthetically pleasing, which is an added bonus.

Having only had it for just a short time, I cannot attest to its durability but so far, I'm liking it quite a bit.

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ronnie_suburban wrote:After about 2.5 years (and a few crappy toasters -- I'm especially looking at you Cuisinart!), I've finally found one that I think is worthy of recommendation: the Breville BTA840XL. At about $175 retail, it's not inexpensive but I've had it for about a month and so far, it's been excellent. It toasts quickly and evenly. The slots are nice and wide. The bagel setting works very well -- it toasts the cut side evenly and leaves the outside soft. There are a couple of other convenient features, including the "a bit more" button, which sends the toasted item back down for just a bit more toasting and the "lift and look" button, which raises the item out of the slot so you can glimpse it and sends it right back down for further toasting unless you press the cancel button. It also happens to be aesthetically pleasing, which is an added bonus.

Having only had it for just a short time, I cannot attest to its durability but so far, I'm liking it quite a bit.

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To Breville's credit they really do make an effort to improve on technology as opposed to just putting out a product with minimal features. Their products tend to be well thought out and ultimately stylish and functional.

spinynorman99 wrote:To Breville's credit they really do make an effort to improve on technology as opposed to just putting out a product with minimal features. Their products tend to be well thought out and ultimately stylish and functional.

Agreed. Haven't tried the toaster, but our Breville BDC600XL YouBrew Drip Coffee Maker makes the richest, most full-flavored coffee I've ever had at home. But at about $250, it wasn't cheap. An added feature (no, it's not a bug, it's a feature) - you can program it to start brewing early in the morning, and the burr grinder for the coffee beans is so loud that it effectively functions as an alarm clock for everyone in the house (or maybe everyone in the neighborhood).

nr706 wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:To Breville's credit they really do make an effort to improve on technology as opposed to just putting out a product with minimal features. Their products tend to be well thought out and ultimately stylish and functional.

Agreed. Haven't tried the toaster, but our Breville BDC600XL YouBrew Drip Coffee Maker makes the best coffee I've ever had at home. But at about $250, it wasn't cheap. An added feature (no, it's not a bug, it's a feature) - you can program it to start brewing early in the morning, and the burr grinder for the coffee beans is so loud that it effectively functions as an alarm clock for everyone in the house (or maybe everyone in the neighborhood).

I agree with you guys about Breville. My experience is that they make exceptional products. Some day someone will probably buy them, dumb it all down and trade on their reputation until consumers figure it out. But for now, their products stand out in the marketplace.

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