Is this the best toaster, 'a true piece of art' or just a basic appliance with a massive price tag?
There's one found in every home across the nation but how much is too much to pay when it comes to this trusty kitchen staple?
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Every Aussie home has a toaster, but how much should you spend on one? Would you fork out $900 for a toaster branded as a “true piece of art”?
That’s the price of the new Smeg x Dolce & Gabbana Blu Mediterraneo toaster. While it’s undeniably beautiful and unique, at its core, it’s still just a toaster.
Smeg claims it’s “no longer just a functional product, but a true piece of art.” However, at $700 more than our top pick, the Sunbeam Kyoto City Collection 4-Slice Toaster, and $451 more than the versatile Cuisinart Combo Steam and Convection Oven - which can toast, steam, grill, bake, and reheat- it raises the question: what's a fair price for a good toaster?
Our home and appliances expert, Tahnee-Jae Lopez, believes you don’t need to overspend to enjoy classic vegemite on toast. “Toasters typically range from $40 to $300,” she explains. “Highly-rated models from top brands like Breville, KitchenAid, and Sunbeam usually fall between $100 and $200. Yet, a budget-friendly $39 Kambrook model can perform just as well and last as long as a $99 Russell Hobbs.”
So, why the steep price for the designer toaster? Lopez notes, “Smeg and Dolce & Gabbana are premium brands celebrated for stylish designs and high quality. But let’s be real: this collaboration isn’t for bargain hunters or those who simply want reliable features. The Smeg x Dolce & Gabbana toaster appeals to those seeking a stunning kitchen centrepiece as much as a decent appliance.”
If you're looking for your perfect toaster, here's our guide to the best ones for every budget plus a solid dupe for the budget-busting D&G one.
OUR TOP PICKS
BEST FOUR-SLICE TOASTERS
Sunbeam Kyoto City Collection 4 Slice Toaster, $199 at Myer
Sunbeam Kyoto City Collection 4 Slice Toaster
What You Need To Know
When it comes to brands, Sunbeam is our Food Expert's top pick. "Sunbeam is a reliable brand for tasters and are very well priced with different options and different budgets," she said.
This four-slice toaster from the brand’s Kyoto City Collection is one of the brand’s more popular models, boasting a high lift lever for crumpets and muffins and a QuickCheck function that lets you see how well the toast is browning without having to cancel the task. And as a nice design detail, this Sunbeam toaster glows from below as a nod to the famous floating lanterns in Kyoto.
Plus, it's earned multiple rave reviews as it's stylish and practical, and ensures you get evenly toasted bread every time.
"Best toaster we have ever owned! Toast seems to be cooked perfectly every time. Love that you don’t have to fire up the whole toaster to just cook two pieces of toast," one wrote.
"So happy with this toaster. Absolutely well worth the money. Whatever bread selected it makes perfect toast every time," another wrote.
"... Want elegance in your kitchen? Then look no further... we’ve used crumpets, muffins, thick sliced bread, even banana bread (loved that it takes banana bread and makes it all toastie on the outside) the user guide also provides great hints on what level different products should be set at i.e thicker products like crumpets will take longer and require a higher setting. Hubby and I both love the removable crumb tray and reheat feature as sometimes life gets in the way and you forget about your toast and when you get back to it you need to use the reheat button," another wrote.
Sunbeam Alinea 4-Slice Toaster, $139 at Myer
Sunbeam Alinea 4-Slice Toaster
What You Need To Know
Another option worth considering is the Sunbeam Alinea 4-Slice Toaster. It features dual controls - so you can operate both [airs separately, nine browning settings for the perfect golden brown sandwich bread or toast and a QuickCheck function so you can take a peek at the browning progress.
"Toasts evenly and quickly. I love having the option of two or four slices. Looks good, too," raved a customer on the Myer website.
BEST TWO-SLICE TOASTERS
Russell Hobbs Attentiv 2 Slice Toaster, $108.95 (down from $149.95) at Amazon Australia
Russell Hobbs Attentiv 2 Slice Toaster
What You Need To Know Know
Unlike most other toasters, the Russell Hobbs Attentiv 2 Slice Toaster uses Colour Sense technology to automatically adjust the toasting time to the type of bread and stops the cycle once it detects the right shade. It also has long and wide slots to accommodate a variety of brekky items. For total convenience, the benchtop appliance can also remember your last used settings. Otherwise, you can input what you want using the simple touch screen controls.
"This toaster is brilliant! As a mother of four kids, we use our toaster daily. My kids won't eat day old bread so it goes straight into the freezer. The old toaster would either burn the bread or leave it frozen in the middle. This toaster solves all that," an impressed shopper reviewed.
"Being able to watch the bread cook with the Colour Sense technology was a game changer. No longer have to wait for it to pop up and hope for the best. We even tried brioche bread and it came out so fluffy on the inside and perfectly toasted outside... 10/10 from me!!"
Breville the Smart Toast 2-Slice Toaster, $179 (down from $229) at The Good Guys
Breville the Smart Toast 2-Slice Toaster
What You Need To Know
Need just a few more seconds’ worth of browning to get the perfect toast? Then you’re going to eat up Breville’s A Bit More function on toasters like the Smart Toast 2 Slice.
This two-slice toaster gives you the extra toast time you need for perfectly golden brown toast, and there’s also a manual variable browning control feature with an LED light to show the progress, plus wide slots to fit thick bagels, pastries and artisanal bread. Other convenient tailored settings include Fruit Bread, Lift & Look, Crumpet and Frozen.
“This stainless steel toaster toasts to perfection! Easy to use toaster and an attractive addition to any kitchen. Excellent,” praised a shopper.
BEST BUDGET TOASTER
Kambrook 2 Slice Cool Touch Toaster, $39 (down from $44.95) at Amazon Australia
Kambrook 2 Slice Cool Touch Toaster
What You Need To Know
Don’t want to fork out more than $50 on a toaster? This affordable and compact Kambrook option comes with self-centering slots, variable browning control, a removable crumb tray for easy cleaning, non-slip feet and a cool-to-touch exterior for safety. Talk about getting bang for buck.
Shoppers are calling this Kambrook toaster “good value for money”, with many praising it as “simple and easy to use”.
"No fuss toaster. No fancy buttons or levers. I had bought very expensive ones before with so many bells and whistles. And in the end, they all stop working or constantly burn your toast... This one does what it's supposed to which is toast bread - even frozen bread," one wrote.
BEST WIDE SLOT TOASTER
Breville the Toast Select Luxe 2 Slice Toaster, $249 at Myer
Breville the Toast Select Luxe 2 Slice Toaster
What You Need To Know
Satisfy those hunger cravings with a toaster that can fit thicker slices, whether it’s a bagel, pastry, or your favourite artisan bread that becomes irresistible once you spread some butter.
Not only does this Breville toaster have deep and extra wide slots, it also comes with six bread settings (white, brown, grain fruit, rye and crumpet) to make things even easier.
"This toaster not only looks good, but toasts bread exactly the way you want it. It’s easy to use, and I love the ‘countdown’ timing light that alerts you to when the toast is going to be ready. This is the best toaster I’ve ever owned," praised a reviewer, rating it five stars.
BEST TOASTER FOR CRUMPETS
Russell Hobbs Brooklyn 4 Slice Toaster, $87 (down from $109.95) at Amazon Australia
Russell Hobbs Brooklyn Toaster
What You Need To Know
When it comes to toasting bread, everyone in the household has a specific level of toasted they prefer. So, if you've got a household of picky eaters - this Russell Hobbs toaster has independent browning controls for each slot, allowing you to use different settings regardless of whether you’re toasting two or four slices. The appliance also has extra wide slots to fit thickly sliced bread, plus a high lift lever to help you easily take out crumpets and other types of smaller items.
"Very good toaster, good value for money and looks great too. Effectively 2 toasters in 1, one with my settings the other for my wife... Happy breakfast time!" one five-star reviewer wrote.
BEST TOASTER OVEN
Cuisinart Combo Steam and Convection Over CSO 300NXA, $299 (down from $449) at Myer
Cuisinart Combo Steam and Convection Oven CSO 300NXA
What You Need To Know
Toaster ovens have become the new norm when it comes to cooking and convenience. This benchtop oven in particular, boasts multi-functionality - it can toast, steam, reheat, bake, grill and proof bread dough. Not to mention, it has a self-clean button and comes with a crumb tray, wire rack, baking pan, broiling rack and a drip tray.
Five-star reviews say this machine is a "game changer" and claim they no longer have to worry about getting evenly toasted bread.
"This combo steamer and oven is a total game changer! It's easy to use, clean, time saving (no preheating required) And, a space saver extraordinaire. I have now ditched all those other gadgets because of it! Very happy!" one wrote.
"Very even toasting on different breads. Great for heating frozen food and leftovers too. Steam functions work wonderfully for dim-sims and dumplings but take a bit longer than a regular steamer. Also great for puddings and desserts. Fairly easy to clean, especially with the steam clean function. 1 star off mostly because of the weaker convection strength compared to a pod-shaped air fryer, but you might see that as a benefit. Very pleased," another wrote.
BEST DUPE FOR SMEG X DOLCE & GABBANA BLU MEDITERRANEO TOASTER
Laura Ashley China Rose 2 Slice Stainless Steel Toaster, $119 at Temple & Webster
Laura Ashley China Rose 2-Slice Stainless Steel Toaster
What You Need To Know
If the Smeg x Dolce & Gabbana Blu Mediterraneo toaster is a little out of your budget but you love the look, you could try this Laura Ashley stainless steel toaster. Featuring a 7-setting variable heat control and a self-centring function, which should help you achieve perfectly browned toast on both sides, its wide toasting rack accommodates thick-sliced bread and crumpets, while the high-lift lever means you can remove items safely and easily.
It has a high-grade gloss UV coating and comes with a 24-month warranty extendable up to 3 years. Buyers have given it an average rating of 4.9 out of 5, praising its appearance. And at $780 cheaper than the D&G one, you could even go all-in on the style and buy the matching kettle ($149), hand-held blender ($129) and DAB radio ($229) and still have money leftover.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A TOASTER?
We asked news.com.au checkout Homes and Appliances expert Tahnee-Jae Lopez for her advice on how much you need to pay to get a good toaster and what features to look for when buying a toaster. Here's her advice.
"The amount you’ll pay for a good quality toaster ultimately depends on preference. Are you after a two-slice or four-slice toaster? Do you prefer a stainless steel finish over a cheaper plastic build? Do you want a variety of adjustable settings instead of the basics?"
Number of slices: Two-slice toasters are generally more affordable and compact, while four-slice toasters are a more efficient option for larger households.
Long slot toasters: These are great if you usually eat a variety of breads.
High-lift lever: This makes it easier to safely pick up toast, and especially useful if you’re using small loaves of bread.
Easy to clean crumb tray: Having an easily accessible crumb tray makes it easy to clean regularly, avoid burnt toast odours, and helps the toaster perform at its best.
Adjustable browning settings: Everyone likes their bread toasted a little differently, or may need to be adjusted depending on if the bread is frozen, thawed and more.
Different toast types: Many toasters now come with tailored settings for bagels, crumpets, fruit toast, regular toast and thicker sliced breads.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
To help you find the best toaster for your needs and budget, we asked news.com.au checkout homes and appliances expert Tahnee-Jae Lopez for her expert advice and recommendations on what to look for when buying a toaster. Tahnee-Jae has years of reviewing experience, specialising in all the appliances and products that can help improve your home and life, and fit both your budget and needs.
In addition, our shopping team read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to find the best toaster from premium to budget to help you find the toaster that will toast bread perfectly and to your liking.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SHOULD I GET A TWO-SLICE OR FOUR-SLICE TOASTER?
The primary considerations to keep in mind are the size of your household and available storage space. Though a four-slice toaster may feed all home occupants faster during the morning rush, it naturally takes up more counter space than the alternative; and after you take into account all the other appliances that live on your countertop, you’ll want to make sure the time saved using one is worth the loss of food preparation area.
HOW LONG SHOULD A TOASTER LAST?
Your toaster should last you between six and eight years, so if it’s been that long since you last bought one, consider upgrading to a newer model.
Kim Coverdale, news.com.au checkout Food Expert
Kim Coverdale has worked in food publishing for more than 25 years, including as Food Director on some of Australia’s leading food titles including taste.com.au. and Super Food Ideas. She trained in the respected Australian Women’s Weekly test kitchen and now creates, writes and edits recipes for food magazines and online. Her passion for baking means you can find her in the kitchen most days creating new sweet food trends with flavour twists.
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