The toast comes out pale on one side and burnt on the other, the bagel doesn't fit the slot, and the crumbs are all over the counter. A decent toaster fixes most of that for not much money. Here are the 5 best toasters in 2026, ranked by rating and review count.

We're going by the listings and what buyers say in reviews. We didn't test them ourselves. Three of the five are 2-slice, two are 4-slice, so the right one depends on how many people you feed.

What to Look For in a Toaster

2 slice or 4 slice. A 2-slice toaster is fine for one or two people. For a family or a Sunday brunch, 4 slices at once saves a lot of waiting.

Slot width. If you toast bagels, thick sourdough or Texas toast, look for extra-wide slots. Standard slots are around an inch. The wide ones on this list are about 1.5 inches.

Long slot or two slots. A long-slot toaster has one slot per side, so two slices share a slot. It's good for long breads, but shades may be uneven if the slices are different sizes.

Controls. Look for a bagel setting, defrost, reheat and cancel. More shade settings give you more control over how dark the toast gets.

Crumb tray. A slide-out tray makes cleaning easy. If you're already redoing your kitchen, see our air fryer toaster ovens and digital toasters.

The 5 Best Toasters in 2026

1. Elite Gourmet ECT-3100 4-Slice Long Slot Toaster

Best for: families and anyone who wants 4 slices at once.

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A stainless steel 4-slice toaster with two long, 1.5 inch wide slots, 6 browning levels, and reheat, defrost and cancel buttons. It has 4.4 stars from more than 42,000 ratings, the most on this list.

What makes it stand out: The long slots fit bagels and artisan bread, and the listing mentions a warming rack and cord storage.

Good to know: Two slices share each slot, so the shade can be uneven if you toast different breads together.

2. BLACK+DECKER 2-Slice Extra-Wide Slot Toaster

Best for: two-slice households that want wide slots.

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A compact black 2-slice toaster with extra-wide self-centering slots, 6 shade settings, bagel and frozen functions, and a slide-out crumb tray. It has 4.4 stars from about 14,000 reviews.

What makes it stand out: The self-centering slots hold bagels and thick bread, and the crumb tray slides out easily.

Good to know: It's a two-slice only, so it's slow for a family. The plastic body is lighter than the steel ones.

3. Mueller UltraToast Stainless Steel 4-Slice Toaster

Best for: people who want a steel 4-slice with a digital countdown.

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A stainless steel 4-slice toaster with 1.6 inch wide slots, 6 browning levels, a digital display, and cancel, defrost and reheat functions. It has 4.4 stars from about 12,000 reviews.

What makes it stand out: The wide slots, cord storage and slide-out crumb tray make it easy to live with.

Good to know: At about , it's the priciest of the 4-slice options here.

4. Cuisinart CPT-122 2-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster

Best for: a small kitchen and a classic look.

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A compact white 2-slice toaster with 7 shade settings and bagel, defrost, reheat and cancel buttons. It has 4.0 stars from nearly 26,000 ratings.

What makes it stand out: Seven shade settings, a high-lift lever and a small footprint.

Good to know: The 4.0 rating is the lowest of the five, and it's a plain plastic body. It's not the cheapest at about .

5. Hamilton Beach 2-Slice Toaster with Extra-Wide Slots

Best for: people who toast thick bread and smaller slices.

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A 2-slice toaster with extra-wide slots, a Toast Boost lever to lift smaller breads, 7 shade settings, auto-shutoff and a drop-down crumb tray. It has 4.2 stars from about 2,600 reviews.

What makes it stand out: The Toast Boost lever lifts small slices like English muffins out of the slot.

Good to know: It has the fewest reviews of the five, so there's less history on how it holds up.

How to Get Better Toast

  1. Start in the middle of the shade dial, then adjust up or down a notch.
  2. Use the bagel setting for bagels. It toasts the cut side more than the crust.
  3. Empty the crumb tray every week or two.
  4. Don't put buttered or filled items in a toaster. Use a toaster oven.
  5. Unplug it before cleaning, and never stick a metal fork in the slots.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best toaster for bagels?

Look for extra-wide slots and a bagel setting. All five here have wide slots and a bagel or similar function, and the Elite Gourmet and Mueller have 1.5 inch or wider slots.

What is the best toaster for even toasting?

Self-centering slots and more shade settings help. Check the reviews for 'even' to see what owners say, since it varies by unit.

Why does my toaster not stay down?

Usually it's crumbs, a bad lever or a loose power connection. Unplug it, empty the crumb tray, and if it still pops up, it may be time to replace it.

Is a long slot toaster worth it?

It is for long breads and 4 slices. The catch is that two slices share each slot, so the shade can be uneven.

Keep Reading

Final Thoughts

For most homes we'd buy the Elite Gourmet. It's the most reviewed, has 4 slots and costs about . If you only toast for one or two people, the BLACK+DECKER is the one to get.

The Mueller is the steel pick with a digital display. The Cuisinart is the compact classic, and Hamilton Beach is good for small breads thanks to the lift lever.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Here's how we pick products.