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A 2-slice toaster is a small kitchen appliance that is used for browning bread, English muffins, bagels, pop tarts, etc (recipes).
If you are looking for ways to give yourself efficient and fast ways to prepare your toast dishes, this is your best gadget.
With so much technological advancements over the years, we now have a wide range of different varieties of toaster ovens geared towards your unique needs and requirements.
Toasters make staples and not delicacies – they are just everywhere.
You know why? – because can you imagine your morning without a crispy slice of yummy carbohydrates to break your fast?
Me neither. Mornings are not the best part of the day and the last thing you want to do is ruin it with a defective toaster (source).
What you deserve is an effective and elegant 2 slice toaster that features an intuitive control system.
Being able to clearly see the display screen will let you monitor your toasting process when you are multi-tasking in the morning (recipes).
5 Best 2 Slice Toaster Reviews 2024
1 – Cuisinart CPT-420 Touch to Toast Leverless 2-Slice Toaster
The CPT 420 is how Cuisinart entered the leverless technology.
This one is not exactly your average flashy thoroughbred complete with all of the trappings of innovative technology but it sure is one sturdy toaster perfect for the morning rush.
Mornings are hardly ever pretty and you are better off with a dependable workhorse that helps you get the job done rather than a fancy thing that will slow you down with all its complexities.
It may not come with functions that will enable you to take a peek into your toast mid way but who has the time anyway.
QUALITY OF BREAD TOASTING
The CPT 420 has been able to give a pretty even toast on all sides of the bread. The toasting in this model is quite secure and besides some uneven toasts on bad days, it l hardly ever burn a toast.
EASY TO USE
I love the fact that the Cusinart CPT 420 weights a decent amount and it kind of gives you a sense of quality to the product.
You can easily use the controls by selecting from a digital read out. It also displays a graph in bar form for count down purposes.
CRUMB TRAY
The tray for gathering crumbs is pretty high quality. My only problem is that it is quite a job to remove it from the back instead of the front. The wall gets in the way every time I pull it out.
VALUE FOR MONEY
The CPT 420 is probably the cheapest leverless 2 slice toaster in the market right now. It is quite reliable and adequately handles most of the toasting needs without any fuss.
PROS
- Relatively good defrosting performance and bagel toasting
- Cool leverless feature
- Churns out bread with even toast
- Quiet and smooth motorized elevator
CONS
- Leverless technology is more gimmicky than functional
- Lack of consistent toasting between cycles
2 – Cuisinart CPT-160 Metal Classic 2-Slice Toaster
The CPT 160 is one kitchen appliance that will not only perform but also will match with décor of your modern kitchen.
Its overall aesthetics is one feature that manages to stand out.
It will give you a reasonable performance for the affordable price that you have paid.
QUALITY OF BREAD TOASTING
If you are in a hurry, this one is the right choice for you. In terms of consistency, the toast was pretty respectable on all sides of the bread.
As for speed, you will be able to get a toast in a pretty decent amount of time and that is all we want in the mornings.
EASY TO USE
The control system in the CPT 160 is fairly intuitive and basic. When you press any button, its adjacent light will turn on automatically.
As for the shade of the knob, it is quite continuous and does not click into the setting. Hence, this one is a little difficult to tackle.
THE OVERALL WEIGHT
The weight of the CPT 160 is quite light so the lever will have a flimsy feel when you use it.
Setting that aside, the rubber feet make up for the weight department because it does not slide or budge even when you handle it in a rush.
TOASTING QUALITY OF BAGEL
You will get a pretty decent performance from the CPT 160 when toasting bagels but this is quite good because most other 2 slice toasters on the market perform much worse than this in my opinion.
PROS
- Familiar and simple features
- Classic looking and clean modern aesthetics
- Rubber feet keep the toaster grounded even with rough handling
- Easy to clean tray for crumbs
CONS
- Relatively low performance in defrosting and bread toasting
- Difficulty in lifting the lever
3 – Hamilton Beach Cool Wall 2-Slice Toaster
The beach cool wall 2 slice toaster by Hamilton has both style and functionality. The extra wide slots for bagels and thick bread slices is the winner.
Accidentally touching the sides will not burn your hands because the exterior is made from cool chrome.
DESIGN
Since this one stands out for its style, it is only fair to talk about the design as well.
The chrome bodied, shiny build gives a classic appeal.
Of course, if you look closer you will notice the plastic trim and the red LEDs but that’s only if you pay close attention. Nothing to worry about.
EASY TO USE
For the price that you pay, this is a reliable model. I have not come across other similar models at similar price range that has a smooth a lever mechanism as this.
But that’s just my personal opinion. Additionally, the crumb tray also glides smoothly in and out.
PERFORMANCE
The toasting features in this model are quite basic.
Once you slide in the bread, you will press the doneness of your choice, press down on the lever and get a consistently toasted slice after a minute or so.
Isn’t that pretty much what toasting is all about? I don’t think anything is lacking in this model.
DONENESS FEATURES
Nine separate rotary dial settings is a lot for a simple and basic 2 slice toaster if you ask me.
The dial selector is quite smooth and you can pretty much hone in on any choice of doneness that you personally prefer.
PROS
- Consistent browning
- Excellent range of browning with multiple toast settings
- Easily accommodates large bagels and oversized slices
- Can easily grab smaller muffins with extra lift lever
CONS
- Extra heat on top
- Color settings of toast are not precise enough
4 – KRUPS KH732D Breakfast Set 2-Slot Toaster
The KRUPS breakfast 2 slice toaster KH732D with chrome and brushed stainless steel is decently priced and will give you all the functions needed to make a good tasting breakfast in your mornings.
It also makes provisions for certain mornings when you want your bread to be extra thick or prefer a bagel.
DESIGN
This is another 2 slice toaster that stands out for its design and looks.
There is a unique touch to the curved edges with the blue LED lights makes it easy to press the settings to your liking without any fuss.
VERSATILITY
This 2 slice toaster provides 5 functions for toasting, cancel, bagel and reheat.
You can also get a higher level of accuracy with the 6 levels of shade settings so that you can toast your bread to just the perfect shade as per your liking.
SELF-ADJUSTING SLOTS
The stand out feature for this KRUPS 2 slice breakfast toaster is the extra large slots for thick slices or bagels.
The slots measure 1.5 inches in width and you can easily toast your thick breads easily.
The slots are also self adjusting at a generous 5.75 inches in height to enable you to toast taller breads with ease.
CONVENIENT CRUMB TRAY
The crumb tray slides smoothly whenever you want to take it out for a cleanup. The size is just perfect for daily cleaning without fuss.
With a stainless steel casing, you simply have to wipe it clean with the help of a damp cloth.
PROS
- Lasts for a decent period of time
- Crumb tray can be easily removed
- Ease of use
- Light weight
CONS
- Uneven toasting on certain occasions
5 – Breville BTA820XL Die-Cast 2-Slice Smart Toaster
The Breville 2 slice smart toaster BTA820XL die cast is worth the price you pay if a champion 2 slice toaster is what you want besides the added benefit of an eye candy for your kitchen countertop.
Made from die cast brushed aluminum, it is heavy and hence will not budge even when you push it around.
EASY TO USE
This BTA820XL die cast from Breville has no lever.
All you have to do is press start for the bread to lower itself into the slots automatically.
TOAST TO PRECISION
If you find that you toast is a little bit paler than you would normally prefer then the “A Bit More” button will make sure that your toast stays in the slot for a little longer.
You can also check your toast midway with the help of the “Lift and Look” button. Your toasts will automatically come up from the slots for a quick look.
POWERED RIGHT
This is a 900 watt bread toaster that works intelligently with the one touch feature for automatic lowering. It is powered by 110 – 120 volts.
PUSH BUTTON CONTROLS
Besides the “A Bit More” and “Lift and Look” button functions, you also have button options for toast (obviously!), bagel and defrost.
If you have a tendency to forget what setting you selected, the LED illuminating panel will remind you which variable browning option you selected.
MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS
The LED display in this 2 slice toaster also acts as an indicator for the toasting progress of your bread.
You can watch it countdown as your bread completes its toasting cycle.
PROS
- Consistent toasting from one batch to the other
- Digital controls are easy to read and use
- Automatic lowering of bread
- High toast pop ups for easy grabbing
CONS
- Toasting takes longer than usual
- Top part of toaster between slices turns very hot
What to Look for When Buying 2-Slice Toaster
An efficient kitchen 2 slice toaster will come with more than just the basic features that are usually found in a standard model.
These are the following features that usually come in a good toaster:
Consistent Browning
Some toastes in the market offer a range of options for doneness. It will give you the freedom to get a toast ranging from the lightest brown to a rich dark goodness (source). This feature is available both in dial and digital buttons.
Safety of Use
We are all busy and rushed in the mornings. The last thing you want to do is start the fire alarm with the smoke from your toaster. Choose the models that offer multiple safety features. Most of the popular ones are the ones with cancel settings and auto shut off.
Easy to Use Controls
The settings in 2 slice toasters generally come in two variations – dials and touch pad. Overall, digital touch pads give a higher level of accuracy as compared to its dial counterpart (source).
Cord Holder
It will make your kitchen counter a lot more neat if you hide the cords away from view. Some toaster units offer provisions for cord storage at the base. With others, you can remove the cord and wrap it up to store it away from view.
No Automatic Pop Up
Not all toasters offer the pop up feature. Instead, some toasters automatically shut off while others ding once the toasting is done.
Counter Space
Before you make your payment for a new 2 slice toaster, examine the space on your kitchen counter. There are so many nice toasters in so many different sizes so this should not be a problem for you.
The Verdict
Having a toaster at home will make getting ready in the mornings a lot more easily. If you have a small worktop space in your kitchen then the 2 slice toaster is preferably your best pick.
Our favorite pick is Cuisinart CPT 420 because it is affordable yet reliable and will efficiently handle most of your toasting requirements. The last thing you need is a fancy ass 2 slice toaster that slows down your mornings with its complicated functions.
The CPT 420 is also one of the few affordable 2 slice toasters in the market that features the leverless technology. The functions are basic and are geared towards ease of use for the customers. A simple touch button will lower your bread and the motorized control saves time.
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