9 of the best toasters for consistent golden slices

Best for: Families with chaotic mornings

Breville’s Smart Toast keeps mornings calm, even when everyone wants something different. The motorised carriage means you simply press a button rather than wrestling with a lever (sounds minor until you’re juggling a toddler and a coffee mug simultaneously). What really sets this apart is the independent controls, so one person can have their sourdough while someone else gets white bread, both perfectly done.

Almost 300 reviewers at The Good Guys gave this toaster a five-star rating, saying it’s perfect for everything from crumpets to fruit bread (with no burning!). One shopper who had used the same model for 15 years immediately bought the updated version after theirs stopped working. The crumpet function gets a lot of love too – several wrote it’s the first toaster that actually made their crumpets crispy on top without drying them out.

Key features:

• Motorised lift with one-touch lowering
• A Bit More, Lift & Look, Bagel, Fruit Bread and Frozen modes
• Extra-wide slots for artisanal loaves
• Independent controls for each side
• Removable crumb tray and cord storage
• 2000W power and solid die-cast body

Also available at:

• $219 at Bing Lee
• $219 at Amazon
• $269 $255 at Betta
• $279 at Breville
• $292 at Appliances Online

Best for: The buy-it-for-life crowd

This is the kind of toaster you see in cafés. Handmade in the UK with replaceable parts, it’s designed to last decades rather than years. The mechanical timer ticks down with proper precision, and you control everything manually, which sounds old-fashioned until you realise it gives you complete control. Toast one slot or all four, check progress whenever you want, and know that if something eventually breaks, you can actually fix it.

“Really beautiful, stylish and well made product,” shared a five-star reviewer on the David Jones website. “I know I’ll have this great toaster for many years to come. So happy with my purchase.”

Another said: “It’s very robust and great that it’s likely to last for 20 years and parts can be replaced. Toasts perfectly.”

Key features:

• Handmade in the UK, commercial-grade build
• Four independently controlled slots
• Extra-wide 28mm slots for thick bread
• Manual ejector lever for total control
• Defrost and bagel settings
• High-lift mechanism for small items
• Fully repairable with replaceable ProHeat elements

Also available at:

• $475 at Woolworths
• $475 at Big W
• $580 $491 at Appliances Online

Best for: Homes that need a reliable all-rounder

If you’ve got the KitchenAid stand mixer, this finishes the look. But it’s not just about aesthetics – the all-metal construction feels properly solid, and seven shade settings give you more control than the usual five. The high-lift lever works brilliantly for getting English muffins out safely, and those extra-wide slots handle everything from thin sandwich bread to doorstop sourdough slices.

“We have had this a few months and it really is the best toaster we have had yet,” wrote a recent reviewer on the KitchenAid website. “The extra wide slice width and the shade control allows us to toast all our home made bread. No other toaster has had the power nor size to allow this. I can even make heavy fruit loaf.”

Key features:

• 4 extra-wide slots, 1800W power
• 7 shade settings for precise control
• All-metal body construction
• High-lift lever for safe removal
• Defrost, reheat and keep warm functions
• Available in multiple finishes to match other KitchenAid gear
• 2 year warranty

Also available at:

• $209 at Bing Lee
• $279 $209.95 at Kitchen Warehouse
• $279 $218 at The Good Guys
• $279 $219 at Myer
• $279 $219 at David Jones

Best for: Budget-conscious families

This Aussie brand gets it right without the premium price. Nine browning settings give you more options than pricier models, and the self-centring slots actually deliver even browning. The QuickCheck feature is clever – you can peek at progress without cancelling and having to start again. Put simply, it does everything a family needs without extra steps.

The QuickCheck feature gets a lot of praise from shoppers at The Good Guys. One reviewer said their kids’ friends specifically requested to come over because their toaster made better toast. A few reviewers did note it takes slightly longer to toast than some other brands, though most say this is not a deal breaker.

Key features:

• 4 slices, 1950W power
• 9 browning settings
• Self-centring slots for even browning
• QuickCheck monitors without interrupting
• High-lift lever, defrost and reheat functions
• Cord storage, removable crumb tray
• Matte white finish
• 1 year warranty

Also available at:

• $109 at Betta
• $139 $109.95 at Kichen Warehouse
• $139 $124 at Appliances Online
• $139 $119 at David Jones
• $139 at Myer

Best for: Design lovers who want dual controls

The sunset black finish looks sharp, but the real win is the dual independent control panels. Different browning levels and functions for each pair of slots means everyone gets exactly what they want. The extra-lift position is thoughtfully designed for small slices, and those extra-wide slots with self-centring racks work well with thicker, bakery-style slices.

“I bought this toaster six months ago and I’m so pleased that I did,” shared a reviewer who left five stars on the DeLonghi website. “The 4 wide slots fit crumpets and buns easily to toast evenly. It has a great range of light to dark toasting which pleases everyone, even the fussiest of our kids. I love how it fits into the decor of our new kitchen.”

Key features:

• 4 extra-wide, deep slots with self-centring racks
• Dual independent control panels
• 6 browning levels
• Reheat, defrost, cancel and bagel functions
• Extra-lift position for small slices
• Illuminated controls
• Two removable crumb trays
• Italian design in sunset black

Also available at:

• $177 at Amazon
• $199 at Woolworths

Best for: Compact kitchens and couples

Two clever features set this one apart: ‘A Bit More’ adds 30 seconds when toast comes up slightly pale, and ‘Lift and Look’ lets you check without cancelling. The slots are long and deep enough for bakery bread, and the brushed steel looks good without trying too hard. Solid Breville quality at a friendlier price point.

“The ‘Lift and Look’ feature is brilliant,” shared an Amazon Australia reviewer. “Being able to check on my toast without interrupting the cycle is incredibly handy. And the ‘A Bit More’ button is a total game-changer for getting that perfect shade without restarting the whole process for forgetting and ending up with burnt toast. This toaster really delivers on both style and smart functionality!”

Key features:

• 2 extra-long, wide, deep slots
• ‘A Bit More’ adds 30 seconds
• ‘Lift and Look’ checks progress
• 6 browning settings
• Fruit bread, frozen and cancel functions
• Brushed stainless steel, 1050W
• 1 year warranty

Also available at:

• $68 at Bing Lee
• $72 at Big W
• $99.95 $79 at Myer
• $89 at The Good Guys
• $89.95 at Breville

Best for: Serious toast lovers

Here’s something interesting: this toaster has presets for white, brown, grain, fruit, rye and crumpet that actually adjust toasting time based on density. The LED countdown shows exactly how long is left, and the chrome accents with brushed steel look properly premium. The front-pull crumb tray is a win too – no more tipping it upside down over the sink!

With 87% of Myer shoppers recommending it, this model clearly has its share of fans. The breadth of settings impresses reviewers, especially the crumpet function, which they say finally gets things right after years of subpar results from other toasters.

Some shoppers say it runs a touch slower than cheaper models, so you might need to dial up the browning setting a notch or two. However, most people say the consistent results are worth the wait.

Key features:

• 6 preset toast types (adjusts for bread density)
• 2 extra-wide, deep slots
• LED countdown indicator
• ‘A Bit More’ and ‘Lift and Look’
• Variable browning with LED progress
• Front-pull crumb tray
• Brushed stainless with chrome accents, 1000W
• 2 year warranty

Also available at:

• $249 at Amazon
• $269 $184 at David Jones
• $209 at Big W
• $269 $221 at Appliances Online
• $229 at Breville

Best for: Style over everything else

This Smeg toaster isn’t just a pretty face. Six browning levels work smoothly, the extra-wide self-centring slots handle thicker slices, and the lit-up controls are handy on early mornings. If you’re investing in the aesthetic, grab the matching kettle too.

“Love having Smeg in my kitchen,” wrote a five-star Myer reviewer. “Stylish, retro design with all the functions that one requires. Defrosts, browns, reheats and toasts one side of a bagel! Love having only 2 slices, which is all I need. Cream colour is discreet on my kitchen bench and matches kettle and knife block. Cords tuck in neatly underneath.”

Key features:

• Iconic ’50s Italian design
• 2 extra-wide slots with self-centring racks
• 6 browning levels
• Reheat, defrost, bagel and cancel functions
• Illuminated controls
• Removable stainless steel crumb tray
• Anti-slip feet, cord wrap
• Available in multiple colours

Also available at:

• $239 $178 at The Good Guys
• $178 at Bing Lee
• $299 $196.95 at Kitchen Warehouse
• $299 $275 at Appliances Online
• $298 at Winnings

Best for: Tight budgets

The textured grey ripple design looks better than standard budget toasters, and you’re getting features that usually cost more – frozen bread function, reheat and a lift-and-look feature. Six browning levels cover the basics, and it copes well with everyday and bakery-style slices.

It’s not the fanciest toaster around, but for the price point, it delivers what you’d expect: straightforward, reliable toasting without all the bells and whistles.

It has racked up over 16,000 reviews on Amazon globally, which speaks to its popularity. The lift-and-look function gets called out as genuinely handy by many Aussie buyers, and several people love the “A Bit More” button for adding just a touch of extra browning without restarting.

Key features:

• 2 extra-wide slots, 1050W
• 6 browning levels
• Frozen, cancel and reheat functions
• Lift-and-look feature
• High-lift for safe removal
• LED illumination
• Removable crumb tray
• Textured ripple design in grey
• 2 year guarantee (3 years if registered online)