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We toasted more than 500 slices of bread to find these winners.

We updated this article in October 2022 to add more information about each featured product based on extensive testing done by the Good Housekeeping Institute. Our original top-rated picks, selected by the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, remain the same except for new picks from Cuisinart and Hamilton Beach.

You may not think it, but toasters come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. There are two- and four- slice toasters, plastic and metal options, long-slot models, smart versions and beyond. It's understandable if selecting the right one can feel overwhelming. Whether you want to toast a thick slice of artisan multigrain bread for jammy egg toasts, a piece of sourdough for garlicky shrimp and white bean toast or a slice of white for classic buttered toast, we’ve found a toaster to suit your needs.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab has tested toaster ovens, air fryer toaster ovens and more, totaling nearly 60 toasters over the years. We evaluate each one for performance, consistency and efficiency. We grade the owner’s manual and evaluate the controls, surface temperatures, cleanability and any especially unique features. Here are our top picks for the best toasters you can buy in 2022, including a combination of toasters we’ve tested in our Lab and in our own homes.

You can read more about how we evaluate toasters in our Lab tests — plus everything you need to know to shop for your perfect toaster — at the end of this guide. Looking for more small kitchen appliances to elevate your breakfast routine and beyond? Check out our guides to the best waffle makers and best indoor grills.

We have tested many Cuisinart toasters over the years, all of which have received high testing scores. This one offers a more digitized experience by housing most of the settings on a screen on the front of the toaster. "It offers different settings for different types of bread (white, whole grain, bagel, sweet, waffles, English muffin and gluten-free), which is helpful now that people are eating more than just packaged white bread, which toasts differently than something baked with less sugar and preservatives for example," says Nicole Papantoniou, Director of the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab. "In general, most of these settings are differentiated by more or less time."

There is also a shade selector that allows you to choose anywhere from lightly toasted to dark (levels one through seven) and options for defrosting and toasting single slices. Clean-up is also easy with a removable crumb tray. This model comes in a four-slice option as well if you have a larger family or want a separate set of slots designated for gluten-free bread without any contamination.

This Hamilton Beach is a super basic but affordable model with seven toast shade options. Papantoniou especially loves that the stainless steel exterior makes it a bit more elegant-looking than other basic toasters that are usually plastic. While this model does not feature different bread settings like the Cuisinart pick above, it does feature extra-wide slots for thick-cut Texas toast or bagels. (Take note: you may have to adjust the shade setting or for thicker or frozen pieces of bread.)

This model also features family-friendly cool-touch sides to avoid burns. There is also a handy slide-out crumb tray for easy clean-up.

Whether you need to toast a long slice of sourdough bread or a long ciabatta roll, Cuisinart Long-Slot Toaster allows you to keep your bread intact – perfect for an epic avocado toast or large BLT. While we haven't tested this model in the Lab yet, many of Cuisinart's toasters have performed well in past tests. We love that this toaster features a high lift lever, removable crumb tray and cord wrap underneath the toaster for ease of use. This model comes with a shade selector featuring seven different levels of browning and preset buttons that feature toast, bagel, defrost, reheat and cancel. Take note that with a toaster that fits longer slices of bread comes a larger footprint, so it will take up more space on your countertop than other toasters on the market.

This black and stainless steel model is consistently dependable for toasting white bread to a delicate golden color as well as rye bread to a deeper brown. It's great for entertaining too — not only can it toast up to four slices at once, but if there's a crowd at the table, it will pop up slice after slice to the same degree of doneness without burning by the second or third batch. This model features dual independent control panels so you can toast a frozen bagel on one side and a fresh piece of whole grain bread on the other and each will be cooked to the correct doneness.

Additional features include six browning settings, plus defrost, reheat and bagel. A high lift lever helps retrieve smaller pieces of toast. In our testing, we especially liked that toast and English muffins popped up high enough to grab easily.

The Breville Die-Cast Two-Slice Toaster took the top spot in our test, and the only reason it’s not our best overall pick is because you probably don’t need to spend this much money on a toaster. Still, if you value consistent toast, it's a champion toaster. We made five batches of toast consecutively, and it toasted consistently from batch to batch. With the push of a button, the grates lower your toast automatically — no lever-pressing. It also features extra-wide slots for bagels and thicker slices of bread. We found the "Lift and Look" setting to be particularly convenient; it allows you to check on your toast's progress and if your toast isn't browned enough, you can use the "A Bit More" setting to add extra time.

A pull-out crumb tray on the base makes it easy to clean, although it is not dishwasher safe. Also worth noting: the sleek die-cast metal housing with brushed steel exterior makes it major eye candy for your countertop.

If good looks are a high priority in your kitchen, the Smeg Two-Slice Toaster is worth the price. With its bright, glossy finish (that comes in nine colors!) and its 1950s aesthetic, this sturdy toaster is a beauty that takes up minimal counter space. When you select a setting, it locks into place so you know you've set it precisely and extra wide slots ensure that you can fit thicker cut slices of bread. In our testing, it toasted evenly and showed a good range of toast shades. It was able to toast five consecutive batches of toast consistently.

This model comes with six browning levels and a backlit chrome knob that offers reheat, defrost, cancel and bagel settings. For easy clean-up, there is a removable crumb tray. If you still want a retro toaster, but in a larger size, Smeg also has a four-slice size available.

At the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab, we’ve tested hundreds of appliances over the years to find the best ones, including toasters and toaster ovens. On our quest to make the perfect toast and find the best toaster on the market, we left no crumb behind: We've tested nearly 60 toasters over the years to determine how quickly and evenly they toast white bread.

We lined up toasted slices side by side from light to dark to evaluate each toaster's range. After we toasted consecutive batches, we compared them for consistency from batch to batch. We reviewed the owner’s manual and evaluated the ease of using the controls. We also evaluated surface temperatures of each unit during toasting as well as cleanability (We love a removable crumb tray when cleaning a toaster oven or toaster!). We checked whether or not the slots can accommodate thick bagels, long slices of bread and small English muffins. And we noted whether slices pop up high enough for easy grabbing.

✔️ Style of toaster: When choosing a toaster, consider how many slices of toast you regularly make at once and what size the bread you like to toast.

✔️ Material: The exterior material of toasters is more about looks than anything else. In our tests, we found that toast quality wasn't compromised either way.

✔️ Settings: In addition to toasting bread to your favorite shade and doneness, look for a toaster with the right settings for you. For example, the bagel setting usually toasts only the inside of a bagel and warms the outside so you don't have to worry about an overly dry or crunchy bite. A defrost setting is great for frozen waffles or bread; it typically adds more time to the toasting process so you get the same results you would if the waffles or bread were fresh. Reheat settings typically toast bread or other ingredients for a short amount of time, perfect for a toaster pastry or adding a touch more color.

✔️ Nice-to-haves: While not every toaster will have additional special features there are some nice-to-haves that you can look for when selecting a toaster.

A toaster is great for someone with limited counter space and with limited toasting needs. If you love to toast bagels, bread and waffles and don't need to toast or bake much else, then a reliable toaster is your best bet.

A toaster oven is great for someone who not only toasts bread, but also likes to add toppings like melted cheese, heat up frozen pizza or even roast vegetables. While this will take up more counter space than a toaster, it will offer additional features that can help eliminate the use of a microwave or reduce using the oven (especially great on a hot day).

An air fryer toaster oven is great for someone who loves toasting just as much as they love air frying. Reducing the need to have two appliances, an air fryer toaster oven will help you toast bread, air fry chicken wings and possibly even bake a cake.

In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, Eva Bleyer has tested all types of kitchen products, from blenders to kitchen scales. While Eva hasn't conducted a side-by-side test of toasters yet, she just finished Lab-testing toaster ovens. Eva is always looking for the next best toaster to use as the base of a delicious toast; whether it's topped with fluffy scrambled eggs or cottage cheese and seasonal fruit.

Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou oversees all content and testing related to kitchen appliances, tools, gadgets and gear. She's been testing kitchen appliances professionally since 2013 and lends her experience working at kitchen appliance companies where she helped develop popular air fryers and such recipes. For this roundup, she conducted toaster, toaster oven and air fryer toaster oven testing and analyzed data.

Betty Gold is the former Senior Editor & Product Analyst of the Kitchen Appliances Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she evaluated and wrote about every type of cooking tool and food-related item on the market, including toasters.