Perfectly toasted bread with the right crisp and color for breakfast. Who wouldn’t like that, right? But if you have a large family that eats breakfast together, an ordinary toaster won’t be enough for you. What you need is a 4-slice toaster that’s capable of making twice the amount at a time than usual.
While it’s true that a 4-slice toaster makes preparing breakfasts and snacks a lot easier, the best ones in the market can do the job even better. That’s why in this article, I’ll introduce you to a list of the best 4-slice toasters in the market along with a detailed buying guide to help you choose one for yourself.
So, let’s start checking out the comparison table of the top 4 slice toasters!
My List of the Best 4-Slice Toasters: Top 5 Performers
There are lots of 4-slice toasters out there, but all of them won’t be able to give you the anticipated results. I’ve discreetly handpicked the ones on this list based on the well-thought comparison, thorough research, and my knowledge about this kitchen appliance.
Here are the details and specifications –
1. Cuisinart CPT-740 4-Slice Digital MemorySet Toaster
Cuisinart 4 Slice Toaster is one of the top-rated 4-slice toasters in the market. Besides toasting this versatile unit offers many other functions such as – defrosting, bagel, reheating, and many more. Press the stop button to stop a particular side of the toaster anytime you want.
The button control feature allows you to easily pass your command and the large display shows you the selected function and timer update. With the shade dial setting, you can customize the browning level of the bread just the way you want. This Cuisinart toaster also allows you to save a preferred setting using its ‘memory’ feature.
This 4-slice toaster comes with 1.5-inch wide slots so that you can toast any item in it. You can’t get rid of crumbs especially when you’re toasting something. That’s why this toaster has a removable crumb tray. It helps you to clean the machine easily and effortlessly.
Pros:
- Has two independent control sections for toasting
- Offers a wide range of options for toasting
- This machine is programmable and easy to control
- Comes with a convenient digital display
- Has stainless steel body for durability
Cons:
- Bread slots are not big enough
2. CUSIMAX 4 Slice Toaster, Ultra-Clear LED Display
This 1650 watts 4-slice toaster machine from CUSIMAX is one of the best 4-slice toasters in 2022. It has two independent sections for toasting. Each chamber has two slots for bread, an LED display that shows countdown time and selected mode, multiple toasting functions, and browning settings.
Speaking of which, each independent section of this 4 slice toaster comes with a bagel setting, defrost function, and cancel function. The frozen function is convenient for warming frozen bread while the bagel function allows you to make bagels easily. There are also 6 shade settings for the perfect browning.
There are 4 bread slots in total, each of which is 5.5” long and 1.5” wide. You can toast pretty much any bread of any cut in these bread slots. Once the toast is done, the lever automatically pops and so does the bread. You can easily take out the bread without burning your fingers.
Pros:
- Comes with a removable crumb tray
- Two individual displays for two toasting sections
- Has a compact and durable build to last for a long time
- Allows you to get the perfect browning with the right crisp
- Has convenient hooks at the bottom to keep the cord sorted
Cons:
- The construction of the lever is quite a flimsy one
3. Proctor Silex 4 Slice Toaster with Extra Wide Slots
Among all the mid-range 4-slice toaster reviews on the internet, the Proctor Silex 4 Slice Toaster with Extra Wide Slots has quite satisfactory feedback. This 1300-watt machine offers two independent chambers for toasting. So, you can simultaneously toast two different kinds of bread with this machine.
Both toast chambers have 7 toast shade options. The knob control feature allows you to easily switch between different shade levels to get the anticipated browning outcome. The knob also works as the ‘stop’ button. Stop the toaster with one press of the button whenever you want.
This machine comes with a crumb tray that’s easy to clean. The crumb tray helps you to keep the kitchen countertop clean. Toasters that don’t have crumb trays are hard to clean. So, the remaining crumbs get burnt due to the heat and often have a burning smell all over the freshly toasted bread. There is a built-in cord wrap feature at the bottom which is convenient for storing the toaster when it’s not in use.
Pros:
- Shuts off automatically if a toast gets jammed
- Has a compact and durable build
- Crumbs and residuals are quite easy to clean
- One of the best 4-slice toasters under $50
- Occupies very little space on the countertop
Cons:
- The machine is not versatile and doesn’t have any display
4. Oster Long Slot 4-Slice Toaster
Next up we have one of the best long slot 4 slice toasters out there. It has four different functions for toasting – bagel, frozen, toast, and warm. There are four dedicated buttons for each of those functions. You can choose any setting just by pressing a single button on the side.
Press the ‘cancel’ button to stop the machine immediately. As soon as the machine stops, the lever will make the bread slices pop up so that you can easily take them out. The knob control feature offers you 7 shade settings. Rotate the knob to easily choose the browning level that you want for your bread.
This toaster has two slots for bread which are long enough to hold two small pieces of bread or one long piece of bread. The dual bread auto-adjusting feature allows you to adjust the thickness of the bread so that you can toast it evenly. The crumb tray that comes with the machine is removable and also dishwasher-safe.
Pros:
- One of the best 4-slice toasters according to consumer reports
- Offers a wide range of functions for toasting
- Slots are large enough to hold any size of bread
- Allows you to get the perfect browning just the way you want
- Comes with advanced toast technology for effective results
Cons:
- This toaster burns the sides of a bread slice
5. Keenstone 4 Stainless Steel Slice Toaster
This 4-slice toaster made in the USA can match the performance of some of the top 4-slice toaster ovens out there. Keenstone 4 Stainless Steel Slice Toaster comes with two independent toasting chambers with individual knobs and buttons for different functions and browning settings. So, you can toast two different types of bread at a time.
Each toasting chamber has 2x 1.5-inch extra wide and 5.5-inch long slots for bread slices. There are different functions such as – ‘defrost’ and ‘bagel’. Each side also has six browning settings so that you can get the preferred shade on your bread. The lever pops the bread when the toasting is done.
Cleaning is not an issue with this 1650-watt 4-slice toaster from Keenstone. It comes with a crumb tray at the bottom which makes it easy to get rid of the crumbs. Just pull out the tray, clean it or wash it, and insert it in the toaster again.
Pros:
- Has a 360° baking mode for evenly toasting both sides
- Comes with wire wrap storage at the bottom
- Has a great build to endure the heat
- The Crumb tray makes it easy to keep it clean
- Has different shade settings to get the perfect color
Cons:
- Doesn’t have a timer setting
How to Choose the Best 4 Slice Toaster Consumer Reports: A Complete Buying Guide
Choosing the right 4-slice toaster out of all the brands and 100+ models is definitely an overwhelming job. However, it doesn’t have to be so difficult! You need to know which factors to take into account and how to prioritize them. Here are the things you should keep in mind –
Start with the Shade Settings of the Toaster
Shade setting, also known as browning setting, is an important factor in any kind of toaster.
The shade setting stands for the level of brownness on a bread slice. Most 4-slice toasters usually come with 3 shade settings like this – light, medium, and dark. Or else you’ll see numbers from 1 to 6.
If you set the shade setting for 1 or 2, the outcome will be light brownish. 3 to 4 will make the bread medium brown, and 5 to 6 will give it a dark color when the toasting is finished. The more shade settings you have, the more precious outcome you’ll have. So, choose one that has at least 1 to 6 shade settings.
Height Lift Carriage Is Important
When you insert bread in a slot and start the machine, the heating elements get hot and make the bread crispy and brownish. The heating elements still remain hot when the toast is finished and if you try to take the bread out at that moment, you’ll end up with burnt fingers. That’s why the high lift is important.
Make sure that the toaster slots have levers that go up when the toasting is finished and push the bread slices higher than the slot length. This will eliminate the risk of getting your fingers burnt.
Extra Functions Are Good to Have
Extra functions make a cooking appliance more versatile than it already is. Besides toasting, 4-slice toasters usually offer these extra functions – defrost, warm, and bagel. It’s better to have all these functions but among all of them, the defrost function is significantly important.
Defrost: This function allows you to toast bread straight out of the freezer
Warm: This function keeps your bread warm after the toasting is finished
Bagel: This function toasts only the top side of a bread
It Must Have a Crumb Tray
Always go for a toaster that has a crumb tray. A crumb tray makes cleaning easier. You just need to take out the crumb tray when the toasting ends, clean the crumbs & residuals, and insert the tray again. Without the crumb tray, the bottom of the toaster gets full of residuals. When you turn the heat in an unclean toaster, those residuals start burning and that adds a burnt smell to the toasted items.
Variable Width Slots for Bread Slices
Make sure that the bread slots of the toaster have the variable width feature. This means that the slots and the heating elements will be able to adjust to the thickness of the bread slice.
This feature is important to ensure that both sides of the bread are toasted evenly. Without this particular feature, you won’t get the anticipated results in terms of crispiness and brownness.
Programmable Ones Offer More Convenience
A programmable 4-slice toaster oven means that you’ll be able to adjust the time and temperature according to your own convenience. The countdown timer allows you to leave the toaster unattended. You’ll also be able to customize the functions to save your preferred setting in different slots using the ‘memory’ function.
Find One with a Display And Easy Control
Getting a toaster with a display always makes things easier. By looking at the display, you can easily tell the mode that has been selected, the remaining time, and the shade setting.
Easy control features are something that you should eye for. If you don’t understand the control of the toaster machine completely then you won’t be able to bring out its full potential.
FAQ
People often ask, what is the most reliable brand of a toaster?
Ans: To be honest, there is no particular brand of toaster that trumps all the other ones in all aspects and features. Each brand focuses on a particular aspect more than the others. Some focus on innovation, some focus on high-end technology, and some focus on quality.
However, there are some well-established brands that offer a good deal on all things combined. Different models have different specialties but altogether there is a reasonable balance. KitchenAid, Breville, Cuisinart, and Panasonic are some of the most reliable names when it comes to toasters.
Another common question is, is there a toaster that actually works?
Ans: The purpose of a toaster is to serve you a slice of bread with the perfect brown shade and the right crisp. But in many cases, the toasters fail to do either one of that or both. That’s why the question exists if there is a toaster that actually works the way it’s supposed to.
Among all the 4-slice toasters out there, the Cuisinart CPT-740 4-Slice Digital MemorySet Toaster shows satisfactory results. Its performance is pretty close to the anticipated what you anticipate from a toaster of this range.
People also ask, are expensive toasters worth it?
Ans: If you can find the right deal then yes, expensive toasters are worth it. Expensive toasters may not offer anything extra but they actually offer the basic things of better quality. An expensive toaster is usually programmable. So, you’ll be able to adjust the time, temperature, and shade according to your convenience.
It’ll be more versatile than the usual ones that come with the toasting, bagel, and defrost functions at best. The heating elements are better and more precise in expensive toasters. And of course, their sleek look and design give off a premium vibe in your kitchen.
Final Thoughts
A 4-slice toaster makes preparing breakfast & snacks easier and faster. But in order to ensure that, you must choose the right one discreetly. There is a technique that you can follow to figure out the best one for you. It’s quite an ordinary one but it works just fine for me.
First of all, think about why you’re getting the toaster in the first place. Then figure out what factors and features matter most to serve your purpose. Once you have all that figured out, make a list of that based on your priority. The one that matches the list should be the right choice for you.
Hopefully, you found this article helpful!