Because of its reputation, technology and consistent performance, the Cuisinart CPT-440 is our Editor’s Choice for 2021. Read more below to learn why.
Here’s a fact that might interest you:
During The Roman times, before the invention of toasters, people still ate toasted bread.
How did they make that happen? By scorching the bread over an open fire. “Tostum” is what they called it in Latin. This method was primarily meant to prolong the life of bread.
Well, it has been a minute since, and we now have several brands making some of the best 4-slice toasters on the market. Why a 4-slicer? Imagine you are a family of 4 and you all need to get going in the morning.
You will need a toaster that can accommodate breakfast items for all of you at the same time.
What To Look For When Buying A 4 Slice Toaster
The Performer
You can already tell that the toaster is a 4-slicer just by looking at it, but how does it perform? You want one that heats well and distributes heat all through so that each part of the slice browns as per your liking.
The most important settings are for the bagel, defrosting, reheating, and the mandatory cancel button. Those are quite basic and deal breakers if a toaster lacks them. You also want one that gets the job done efficiently but swiftly, as you have no much time. Between 1.5 and 2 minutes is long enough to toast the bread to a perfect brown.
Levels of browning are also important to most people, as you may have differing preferences. Go for a toaster that has at least six levels.
Rioting Cord and Overall Size
First, a 4-slice toaster should not be so large that it takes most of the space on your counter. Also, you want one with a reasonably long cord but one that can be hidden within the toaster to avoid cluttering the counter. A toaster with in-built cord storage will conceal the cord neatly in its housing.
Elegance To Boot
As much as a toaster’s functionality is all that matters, it does not hurt to have a looker. You want material that will stand the test of time, which in most cases is stainless steel.
It will not only look great on your kitchen counter, but you will also have it for long seeing steel is practically indestructible. A chrome finish is also ideal as it stays shiny all for as long as the toaster lasts.
Other Features
It could either have a manual lever or an automatic lift for pushing the tiny slices of bread up. It would also help if it had an auto-shut feature to turn it off immediately the toast is properly done.
Some brands will have the auto-centering option to place the slice in the ideal location where it will get toasted evenly, but most of these models are pricier.
A crumb tray is very important as it collects all the crumbs and makes cleaning a bliss. The size of slots will matter too, especially if you want to be able to use it for various breakfast items.
The Top 4-Slice Toasters in 2021
1. Cuisinart CPT-440 Touch to Toast Leverless 4-Slice Toaster
The design of Cuisinart toasters is predictable, but the functionality of every different toaster is not. This 4-slice toaster is made stainless steel, and it has a motorized lift, a feature that is common to most of their toasters.
This model measures 11 x 10.2 x 7.3 inches and weighs 5lbs, and it has an in-built cord storage that keeps most of the 3-foot cord out of sight.
All four slots measure 1.5 inches each, and they are hence broad enough to accommodate a variety of breakfast items.
It has several settings and options to suit everyone’s preference during breakfast. The bagel option leaves the top part of the cut bagel fresh and soft while making the bottom chewy and crunchy. The reheat button does not toast the pancake but rather just heats it up.
If you want to defrost those waffles, all you will need is to pop them in the slot and hit the button. Again, the toaster will not toast them but simply defrost them for your next action. It has a cancel button that enables you to stop the activity at any time.
As for browning of your toast, you are not limited to one option. You have seven settings to take you from slightly brown to a deep and dark color. With the bagel option, only the cut side of the toast will brown as per your preference.
Naturally, it has a timer, and a backlit LED display.
This toaster has dual operations that enable you to make toast in 2 different ways at the same time.
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2. Oster TSSTTRWF4S 4-Slice Toaster
This toaster from Oster is bridging the gap for those who need a high-quality appliance at a reasonable price. It weighs 4.85lbs and measures H: 7.4″ x W:12″ x D: 11.4″ with a 35-inch cord that wraps inside the inbuilt storage.
One of the reasons that this toaster has over 1,000 positive reviews on Amazon is the consistency of its toasting. The entire slice of bread comes out well done in whichever of the seven browning settings you choose.
With its 1500-watt motor, the process will not take so long. 1.5 to 2 minutes is all it takes to brown your toast from light to dark, and the auto-shut feature will stop the toster when the timer goes off.
The settings on this toaster include bagel, which only toasts the cut side of the bagel, reheat, defrost, and cancel. You can also use the bagel option to brown one side of the bread.
The four slots measure 1.5 inches each, which is sufficient to accommodate a cut bagel but not the entire piece.
Its two crumb trays are located at the back. They are easy to remove and make cleaning an easy affair. The parts are dishwasher safe. The lever brings the smaller pieces of bread to the surface.
Seeing as it is on the lower side of the budget, this toaster may not work as well after the warranty period expires. There have been complaints of the lever not working so well after the third year, but the majority notes that you can get yours repaired.
Either way, it gives back value for the period that it lasts.
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3. Cuisinart CPT-180 Metal Classic 4-Slice Toaster
While most of us want the perfect toast for the breakfast table, we also want the toaster to look good for the counter.
This Cuisinart-slicer knows how to make that happen. The retractable cord saves even more space.
The lever on this toaster is manual, and it pulls the small pieces of bread to the surface. Inbuilt trays are disguised so that you will hardly know they are there until you pull them to see how much crumbs you have collected.
The exterior of the toaster heats up as you work, but not enough to burn your fingers. The insides of the slots are non-stick and easy to clean. The parts are dishwasher safe too.
With Cuisinart’s dual operation, you can brown two sets of toast at the same time to their unique perfection. You can toast one set at level 6, which is the highest and the other set at level 3 for slight browning. It saves everyone time.
The bagel option is for a cut bagel, but you can use it for bread and waffles too if you want to toast them on both sides.
Reheat, defrost, and cancel are the other options. It does have a timer, but it does not beep when your toast is ready.
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4. Hamilton Beach 4 Slice Cool Touch Toaster
Hamilton Beach does not just make toasters, they create masterpieces.
This beautiful piece is one of their handiwork, made specifically for the lower-end market. However, nothing about this 4-slice toaster gives the price away.
It is all black, with two crumb trays retractable from the front, and separate settings for each side of the toaster.
This way each side of the toaster works a separate entity, which means you can toast two sets of waffles separately with different settings to get unique results. The bagel option toasts only one side of the bagel.
The slots are thick, each measuring 1.5 inches, which is the width you need for regular sized bread and sliced bagels.
It has an automatic lift for your toast, and so you will not need to pull them to the surface manually. The internal storage for the 30-inch cord ensures that you only pull out as much of it as you need, without littering the counter.
It reheats your pancakes, defrosts the waffles, and toasts the bagel and bread to perfection.
This toaster has six browning settings that take your bread from slightly brown to the darker and crunchier side. It weighs 6lbs and measures 16 x 12 x 12 inches.
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5. Royal RYL-TOASTER 850 Watts Stainless Steel 4-Slice Toaster
Toasters should be made of material that can take a beating, and nothing does that better than stainless steel.
An 850-watt motor powers this toaster and it is housed in stellar construction. The exterior is cool to the touch and will remain so even when it has been on for a long while. Its dimensions are 13 x 13 x 8 inches, and it weighs 6lbs.
It has four slots, each measuring 1.5 inches. The removable crumb tray opens from the back and it is a bit of an inconvenience for the first days, but you soon get used to it.
It has a 4-foot cord that folds neatly into the inbuilt storage. Some reviewers feel that this cord could be longer.
The seven settings are ideal for browning any bread or breakfast item that will fit into the slots. The lever also pushes small slices of bread to the top.
Because the motor is 850 watts, this toaster may take a little longer to toast a fresh batch, and heat distribution in the lower levels may be a tad wanting. However, higher levels leave the toast perfectly browned.
You can work two slots separately, setting different temperatures for them to make two separate sets of toast. All the settings are on the face of the toaster, and they are easy to follow.
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Conclusion
Toasters have come a long way, from when we had them in bulky designs to the compact pieces that we have in present day. All the pieces we have reviewed are amazing in their own way, and we have ensured to only choose the 4-slice toasters with the best qualities.
Among them, we think Cuisinart CPT-440 Leverless 4-Slice Toaster gives the best value for money.
We agree it may be a tad expensive, but the functionality and construction fit an even pricier toaster. We like the design, the lever less feature, dimensions, and all the settings. It needs no programming, and so anyone can use it. Get yours today if you haven’t already.
If you’re looking for other breakfast option, consider picking up a quality bacon cooker to spice up your mornings.
Related: Best Donut Makers [Complete 2021 Buyers Guide]
