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Breville

Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster: the downsides first

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#2 of 8
$$$4-sliceScore 4.1/5
10%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)Small sample: 2,091 ratings.

The best toaster Wirecutter has tested and Serious Eats' smart four-slice pick, with a motorized lift and every extra. It costs around $250, and both outlets worry it may not last; Amazon owners report some units failing within months.

Top complaints

What owners love

  • Best toast in testing

    Wirecutter calls it hands down the best toaster it tested. Serious Eats found strong, even browning, impressive stability across repeated cycles, and the best bagels in its four-slice test.

    Source: Wirecutter, Serious Eats (four-slice)
  • Most features

    Motorized lift, LED progress display, Lift & Look, A Bit More, bagel, defrost and a done alert (Serious Eats). Wirecutter says it offers more features than any toaster it considered.

    Source: Serious Eats (four-slice), Wirecutter
  • Solid exterior

    Wirecutter says the exterior is built like a tank; Amazon owners praise even toasting and the controls.

    Source: Wirecutter, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
Good for
  • Feature lovers who want a motorized lift
  • Excellent bagels
  • Busy households making repeat batches

Scores (tap for why)

What experts say

  • Wirecutter (NYT): Hands down the best toaster tested, but not recommended because reports of early failure make the roughly $250 price hard to justify.
  • Serious Eats (four-slice): Best smart four-slice toaster: precise, versatile and stable across batches; it is a splurge, and the motorized lift could fail sooner.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked toasters whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in toastersBreville Bit More 2-Slice Toaster

Picked by both Wirecutter and Serious Eats for very even toast, plus handy Lift & Look and A Bit More buttons. It costs about twice the Cuisinart, has a 1-year warranty, and some owners say one side stops heating after a year or so.

Its catch: breaks or starts toasting one side#3 in toastersCuisinart 4-Slice Custom Select Toaster

Serious Eats' favorite four-slice toaster for its many bread-type settings, longer slots and quick recovery between batches. Wirecutter's unit had a faulty lever, and Amazon owners often report early breakdowns and levers that won't stay down.

Its catch: lever won't stay down; early failures#4 in toastersSmeg 50's Retro Style 2-Slice Toaster

A design favorite that Serious Eats and Good Housekeeping say also toasts well, with a wide shade range. At over $200 it still gets Amazon reports of one-sided toasting, levers that won't stay down and failures within a year, and Wirecutter had two near-burnt batches.

Its catch: one-sided or burnt toast

Head-to-head

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