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Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster vs Cuisinart 4-Slice Custom Select Toaster
Which one has the downsides you can live with?
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The short answer
Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster ranks higher (#2 vs #3 of 8) and scores better on even toasting, batch-to-batch consistency, settings & features.
The biggest complaint about the Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster is may fail early; for the Cuisinart 4-Slice Custom Select Toaster it's lever won't stay down; early failures. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Side by side
| Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster | Cuisinart 4-Slice Custom Select Toaster | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in toasters | #2 | #3 |
| Price tier | $$$ | $$ |
| Type | 4-slice | 4-slice |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 10% | 15% |
| Overall score | 4.1 | 3.6 |
| Even toasting | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Batch-to-batch consistency | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Settings & features | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Easy cleaning | — | — |
| Durability | 2.5 | 2.5 |
Price tiers: $ under $50 · $$ $50–150 · $$$ over $150. Highlighted = clearly better (a score gap of 0.3 or more, or a 1–2★ share at least 3 points lower). Scores are explained, with sources, on each product's page.
Top complaints
Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster
- May fail early
Wirecutter has read reviews saying it fails prematurely and hesitates to recommend it at about $250. Amazon's summary says some units stopped working or broke within 4 months. Serious Eats warns the motorized lift could fail sooner than a mechanical one.
- Expensive, big and heavy
Serious Eats calls it a splurge that weighs 9 pounds; Wirecutter says it takes up a considerable chunk of counter. Amazon owners are split on value.
- One side darker for some
Amazon's summary says browning consistency is mixed, with some owners noting one side is darker than the other.
Cuisinart 4-Slice Custom Select Toaster
- Lever won't stay down; early failures
Amazon's summary says multiple owners report it breaking within two months and the lever not staying down. Wirecutter's test unit had a faulty left lever that wouldn't hold the bread down.
- Uneven toast; burns above setting 3
Amazon's summary says toasting quality is mixed, with some owners reporting uneven toasting and others saying settings above 3 out of 7 burn the toast.
- More complex than needed for some
Serious Eats says it probably isn't for you if you want a dead-simple toaster.
Source: Serious Eats (four-slice)
Who should pick which
Pick the Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster if
Feature lovers who want a motorized lift
Excellent bagels
Busy households making repeat batches
Skip it if: You want a toaster that is cheap to replace; Counter space is tight; You worry about electronics failing
Pick the Cuisinart 4-Slice Custom Select Toaster if
Households toasting many bread types
Artisan slices in a 4-slot toaster
One-slot toasting
Skip it if: You want a dead-simple toaster; Lever reliability matters most; You usually toast on dark settings
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