ConsFirst / Toasters / Compare
Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster vs Smeg 50's Retro Style 2-Slice 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 #4 of 8) and scores better on even toasting, batch-to-batch consistency, settings & features. Smeg 50's Retro Style 2-Slice Toaster wins on durability.
The biggest complaint about the Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster is may fail early; for the Smeg 50's Retro Style 2-Slice Toaster it's one-sided or burnt toast. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Side by side
| Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster | Smeg 50's Retro Style 2-Slice Toaster | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in toasters | #2 | #4 |
| Price tier | $$$ | $$$ |
| Type | 4-slice | 2-slice |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 10% | 13% |
| Overall score | 4.1 | 3.4 |
| Even toasting | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Batch-to-batch consistency | 4.5 | 3.0 |
| Settings & features | 5.0 | 3.5 |
| Easy cleaning | — | 4.0 |
| Durability | 2.5 | 3.0 |
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.
Smeg 50's Retro Style 2-Slice Toaster
- One-sided or burnt toast
Amazon's summary says some owners find it only toasts one side, or that one half of the toast gets almost burnt, and some report it caught fire. Wirecutter had two practically burned batches in back-to-back testing.
- Lever problems; low lift
Amazon's summary says the lever won't stay down for some owners. Wirecutter says the lever doesn't lift food out of the slot, so you risk burnt fingers.
- Expensive; some break within a year
Serious Eats calls it the most expensive of its winners at $229, and bigger and heavier than the rest. Amazon owners are split on value, and some report it breaking within 9 months.
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 Smeg 50's Retro Style 2-Slice Toaster if
Retro looks in many colors
Frozen bagels and waffles
A wide range of shades
Skip it if: You want the best toast per dollar; You need a high-lift lever for small items; You toast long sourdough slices
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