On Your Side: Toasters

Best Toasters Aren't The Most Expensive Toasters

Toasting a piece of bread is a pretty simple job, but Consumer Reports says some new toasters have gone high-style -- and high-price. Testers just assessed 21 toasters, including two that top $200.

In all, testers toasted more than 300 slices of bread to find toasters that could get the job done.

Some toasters didn't measure up -- with slices that were burnt in some places and barely toasted in others.

Testers also checked to see how easy the toasters were to use. It turns out high style doesn't necessarily pay off. A $250 KitchenAid turns toasting into a three-step process. After pushing the toast down, you have to actually turn the toaster on And when the toast is done -- you have to push the toast up, too.

A $220 toaster from Dualit also has drawbacks. Testers found the noisy timer irritating.

One of the best toasters is just $15 -- the Procter-Silex Cool-Touch rated very good overall.

For a toaster that can handle bagels as well as bread, Consumer Report says you might want to spring for the top-rated Cuisinart model number CPT-60.

You can't always believe claims. Two of the toaster ovens CR tested have infrared heating, which is supposed to speed cooking. Although the infrared models made toast as fast as toasters did, the Toastmaster TLWTOB6 was not particularly speedy at baking.