The Best Toaster (UK, 2026)
By Niko Moustoukas, Founder & Editor
Published 14 October 2026
If you want one toaster that just does the job, buy a 2-slice with extra-wide slots from a trusted brand, and the Russell Hobbs Textures is our pick. The extra-wide slots take thick sliced bread, crumpets and bagels as well as standard slices, it browns evenly across the settings, and it is a dependable toaster for under £20 that will happily match a Russell Hobbs kettle. For most kitchens, a solid, cheap toaster like this is all you need and all you should pay for.
Beyond that, the choices are few. A 4-slice toaster suits bigger households but uses more energy and space, so only buy it if you need it; models with extra-even browning take the guesswork out; and high-lift and defrost functions are handy. Below we cover 2-slice versus 4-slice, why slot width and even browning matter more than the finish, and the functions worth having.
The winner · Best Overall
Russell Hobbs Textures 2-Slice Toaster (Extra-Wide Slots)
Extra-wide slots, even browning and a trusted brand for under £20: the toaster most people should buy.
Price checked live · updated 14 October 2026 · we may earn a commission
The top 4, ranked
★ Our pick · Best OverallRussell Hobbs Textures 2-Slice Toaster (Extra-Wide Slots)Extra-wide slots, even browning and a trusted brand for under £20: the toaster most people should buy.Why we picked it ↓£19.99● In stockCheck price
Best for Even ToastingRussell Hobbs 2-Slice Toaster (Perfect Toast Technology)Tuned for more even, consistent browning if you are fussy about getting toast exactly right.Why we picked it ↓£24.00● In stockCheck price
Best PremiumBreville Bold 2-Slice Toaster (High-Lift, Wide Slots)High-lift and wide slots in a smart finish, if you want a nicer toaster on the worktop.Why we picked it ↓£30.00● In stockCheck price
Best Budgetbella 2-Slice Toaster (Wide Slots)A simple wide-slot toaster for around £11: the cheapest way to get decent toast.Why we picked it ↓£11.46● In stockCheck priceCompare the specs
| # | Product | Best for | Slices | Slots | Browning levels | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Hobbs Textures 2-Slice Toaster (Extra-Wide Slots) | Best Overall | 2 | Extra-wide | Variable | Most households | £19.99 | |
| 2 | Russell Hobbs 2-Slice Toaster (Perfect Toast Technology) | Best for Even Toasting | 2 | Wide | Variable | Fussy, even-toast lovers | £24.00 |
| 3 | Breville Bold 2-Slice Toaster (High-Lift, Wide Slots) | Best Premium | 2 | Wide, high-lift | Variable | Style-conscious kitchens | £30.00 |
| 4 | bella 2-Slice Toaster (Wide Slots) | Best Budget | 2 | Wide | Variable | Budget, spare kitchens | £11.46 |
Prices are live from Amazon and refresh through the day; last page update 14 October 2026.
2-slice or 4-slice?
- 2-slice: cheaper, smaller, uses less energy, and plenty for one or two people or a household that toasts in small amounts. The right choice for most.
- 4-slice: toasts more at once, which suits bigger families and busy breakfasts. But it costs more, takes more worktop space, and uses more energy, and if you often only toast one or two slices you are heating empty slots.
Buy a 4-slice only if you regularly toast for several people at once. If it is usually one or two slices, a 2-slice is cheaper to buy and to run. Most of these ranges come in both sizes, so you can pick the brand and step up to four slots if you genuinely need them.
Slots and browning matter more than looks
- Slot width: extra-wide slots take thick-cut bread, crumpets, bagels and artisan slices, not just thin supermarket bread. Narrow slots are the common frustration. If you eat bagels or thick toast, wide slots are essential.
- Long slots: some toasters have one or two long slots instead of several short ones, which fit longer artisan and sourdough slices better.
- Even browning: the whole point of a toaster. Cheaper machines can brown unevenly, pale edges and a dark middle. Models tuned for even, consistent browning give repeatable results from a given setting.
These are what make a toaster good or annoying day to day, far more than the colour or finish. Prioritise slots that fit your bread and reliable browning over looks.
Which functions are worth having?
- Defrost: genuinely useful if you keep bread in the freezer, it thaws and toasts in one go rather than scorching the outside of a frozen slice.
- High-lift: raises small items like crumpets and teacakes clear of the slots so you are not fishing them out, safer and tidier.
- Bagel setting: toasts the cut side while just warming the outside, handy if you eat a lot of bagels.
- Reheat: warms toast that has gone cold without browning it further.
- A removable crumb tray: not glamorous but makes cleaning far easier, check it has one.
Our picks in detail
Russell Hobbs Textures 2-Slice Toaster (Extra-Wide Slots)
Extra-wide slots, even browning and a trusted brand for under £20: the toaster most people should buy.
A long-running best-seller.
The Russell Hobbs Textures is the toaster most people should buy. The extra-wide slots swallow thick sliced bread, crumpets, bagels and most things you want to toast, not just thin supermarket slices, and the browning control delivers consistent results across the settings so you are not forever re-toasting. It is a dependable toaster from a brand that has made them for decades, it comes in finishes that match the matching kettle, and it costs under £20.
It is a 2-slice, so a bigger household may want the 4-slice version of the range, and it is a simple toaster rather than a designer statement. But a toaster's job is to brown bread evenly and fit what you want to toast, and this does both for very little money. Spending three or four times as much buys you a nicer finish, not better toast. For the everyday job done well and cheaply, this is the sensible pick.
What we like
- Extra-wide slots for thick bread and bagels
- Even, consistent browning
- Under £20, trusted brand
- Matches a Russell Hobbs kettle
What we'd change
- 2-slice; big households may want 4
- Simple rather than a designer piece
Buy this if: you want a cheap, reliable toaster that fits thick bread and browns evenly.
Russell Hobbs 2-Slice Toaster (Perfect Toast Technology)
Tuned for more even, consistent browning if you are fussy about getting toast exactly right.
If evenly browned toast matters to you, and the usual pale-edges, dark-middle result annoys you, this Russell Hobbs is built around that. Its Perfect Toast design aims for more even and consistent browning across the whole slice and from one round to the next, so a given setting gives you the same result every time rather than a lottery. For anyone precise about their toast, that consistency is the upgrade worth a few extra pounds.
It costs a little more than the basic Textures and is still a 2-slice, so it is not for big households as it stands. But the whole point is better, more reliable toast, which is the one thing a toaster should nail, and it delivers that more consistently than the cheapest machines. If you are not fussy, the basic Russell Hobbs is enough; if even browning every time is what you want, this is the pick.
What we like
- Tuned for even, consistent browning
- Repeatable results from a given setting
- Trusted brand
What we'd change
- Costs a little more than basic models
- 2-slice only
Buy this if: you want evenly browned toast the same way every time.
Breville Bold 2-Slice Toaster (High-Lift, Wide Slots)
High-lift and wide slots in a smart finish, if you want a nicer toaster on the worktop.
If the toaster is on display and you want it to look and feel a cut above, the Breville Bold pairs a smart cream-and-silver finish with genuinely useful features: wide slots for thick bread and a high-lift lever that raises small items like crumpets and teacakes clear of the slots so you are not fishing them out and risking burnt fingers. It is a toaster that looks good and is a little nicer to use day to day.
You are paying partly for the styling and finish, and in pure toasting it does the same core job as the cheaper Russell Hobbs rather than dramatically better. But if your kitchen is on show and the high-lift and looks appeal, it is a fair upgrade for the money, not a huge splurge. If you only care about cheap, even toast, the Russell Hobbs is the value pick; if you want a smarter toaster with high-lift, this is it.
What we like
- Smart finish for worktop display
- High-lift for small items and safety
- Wide slots for thick bread
What we'd change
- Paying partly for styling
- Same core toasting as cheaper models
Buy this if: you want a smarter-looking toaster with a high-lift lever.
bella 2-Slice Toaster (Wide Slots)
A simple wide-slot toaster for around £11: the cheapest way to get decent toast.
If you just want a working toaster for as little as possible, the bella does the job for around £11. It has wide slots that take normal and thicker bread, straightforward browning control, and it toasts quickly and evenly enough for everyday breakfast. For a spare kitchen, a rental, a student or anyone who refuses to spend much on a toaster, it is honest, no-nonsense value.
At this price the build and finish are basic and there are no extras like high-lift or specialist settings. But a toaster really only has to brown bread, and this does that fine for the money, which is all a lot of people need. If you want a smarter finish, high-lift or guaranteed even browning, spend a bit more on one of the picks above; as the cheapest decent toaster here, this covers the basics.
What we like
- Very cheap, around £11
- Wide slots, even-enough browning
- Does the core job
What we'd change
- Basic build and finish
- No high-lift or extra functions
Buy this if: you want the cheapest toaster that still does a decent job.
Matching your kettle (and why it is fine to)
Toasters and kettles are the two appliances that sit out permanently, so many people like them to match. That is a perfectly good reason to pick a particular toaster, and most big brands, Russell Hobbs, Breville, Bosch and others, sell matching kettle-and-toaster ranges in the same finishes.
Just do not let looks override the basics: make sure the matching toaster still has wide-enough slots for your bread and browns evenly. A matching set that toasts badly is a worse buy than a mismatched one that works. Get the function right first, then match the finish.
Common myths, corrected
- "Expensive toasters make better toast." Mostly no. Beyond even browning and the right slots, extra money buys finish, high-lift and brand, not dramatically better toast. A good sub-£20 toaster browns bread just as well.
- "A 4-slice is better." Only if you need the capacity. For one or two people it just costs more to buy and run and heats empty slots.
- "Higher wattage toasts better." Not really the point. Even browning and slot fit matter far more than headline wattage on a toaster.
- "Slots are all the same." No. Narrow slots are the classic annoyance. If you eat thick bread or bagels, extra-wide or long slots make a real difference.
What we’d skip
- Overspending on a designer toaster. Beyond even browning and slots that fit your bread, the extra money buys finish and brand, not better toast. A good sub-£20 toaster browns bread just as well as one costing several times more.
- Buying a 4-slice when 2 would do. A 4-slice costs more, takes more space and uses more energy, and if you usually toast one or two slices you are heating empty slots. Only buy four slots if you regularly toast for several people at once.
- Ignoring slot width. Narrow slots that will not take thick bread, crumpets or bagels are the classic toaster frustration. If you eat anything other than thin sliced bread, get extra-wide or long slots.
- Letting looks override function when matching your kettle. A matching set that toasts unevenly or will not fit your bread is a worse buy than a mismatched one that works. Get wide slots and even browning first, then match the finish.
- Overlooking the crumb tray. A toaster without a removable crumb tray is a pain to clean and a crumb-fire risk over time. Check it has one, it is a small thing that matters day to day.
Frequently asked questions
What should I look for in a toaster?
Even browning and slots that fit your bread, far more than looks or price. Extra-wide or long slots take thick bread, crumpets, bagels and artisan slices, and consistent browning gives repeatable results rather than pale edges and a dark middle. Useful extras are defrost for frozen bread, high-lift for small items, a bagel setting and a removable crumb tray. A good toaster need not be expensive.
2-slice or 4-slice toaster?
A 2-slice is cheaper, smaller and uses less energy, and is plenty for one or two people or small-batch toasting, which is most households. A 4-slice toasts more at once for bigger families and busy breakfasts, but costs more, takes more space and uses more energy, and heats empty slots if you often toast just one or two slices. Buy four slots only if you regularly toast for several people.
Do expensive toasters make better toast?
Mostly no. Once a toaster browns evenly and has slots that fit your bread, extra money buys a nicer finish, high-lift, a bagel setting and brand reputation rather than dramatically better toast. A good toaster under £20 browns bread just as well as one costing several times more. Pay up only for the looks, build or functions you actually want, not expecting better toast.
Why does my toaster brown unevenly?
Cheaper toasters can heat unevenly, giving pale edges and a dark middle, and results drift as the toaster warms up over successive rounds. Using the right setting, not overfilling, and letting it cool between batches helps. For consistently even toast, choose a model tuned for even browning, which spreads the heat more evenly and gives repeatable results from a given setting, which is the one thing a toaster should get right.
What toaster slots do I need for bagels and thick bread?
Extra-wide slots, and ideally long slots if you eat artisan or sourdough. Narrow slots are the classic toaster frustration, they will not take thick-cut bread, crumpets or bagels. If you eat anything beyond thin sliced bread, prioritise wide slots, and a dedicated bagel setting that toasts the cut side while warming the outside is a bonus for regular bagel eaters.
Is the defrost setting on a toaster useful?
Yes, if you keep bread in the freezer. The defrost setting thaws and toasts a frozen slice in one go, rather than scorching the outside while the inside stays frozen, which is what happens if you just toast frozen bread on a normal setting. If you often freeze a loaf to stop it going stale, a defrost function is a genuinely handy feature rather than a gimmick.
Can I match my toaster to my kettle?
Yes, and many people do, since both appliances sit out permanently. Most big brands like Russell Hobbs, Breville and Bosch sell matching kettle-and-toaster ranges in the same finishes. Just make sure the matching toaster still has wide-enough slots for your bread and browns evenly, as function should come before looks. A matching set that toasts badly is a worse buy than a mismatched one that works well.
How do I keep a toaster clean and safe?
Empty the removable crumb tray regularly, as built-up crumbs are messy and a fire risk over time, so a model with an easy-to-remove tray is worth having. Unplug it before cleaning, never poke metal into the slots, and wipe the outside with a damp cloth. Using the high-lift lever to retrieve small items rather than fishing with a knife or fork is both safer and keeps the elements intact.
Ready to choose?
Our one clear winner is the Russell Hobbs Textures 2-Slice Toaster (Extra-Wide Slots).