Making an English breakfast may be wonderful on weekends, but do you have the time to make it when you have to go to work? From Monday to Friday you probably just want a piece of toast and to be on your way. If you're not looking for anything fancy and just want a machine that will pop a slice of bread golden brown, you won't want to pay an arm and a leg for a toaster. You don't have to. The following are some of the best toasters for under $50.
Sunbeam 2-slice toaster -- $14.99
It almost seems too good to be true, but there it is. The Sunbeam 2-slice toaster is for sale for just $14.99. The toaster comes in black, pink and teal. It has a lock, a dial for toasting preferences and a special knob for toasting bagels. Don't walk away, though, as this toaster has no automatic ejection.
Kalorik Yellow 2-slice toaster -- $34.25
With its white body and yellow trim, the Kalorik Yellow 2-slice toaster brings a little cheer to your kitchen. Its 32-mm slots let you toast not only bread, but bagels as well. Should you forget to take bread out of the freezer, no problem. The Kalorik Yellow will first defrost and then toast. You can pick and choose how brown you want your bread to be, and when done toasting, just clean up the mess by emptying the crumbs tray.
Kenmore 2-slice toaster -- $34.99
With its brushed stainless steel body, the Kenmore 2-slice toaster feels right at home in a modern kitchen. Not only will the Kenmore defrost and toast your bread, if you've forgotten to come and get it, it will reheat the toast for you. Clean-up is a breeze with a crumb tray that easily slides in and out. Kenmore is so confident about this product, they offer a five-year warranty.
Sunbeam 4-slice toaster -- $49.99
For the slightly bigger family, Sunbeam offers the 4-slice toaster. Does someone want his bread lightly toasted, while someone else wants her slices darker? This toaster can handle it, as it has two separate controls. What's more, eager little hands will not be burned, since the machine has a cool-to-the-touch exterior. Should anything other than crumbs fall on the crumbs tray, the tray is dishwasher-safe.
Kenmore 4-slice toaster -- $49.99
While you pour the coffee, the Kenmore 4-slice toaster will get you something to nibble on. With its red and stainless steel exterior, the toaster will suit both a traditional and a modern kitchen. Its long and wide slots can accommodate regular and over-sized bread and bagels. It will defrost and toast without making a mess. Should a crumb here and there be spilled, the handy tray will catch them.
Finding an economical toaster may seem like a bit of a job, but there are plenty of toasters under $50 available.
When you shop for a toaster, aim to strike a balance between the variety of features available and what you'll actually use. Slot numbers and size will determine the overall size of the unit, but performance should always be put before appearance. |
Your guide to buying toasters and toaster ovens, including which features are musts and which ones you can do without. |
In order to ensure toaster oven safety and performance, just follow these three simple steps. |
Get that toaster oven out of its box and into your kitchen. Don't limit the mighty toaster oven with mere toasting and quick reheats. Expand its uses, wipe the sweat from your brow, and enjoy the energy savings in a cool kitchen. No ideas? Here are 10 ways to use your toaster oven. 1. Meat courses Why not roast your meats in a toaster oven? A few chicken breasts or a meatloaf cooks up nicely in one. Most models are large enough for most families. Even a pork tenderloin or a small rib roast can be perfectly prepared with the powerful ovens sold today. 2. Side dishes Your oven might be full during holiday meal prep, but if you have a handy toaster oven, you're still cooking. Save your main oven for the big time and do the side dishes in the toaster oven. You can even keep made-ahead turkey dressing, dinner rolls and mashed potatoes piping hot for dinner service while you prepare the big meal. Pop the sides onto the table right before guests sit down, and they'll be amazed that you were able to serve everything hot at the same time. 3. Roasted nuts It's not a problem to quickly toast nuts in the toaster oven. These ovens heat up fast and are perfect for toasting batches of nuts for recipes or even to toss across salads for added crunch and nutrition. 4. Perfect potatoes A baked potato can be a blank canvas for an exciting meal. Clean and dry your spud thoroughly. Prick the entire surface with a fork to allow steam to escape while cooking. Cook potatoes at 400 degrees F. for about an hour, depending upon the size of the potato, until fork-tender. Then top with cheese, ham, broccoli or whatever you've got in the fridge for instant delish. 5. Au gratin dishes If you like cheese, you'll love your toaster oven. You can quickly top just about anything with a sprinkle of cheese, pop it into the little oven, and voila--au gratin anything from macaroni to soup. 6. Slice-and-bake cookies Hot, fresh cookies are yours anytime you want them with your toaster oven. Just keep a roll of pre-mixed cookie dough handy, and you're in business. Slice and bake a few at a time. 7. Bruschetta Nothing tastes better than fresh summer tomatoes. No recipe uses those tomatoes better than classic Italian bruschetta. Chop or slice tomatoes and place them on top of luscious hunks of crusty bread. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. Toast at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes or to your liking. 8. Broiled fare The toaster oven might be great for toasting things, but it broils even better. Fish fillets are perfectly suited to its quick-broil capability. Line the tray with foil. Spray olive oil on the tray surface, and place the fillets evenly around on the tray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Place a pat of butter on each fillet and broil. In minutes, the sweetest morsels of fish will be ready. 9. Defrosting If you've ever had rubbery chicken or hard, dry-edged beef, you've probably tried defrosting frozen meat in the microwave. Skip it. Most toaster ovens have a low and even setting perfect for gentle defrosting. It doesn't have to end with frozen meats. Frozen anything is made fresh for preparation and cooking in a toaster oven. 10. Tasty tarts. The size and shape of an oven doesn't matter if you're making a free-form tart. Buy handy pre-made puff pastry from the local grocery store. Create a free-form shell that matches the size of your toaster oven by cutting the dough to size and pinching the edges all around. Arrange fruit slices like apples or berries on top of the shell. Bake at 400 degree F. for approximately 20 minutes. Brush with melted apricot jelly for a shiny finish, then serve with ice cream. |
Above all, consider the amount of counter space you have for your new toaster oven and take care to add clearance behind it for proper ventilation. If you'll use the oven only occasionally for small items, fixed racks are fine. |
