Perfect for smaller and solo households, the catch is that it only comes in white with a grey panel, so colour fans will have to look elsewhere. It’s also available as a four-slice model, which should perform similarly to this one and has the advantage of two great big slots (rather than the more common four smaller slots) so that you can toast longer items with ease. Mollyis the Ecommerce Editor for Ideal Homeand is always on the lookout for the next must-buy product for your home. Covering all things appliance related, she regularly heads to Future's Test Facility in Reading to thoroughly put products through their paces.

While a new toaster isn't the most costly appliance you need to invest in for your home, the best on the market aren't exactly cheap. That's why we've put all of the toasters in this guide to the test - so that you know whether they are worth your cash before you part with it.High lift saves you from burning your fingers by pushing the slots up so you can retrieve your toast safely. A defrost setting is useful for frozen bread. First, it defrosts bread then switches to the toasting cycle. Each model is different: on some models, you need to press the defrost button before you push the bread carriage down, while others are pushed once you’ve activated the toaster. There’s no automatic pop-up, although it does have lovely wide slots, you just lower your toast in manually using the lever at the front then turn the browning control to the desired setting and it starts to count down.

It’s also easy to clean, but it’s better suited to standard-sized loaves, so probably not your best bet if you use homemade bread. And the shiny look shows up every mark.Carry your toaster (with the crumb tray removed) to your trash can or sink and gently invert and shake it to remove any other crumbs caught inside. During testing we were sold by the touch screen panel that you use for controls, and we loved the long, wide slots on offer too. How we test toasters While a two-slice toaster will only have a single browning control (timer), on a four-slice model you may be provided with one or two such controls. A single control means the timer is set for all four slots, which is fine if you all want your toast done the same way. Two timers means you can set each pair of slots separately so you can toast, say, crumpets on one side while doing toast on the other, or have “his and hers” slots set to your personal preferences. What features should I look out for in a toaster?

We also think the De'Longhi Ballerina Toaster is reasonably priced for how luxe it feels to use. Its design was noticeably sturdy during testing and the toast comes out with far fewer lines on the bread. We think timing is important too, which is why we assess how long single slices take to toast using the same setting on every model, again for testing consistency. Once all the toasting and tasting is done, we look at build quality and style, and whether these reflect a model’s price tag. Your toaster should be as functional as it is stylish, which is why our testing takes everything into consideration. Next, you can tip your toaster on its side and take a look at the internals. Using a pastry brush or toothbrush, gently give the elements inside a scrub to dislodge any remaining crumbs. Do not put your fingers inside the toaster or use anything metal to clean the interior. While it’s the unique patented ProHeat elements are virtually indestructible, if anything should go wrong, parts are super easy to replace or repair. That makes this a sustainable, quality and durable buy - the full works. Now it’s time to clean the outside. Using a damp sponge or microfiber cloth with some dish soap, give the outside a scrub. This will shift any unsightly fingerprints or splatters. Then rinse away the soap with a damp microfiber cloth and buff.Although it’s not huge, it does everything you need it to, and it does it all well. There are six browning functions; we opted for mid-way but noticed that once the toaster was warmed up, we could dial it down a bit. A bagel setting is handy for anything, like bagels or English muffins, that you want to toast on just one side. It browned faster and more evenly than most other models on test, producing perfectly browned bread in a little over a minute and a half. Most others took more than two minutes and while 30 seconds might not seem much, if you’re rushing to get the kids to school, that could make all the difference. A reheat button usually activates a short (one-minute) cycle to heat up cold toast. Note that on some toasters, this function is marked on the timer dial instead of being a separate button. Similarly, the “a bit more” button gives your toast an extra 30 seconds. It also has a defrost button so there aren’t any ‘Oh no, I forgot to take the bread out of the freezer’ moments, while the one side toasting function is good for bagels and the reheat perfect for those of us that sometimes get distracted and leave the toast to cool.