Smeg 2-Slice Toaster

The extra-wide slots fit my thick sourdough slices perfectly, and the preset defrost program brought frozen bread back to life without turning it into a sad, chewy mess. It's genuinely the prettiest appliance on my counter, and the retro dials are satisfyingly clicky to turn.

The six browning levels are spot-on—my sourdough comes out perfectly golden on level 3, and the extra-wide slots handle thick slices without a fight. The retro styling looks great on my counter, and it toasts evenly every single time.

I’d been using a cheap toaster for years, so the six browning levels here are a revelation—my bagels finally come out exactly this side of burnt. The defrost preset handles frozen slices without turning them into hockey pucks, and it looks so good on the counter that I almost don’t mind the counter