This Hamilton Beach Toaster Is All About Low-and-Slow Toasting

Toasters haven’t changed much over the past 100 years or so. The Classic Chrome is no exception, with the same toasting mechanism as you’re likely used to. The Hamilton Beach Classic Chrome 2-Slice Toaster is classic in every sense of the word. Click through to take a spin with this stalwart kitchen counter mainstay. Is there more to this average-looking toaster than meets the eye?

The toasting cycle was long , so I felt sure it would come out burnt. Instead, I was surprised to see a perfectly golden-brown bagel with crisp edges. The slots are labeled as “extra wide,” and even though there’s not an exact measurement, they look to be a similar width to other models I tested. They also proved wide enough for all of the items I cooked. The length of the bread I used was a tight squeeze, however.

Others have seven browning settings, as well as bagel, defrost and reheat buttons. If dual functionality, space-saving design and ease of use are your top criteria for countertop appliances, then take a look at this combination mini oven and toaster. Toasters, toaster ovens, hairdryers, irons, electric kettles, coffee makers, space heaters, etc, all fall into a broad class ofresistive element heating devices. They’re high-wattage items that draw a lot of electrical current, putting great stress on the individual components. The Hamilton Beach 2-Slice Toaster retails for around $35, which is standard for a two-slice toaster with basic settings. Given its reliable performance, I think it’s worth the price—you could probably find one for cheaper, but it might not have bagel and defrost settings.

Second, the brand claims that the slots on this toaster are extra-wide, but they don’t look noticeably different from a standard toaster, in my opinion. To that end, I wouldn’t buy this toaster based on that claim alone. The toaster also allows you to push its lever up to raise the slots, which makes it significantly easier to grab smaller items without the risk of burning your fingers.

Other models are several inches larger and weigh twice as much, but they are loaded with extra features. Toasters brown your bread by turning electricity into heat. Electricity flows from your wall’s outlet through your toaster’s hamilton beach toaster power cord to the inside of the unit. The small-but-mighty toaster is responsible for all of these creations. You might not give much thought to this little appliance, but there’s a lot going on after you hit the “toast” button.

hamilton beach toaster

NSF approved, which offers you peace of mind that this toaster was designed for your operation. I tested all seven of its browning options on standard white bread, all hamilton beach toaster leaving the bread crisp and brown but not charred or burnt. We purchased the Hamilton Beach 2-Slice Toaster so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen.

Checkout The Best Toaster for a detailed review of all the top toasters. At just $30, this is a bargain-priced toaster that delivers dependable, if unexciting, results. You’ll want to be sure to empty the crumb tray fairly regularly. You can also click it over into bagel mode, which will only toast the insides of your bagel. Defrost mode is meant for frozen things like Eggo waffles, while the reheat function will give things a quick blast of rejuvenating heat.

The Hamilton Beach 2-Slice Toaster is a textbook toaster. It has two slots to hold your bread, a push-down lever to start the appliance, and a dial to select a brownness level. The whole appliance is fairly compact, measuring roughly 11 x 7.5 x 7.5 inches. It’s compact enough to store in a cupboard if desired, but I simply opted to leave it on the counter for a few weeks during testing, as it doesn’t take up too much space.