Quick Answer
America's Test Kitchen's top conventional 2-slice toaster is the GE 2-Slice Toaster (G9TMA2SSPSS, $49), which "produced relatively evenly toasted slices of white bread and bagels in under 2 minutes," averaging 1 minute 39 seconds per batch (americastestkitchen.com, updated April 15, 2026). But their genuine best-overall pick across every toaster tested is a long-slot model, the Magimix Vision Toaster ($249.95), which toasted faster and more evenly but costs roughly five times as much — a distinction worth knowing before you search "best toaster" expecting a basic 2-slice pop-up.
This is the twelfth stop in our countertop-appliance series, after the countertop convection oven, the countertop microwave, the deep fryer, the bread maker, the waffle maker, the electric griddle, the electric skillet, the espresso machine, the pressure cooker, the coffee maker and the rice cooker. This category's decoder isn't a misleading spec — it's that "best toaster" and "best 2-slice toaster" quietly point to two different ATK winners, and only one of them fits in most people's mental picture of a toaster.
Quick Comparison: Best Toasters of 2026
| Model | Slot Type | Heating Element | Avg. Toast Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE G9TMA2SSPSS | Conventional 2-slice | Wire | 1:39 | $49 |
| Magimix Vision 11526 | Long-slot | Quartz | 1:25 | $249.95 |
| Dash Clear View DVTS501 | Long-slot | Quartz | Not published | $36.03 |
| Breville 'A Bit More' BTA720XL | Conventional 2-slice | Wire | Slower per ATK | $109.95 |
| Cuisinart Compact CPT-142P1 | Conventional 4-slice | Wire | Not published | $43 |
The 5 Best Toasters
1. GE 2-Slice Toaster (G9TMA2SSPSS) — Best Overall Conventional
America's Test Kitchen's current pick for a standard 2-slice toaster (americastestkitchen.com/equipment_reviews/1949-long-slot-toasters, updated April 15, 2026) was rated "Recommended" with no reservations — a status only two of the roughly dozen toasters on that page earned. It "produced relatively evenly toasted slices of white bread and bagels in under 2 minutes," averaging 1 minute 39 seconds per batch, with 5.63 x 5.88-inch slots wide enough for bagels and a traditional wire heating element. At $49, it's about a fifth of the price of ATK's overall winner.
Slots: 5.63 x 5.88 in · Element: Wire · Avg. Toast Time: 1:39
Best For: Anyone who just wants a reliable, evenly toasting 2-slice pop-up without paying a premium
Check GE G9TMA2SSPSS Price on Amazon →
A new toaster won't help much if the bread drawer is empty — try Amazon Fresh for grocery delivery on the bread, bagels, and everything else you'll actually be toasting.
2. Magimix Vision Toaster (11526) — Best Overall / Premium
ATK's true best-overall pick across every toaster tested, long-slot or conventional, is this glass-walled model with a large "stop" button that lets you watch and halt toasting at your ideal color. It "makes gorgeous, evenly colored toast on most settings" and posted the fastest average toast time in ATK's lineup at 1 minute 25 seconds, thanks to a quartz heating element and generous 10.25 x 6.88-inch slots built for bagels and artisan loaves. At $249.95, it costs roughly five times ATK's conventional winner.
Slots: 10.25 x 6.88 in · Element: Quartz · Avg. Toast Time: 1:25
Best For: Households that regularly toast bagels or thick artisan bread and want the fastest, most even results ATK tested
3. Dash Clear View Toaster (DVTS501) — Best Budget
ATK rated this one "Recommended with reservations": at $36.03 it's the cheapest long-slot option in their lineup and "made pretty toast without any fuss," using the same quartz heating element as the pricier Magimix across 10.5 x 5-inch slots. The catch — testers noted it "occasionally threw toast onto the counter or floor," a quirk worth knowing about before you buy the budget pick.
Slots: 10.5 x 5 in · Element: Quartz · Avg. Toast Time: Not published
Best For: Budget shoppers who want long-slot versatility and don't mind occasionally catching a stray slice
4. Breville 'A Bit More' Two-Slice (BTA720XL) — Best Splurge Conventional
One step up from ATK's conventional winner, this model "produced nice medium and dark brown toast, although it took a little longer" than the GE — a fair tradeoff if you want a heavier-duty conventional toaster and don't mind an extra few seconds per batch. At $109.95, it's more than double the GE's price for a modest quality bump rather than a dramatic one.
Slots: 5.75 x 6.25 in · Element: Wire · Avg. Toast Time: Slightly slower than GE per ATK
Best For: Buyers who want a sturdier-feeling conventional toaster and are fine paying more for a small quality bump
Check Breville BTA720XL Price →
5. Cuisinart Compact 4-Slice (CPT-142P1) — Best 4-Slice
If you need four slots at once for a family breakfast, this is ATK's most affordable 4-slice option at $43 — but go in with realistic expectations. ATK found it "toasted both sandwich bread and bagels unevenly, leaving significant pale spots," a tradeoff of the compact 4-slice format rather than a defect unique to this model; none of ATK's tested 4-slice toasters matched the evenness of their top 2-slice and long-slot picks.
Slots: 5.5 x 6.25 in (x4) · Element: Wire · Avg. Toast Time: Not published
Best For: Families who need four slices at once and can live with some uneven spots
Check Cuisinart CPT-142P1 Price →
Long-Slot vs. Conventional 2-Slice: Why Quartz Keeps Winning on Speed
ATK's two "Recommended" toasters with no reservations split cleanly along one line: the Magimix Vision and budget Dash Clear View are both long-slot models built around bagels and thick artisan bread, and both use quartz heating elements, which warm up and toast measurably faster than the traditional wire element in ATK's conventional winner, the GE — 1:25 for the Magimix versus 1:39 for the GE. But quartz isn't a guarantee of flawless behavior on its own: ATK still flagged the quartz-element Dash for occasionally ejecting toast, something the wire-element GE never did. The practical split is less about the element and more about slot shape: if "best toaster" means a basic pop-up for sandwich bread, the conventional GE is the anchor; if you're regularly toasting bagels or artisan loaves, the long-slot format is the better fit even though it costs noticeably more.
Do More Expensive Toasters Toast More Evenly? Not Always
ATK's price-to-performance results have a genuine surprise in them: several toasters that cost more than the $49 GE winner performed worse. The $169.95 Breville Die-Cast Smart (BTA820XL) "consistently made toast with pale spots." The $149.95 KitchenAid 2 Slice (KMT2109PL) "didn't toast the bread nearly enough" on its highest and lowest settings. The $199.95 Smeg 4-Slice was "beautiful, expensive, and a bit unreliable," with toast that "sometimes flew up out of the slot." None of these earned ATK's clean "Recommended" rating — a reminder that in this category, price and finish quality don't reliably predict toasting performance.
Have Toasters Been Recalled?
The most recent CPSC recall specific to standard pop-up toasters — not toaster ovens — was Hamilton Beach's June 2011 recall of roughly 300,000 model 22600 "classic chrome" 2-slice toasters (series codes CXXXXBI/DXXXXBI), whose heating element could remain energized indefinitely once an item was placed inside, posing a fire risk near flammable objects (cpsc.gov). A follow-up recall that December covered about 14,000 model 22602 units for a related issue where the element could stay energized at first plug-in even with the lifter in the off position. More recently, in July 2026 Panasonic recalled about 11,480 electric toaster ovens (plus roughly 2,184 in Canada, model NBG200) over insufficient power-cord insulation that could pose shock or fire risk — but that recall covers toaster ovens, a distinct countertop-oven category from the pop-up toasters in this guide, and none of the five models recommended above have an open recall.
How to Choose (4 Steps)
1. Decide if you actually toast bagels or artisan bread regularly. If yes, a long-slot model like the Magimix or Dash fits real-world use better than a conventional 2-slice toaster, even at a higher price.
2. Don't assume a higher price means better toast. ATK's data shows the opposite in several cases — check the actual test notes, not just the price tag or finish.
3. Match slot width to your bread, not just slot count. A 4-slice toaster with narrow slots can toast less evenly than a well-designed 2-slice model; capacity and evenness are separate tradeoffs.
4. If you want speed, quartz elements have the edge — but check reliability notes too. The fastest models in ATK's testing use quartz, but that alone doesn't guarantee zero quirks, as the budget Dash shows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best toaster in 2026?
America's Test Kitchen's top conventional 2-slice pick is the GE 2-Slice Toaster (G9TMA2SSPSS, $49), which "produced relatively evenly toasted slices of white bread and bagels in under 2 minutes" with an average toast time of 1 minute 39 seconds (americastestkitchen.com, updated April 15, 2026). Their true best-overall pick across every toaster tested is the pricier Magimix Vision Toaster ($249.95), a long-slot model with glass walls that "makes gorgeous, evenly colored toast on most settings."
Is a long-slot toaster worth the extra money over a basic 2-slice model?
Only if you regularly toast bagels or thick artisan bread. ATK's long-slot winner, the Magimix Vision, has 10.25 x 6.88-inch slots versus 5.63 x 5.88 inches on their conventional winner, the GE — but it also costs about five times as much ($249.95 vs $49). For standard sandwich bread and everyday bagels, the GE covered both in ATK's own testing.
What's the difference between quartz and wire heating elements in a toaster?
Quartz elements, used in ATK's top long-slot picks (Magimix Vision and Dash Clear View), heat up and toast faster than traditional wire elements — the Magimix averaged 1 minute 25 seconds per batch versus 1 minute 39 seconds for the wire-element GE. But quartz alone doesn't guarantee reliability: ATK still flagged the quartz-element Dash for occasionally ejecting toast, while the wire-element GE had no such issue.
Is the budget Dash Clear View toaster reliable?
Mostly, with one caveat. ATK rated it "recommended with reservations": at $36.03 it "made pretty toast without any fuss," but testers also noted it "occasionally threw toast onto the counter or floor." It's a reasonable budget pick for bagels and artisan bread if you don't mind catching a stray slice now and then.
Do more expensive toasters always toast more evenly?
No. ATK's testing found the opposite in several cases: the $169.95 Breville Die-Cast Smart "consistently made toast with pale spots," and the $149.95 KitchenAid 2 Slice "didn't toast the bread nearly enough" on its highest and lowest settings — both well above the $49 price of ATK's actual conventional winner, the GE 2-Slice Toaster.
Have toasters been recalled?
The most recent recall specific to standard pop-up toasters (not toaster ovens) was Hamilton Beach's June 2011 recall of about 300,000 model 22600 classic chrome 2-slice toasters, whose heating element could stay energized indefinitely and ignite nearby items (cpsc.gov). A separate July 2026 Panasonic recall covered about 11,480 electric toaster ovens over power-cord insulation — a different appliance category; none of the five models recommended in this guide have an open recall.
The Bottom Line
Buy the GE 2-Slice Toaster if you want ATK's cleanest-rated conventional pick at $49, no reservations attached. Buy the Magimix Vision at $249.95 if you regularly toast bagels or artisan bread and want the fastest, most even results ATK tested, period. Buy the Dash Clear View at $36.03 for long-slot versatility on a budget, and accept the occasional stray slice. Buy the Breville BTA720XL if you want a sturdier conventional toaster and don't mind paying more for a modest quality bump. And buy the Cuisinart 4-Slice only if slot count matters more to your household than perfectly even toast. Whichever you pick, "best toaster" and "best 2-slice toaster" aren't quite the same search — now you know which one you're actually answering.