Finding out that there are multiple kinds of toasters can be really useful for people who find the conventional, traditional toaster doesn’t meet their needs. Different kinds of equipment can give you different toasting experiences, so finding the one that suits you is really important.
We are going to look at 4 different types of toasters – standard toasters, toaster ovens, convection toaster ovens, and commercial toaster. These are all surprisingly different and some don’t seem like toasters at all.
Using our guide, you can find out if you need to upgrade to a different style of the toaster. We’ll give you some top brands along the way. I am grouping by design, so you can find out about one type of toaster in each section. I will also include a small section on the brand classification so you know who they are aimed at.
If you need a new appliance to toast your bread, we can help you find the type of toaster you need!
Table of contents
- Standard toasters
- Toaster ovens
- Convection toaster ovens
- Commercial toasters
- Conclusion
Standard toasters
The standard toaster is a seemingly simple piece of equipment that is a staple in homes all across the world. It is fantastic at what it does and it does it in a very simple way. There are some differences that you find between different brands of toasters, they are largely the same.
It’s not always been that way – toasters used to be fairly simple pieces of equipment that could cause serious damage if left unattended. These days, they mostly have these qualities:
1. Bread slots
All modern toasters have bread slots. This is where you put untoasted bread that you want to become toasted bread. Standard toasters generally come in 2 or 4 slot setups, but they can also be larger.
2. Simple lever mechanics
Modern toasters almost always use a lever – plunger system. Slot your bread into the appliance, plunge the lever, and let the toaster do its magic. An unsuccessful innovation of the toaster included a “self dropping” mechanism – placing toast into the system would cause the carriage to drop automatically.
3. Simple button design
Most toasters have a few buttons on them for additional functions like defrost setting, a cancel button, and a timer. Higher end products can set exact temperatures and timers for improving the quality of the cook.
As the standard toaster is by far the most common and popular of the types of toasters, you find a wide range of brands that make them. If you don’t know about them already, here are a few:
- Dualit
- Russell Hobbs
- Oster
- Cuisinart
Any good electronics company (or company which sells electronics) will sell toasters. They’re cheap to manufacture and everyone has one. They’re a fantastic product for any company to branch out into.
Toaster ovens
Toaster ovens feel like relatively new inventions to some of us, but they’ve actually been around since 1910. William Hadaway built the first toaster oven and the designs have changed greatly since. In fact, it’s hard to describe toaster ovens as they can be really different from each other.
Some common features are:
1. An oven style grill feature
Instead of a bread slot, they usually have an oven compartment that works like a standard oven. Although they are toasters in name, their oven style allows them to roast, grill, and bake as well as toast. Many also have glass doors attached so you can close in that heat and watch your dish cook.
2. Oven style dials
Just like an oven, they generally have a set of dials that tell the machinery how they cook. Their design is basically a small oven – set the temperature and the timer and you can leave it to do its job just like a larger piece of kitchenware.
3. General multi-tools
Although they can come in a range of shapes and sizes, the main function of the toaster oven is to have multiple functions. They act as a small oven, they can toast, they can bake, broil, defrost, reheat, and so on. They are versatile in their use and design.
Due to their versatility, these devices are very popular – especially for those with small kitchens. This means that there is a range of brands available and the very best ones are usually no more expensive than $400. Here are some of the best brands for buying toaster ovens:
- Breville
- Hamilton Beach
- Cuisinart
- Kitchenaid
Ideal for people who need multiple functions out of one device, these products are perfect for the young family getting onto the property market. They are compact, easy to move around, and can give you the very best an oven can offer as well as functioning perfectly well as toasters. Some even have built in bread slots, much like a standard toaster!
Convection toaster ovens
Very similar to a regular toaster oven, convection toaster ovens work by using a convection fan. Whereas standard toaster ovens can be slow to heat up and cumbersome to get working, convection ovens are powerful and circulate heat to cook everything quickly and evenly.
1. Convection cooking
Much like a convection oven, clever engineering means that heat moves around the convection oven. This gets rid of cold spots and gives you an even cook. This is especially useful when cooking non-toast foods – you don’t want a roasted chicken to have been sat in a cold spot during the cooking process.
2. Versatile by design
In the same way a toaster oven is versatile, so is the convection version of this appliance. Their design is effectively the same, but the convection oven setup means that these toaster ovens do not leave areas uncooked. Their fan cooking also is kinder to the environment, meaning you can worry a little less about your carbon footprint!
Effectively the same as the toaster oven, but a little more efficient. If I had to write a sales copy for convection ovens, that would be it. There’s no great difference between the different styles of toaster ovens. If you are an eco-friendly citizen of the world, you may prefer to get convection, fan toaster oven. However, you will have to battle with the higher cost of such units
Some convection toaster oven brands include:
- Black+Decker
- Breville
- Instant Omni Plus
- Cuisinart
Commercial toasters
You are unlikely to find a commercial toaster in a home setting (unless you’re dealing with a serious toast addict). These are industrial sized toasters and they are used to make large batches of toast in minutes. With that in mind, it’s hard to define their brand classification any clearer than “hotel chains” and “restaurants that serve toast”.
These can be quite varied as well, however. Although some can look like oversized standard toasters, you can also find varieties with belts that feed bread under the element. They pass through the toaster and come out the other side toasted and delicious.
If you want to cook up to 400 slices of toast per hour, you might want to look into buying a commercial toaster from such brands as:
- Buffalo
- Rowlett
- Prince Castle
Conclusion
Today, there are mainly 4 types of toasters. But these 4 types can be incredibly varied as well. Just because something is a toaster oven, for example, doesn’t mean it can’t perform the exact functions of a standard toaster.
Finding the right toaster for your needs is important. Think about the kind of toaster you need and how much toast you want every day. If you only eat toast-based foods, you might want to get a commercial toaster installed at home. I’m not here to judge. You do you.
But remember to look over each of these devices’ main strengths. What were they designed for? Is that necessary for my home? More expensive units can be a sizable investment for some families. Making the right choice for your needs is important, so be sure to shop around the reputable brands we shared above.