Best Small and Compact Toasters for the Money

Which is the best small toaster on the market? Read our guide to find out.
Toaster are the most commonly used kitchen appliances for making breakfast in most homes especially for people who have just moved out into their new apartment. However, these are usually dorms or studio apartments which have limited countertop space. In such cases, affordable kitchen appliances will be the best bet.
Regardless of whether you’ve just moved to your new apartment or have been living in your house for more than 10 years, owning the best small toaster that does a great job in cooking your bread, can be an excellent addition to any home.
How can you tell if you have the best small toaster? Usually, the best compact and small toasters available in the market are budget friendly, easy to clean and operate, very efficient and small so they won’t require a lot of storage space in the kitchen.
After conducting numerous tests on compact and small toasters, we came up with this list of the best 5 units that can be found in the market today. This will help you select the right unit that will best suit your needs and requirements in the kitchen.
What is a Compact Toaster?
A compact toaster is just a toaster which contains a small footprint. It can include several features that are present in other fancier and larger models, but has most of the toasting elements needed for even and fast cooking without using up much countertop space.
The list we put together is geared on 2-slice toasters because they happen to smallest units out there. Many companies design small 4-slice toasters that need a lot of space compared to the 2-slice variety, but not more than what a standard 4-slice toaster requires.
Buying Guide for the Best Small Toaster
Having limited space in the kitchen doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on the kind of toaster you want to buy.
The following are some features to assist you select the best small toaster oven for your kitchen:
- Different toasting level functions which can be changed accordingly
- A “cancel” button
- Reheat and defrost settings
- High lift carriage for safe and easy removal of bread
- Extra-wide slots especially if you prefer thick bread slices and bagels
- A removable crumb tray for easy cleaning
- Positive reviews from customers who have previously used the toaster and can attest to its performance
If you continue reading the article, you’ll notice that the most complained about thing when it comes to toasters is uneven cooking. Some of the toasters on our list have the same issue but at a very low level because not many customers complained about it.
Since all mechanical appliances are going to become from time to time, go for those with at least 80% and higher customer reviews because there’s less risk of encountering such issues because the companies conduct test runs to ensure the best quality.
5 Best Small and Compact Toasters
A lot of people like having toast for breakfast but if you have a small kitchen, there’s barely enough space for a large model that you’ll only be using to make your toast.
See the best small and compact toasters on the market in this video:
Although compact, small toasters are appealing because of their size, ensure that it delivers in terms of practicality, usability, price and durability. We conducted numerous tests on numerous small toaster ovens that can be found out there and selected the best ones for purchase.
We then narrowed down the list t the best overall, compact 2-slice units that were affordable but very reliable, can be cleaned without difficulty and for someone who wants multi-functionality, we included the best compact toaster oven.
#1.LOFTER Stainless Steel 2-Piece Toaster
This is not only one of the best small toasters on the list but it’s also very fun and functional. With this toaster, you’ll be able to toast bread the way you want to.
The toaster includes a special function that allows you to cook frozen bread directly without thawing it first or during instances when you start toasting your bread but forget about it and you need to reheat it a little.
One of the most lovable and unique settings in the unit is its warming rack. This is a brilliant addition to the toaster. It will keep your toast warm but not rock hard when you need more time to finish cooking and platting your meal. You can also use it to warm croissants, bread roll as well as other pastries that cannot fit in the toaster.
Key Features
- Fast cooling and protection from overheating ensures that the toaster is both safe and efficient
- Smallest toaster
- Built-in warming tray
#2.Cuisinart 2-slice Compact Plastic Toaster
The Cuisinart brand is one of the most popularly known brands when it comes to kitchen appliances. This is mainly because of the reliable and quality products they manufacture. This small toaster is designed with wide slots and can comfortably cook two bread slices.
Although the product isn’t the most exciting or flashy units that can be found out there, it does the job properly and is very affordable too. The toaster’s simple and unassuming design fits in all types of kitchens.
Key Features
- Basic, easy to understand and use functions
- Best 2-slice toaster
- Wide slots allow you to toast thick bread slices and bagels without difficulty
Customers liked how it toasts bread and the customer who didn’t like how it performed received some kind of compensation from the manufacturers.
[/su_note]Biggest Drawback: Similar to the other small toaster included on the list, the main issue with this one is also uneven toasting. There are customers who said that their bread didn’t brown even after using the 6 levels of cooking while others said the toast became as hard as charcoal briquettes when on the second level. [/su_note]#3.AmazonBasics 2-Slice Extra-Wide Slot Toaster
The most advantageous thing about buying Amazon brands is the cost. They price all their products at a cheaper rate than their competitors because they own the selling platform. Having said that, the toaster oven is very affordable and it also performs very well.
Key Features
- Least expensive compact toaster
- Extra-lift handle prevents you from getting burnt
- Extra-wide slots for toasting bagels and thick slices of bread
Biggest Drawback: This unit has very many complaints from customers about uneven toasting, and like you already know, it’s not something new with small toasters.
The other thing that concerned customers is the chemical smell that comes out when the toaster is being used and it doesn’t go away even after several months of use. This may be because it is designed from plastic but it is pretty reliable given the price point. However, most people are concerned about their health given the smell it removes is both offensive and passive.
#4.iSiLER 2-Slice Toaster
This is one of the best small toaster ovens that is easy to clean and use. It includes some unique features making it a worthwhile investment even if its requirements might seem a bit basic when you come across it at first.
Most toasters come inclusive of multiple toasting capabilities to select from like reheat, defrost and cancel functions. The best thing about this unit is its energy-saving capabilities which will help you save some money on those monthly bills but you’ll be able to toast bread fast without becoming rock hard or drying out.
The power cord is extra-long which is great for easy cleaning since bread crumbs will not get dropped everywhere in the kitchen.
Key Features
- Easiest to clean toaster
- Extra-long power cord and removable crumb tray
- Available in yellow
#5.Panasonic FlashXpress Compact Toaster Oven
If you’re looking for the best small toaster that requires limited countertop space, then this is the perfect choice. This toaster will not only toast your bread, it will also bake your pizza, reheat your leftovers and grill very tasty hash browns making it the ideal kitchen appliance.
The Panasonic toaster oven is very efficient as it includes double infrared heating which you can use to cook a wide range of dishes within a short time.
Key Features
- Best small toaster oven in the market
- 2 quarts aa well as ceramic heating elements for reheating, toasting, defrosting and baking different types of food evenly
- Precise temperature control using 1300 watts of power
The above are the best small toasters for the money.