Mueller UltraToast 4 Slice Review

The Mueller UltraToast toaster is a good choice for large families or gatherings where frozen foods are the snack of choice. It boasts four toasting slots, however, it has an interface that is not as intuitive as we would like.

Bread Toasting

The Mueller does okay when toasting bread, but has a few quirks. On the low setting, patches of light golden browning show up primarily in the lower corners of each slice, while the tops remain soft and nearly white. This uneven toasting pattern stems from an unusual design choice — the slots don't quite accommodate two standard bread slices side by side without them slightly overlapping in the center. This overlap actually creates an interesting effect where the center portions get closer to the heating elements, resulting in better browning in those areas while leaving the overlapped sections feeling soft and underdone.

The medium setting produces more acceptable results, with the bottom two-thirds of each slice achieving a pleasant golden color, though the top third remains noticeably lighter. This gradient effect might appeal to those who like variety in their toast texture, but it falls short of the even browning we expect from top-performing toasters.

On the high setting, a dark brown coloring is present across most of the bread surface, except for those areas where slices overlap. Interestingly, the Mueller worked wonders when we tested thicker artisan bread slices on the same settings. The thicker slices fit better in the slots without overlapping, and the resulting toast showed much more even browning. This explains the manufacturer's apparent design choice — this toaster clearly performs better with substantial, thick-cut breads rather than standard sandwich bread.

Bagel Toasting

The Mueller UltraToast doesn't include a dedicated bagel function, so we used the regular medium setting. It wasn't able to provide the one-sided toasting that a dedicated bagel setting provides. However, the toaster's performance with standard two-sided bagel toasting works better than you'd expect.

The wide slots easily accommodate oversized bagels, and the heating elements evenly brown the cut surfaces. Frozen bagels, in particular, toast exceptionally well, emerging with crispy exteriors and properly warmed interiors. The lack of a bagel-specific setting means you'll need to experiment to find your preferred darkness level, but once dialed in, the results are consistently good.

Frozen Waffle Toasting

The Mueller UltraToast truly shines with frozen food. Despite not having a specific frozen setting, this toaster consistently outperforms many competitors. We tested various heat levels to find the sweet spot, which turned out to be between medium and medium-high.

The waffles emerge with perfectly crispy exteriors that hold up well to syrup and butter, while maintaining fluffy, thoroughly heated interiors. We tested both standard frozen waffles and thicker Belgian-style varieties, and both types came out beautifully. The even heating that eluded us with regular bread seemed to work perfectly with the uniform thickness and frozen state of waffles. Multiple test cycles confirmed this wasn't a fluke — the Mueller simply excels at frozen breakfast foods.

Ease of Use

The Mueller UltraToast 4 Slice is a mixed bag when it comes to daily usability. The touch-screen control panel is modern-looking, but it is less intuitive than traditional buttons or dials, and can overcomplicate a process that should be extremely simple. During busy morning routines, we found ourselves having to actually pay attention to the controls, whereas we have the drill memorized with physical buttons. The smooth surface makes cleaning easier, but the trade-off in usability might not be worth it for everyone.

The crumb tray slides out easily from the side of the toaster, though we noticed crumbs tend to accumulate in the corners due to the slot design. The tray itself is adequately sized, but you will need to empty it more frequently than other models. The stainless steel exterior looks sleek but shows fingerprints readily and, as mentioned, gets surprisingly hot during use — hot enough that we'd caution against placing it under low cabinets or in tight spaces.

Speed-wise, the Mueller is one of the slowest toasters we have used. It takes a little over three minutes to toast two slices on medium. The lack of separate controls for each pair of slots means you can't simultaneously toast bread on one side and bagels on the other at different settings — a feature we appreciate in other four-slice models. For large families with varied breakfast preferences, this limitation could be annoying.

On the upside, the extra-long slots accommodate items that simply won't fit in standard toasters. We successfully toasted homemade sourdough slices, long pieces of artisan bread, and even hand-cut Texas toast without any portion sticking out of the top.

Should You Consider Buying the Mueller UltraToast 4 Slice?

The Mueller UltraToast makes sense for households that regularly toast frozen breakfast items or prefer thick-cut artisan breads over standard sandwich bread. Its exceptional performance with frozen waffles and ability to accommodate oversized bread slices sets it apart from many competitors. If you can overlook the touch screen interface and single control panel limitation, you will find solid value here. However, those seeking perfectly even standard toast or who need the flexibility of independent slot controls should look elsewhere.

What Other Toaster Should You Consider?