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Smeg 2-Slice Review

The perfect choice, particularly if you're a bagel fan and love unique design
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Smeg 2-Slice Review
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Price:  $200 List
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Manufacturer:   Smeg
By Max Mutter and Steven Tata  ⋅  Jul 1, 2024
82
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 12
  • Bread Toasting Quality - 35% 9.0
  • Ease of Use - 35% 7.5
  • Bagel Toasting Quality - 15% 8.0
  • Frozen Food - 15% 8.0

Our Verdict

The brightly colored, throwback styling of the Smeg 2-Slice makes it an attractive kitchen appliance on any countertop, but this thing has more than just looks. It led the scoresheet in almost every one of our testing metrics. This top-ranked toaster made the most evenly toasted and delectable toast, blew us away with bagels so good that mere words can't do them justice, and served up frozen waffles so good that we didn't mind eating them with fake maple syrup. This performance made it one of our absolute favorites. The Smeg certainly isn't cheap, and it doesn't have the fancy leverless technology of the other high-end models, but if you want the best toast and something that looks like it was designed by someone that went to RISD, then the Smeg is for you.
REASONS TO BUY
Great toasting performance
Incredible bagels
Stylish looks
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Editor's Note: This toasty review was updated on July 1, 2024, after being retested.

Compare to Similar Products

 
smeg 2-slice
This Product
Smeg 2-Slice
Awards Top Pick Award
Best Splurge
Editors' Choice Award
Best for Most People
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Top Pick Award
Best for Bagels
Top Pick Award
Best for Toast and Long Slot
Price $200 List
$199.95 at Amazon
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Amazon$130 List
$119.99 at Amazon
$70 List
$34.99 at Amazon
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Bottom Line The best bar none, particularly if you're a bagel aficionadoOverall this toaster brings to the table a strong performance, is compact, and budget-friendlyAt the lower end of quality, but a budget-friendly option that worksA good solution in-between a traditional toaster and a toaster oven for limited spacesImpressive performance at a low prices makes this a compelling 4-slice model
Rating Categories Smeg 2-Slice Cuisinart CPT-122 Black+Decker 2-Slic... Ninja ST100 Foodi 2... Elite Gourmet ECT-3100
Bread Toasting Quality (35%)
9.0
8.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
Ease of Use (35%)
7.5
8.2
6.6
6.0
6.4
Bagel Toasting Quality (15%)
8.0
5.0
6.0
10.0
5.0
Frozen Food (15%)
8.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
Specs Smeg 2-Slice Cuisinart CPT-122 Black+Decker 2-Slic... Ninja ST100 Foodi 2... Elite Gourmet ECT-3100
Functions Bagel
Frozen
Reheat
Cancel
Bagel
Defrost
Reheat
Cancel
Bagel
Frozen
Cancel
Bagel
Defrost
Cancel
Bake
Broil
Reheat
Defrost
Reheat
Cancel
Measured Slot Dimensions 5.7 x 4.75" 5.4 x 4.25" 5.4 x 4.75" 10.2 x 6" 9.8 x 4"
Measured Dimensions 12.7" x 7.7" x 7.6" 6.5" x 11" x 7.2" 7.3" x 12" x 8" 16.2" x 6.4" x 8.5" 14.7" x 7.1" x 7.7"
Measured Weight 5.2 Ibs 2.6 Ibs 2.6 Ibs 8.6 lbs 4.3 lbs
Measured External Surface Temperature During Toasting 96.2 F 84.9 F 101.2 F 104.7 F 96.8 F
Measured Product Footprint 97.8 71.5 87.6 103.7 104.4
Measured Watts 990 W 935 W 885 W 1440 W 1339 W
End of Cycle Indicator None None None Beep None
Exterior Housing Material Coated Steel Plastic Plastic Stainless Steel Stainless Steel
Color/Finish Options Cream, Red, White (Matte and Glossy), Black (Matte and Glossy, Chrome, Steel, Rose Gold, Pastel Blue, Pink, Pastel Green, Emerald Green White, Red, Black Black Stainless Steel Black Plastic/Stainless
Standard/Long Slot Standard Standard Standard Long Long
Available with Long Slot? Yes No No Yes Yes
Available in 4 slot? No No Yes No No
Model Number TSF01PBUS CPT-122 T2569B ST100 ECT-3100

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Smeg is a two-slice toaster that excels across the board. It reliably makes evenly toasted bread and has modes for frozen items and bagels. The interface is quick and easy to use, and the multiple color options allow it to fit in with various styles. Read on to find out how the Smeg fared in each of the individual tests compared to other toasters in our kitchen appliance testing.

Performance Comparison


The Smeg 2-Slice is straightforward to use and makes some of the best toast.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Bread Toasting Quality


The Smeg 2-Slice impressed us with its near-perfect bread-toasting capabilities. This result put it a good bit ahead of the worst-performing model.


The toast that the Smeg produced in our best toaster review testing was nearly perfect, with nice crisp outsides that yielded slightly softer insides as we bit through them. Bread faces were toasted almost perfectly even, with just a hint of a cold spot towards the bottom of most slices. Additionally, the Smeg could produce everything from just lightly browned toast to blackened all around. So whether you like to make your toast with a delicate touch or a heavy hand, the Smeg has you covered.

smeg 2-slice - the smeg made the best, most even toast in our testing.
The Smeg made the best, most even toast in our testing.
Credit: steven tata

Ease of Use


The Smeg has a simple, easy-to-use interface and is a solid performer for the metric.


The Smeg has six shade settings that are selected using a knob on the front of the toaster. Within the knob is a prominent 'Stop' button for when you want to cancel the toasting cycle.

smeg 2-slice - the smeg has a simple heating dial and a large 'stop' button just in...
The Smeg has a simple heating dial and a large 'stop' button just in case you decide to end the cycle early. Meanwhile, the two additional buttons are for defrosting and bagel modes.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Two buttons on either side of the knob let you turn on the bagel and defrost modes. Both of these buttons light up to indicate which mode is on. The lever feels solid and can easily be engaged. We wish you could use the lever to push items a bit further out of the slots, but alas, you cannot. This design can make it difficult to get short items out of the toaster, but generally, it is not a problem. The crumb tray is sturdy, easy to clean, and has a push to release latch that secures it in place.

smeg 2-slice
Credit: steven tata

Bagel Toasting Quality


The Smeg was nothing short of a revelation in our bagel testing. It earned a rare perfect score, well ahead of the low score (excluding models that can't toast bagels).


The Smeg took plain old grocery store bagels and turned them into mouthwatering ambrosia in our testing. The toasted faces were almost perfectly even, and the backsides were nice and warm but remained doughy and chewy. Slap on some cream cheese, and you've got a spectacular, indulgent breakfast. This slot toaster is the only one we've found that can make better bagels than a toaster oven and is the only model we'd suggest to the pickiest of bagel aficionados.

Consider a top-rated toaster oven if your toasting needs vary in size and shape or level of coldness.

smeg 2-slice - the smeg toasted bagels so evenly we almost couldn't believe our...
The Smeg toasted bagels so evenly we almost couldn't believe our eyes, but our taste buds confirmed the exceptional quality.
Credit: steven tata

Frozen Food/Defrosting Qaulity


The Smeg was one of the top scorers in our frozen food testing. We threw frozen bread, waffles, and strudels at it, all ending up excellently toasted.


The Smeg maintained its high toasting quality when preparing frozen slices of bread, still producing stellar toast. It also met all the challenges associated with toasting frozen waffles. It made the waffle pockets nice and crispy and perfectly browned the ridges, all without burning a single square inch. Our only complaint was that the defrost button didn't seem to add that much time to the cycle, so we often had to adjust the shade setting up a bit when making frozen items. This issue is certainly not a deal-breaker but was a slight annoyance to some of our testers.

smeg 2-slice - the toaster is heavier than others, but it takes up a fairly small...
The toaster is heavier than others, but it takes up a fairly small amount of space on the counter.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Should You Buy the Smeg 2-Slice?


The Smeg 2-Slice offers top-notch performance, and Paris runway quality looks at a correspondingly high price. Those not concerned with aesthetics could get nearly the same performance for less money with some competitors. The Smeg 2-Slice is on the extreme high end of the price spectrum, but this price feels worth it if you covet quality and stylish design. If you're after a sleek look with its many different colors and finishes, the Smeg might be for you.

What Other Toaster Should You Consider?


The Ninja ST100 Foodi 2-in-1 Flip Toaster takes a unique approach to a toster. On its side, it is a toaster oven, while upright, it is a traditional toaster. It isn't the best performer, but it makes an excellent bagel and can even handle chicken nuggets. If you're not fussed with aesthetics and just want a good piece of toast, the Cuisinart CPT-122 is a better value and one of our favorites.

Max Mutter and Steven Tata