Smeg 2-Slice Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
This Product Smeg 2-Slice | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Awards | Best Splurge | Best for Most People | Best Bang for the Buck | Best for Bagels | Best for Toast and Long Slot |
Price | $200 List $199.95 at Amazon | Check Price at Amazon | Check Price at Amazon | $130 List $119.99 at Amazon | $70 List $34.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | The best bar none, particularly if you're a bagel aficionado | Overall this toaster brings to the table a strong performance, is compact, and budget-friendly | At the lower end of quality, but a budget-friendly option that works | A good solution in-between a traditional toaster and a toaster oven for limited spaces | Impressive 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%) | |||||
Ease of Use (35%) | |||||
Bagel Toasting Quality (15%) | |||||
Frozen Food (15%) | |||||
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.