1. The two basic types of toasters are the pop-up style and the conveyor style. With the wide range of colors and styles of toasters, chances are you'll find one to match your kitchen and other small appliances.
2. Consider your needs and your counter space when deciding between two-, four-, or six-slice models. Generally speaking, the larger the capacity of toaster, the more expensive it will be.
3. Traditional toasters offered thin slots for toasting slices of bread. Modern toasters often offer wide slots capable of toasting bagels and thick breads as well.
4. Some toasters have a wire "cage" with a handle that fits into each slot, allowing you to toast complete sandwiches. Special plastic bags for these "toasties" are available in most supermarkets.
5. Controls may range from simple manual dials to more sophisticated electronic sensors that will turn off the heated elements inside at a given "brownness" setting.
6. A manual ejector or cancel button is always useful for stopping toast from burning if it gets stuck or if the "brownness" level selected turns out to be too dark.
7. On a four-slice toaster, look for a feature called the "slot selector" that allows you to toast only two slices at a time if you don't want four.
8. Any good toaster should feature a crumb tray at the base that is easy to remove and clean.
9. Many toaster models have "cool touch" exteriors, which might be especially important to people with young children in the house.
10. Toasters are now available with defrosting and reheating functions, meaning you may find more uses for your toaster than ever before.
