Verdict
Head-to-head · Best Toasters

Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster vs Cuisinart Classic Metal Two-Slice Toaster

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.1 vs 2.8). The gap is mostly about large households needing 4-slice capacity with smart features — read the strengths below before deciding.

Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster
Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Toasters
Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster
6 sources$249.95as of Sep 1

The Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster offers substantial capacity and versatile settings that allow users to toast different types of bread simultaneously. Its auto-lift and lower feature, along with a sleek design, make it appealing for large households. However, reviewers noted inconsistent performance and questioned whether its 'smart' designation is justified, especially given its premium price point.

Strengths
  • Good capacity with four wide slots suitable for thick slices of bread
  • Can use different settings simultaneously for toasting multiple items
  • Auto-lower and lift function for convenient operation
Watch-outs
  • Lacks consistency in toasting performance
  • Expensive compared to non-smart alternatives
Cuisinart Classic Metal Two-Slice Toaster
Ranked #8 in Best Toasters
Cuisinart Classic Metal Two-Slice Toaster
5 sourcesall derived$39.95as of Sep 1

The Cuisinart CPT-160 offers a clean, modern aesthetic that fits well in contemporary kitchens, with simple controls and multiple toasting functions including defrost and bagel modes. However, reviewers noted below-average bread toasting performance with inconsistencies and poor frozen food handling. While it provides reasonable functionality at a low price point, better-performing alternatives exist for those seeking superior toast quality. The toaster's basic design and features make it suitable for users prioritizing appearance and ease of use over peak performance.

Strengths
  • Clean, modern aesthetic with stainless steel and black painted steel design
  • Simple and familiar interface with intuitive controls and mode buttons that light up
  • Effective defrost function for thawing and toasting frozen bread
Watch-outs
  • Relatively poor bread toasting performance with inconsistencies and white areas near crust
  • Flimsy lever and lack of weight in the unit affect usability

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster

The Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster offers more capacity than the Breville BTA820XL Smart Toaster but suffers from inconsistent performance and a higher price point. Unlike the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore toaster, it lacks the touchscreen interface and special settings for bagels and gluten-free breads. Compared to the Cuisinart CPT-142, it has better build quality but lacks the dual independent controls that make the CPT-142 more versatile for multitasking.

Cuisinart Classic Metal Two-Slice Toaster

The Cuisinart CPT-160 is significantly less effective than the Breville BTA820XL in terms of toasting quality, with inconsistent results and poor frozen food handling. While it shares similar aesthetics with the Breville BTA720XL, the CPT-160's flimsy lever and poor bread toasting performance make it a less desirable choice. Unlike the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore toaster, it lacks the touchscreen interface but offers more basic functionality at a lower price point.

Specs side-by-side

SpecBreville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart ToasterCuisinart Classic Metal Two-Slice Toaster
Slots41.5" - wide toasting slots
MaterialDie-cast aluminumStainless steel and black painted steel
Dimensions7.5 x 11.7 x 11.2 inches10.75"L x 7.13"W x 7.13"H
FeaturesA Bit More, Lift and Look, Bagel, FrozenDefrost, bagel, reheat modes
Slices42
FunctionsA Bit More, Lift and Look, Bagel, FrozenToast, Bagel, Defrost, Reheat
SettingsVariable browning control6-Setting browning dials
Operation1-touch loweringExtra-lift carriage lever
Browning SettingsVariable6-Setting browning dials
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