The 3 Best Compact And Small Toasters - Spring 2025

The best compact toaster we've tested is the Breville the 'A Bit More' 2 Slice. This 2-slot toaster is a higher-end option with a more compact design than some options, offering a comparable performance. This toaster offers a superb toasting performance, making evenly toasted bread batch after batch. It has a fantastic toasting range, so you can easily make golden-brown toast with sandwich bread and toast denser bread in a single cycle.

While it doesn't necessarily offer better performance than some cheaper options, you might find its extra features worth the extra money. Unlike most toasters, it has cycle countdown indicators so you know when your toast will be ready. Its 'A Bit More' button adds some time to the end of a toasting cycle, and the 'Lift and Look' feature lets you raise the slots without stopping the toasting cycle so you can check if it's ready.

Consider the Oster 2-Slice Toaster with Quick-Check Lever if you want a cheaper compact toaster. This toaster is a little thinner and shorter than our top budget pick, the Black+Decker, so it's a good option if saving space is your top priority. Its toasting range isn't quite as good as the Breville the 'A Bit More' 2 Slice's, and even the darkest shade setting may not be enough to properly brown denser bread in a single cycle.

However, it has seven shade settings, and you can use setting 6 to make golden-brown toast from white sandwich bread. It toasts more evenly than the Breville and performs consistently batch after batch. While it doesn't have cycle countdown indicators, it's particularly well-suited for smaller items since its slots are very shallow when raised, allowing you to grab something like an English muffin without burning yourself.

If you need more capacity in a compact package, try the Cuisinart 4 Slice Compact Plastic Toaster. It's in the name: this budget-friendly pick is smaller than other 4-slot models we've tested, so it's well-suited for kitchens without much free counter space. It has basic features, like 'Bagel' and 'Frozen' settings, plus a less common 'Reheat' setting, which is simply a shorter toasting cycle that lasts 25-30 seconds.

It has a fantastic toasting range, so it's well-suited for toasting anything from basic sandwich bread to denser homemade and bakery loaves. It does a good job of evenly toasting both sides of the bread. However, it tends to make darker toast after multiple batches, so you may need to adjust the setting if you're making a lot of toast. Also, while its shallow slots are good for smaller items, they aren't very deep when pushed down, and if your bread is much taller than standard sandwich bread, it might stick out the top.