I make toast often but I love to butter and then toast it. So I've always had a toaster oven and have never had an upright regular toaster.

I think this was the first time I've ever heard anyone question the reliability of a Breville product. I'd not hesitate to buy any of their products.

That said, we have a Caphelon toaster that's done a quite good job for us and a Cuisinart at our cabin that's been good.

We like our new Breville very much. I was just surprised to see negative reviews on the company's own website, that gave me pause. But after good reviews here, I went ahead and bought it.

When my Breville espresso maker quit much googling found out that the boiler has cheap plastic parts so when I bought my next one I looked for metal internal parts and ended up with a gaggia.

idk, I have always thought breville was very good too and I have a juicer by them.

Several years ago when it was time for me to get a new toaster oven I looked long and hard at the Breville but eventually decided I didn't want it on the countertop and then ended up with a lightweight cheapie kept on a tray and put away after I make toast which is only every couple days anyway

You all got me thinking about toasters, so i went on a little toaster hunting expedition. For those who like touch screen, this one looked cool and supposedly toasts FAST.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086H69SJ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_T3S4KYYV8P50HQGNB6Y3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Just so you know, you all are a bunch of enables. After reading all the positive comments about Breville toasters, I ordered the Die Cast Smart Toaster 2 Slice from Sur la Table. Oh my! Bagels are so much better! DH was even impressed. I mentioned it to a friend and she has a Breville coffeemaker. She said it makes the best coffee.

Allison, same here! I found the reviews on SLT so much better than on Breville's own site. I love the features that allow you to peek at the progress without interrupting the timing and the one that lets you add a bit more time without starting over. Finally a bagel setting that works!

My toasters have always lived on the counter and this one looks good there. I've never understood the nothing on the counter policy. I don't like a cluttered, messy counter, but it's a working room and a toaster is one of the tools that belongs there.

Too funny, Bunny. I haven't had small appliances out in the kitchen for 27yrs... until now. I do not/didin't like seeing them, and they were always handy (walk-in pantry, pull-out in a pantry cabinet). The pantry in our new house is a reach in, so no room. For some reason having the toaster and coffeemaker out isn't bothering me here.

I'm still loving my Breville toaster, worth every penny.

Today I took a brioche hamburger bun out of the freezer. I wanted it toasted on the cut side only. Clicked the Bagel setting, but not the Frozen, since I didn't want to be heavy handed. These brioche buns tend to over-brown way too easily. I did one Lift and Look, and it was perfection. Hit the master button and buttered my bun.

This is a dandy toaster.

I agree, we love ours. Makes me wonder how many cheap ones I wasted my money on over the years.

Disappointed. My new Breville toaster has started doing this each and every time. Set on 1. This isn't even the whole timed setting. I emailed them and have not heard a word.

Allison, is the toaster keeping the bagel (and other items as well?) down until it gets this brown on #1 setting? That's not good.

I still love my Breville, but it's not perfect. It toasts both sides far better than the Cuisinarts in my past, but not always evenly on each side.

A lot of companies are closed for all or most purposes now and may lt reply until after the first of the year. I would wait and reach out again if you have not heard. I would also unplug the toaster when not in use. I remember a person who had their NYC apt burn because of a malfunctioning appliance -- either a toaster or a mixer. I don't usually unplug, but if it is acting strangely I think I would.

Have you had any power surges or big thunderstorms with a lot of lightening that you know of lately? Any chance your bagels are drier than usual? I do notice that it takes longer to toast the first slice of a loaf than it will in the middle or at the end as the bread dries out a bit. I freeze bagels so I don't see it with them so much.

Yes, Bunny. But the bagel in that photo did not stay down for the entire time. DH just toasted a bagel and left it down for the entire timer and it is not quite as toasted as the photo bagel.

Thanks, Lascatx. Didn't think of them being closed, but that makes sense.

No power surges, plus we have a surge protection device at our meter installed by the power company. Bagels are fresh.

That's my problem with Breville products. They work great until they don't anymore, and then the company is totally unresponsive.

The company actually emailed me this morning, asking for batch number, copy of receipt (ordered online from SLT so easy to get) and photo or video of problem. Also asked for my complete address. Hopefully resolved quickly.

Hopefully they'll take care of it promptly. One of our Breville's stopped working after 2 years and they replaced it without question.

Allison -- glad you heard from them and hope it is soon resolved to your satisfaction.

After several emails with my Breville customer service rep, she gave me the option to send in the broken toaster to get a replacement or do a Ship in Advance and keep current toaster until the new one arrives (opted for this so we can use, unplugging after each use and fire extinguisher is nearby).

After posting here, I realized the setting is different sometimes, as in this photo. Lever is all the way to the left in both photos. Obviously some kind of malfunction.

Correct vs Incorrect Lights/Toaster Setting

It does look and sound like something in the settings control has gone bad. Glad you will be getting a replacement.

I recently bought a SMEG 4-slicer. It has 2 slots but fits 4 slices. We like it a lot. Mine is black to match my Lacanche range. ( Because JTerrilynn told me I need more black in the kitchen.) : )

It replaced a 20+ yr old Dualit. I also have Dualit in my beachhouse.

I've had this Zwilling toaster in matte black for a few months now. I have been happy with it. I was looking for one that was slim and doesn't stick out from the wall too much.

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/zwilling-2-slice-toaster/?bvstate=pg:9/ct:r&Kenshoo=kenshoo_clickid&cm_ven=NonBrandSearch&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=NonBrand_Search_DSA&cm_ite=&gclid=CjwKCAiAlfqOBhAeEiwAYi43FwiCgSlOAY-VlzeO5aWwllDxXfIP4-aO8EGiKpMhIHvHgHlNVhH9xhoCQ2cQAvD_BwE

I had a Dualit and hated it. I loved the look of it at the time. I know most people love them, but it was a PITA. I probably had a lemon. I could not get it to toast evenly on both slices. ever.

My Breville is letting me down. I opened a customer service action with them this morning. Luckily I have a couple of months left in my 1-year warranty.

It toasts bagels to perfection.

But it doesn't do both sides well, at all. Lately it's been toasting the inner side (i.e., bagel) 2/3 of the way down and the outer side basically not at all. My old Cuisinart can do that for less than a quarter of the price of a Breville.

It's a beautiful toaster and I love the peek and extra time functions, but if it can't toast a piece of bread evenly on both sides, then we have a problem.

I have a Smeg and love it. It toasts evenly and consistently, and has big slots. I really love their "defrost" button. We often freeze our bread and it toasts perfectly straight out of the freezer.

Seattle, does it do bagels well? At the price, it should do everything well. It's even more than a Breville, which I think is plenty $$ to pay for a toaster.

Bunny, I'm sorry your Breville is letting you down. Mine is older and still going strong. Used it earlier today. I wonder if there has been a supply or quality issue of late -- like so many things. It is really disappointing you and Allison have both had issues, but I'm glad you have warranty left. I do hope you get a replacement that will keep you happy MUCH longer.

@Allison0704 can you give us an update on your Breville? Did the new one arrive and is it working well? Did you have to cover the cost of shipping the old one back to them?

@Bunny It arrived and I returned the old one without issues. They sent me a prepaid return label. The new toaster seems to be working fine, although we are not buying bagels as often so I have not used as much.

ETA: I did the Ship in Advance, which meant I kept the old toaster until the new one arrived. They require a $79 credit card charge, but it rolled off as soon as the damaged toaster was returned.

Allison, thanks for the update. I haven't heard back from Breville yet, although I do have a case number so I know I'm in the system. In anticipation of a photo request I toasted a couple of slices of bread, one commercial, one I baked myself (ugh, it wasn't very good). The commercial bread actually toasted better than the one I baked. There's an overall unevenness to the toasting but the biggest problem is the bottom (edge that goes in first) isn't browning at all. I think with bagels and hamburger buns the round shape isn't a large enough canvas to show the skips and misses.

Seattle, does it do bagels well?

Personally, I think it does.

Update: I'm doing Ship in Advance as Allison posted about. I've been working with a very nice Customer Service person and she's been great. They didn't ask for photos, just to report back how the elements were heating for regular bread and on the bagel setting. The bagel setting is perfect. However, when it's just regular toast, the inner elements (bagel) don't light up, and the outer elements are only about 50% lit.

This toaster was pretty perfect when I first got it, but that didn't last long. Hopefully the replacement will be better.

I hope so too, Bunny.

Will do - thanks Sushi

The replacement is due to arrive today. In the meantime, I toasted some plain bread. The inner side (where the elements don't light up) toasted beautifully, but the outer side (50% lit) toasted spottily. Go figure. It makes no sense.

I bought a die cast Breville toaster for my daughter in September of 2021 through the big A company and it has recently started toasting on one side only. For those of you who have gotten a replacement, was your toaster less than a year old?

Yes, mine was less than a year old. The replacement is working fine.

i will call Breville this week, but am concerned that it being past the year date I may be out of luck. That's a lot of money to pay for a toaster that goes wonky that quickly.

Do call them. Mine must be 5 years old and gets regular use. I would also suggest that she look up her purchase history and verify whether it was sold by Amazon or a third party. A lot of companies will say, "Well, if you got it on Amazon, ya never know what you are getting.....yada, yada." But if the seller is Amazon or another known company, she might have better luck than if the seller sounds like a bargain outlet or reseller.

I purchased the toaster as a gift for my daughter and I did buy directly from Amazon-not a third party. The history is there when I put that toaster in my Amazon search. I will call Breville and go from there. Crossing my fingers!

@lizbeth-gardener Yes, mine ws less than a year old. The replacement has been fine.

We find the bagel setting to be useless (we want bagels toasted on both sides). we just use the regular setting.

Jojoco -- I love the bagel setting, especially since it works -- unlike another one we used to have. BUt the good thing is -- you don't have to use it. Also love the little more/30 seconds setting.

lascatx, I agree, the bagel setting is fantastic. If you watch closely, it works great for brioche hamburger buns. They brown nicely on the cut side, but very quickly. Don't walk away. I love the Little More and the Peek function that lets you check on the bread without interrupting the cycle. I am convinced that no toaster is perfect, but this is pretty darn close.

Agree. We just need Lizbeth to be able to join us. It will have to be Breville stepping up and not letting the fan club down. ;-)

I was busy this morning and since they are PST (CA) tried calling after lunch. At 2pm they had taken their quota of calls for the day, so I opened a case and will await their response.

Sorry you have to wait, but at least you have a start. Hope for better news soon.

At 2pm they had taken their quota of calls for the day,

What does this say about the company when they get their quota by 2pm? Also, I've never heard of this when dealing with customer service.

Allison, I believe it means they, like so many companies are operating short handed, reduced hours and not providing the customer service we are used to. They are not alone, many US companies are limiting CS to email or chat during business hours and sometimes no one is home even then. Also, Breville is an Australian company and they may be providing CS on their hours. NT's 2 pm would be 6 am in Sydney -- not yet normal business hours and that quota was very possibly the close of calls the day before.

Gotcha. FWIW, all of my correspondence was via email. It was an easy process.

lascatx, that's good to know. I wasn't aware it was an Australian company. I thought it was strange that they had a quota on calls and chat was offline also.