Non-Toxic Toasters & Toaster Ovens: Stainless Options
Toasters seem simple, but a lot of them are mostly plastic and many toaster ovens have coated interiors. When ours died, I looked for stainless steel models that last, and for an easy way around the coated pans most toaster ovens come with.
A pop-up toaster is one of the lower-concern appliances in the kitchen: bread sits between bare heating wires and doesn't touch a coating. So the main goals here are a stainless steel body that holds up for years and, for toaster ovens, keeping food off coated pans.
What to look for
- Stainless or die-cast metal housing instead of a plastic shell that warms up near the slots.
- Wide slots if you toast bagels or homemade bread.
- Repairability. A toaster with replaceable parts can last decades.
- For toaster ovens: many have a nonstick-coated interior or crumb tray, and the included pan is often coated too. You can't avoid every coating, but you can bake in your own stainless or glass dish so food never touches it.
2-slice toasters
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Illustrative photos, not the actual products. Tap a photo to see that pick on Amazon.
Breville BTA820XL Die-Cast Smart Toaster, 2 Slice
A die-cast stainless body with wide slots and a motorized lift that lowers and raises the bread for you.
Why we picked these
- Breville BTA820XL Die-Cast Smart Toaster, 2 Slice Splurge 2-slice A die-cast stainless body with wide slots and a motorized lift that lowers and raises the bread for you. A long-lived toaster that handles bagels and thick homemade bread well. Worth knowing: The slots have the usual exposed heating wires and the crumb tray is metal, but the lever and buttons are plastic, as on nearly every toaster.
- Cuisinart 2-Slice Toaster with 1.5" Wide Slots, Stainless Steel Best value 2-slice A simple stainless toaster with extra-wide slots, six shade settings and defrost and reheat buttons. It's affordable, compact and has stayed popular for years.
- SMEG 2-Slice Toaster TSF01, Stainless Steel Retro design pick SMEG's retro toaster in brushed stainless, with six browning levels, defrost and reheat presets and a removable crumb tray. A good choice if the toaster lives on the counter and you want it to look nice.
- Dualit Classic 2-Slice NewGen Toaster, Stainless Steel Buy-it-for-life Hand built in the UK with replaceable heating elements, so when a part fails you can repair it instead of throwing the whole toaster away. Mechanical timer, steel body. Worth knowing: It's slow to toast compared with modern toasters, and it costs a lot. You're paying for repairability.
4-slice toasters
Illustrative photos, not the actual products. Tap a photo to see that pick on Amazon.
Cuisinart 4-Slice Toaster with Extra-Wide Slots, Stainless Steel
The four-slot version of the Cuisinart above, with independent controls for each pair of slots.
Why we picked these
- Cuisinart 4-Slice Toaster with Extra-Wide Slots, Stainless Steel Best value 4-slice The four-slot version of the Cuisinart above, with independent controls for each pair of slots. Handy when everyone wants toast at once.
- Breville BTA830XL Die-Cast Smart Toaster, 4 Slice Splurge 4-slice Four wide, long slots in a die-cast stainless body, plus Breville's motorized lift and 'a bit more' button. Fits long slices of sourdough.
- Elite Gourmet 4-Slice Long Slot Toaster Budget long-slot Two long 1.5-inch slots that take four slices or long artisan bread, with a built-in warming rack. A budget pick with a metal housing. Worth knowing: Check the listing for the color you choose. Some colors have more plastic trim than the stainless version.
- BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Toaster with Dual Shade Controls Cheapest 4-slice An inexpensive four-slot toaster with two separate shade controls and pull-out crumb trays. The bread slots are lined with metal like any toaster. Worth knowing: The body is mostly plastic. It doesn't touch your bread, but it's less durable than the stainless picks.
Almost every toaster has plastic levers and knobs. They don't touch your bread, so I don't worry about them.
Toaster ovens
Illustrative photos, not the actual products. Tap a photo to see that pick on Amazon.
Cuisinart TOB-1010 Toaster Oven Broiler, Stainless Steel
A straightforward stainless toaster oven for toast, small bakes and broiling.
Why we picked these
- Cuisinart TOB-1010 Toaster Oven Broiler, Stainless Steel Simple toaster oven A straightforward stainless toaster oven for toast, small bakes and broiling. Plain controls, nothing fancy. Worth knowing: Like most toaster ovens, the included pan and interior may be coated. Use your own stainless or glass pan to keep food off coatings.
- Breville BOV650XL Compact Smart Oven Best compact oven Breville's small countertop oven with smart heating elements that toast and bake evenly. A popular choice for families who want to skip heating the big oven. Worth knowing: The interior has a nonstick coating, which is common in toaster ovens. Bake in your own stainless or glass dish.
- Hamilton Beach Easy Reach 6-Slice Convection Toaster Oven Budget roll-top oven A roll-top door that slides up out of the way, which makes it easy to reach in on a small counter. Bake, broil, toast and convection. Worth knowing: Use your own small stainless pan or glass dish instead of the included pan if you're avoiding coatings.
- BLACK+DECKER TO3250XSBD 8-Slice Extra Wide Convection Toaster Oven Biggest capacity Fits a 12-inch pizza or a 9x13 pan, so it can stand in for a full oven on many nights. Convection fan, stainless finish. Worth knowing: The included bake pan may be coated. A 9x13 glass dish or stainless quarter sheet pan works great instead.
Bake and roast in an uncoated pan instead of the one in the box. A stainless quarter sheet pan or a small glass dish from our baking sheet guide fits most toaster ovens. Want crispy food too? See our PTFE-free air fryer guide.
Care tips
- Empty the crumb tray every week or two. Built-up crumbs smoke and can catch fire.
- Unplug before cleaning, and never put a fork or knife into the slots.
- Run a new toaster or toaster oven empty once, with a window open, to burn off the factory smell.
