On the surface, the yearning for nostalgia makes old-fashioned design so appealing. For people who love the retro design, however, there is more to the style than attachments for fond memories, hence the rise in popularity of retro-designed appliances. A retro style toaster, for example, delivers the perfect blend between classic charm that visually stands out in any modern kitchen counter and the innovative features that makes a simple kitchen gadget even more functional.
Many good retro toasters today don’t only have toasting slots for two bread slices; they can also be used for toasting bagels and bagel slices, thicker bread slices, English muffins, waffles, to warm pastries, or even hotdogs! You can even choose different browning levels for your bread. Some even have defrost setting that lets you defrost frozen bread. How cool is that?
If you are searching for the perfect retro toaster to complete your kitchen décor, then you are in the right place. Here’s the best retro toaster list you can find on the internet.
10 Best Retro Toaster to Add to Your Wishlist
1. Frigidaire 2 Slice Toaster, Retro Style (Best Value)
The brand has been around for more than 100 years, and while they were originally known for making exceptionally reliable refrigerators, they have since branched out as an all-around home appliance company to accommodate the growing and changing needs of consumers.
Frigidaire’s retro style two-slice toaster has remained true to its name – classic design and high performance. Rated 4.7 stars on Amazon, this 900-watt retro toaster has two extra-wide toasting slots designed to accommodate thick bread slices, bagel halves, or even English muffins, among others. It is available in three classic colors (red, white, and black) to suit your kitchen’s theme.
This toaster also has three different settings (cancel, reheat, and defrost), and five adjustable browning settings, allowing you to choose the best shade of toast. It has cord storage and a removable crumb tray for easy cleanup.
Toasting wise, it toasts very evenly. It doesn’t beep or ding, it just pops the bread out. Weighing 4.39 lbs., the stainless steel body feels looks bulky, substantial, and sturdy. It is ETL certified for quality and safety.
2. Smeg 2-Slice Toaster Matte Champagne (Premium Pick)
If you are a fan of Italian design, then this one is for you. Smeg has a reputation for being a luxury brand. Its slogan even says – technology with style. And this is pretty apparent in their cookers, dishwashers, hobs, ovens, fridges, and small appliances.
Sporting a striking mid-century-inspired retro style design, Smeg’s 2slice toaster is easily one of the most beautiful retro toasters out there. This isn’t surprising, since this particular toaster is designed by some of the best architects in the world.
As with most toasters in this list, this one has two-extra wide slots to accommodate a wide range of bread. It also has six browning settings for precise toasting. The backlit chrome knob completes the retro look and functionality and has four options (cancel, bagel, reheat, and defrost). There is also a self-centering rack to hold your toasts upright for even toasting, and a removable crumb tray for easy cleaning.
The toaster weighs 5 lbs., and is available in five vintage color options; chrome, matte champagne, gold, rose gold, and pastel green. All of which look chic and unique; any of these colors can blend in nicely with any countertop. All color options are made with stainless steel underneath with powder-coated rich enamel finishes for a more chic touch and durability.
3. Mueller Retro Toaster (Budget Pick)
Mueller proves that you do not have to spend big to get a good-looking retro toaster in your kitchen. The brand specializes in home appliances and kitchen products and has established its name as a maker of reliable, efficient, and affordable home appliances.
The Mueller Retro Toaster sports a simple but beautiful 1950s styling – its sleek style and glossy texture, along with chic color options gives the toaster a nice punch of color on any kitchen countertop.
Build-wise, the toaster is nice and compact; it doesn’t take up a lot of space on your countertop and has an under-base cord wrap for easy and neat storage. This makes it a good choice for small spaces. It has two suction feet to keep everything stable. Functionality-wise, it toasts very evenly. The straightforward design allows easy operation. It has three basic functions (cancel, defrost, and reheat). There is also a handy and nicely-tucked slide-out crumb tray for effortless cleaning.
Another great thing about the brand is its 24/7 live phone customer support.
4. REDMOND 4 Slice Toaster Retro Stainless Steel Toasters
If you are looking for a nostalgia toaster that can toast up to four slices of bread at a time, then this one is for you. It is a great time-saver, perfect for the whole family.
REDMOND 4 slice retro toaster features a couple of high lift levers to complete the vintage look. The toaster itself is made of an 18/8 food-grade stainless steel body for superb quality and safety. The toasting slots are extra-wide, allowing a wide variety of food to be toasted, from bagels, muffins, and waffles. It is also one of the few ones out there that offer an anti-overheat protection feature.
It has six browning settings, which lets you choose from light to dark toast shades. The levers also pop up automatically as soon as your toast is ready. It also has two removable crumb trays for easy cleaning.
This toaster is available in six different color options, beige, cameo green, dark green, red, white, and probably the most popular color – pink.
5. BUYDEEM DT620 2-Slice Toaster
Buydeem claimed that their DT620 2-slice toaster is the bagel and muffin expert, as it has extra-wide toasting slots that can toast bread up to 1.4 inches wide. This toaster has a true bagel toasting function that allows it to heat up bagels on both sides before toasting, giving you a crisp and perfectly toasted bagel.
It has five basic functions (with LED indicators) and offers seven browning controls for precision toasting.
This retro toaster is available in three colorways: mellow yellow, cozy greenish, and stainless steel. It is small and compact, leaving you with more space to work on your kitchen countertop. There is also a simple pull-out crumb tray and cord storage for easy cleaning and storage.
6. Bear Toaster, Toaster 2 Slice
Bear 2-slice toaster is another good quality retro toaster that doesn’t break the bank. Made with stainless steel, this toaster bakes and toasts quite evenly. Its colorful shell doesn’t only look good, but it is also super functional as it is durable, easy to clean, and has anti-rust properties, allowing the toaster to keep its vintage vibe for years to come.
The extra-wide slots of this toaster allow it to accommodate bread up to 1.5 inches wide. It also comes with retractable pallets that are perfect for thin or thick bread and an extra baking rack that fits on the top to keep your bread warm.
The toaster has three function buttons; bagels, defrost and cancel. Choosing the bagel function allows you to make and get your bagel ready in one simple step. The defrost button, of course, allows quick defrosting and warming of frozen bread. And the cancel, well, obviously, it lets you abort the toasting anytime you want. Any mode can toast both sides of the bread evenly.
7. Brentwood Appliances Cool-Touch 2-Slice Retro Toaster
The Brentwood brand is another well-established and superbly affordable brand in the home and kitchen appliances market that has made its way into retro design styling. This 2-slice retro toaster may not have all the bells and whistles that are found in the other brands on this list, but it is more than enough to do the job.
Available in black and blue, this toaster has everything you need for a good morning toast; 7 browning settings that work pretty much like a toasting timer, auto-centering guides for even toasting, and a crumb tray for easy cleaning. The toasting slots are also wide to accommodate thicker bread slices such as bagels, artisan bread, waffles, and more. Weighing only 2 lbs., the toaster is small and compact, perfect for tiny kitchens.
8. Hazel Quinn Retro Stainless Steel Toaster
Hazel Quinn brand specializes in making retro and era-inspired designs that pop in any kitchen. Their products are not just mere appliances, they are works of art.
Hazel Quinn retro stainless steel toaster is probably the best retro toaster on this list when it comes to styling – it absolutely captures the sophisticated style of the 60s and 70s. It is amazing, in both looks and function – it heats up pretty quick and looks amazing on any countertop.
Design-wise, this toaster just completes the look, from the shape of its body, beautiful pain finish, lever, aluminum finish accents, analog dial indicator, and of course, the logo.
The high lift lever feels smooth to press. It pops up automatically after the toast is finished.
The retro dial indicator is definitely its biggest selling point – there is nothing more retro than this detail. It has six shade settings for your preferred browning to allow you to customize your toast. The reheat and cancel functions ensure you won’t be overcooking any bread.
The toasting slot is 1.5 inches wide, more than enough to hold and toast bread of various thicknesses. It toasts quite evenly and has a self-centering function to guarantee even toasting for both sides.
The removable crumb tray at the bottom allows easy cleaning, while the built-in cord wrap lets you wrap the cord underneath for easy and space-saving storage. Weighing 4.5 lbs., the entire body and material used feels substantial and well-built.
9. Nostalgia RTOS200AQ New and Improved Retro Wide 2-Slice Toaster
Nostalgia is another brand that specializes in retro-style appliances (it’s pretty obvious in their name). They actually have a wide range of kitchen appliances and specialty products, from popcorn makers, cotton candy makers, hotdog toasters, ice cream makers, and many more.
Their RTOS200AQ 2-slice toaster may be compact and light, but it is equipped with a couple of extra-wide toasting slots that can accommodate bagel halves, thick bread slices, English muffins, and more. It has five browning levels that let you choose the preferred doneness of your toast, and lighted control buttons (bagel, defrost, cancel) that are super easy to use. The bagel function automatically adjusts the toasting time, to give your perfectly toasted bagel and English muffin.
It also has a slide-out crumb tray for easy cleaning. This toaster is available in five different colors; turquoise, red, black, and white.
10. Oster® Retro 2-Slice Toaster
Oster is easily one of the most recognizable kitchen appliance brands out there. While they are best known for their blenders and juicers, and small food preparation appliances, they also have a wide range of quality countertop ovens and toasters. Their products are commonly found in both residential and commercial kitchens, which should give you enough idea of their quality and reliability.
In terms of aesthetics, this toaster stayed true to its retro form. The chrome finish of the buttons, knobs, and levers, and the alternate ridges and grooves really make an elegant and classic combination.
Their Oster retro 2-slice toaster is another testament to the brand’s quality. Available in white, black, blue, and red colors, this retro toaster looks absolutely chic on any countertop.
The toaster is equipped with quick-check levers that let you check your toast mid-cycle without interrupting the toasting process of your bread. The toaster heats up pretty quickly and evenly, perfect for hectic mornings. It has seven toast shade settings, allowing you to make your preferred toast.
As with other toasters in this list, it also features an extra-wide toasting slot to accommodate bread of different thicknesses, from bagels, muffins, etc. It also has a bagel function and frozen custom functions that adjust the toasting time automatically for perfect toasting. Plus, the cancel function lets you stop toasting at any time, so you don’t burn your bread. There is also a crumb tray at the bottom for easy cleaning.
Shopping Guide for Retro Toasters
Considering the options you have above, it’s time to choose among the best retro toasters. Choosing the best retro style toaster is not rocket science; these are the important factors to consider.
Measurement
Most retro toasters in the market are can fit two up to four slices of bread. Aside from the number of slices you can fit into the retro toaster, it is important to know the size. You have to make sure that it will fit nicely into your kitchen countertop.
Budget
How much are you willing to spend on a retro toaster? The best retro toasters cost anywhere from $50 to $300. The more expensive toasters are not necessarily better. Choose according to what features you need.
Toasting Modes
There are multiple modes available for toasters that you can choose from. This will enable you to personalize the quality of the toast according to your preference.
Style
Whether you admit it or not, the aesthetic of a retro toaster is one of the reasons to invest in one. It looks good as pat of your kitchen decor. Choose a stylish design and color that will match your kitchen.
