published about 9 hours ago
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I have a lot of pet peeves about the various toasters I’ve used or owned over the years. When I needed to buy a new one, I knew it had to solve all of those issues. I finally succeeded with the Elite Gourmet Long Slot 4-Slice Toaster.
What Makes the Elite Gourmet Long Slot 4-Slice Toaster So Great
I have two kids who like everything to be fair and equal, and one thing that really sets them off is that food cannot come quickly enough when they’re desperately hungry. Being able to present both of them with their food at the same time is a huge win with this toaster. The extra-large toaster can fit two full bagels, four pieces of toast, or four waffles. Multi-kid breakfasts go much smoother now.
Other four-slice toasters I’ve seen usually have individual slots. Instead, this toaster has long slots that run the length of the appliance, so it’s perfect for the artisanal boules of bread I get from my local bakery or, if I’m lucky, from my friends who took up baking during the pandemic. A nice, rustic piece of sourdough can be toasted to perfection without needing to cut it down to “sandwich” bread size.
The toaster’s slots are also wide enough to accommodate thick slices of bread, too. This is especially helpful if you accidentally cut a bagel unevenly, or if you make Texas toast. I always used to burn the too-thick half of a bagel, but now there’s enough space left over in the slots to toast them evenly.
What Features Does the Elite Gourmet Long Slot 4-Slice Toaster Have?
In addition to the extra-long and extra-wide slots, the reheat button is nice for when I want something warmed up, like when I’ve been dealing with said hangry children and have neglected my own breakfast. There’s also a defrosting option and a standard knob for your preferred level of toasted-ness. I’ve never used anything beyond the mid-point, but that’s a personal preference.
Unique features include a retractable warming rack (which can perk up a fresh croissant or cookie without the need for the air fryer or microwave), and a helpful cancel button (which makes it easy to eject your toast or bagel if you sense something is getting too crisp). There’s a good spring in the lever, making it easy to pop up shorter pieces of toast or English muffins that might sit closer to the base of the appliance.
Finally, we get to a major pet peeve: Cleaning the toaster. Whenever you think you’re about to set your house on fire because crumbs have fallen into the bottom of the toaster, just slide out the crumb tray and dump them — no cumbersome shaking and maneuvering here!
If only all problems could be solved with one kitchen appliance.