The Breville the 'A Bit More' 2 Slice is a mid-range metal toaster. It's equipped with more extra features than most other models, including the 'A Bit More' preset, which adds some time onto the end of a toasting cycle, and 'Lift and Look', which lets you lift the lever to check on your toast without stopping the toasting cycle. It also has a cycle countdown indicator to show when your toast will be ready. The slots are wide and deep enough for thicker slices, and they lift high enough for you to grab smaller pieces without reaching into the toaster.
Our Verdict
The Breville BTA720XL offers very good performance for day-to-day use. This toaster has long, wide slots that can accommodate longer slices of bakery bread or chunky bagels. It toasts evenly on both sides, and both slots perform similarly, so whether you're toasting bread or baked goods, they come out golden brown across almost the entire surface. Along with the typical 'Frozen' and 'Bagel' buttons, this toaster includes a few extra features. You can consult the LED cycle countdown indicator to find out when your toast will be ready, use the 'Lift & Look' lever to check toasting progress, and press the 'A Bit More' button to add a little extra time if your toast is too pale. Plus, its 'Bagel' button turns on one-sided toasting, so you can toast the inside of a bagel, bun, or crumpet, while leaving the outside completely untoasted. On the downside, it doesn't toast as fast as other models, so your toast dries out a little before it reaches a golden-brown shade. It also leaves some crumbs on your counter after toasting, though it's not an excessive amount.
Toasts evenly.
'Bagel' button enables one-sided toasting.
Feature-rich design adds convenience.
Food is a bit dry by the end of a toasting cycle.
Requires semi-frequent cleaning after use.
The Breville BTA720XL makes very good toast. It browns each slice of bread very evenly on both sides, and you get similar results from each slot. It doesn't take too long to toast, but it's somewhat slow compared to other models, so your toast is a bit dry by the time the cycle ends.
Toasts evenly on both sides.
Both slots perform similarly.
Food is a bit dry by the end of a toasting cycle.
The Breville BTA720XL is an excellent choice for toasting bagels. Using the 'Bagel' button turns off one set of heating elements, so the inside of your bagel toasts, while the outside stays soft. It toasts evenly, so the inner surface comes out uniformly browned, but it's not particularly fast, so your bagel is a bit dry by the time it pops back up.
Toasts evenly.
Both slots perform similarly.
'Bagel' button enables one-sided toasting.
Food is a bit dry by the end of a toasting cycle.
The Breville BTA720XL is decent at managing crumbs. It leaves a few crumbs and seeds behind after toasting, so you'll have to clean up after it fairly often, but not every time you make a bagel or a couple of slices of toast.
Requires semi-frequent cleaning after use.
The Breville BTA720XL is very compact. It doesn't take up much counter space, and it's easy to store in a cupboard or on a shelf when not in use.
Compact design makes it easy to store.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Jul 13, 2026:
We've updated the text in this review to match Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Jul 13, 2026: We've updated this review to Test Bench 1.2, which adds three new test boxes: Size, One-Sided Toasting, and Moisture Retention. We also updated the Usage and Performance Usages at the top of the review to reflect the new tests and provide clearer buying guidance for users. You can read more in the Changelog.
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Updated May 28, 2026:
We mentioned the Breville the 'A Bit More' 4 Slice in the Capacity box for users who want a similar model with room to toast four slices at once.
- Updated Apr 24, 2026: We've updated this review to Test Bench 1.1, which includes several new tests, including Capacity, Features, Crumb Management, and Toasting Speed. You can read more in the Changelog.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Breville BTA720XL ('A Bit More' 2 Slice Toaster) comes in one stainless steel variant. You can see the label for our unit.
If you encounter another variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Toaster Comparisons
The Breville BTA720XL ('A Bit More' 2 Slice Toaster) is a compact toaster with long, wide slots that fit a variety of baked goods. Like other toasters from the brand, this model stands out for its premium design and wide range of convenience features. It shares the 'Lift & Look' and 'A Bit More' functions with both the Breville Die-Cast Smart Toaster and the Breville Die-Cast 4-Slice Smart Toaster, so you can check toasting progress and add a little more time if needed. However, this option toasts more evenly than other toasters from the brand, leaving each slice more consistently browned on both sides than the Breville the 'A Bit More' 4 Slice, for example. It takes longer to toast than the larger model does, though, so your bread or bagel winds up a bit dry by the time the cycle finishes. Having said that, the difference in toasting time is fairly minor. If you're interested in a Breville toaster and don't need the extra capacity of a 4-slice model, it's a very good choice that makes toasting more convenient than more basic options.
If you're still looking for a toaster, check out the best 2-slice toasters, the best 4-slice toasters, and the best toasters.
The Breville the 'A Bit More' 2 Slice and the Dualit 2 Slice NewGen Classic are both high-end toasters that offer good performance, but you may prefer one over the other depending on your priorities. Get the Breville if you want more quality-of-life features. It includes a cycle countdown indicator, along with buttons that let you check toasting progress mid-cycle or add a little extra time at the end of a toasting cycle. While the Dualit still offers a range of features, its analog design makes it less convenient to use. For example, you can watch its wind-up dial tick back down to approximate when your toast will be ready, but it's not as clear as the Breville's LED version. Instead, go for the Dualit if you prefer a less high-tech option or if longevity is your priority, since the brand sells replacement parts that are easy to install at home, which can significantly extend your toaster's lifespan.
The Breville the 'A Bit More' 2 Slice and the Breville the 'A Bit More' 4 Slice are both great options, but despite being part of the same lineup, they have different strengths. Go for the 2 Slice if even toasting is your main concern, as it leaves the bread more evenly browned on both sides and provides more consistent results when toasting multiple batches in a row. Choose the 4 Slice if you're more interested in toasting speed, since it works a bit quicker, or if you want a toaster that leaves fewer crumbs on your counter. Of course, you'll also want to take size and capacity into account: the 2 Slice is more compact, but the 4 Slice has long slots that accommodate a wider variety of bread types.
Test Results
Although this model offers decent capacity for a 2-slice toaster, you may want a long-slot model instead if you often toast longer slices of homemade or bakery bread. For an option with similar features and design, but more capacity, consider the Breville the 'A Bit More' 4 Slice, a long-slot model from the same lineup.
It has settings for bagels and frozen items, plus a few more unusual features: 'Lift & Look' lets you raise the lever without stopping the toasting cycle, so you can check your bread's progress, and the 'A Bit More' button adds some time to the end of a toasting cycle.
