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  1. Home
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Test Bench 1.2  
Changelog

 0
By Allyssa KiddUpdated Jul 13, 2026 at 11:06 am

Toaster Test Bench 1.2 expands our testing coverage and performance usages to reveal not just how a toaster performs overall, but also how it performs for specific kinds of baked goods, how much of a mess it leaves behind after toasting, and how much counter space it takes up. With two new tests and four new performance usages, this update enables users to evaluate each toaster based on their specific needs and priorities.

What's Changed

New Usages

  • Toast
  • Bagels
  • Crumb Management
  • Size

New Tests

  • One-Sided Toasting
  • Moisture Retention

Removed Tests

  • Repeated Toasting

Why Are We Making These Changes?

While our previous testing methodology only included the Everyday Use verdict, which aims to show how easy and convenient a toaster is to use on a daily basis across a range of toasting scenarios, our new tests and performance usages offer more detailed information based on the specific type of baked goods you're toasting. We've also included usages that can help you understand whether a particular toaster is a good fit for your kitchen, based on its size and whether it creates a mess while toasting. Finally, we removed the Repeated Toasting test to better align with most users' buying decisions.

New Tests And Usages

Toast

The new 'Toast' usage lets users see how well each model toasts standard slices of white bread. It incorporates scores for Toasting Evenness and Speed, with our new Moisture Retention score to demonstrate the overall quality of each slice of toast.

The score components of our new Toast usage: 45% toasting evenness, 30% moisture retention, and 25% toasting speed.
The score components of the new Toast usage for Toaster Test Bench 1.2.

Bagels

The 'Bagels' usage takes into account the same components we consider when toasting bread; however, the bulk of the score depends on whether a toaster can brown a bagel on one side only. We consider whether each toaster offers one-sided toasting and how effectively it toasts one side while leaving the other soft.

The scoring components of our new bagel usage: 50% one-sided toasting, 20% moisture retention, 20% toasting evenness, and 10% toasting speed.
The score components of the new Bagel usage for Toaster Test Bench 1.2.

Crumb Management

The 'Crumb Management' usage indicates how well a toaster catches crumbs, seeds, and loose grains that dislodge from your baked goods during toasting. While this test isn't new, in this update, we've also included it as a performance usage, so you can easily see whether a toaster will leave a pile of crumbs on your counter or not.

The score components of our new crumb management usage: 100% crumb management.
The score components of the new Crumb Management usage for Toaster Test Bench 1.2.

Size

In previous iterations of our Toaster Test Bench, we've included the height, width, and depth of each toaster in the Body box. In this update, we've moved this information to a new Size box and added the overall countertop footprint and a score. This allows you to quickly gauge whether a toaster is likely to fit comfortably in the space you have available.

Our new size test, showing an image of a toaster against a grid. Below it, are the width, height, depth, and overall countertop footprint of the toaster.
The new Size test for Toaster Test Bench 1.2.

One-Sided Toasting

Although one-sided toasting is the main component of our 'Bagels' performance usage, this test provides useful info for a variety of baked goods that are best toasted on one side only, like buns, English muffins, or crumpets. We test each toaster's one-sided toasting performance by toasting a bagel until golden brown, then comparing the inner and outer faces to determine how well the toaster can preferentially toast just the inside.

Our new one-sided toasting test. It shows the inner and outer faces of a bagel with various levels of toasting.
The new One-Sided Toasting test for Toaster Test Bench 1.2.

Moisture Retention

Along with toasting evenness, moisture retention is one of the most important determiners of toast quality. Moisture retention is strongly correlated with toasting speed; bread that spends longer in the toaster dries out over time. Conversely, toasters that brown bread quickly leave slices of toast soft and fluffy in the middle. We test moisture retention by weighing bread, toasting it to a golden-brown shade, and then weighing it again to see how much moisture was lost.

Our new moisture retention test, showing one photo of untoasted bread on a scale and another photo of toasted bread on a scale.
The new Moisture Retention test for Toaster Test Bench 1.2.

Repeated Toasting

In Test Bench 1.2, we've removed the Repeated Toasting test. This test measured how well a toaster could deliver consistent results when toasting batches back-to-back. Since most users don't regularly make multiple batches of toast, we've removed this test to streamline our results and clarify what's most important to consider when shopping for a new toaster.

Our Repeated Toasting test from Test Bench 1.0, showing the results of running back-to-back toasting cycles.
The Repeated Toasting test from our initial Test Bench was removed for Toaster Test Bench 1.2.

Let Us Know What You Think

As always, your feedback is vital to our testing! If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about this update, you can reach out in the comments or email feedback@rtings.com.

25 Toasters Updated So Far

We are retesting popular models first. So far, the test results for the following models have been converted to the new testing methodology. However, the text might be inconsistent with the new results.

1 Toasters Planned To Be Updated

We are also planning to retest the following products over the course of the next few weeks:

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