I don't know how well this works, but this glass toaster is very elegant. Looks like the company makes a matching pannini press, too.

http://www.amazon.com/SmartBargains-Vitantonio-Glass-Toaster/dp/B000PM028S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6778406-1520056?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1185898250&sr=1-1

I've got a Dualit two slice plus sandwich maker. I love it. It makes quick toasted cheese sandwiches and perfect toast. You can't just plug it in and use it, though. It does have to warm up as previously mentioned. And it has a lifetime warranty. I can't imagine having to invoke it, though. The thing is built like a tank.

I'm also obsessed with:
http://www.russellhobbs.com/products/index.aspx?path=/products/kettles/glass_pack_kettle

it's really upsetting what Braun did to the original Reinhold HT 1 design over the years. one of the originals resides at MoMA. so much nicer, imho.

A previous roommate of mine just HAD to get a certain $300 toaster (I forget the name/brand). It was big and bulky and took up a lot of precious counter space. It was also total junk. At the time I was having a slice of wheat toast for breakfast every morning (ironically, she never made toast herself), so I was able to notice that the quality of our old $10 toaster was FAR superior to that of the $300 one. Just because a kitchen appliance looks shiny and retro doesn't mean it's practical or works any better.

Personally, I prefer toaster ovens because you can do so much more with them.

That top toaster looked like a little new travel trailer at first. Mmm, toast in a travel trailer.

The description of the Cuisinart Classic is hilarious:

"evokes the memories of a bygone era but has all the technology of the 90's."

Ooooh, the technology of the 90's...

A while back I almost bought a Dualit but decided not to after I went to the Williams Sonoma outlet and saw rows and rows of them that people had returned that were "reconditioned". They must have issues. Gave up on the toater idea all-together and now just use a grill pan on the stove top. Multi-taskers in a small kitchen is the only way to go.

k, Thanks for that insight that toast needs to be done quickly to avoid getting dried out on the inside. It makes sense (to me).

We have a Dualit and it either undercooks or burns everything. It may look good, but give me a basic $20 toaster anyday of the week!

I have a Dualitt and have had it for at least 10 years. The reason why dualitt is so expensive is because they can replace damaged parts. So it can be reconditioned all the time if it breaks. No reason to throw something out completely, just fix it, replace the broken part. A lot of the other toasters do not have that quality, their bodies are into one with the mechanism inside, so they break, you throw them away. That is the difference in price. It is a very european concept, but something that maybe americans will embrace with the green movement. So you can have a Dualitt for life or you can have 20 other cheaper ones. I personally do not like the whole thing they started a few years back when they started doing different colors. It shows distraction to building a reliable product. Instead they chose to follow in the marketing game of the other brands out there...
To Topher, have you tried to warm up the toaster for 1 minute first? Try that, warm it up while you cut the bread, and then set it at 1 1/2 or 2... check that out and let me know how it works for you. I have to do that sometimes, and I think it has to do with the humidity level in the bread or air. If you are using wonderbread, or anything similar to that, it will definetely be burnt... Switch to dense bread.

David in DC - I LOVE Grilled bread on the grill pan. Olive oil and salt on it??? yumm yumm. But it is different from toast tho

I have had a Dualit (4 slice), for many years, and LOVE it. We don't have to prewarm it; we find it works fine as it is. It makes perfect English toast -- which is crisp and dry. It does away with the need of putting toast in silver toast holders or propping it up against the jars of jam so that the humidity evaporates. We happen to like it like that; if you don't, then just take the toast out sooner.

Dualit is also expensive because it is handbuilt; few appliances can lay claim to that!

I have received more grief for owning a Dualit than anything else expect our Bugaboo, and am frankly more than a bit fed up over it (mostly from my work colleagues). It is a beautiful piece of industrial design that graces my kitchen counter -- I consider it an investment well spent.

We have that Cuisinart one, and I like it--it toasts successfully, doesn't take up a lot of space, and looks like a cute Airstream trailer.

Am very fond of my Dualit, but it does take up a lot of counter space. Any clever ideas for toaster placement?

I bought this one which is handsome, but never toasts enough on the first pass:
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-1/qid=1185919878/ref=sr_1_1/601-2413971-6200128?ie=UTF8&asin=B000JL66US

Another 4-slice Dualit owner here. I love housewares that are well-designed. The Dualit fits the bill, both aesthetically and functionally, and is well worth the price tag imo. It toasts more evenly if you warm it up first.

I don't understand Julianna's comment either. I can only think she is cranking the knob all the way - I usually turn it to 1 1/2 or 2.

I do covet a toaster oven, though - they seem so useful. I like my Dualit too much to replace it with a toaster oven, but if I had the counter space, I'd like to have both.

We switched from a Dualit to a Rowlett and are very pleased with it. We've got the Espirit Brunch model, and switched mainly because we found one cheap at the market and liked the styling. It also has a great toast-ready 'ping' which our Dualit didn't have. The Premier range look good too and are rectilinear so should save on counter space over the curvier models.

http://www.rowlettrutland.co.uk/images/products/large/esprit_brunch.jpg
http://www.rowlettrutland.co.uk/retail/rowletttoasters_premier.html

Just how much toast do you make in a day? If you don't use a toaster more than a few times per week, I'd go for any cheap wide slot that does 4 slices at a time. Or, go the toaster over route, as at least it would be versatile, making it more practical.

We used to have the Dualit but it drove us nuts -- we were always burning the toast. We've had the Cuisinart for the past five years, though, and love it. Simple, effective, beautiful.

That Jasper Morrison Rowenta toaster is absolute junk. Its nicely designed but quality wise... look elsewhere. Check the Amazon reviews.