Two-level toaster oven brings bagels to the top

Yes, it's a toaster oven.

(Credit: Sanyo)

Kitchen appliances tend to play "follow the leader." When somebody comes out with an innovative product or feature, other manufacturers soon follow suit. Think of it as a form of Darwinism: the good features multiply, and the ones that don't work are phased out. One result is kitchen appliances tend to always look the same. For example, toaster ovens are usually long and rectangular and so it always shall be. That was until Sanyo decided to make a toaster oven that stands up.

The Sanyo Space Saving Two Level Super Toasty Oven is taller than your average toaster oven. At first appearance it looks odd, but some kitchens would really benefit from the toaster-oven-on-a-toaster-oven design. Counter space is a premium in any kitchen, some more than others. However, I can see it posing a problem for certain foods; a slice of pizza may not feel too welcome in there.

Everything you would expect from a toaster oven is incorporated: a shade selector, slide-out racks, and a crumb tray. A selector switch allows control over which part of the oven to heat up: top, bottom, or both. A bagel setting toasts the cut side of a bagel, while warming the other side. A toaster that understands there are two different sides to a bagel is one that certainly has a feature worth keeping--no matter how strange it may look.