Appliances & Kitchen Gadgets

Toast up a panini.

(Credit: DeLonghi)

At some point in the long history of toasters, some enterprising individual realized that setting the thing on its side and giving it a door would create a whole new appliance. Thus the toaster oven was born. All of a sudden, and using practically the same amount of counter space, toasting and heating possibilities were exponentially increased. Since that moment in time, french bread pizza never looked back.

While it is true that the toaster oven is capable of everything from cooking frozen pizza to reheating leftovers, there are a few things the multitalented device has simply not been able to do. While I doubt soup may ever be on a toaster oven menu, at least one thing can be checked off that list: pressed panini sandwiches.

The DeLonghi Panini Toaster Oven (model number EOP2046) features all the bells and whistles we've come to expect from a toaster oven, but takes things one step further by integrating a panini press. An included nonstick grill plate serves as the base for the panini press feature, while a rubberized handle on the outside controls an internal wire rack that acts as the panini press. How well a wire rack emulates a panini press remains to be seen (expect this appliance to hit the shelves any day now), but considering the history of the toaster, this capability to create grill marks is just the start.

Tame the taskmaster.

(Credit: Kalorik)

It's a good feeling when at the end of the workday all that is left to do is to go home. While a pile of completed tasks and jobs may appeal to our inner need to check things off of a list, our productivity needs fuel to sustain its drive. Hunger can be a powerful distraction, as well it should be. But sometimes, its too powerful. A 2-hour lunch break is nice, but sometimes you've just got to bear down and plow through the day. Next time, don't settle for a candy bar to power your way through those long afternoon hours; instead, make a meal.

The Kitchen Outpost (aka Kalorik Breakfast Set) is a small desk or countertop appliance that provides throughout the day. Featuring a coffeemaker, a toaster oven, and a griddle all in one, the multiuse appliance measures 20.25 inches across and 9.3 inches in depth, with a height of 9.25 inches. With such a degree of usefulness, you'll be sure to revisit the device many times a day. Use it to heat up a prepared sandwich, or create your own. The integrated coffee maker supplies the ever-important caffeine fix throughout the day. With such conveniences right in front of you, your productivity is sure to shoot right through the roof--just be sure to come up for air every now and then.

The best of both worlds.

(Credit: Chef's Catalog)

Choosing between a toaster and a toaster oven can be difficult. Toaster ovens are incredibly versatile, convenient for warming up leftovers or even cooking entire meals. On the other hand, regular toasters are usually very good at what they are designed to do: the toasting of bread. However, that's pretty much all they do, so our kitchen counters are usually furnished with toaster ovens. However, some people may miss that good old-fashioned toast popping action, so for them, it's not an easy decision.

There can be only one true answer to this conundrum when seeking out a new toasting appliance: get both. The Waring Toaster Oven/Toaster solves this toaster dilemma by combining the two into one. It is perfect for those that have a hard time making a decision, the toaster combines the best of both worlds: the flexibility of a toaster oven with the tradition of a pop-up toaster. But this combo is not only handy for the undecided among us, but also it can help to ease morning toaster congestion. Suddenly, there is room for a slice of bread and a frozen pastry treat. While other combination appliances are generally mash-ups between two totally different devices, the fusing of a toaster and a toaster oven is one that actually makes sense.

The Waring Toaster Oven/Toaster costs about $100 online.

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.

(Credit: Inventables)

You know how annoying it is when you stick your bread in the toaster and accidentally set the dial too high, and when your toast finally pops up, it's darker than you want, or burned?

Granted, most of us over the age of, say, 6 are probably able to handle an ordinary toaster most of the time. But don't you want to watch your toast, well, toasting? Don't you want to see the magic happen?

This concept transparent glass toaster lets you do just that. Or, rather, it wants to let you do just that. Yeah, I was disappointed, too, when I read that the transparent heating glass technology does not currently heat the glass enough to toast bread. But the vendor thinks that a little R&D (and, I'm guessing, a lot of VC cash) could solve that problem.

At any rate, it looks cool.

But, this toaster goes to '11'.

(Credit: Cooking.com)

We all need a little extra lift in the morning. Eyelids droop and every fiber of our being calls us back to bed. If it weren't for the magical elixir known as coffee, I'm not convinced we would ever get out of bed. Be that as it may, with alarm clocks ringing in our ears, we somehow (usually) manage to get it together enough to make a pot of coffee. But that's just the beginning: after coffee we (usually) need to eat. Toast is always a popular option, probably because it is so easy to make. But that doesn't mean it couldn't be made even easier.

The T-Fal Emerilware Toaster with Super Lift helps us out in the morning by giving our toast that little extra special something. Having your morning breakfast rise up to meet you is all fine and good, but a toaster is expected to do more than just facilitate easy toast removal. Not surprisingly, the toaster (available in either a two-slice or four-slice model) comes with additional familiar features.

An easy-to-clean slide-out crumb tray is integrated into the unit, as is six-stage browning control. Like any good modern toaster should, bagel-toasting ability is included with a separate mode. Complete with a frozen setting and a reheat function, the toaster makes it easy to toast all of our favorites, any time of the day.

The Slotless Toaster

(Credit: Hammacher Schlemmer)

I love toasted bagels, but my toaster didn't seem to enjoy them nearly as much. Almost every time I put a bagel into one of the toaster's slots, I'd wind up pulling it out of the toaster in pieces--even half a bagel was too much. The Slotless Toaster offers an alternative. Rather than struggling with thick slices of bread, you can simply place it right on top of the toaster. Texas toast, baguettes, bagels, and even croissants can be warmed and toasted without having to stick fingers or forks inside the toaster. You can even put together some bruschetta on the Slotless Toaster for a treat.

The Slotless Toaster can also be used to defrost bread. You can choose the level of heat with the toaster's dial, similarly to standard slotted toasters. The flatbed surface is heated by a 700-watt heating element that evenly toasts bread across the 10.25-inch-by-7-inch stainless steel surface. A crumb tray is mounted in the bottom of the toaster, keeping clean up to a minimum. The Slotless Toaster can be stored on its side when it's not in use, although I'd recommend emptying the crumb tray before doing so. The Slotless Toaster is available for $89.95.

It's okay to peek.

(Credit: Crate and Barrel)

It can be hard to trust a toaster. Even the sleekest modern models still tend to use a toasting mechanism that hides the toasting progress from hungry stare of antsy eaters. While brushed stainless steel may be a handsome shade for a kitchen appliance, toast aficionados are more concerned with the doneness of their toast. With nine browning settings and a stylish brushed stainless steel exterior, the Breville Ikon Toasters offer precision toasting while looking good doing it. However, there is one more feature that should appeal to toast lovers who want their toast "just so."

With a patented "lift and look" feature, these toasters--available as either a two-slice or four-slice model--allow for impatient users to sneak a peek at the toasting progress. Settings can be readjusted midcycle without interrupting the toasting process. Good news for when only a properly toasted slice of bread will do.

But the ability to simply toast a slice of bread does not a modern toaster make; it must be at least capable of handling a bagel too. These toasters oblige, and come equipped with extrawide slots for pastries and bagels. A specialized setting for bagels even toasts faster on the inside element, allowing for bagel-eaters to properly toast the cut side. An LCD control panel with a circular count down display rounds out the features on this modern toaster. With stylish design and smart features, even the pickiest of toast eaters should be able to find their perfect slice.

The 3-in-1 Breakfast Maker

(Credit: Sunpentown)

If you live or work somewhere with limited space, the 3-in-1 Breakfast Maker from Sunpentown can breakfast a lot easier. It incorporates a coffee maker, a toaster oven and an electric frying pan all in one small appliance. The coffee maker can hold 4 cups and offers a reusable coffee filter. The frying pan is nonstick and ETL-approved. The toaster oven has a removable rack and tray, along with a 15-minute timer. It has a capacity of 5 liters. And all of this is in an appliance that measures just 15.5 inches by 8 inches by 9.5 inches.

The 3-in-1 Breakfast Maker is ideal for a dorm room or an office. While a few meals might still be out of reach, you can cook up a surprising number of dishes in it, and you certainly aren't just limited to making breakfast. If you can pair it with a miniature fridge and possibly a microwave, you can cook most things that come to mind. The 3-in-1 Breakfast Maker has a power output of 500 watts, meaning that it won't be a major part of your electricity bill, either. The appliance is black and stainless steel. It's priced at $50.98.