Review on Café Express Finish 2-Slice Toaster with Extra-Wide Slots, Extra Lift for Waffles and Pastries, Texas Toast & More, 4 Pre-Set Functions, 8 Shade Options - Countertop Kitchen Essentials in Matte White by Ashley Carpenter

It goes without saying that this is a cute toaster. Even the crumb tray is beautiful. For the last year or two we've had a cheap $6 toaster. With each use there was a low buzz and an odd smell, it made us feel like each piece of toast was setting on fire. Needless to say, this is a big update. The size is significantly larger. It was a treat, I don't have to fill bagels anymore and screw them halfway, now I'm obviously living a life of luxury. On first use there was that burnt new appliance smell that every appliance has like a toaster or toaster oven. However, it disappears after the first few uses. My bagel was toasted perfectly on a bagel setting. It was crunchy on the outside and still fluffy on the inside, so you got that crunch without feeling like biting into a piece of brittleness and getting crumbs all over the place. My complaints relate to the toast settings. The Halloween plate features the same piece of bread. As you can see it's roasted differently on both sides and it's only setting #2 so I expect it to be lighter. I toasted 8 pieces of bread, one for each setting to see how it compares to their image. My house is full of people, so most of them have been eaten. Nobody needs the last two. As you can see, they didn't slowly darken. Detail #2 in the second shot was darker than #3. I waited at least a minute between toasts (I have kids running around so it usually takes longer) to let the toaster cool down a bit. It won't take that long on a busy morning. Both photos consist of the same 8 parts, only reversed. As you can see, one side is almost always darker while the other looks fine. Toast #8 had to be cut short because he smoked. For $150, I hope the toast is more even on both sides every time. I really just love it for the bagel, but in the mornings I think more attention is needed to make sure everyone doesn't get burnt toast. If you can find it on sale or don't mind spending/not toasting often I would recommend it. It really is a beautiful device. It left my kitchen smelling like burnt toast all day, so fingers crossed that was good for you!