Do you like toast? Of course you do.

We spent hours testing toasters to come up with this final list of favorites. Believe it or not, toasters are more complex than you think.

Although all toasters toast, not all toasters are the same. The simplest toasters will quickly toast bread with the turn of a dial and the push of a lever, whereas the fanciest options will feature more ways to customize your toasting experience.

What should I consider when buying a toaster?

When it comes to buying a toaster, here are a few key things you should be keeping in mind when selecting the best choice for you:

How many pieces?

When buying a toaster, you should consider how often you’ll be making toast and how many slices you’ll be making at a time. If you’re someone who occasionally enjoys toast, a two-slice toaster will likely do the trick. However, if eat toast a lot or consistently cook for a large group of people, we recommend opting for a four-slice toaster.

During testing, we evaluated total toast coverage and even browning. Credit: Jenna Clark for Mashable

Shade levels

Different toasters have different shade levels. You should do your research before buying to ensure the toaster you choose will brown the toast the way you like. Plus, some toasters direct users to select the desired shade with a dial while others may use a lever or another kind of mechanism.

Features

A crumb tray is an essential feature you should look for as a toaster that lacks this will leave quite a mess.

A quick view feature is also beneficial for being able to check on your toast throughout the process. Not all toasters are the same, so this allows you to be in control of how much heat you’re applying to the bread and gives you the option to remove them at any time (after pressing the cancel button, of course).

For an even comparison, we tested each toaster using its highest shade setting to see which produced the darkest and most thorough toast. With that being said, our top pick is the Breville Bit More 4-Slice Toaster as it toasted the most evenly and had the most visually stimulating features. However, the Cuisinart CPT-520 2-Slice Motorized Toaster was a close second with its large button selection and ability to cater to multiple kinds of bread.

Read on to discover more about our top five toasters, and find the one that is best suited to your toasting needs and budget.