Cuisinart 4-slice Fast Toast Toaster, White  Product Reviews

"My purchase of this toaster was based on the quality and longevity of my circa 1989 Cuisinart food processor. Note to self: Never base a purchase on previous experience with a major brand. Times change. Lesson learned. This toaster looks visually appealing and I liked the long, narrow footprint since it would fit into the limited space on my counter top while still allowing me the option of toasting up to four slices of bread. It has multiple settings, allowing the user to toast bread, bagels as well as reheat or defrost bread. Browning settings range from "1" through "6" with "1" being the lowest setting. With this multitude of options and the ability to toast bread or bagels, this appliance seems to offer everything one could want in a toaster. Since I'm a serious bread baker, I hoped that I had found a quality toaster that would perform well. Then I toasted my first slice of bread... What an utter disappointment that was! Thinking I just needed to familiarize myself with the way this particular toaster works, I tried again.....and again......and again....using various settings. All attempts produced terrible results. Using the 2 slice setting and the lowest possible temperature setting, this toaster consistently produces toast that is burned on one side and not quite brown on the other. Using the 4 slice setting, even on the lowest temperature setting, results in partially burned toast virtually every time. And yes, I am using the correct settings per the manufacturer instructions. I've found that if I babysit this toaster when it's being used on the lowest setting and I'm there to intervene before it torches the bread completely, I am able to have semi-satisfactory results about half of the time. What's the point in having a range of settings, or even a low setting, if I must rush in and manually rescue my breads from cremation? When I'm busy in the kitchen, I would like to be able to start the toaster and know that I can expect consistently good results every time - without feeling the need to stop what I'm doing and stand over the toaster and monitor it so that it doesn't burn the toast. The defrost setting also produces bread that is slightly toasted on one side and dry on the other, so that toasting even on the lowest setting after defrosting virtually guarantees toast that is partially cremated on one side and toasted on the other. I remember using toasters when I was a kid and always standing over the garbage can with a knife as I scraped the burned portions from the surface of the toast. That routine was normal back in the 1960's and 1970's when toaster design was not as sophisticated as it is today. Oh how this toaster takes me back to my childhood! Toasting bagels on the lowest setting ("1") results in bagels that are not quite toasted, yet using the next highest setting ("2") results in partially burned bagels. This toaster is the single purchase so far this year that I most regret. I'm disappointed in both the toaster and the manufacturer. I find it difficult to believe that this toaster was put through any kind of actual product testing before being made available to consumers. This toaster was purchased as a replacement for a "temporary" $12.00 toaster that we bought during our relocation two years ago. It didn't take long for me to realize that I replaced my previous cheap, problematic toaster with a much more expensive and equally problematic toaster. Based on my disappointment with this toaster, I will probably avoid this brand in the future, which is a shame because until I purchased this toaster, I held this manufacturer in very high regard in terms of quality."

"No complaints thus far about this toaster. It is speedy and works well. I bought it with some trepidation, however, because it last time I spent so much on a toaster (also a Cuisinart) it did not last very long (two years). I expect a toaster in this price range to have some longevity. This model was the only one that had what I wanted, though, so I took the plunge again and hope for the best."

"Consistently uneven toasting. Blackens the ends and under cooks the middle."

"When our wonderful Cuisanart four-slice toaster finally died, we replaced it with this horrible piece of junk, because it seemed most similar to the old one. What a mistake! - Even on the lowest setting, this toaster burns the crust at the bottom. - It is not easy to tell if you have it set for two slices or four. With the old toaster, it was very easy to see. - The push-down slider does not move freely and sometimes has to be pushed down two or three times before it engages. - The old toaster let you select "defrost" and "bagel" at the same time. The new toaster lets you select one or the other. All in all, a big waste of money and a major disappointment."