Top toaster? 5 on Your Side puts them to the test

No matter how you slice it—the toaster is a must-have appliance for most kitchens, which is why Consumer Reports tests dozens of models every year.

Testers set each toaster to a medium setting, and look at how well each appliance makes a single slice and then a full batch.

Testers use an industry standard "toast color chart" to help categorize performance. The best toasters match the evenly browned toast on the chart.

Consumer Reports also assesses how long each toaster takes to deliver the goods—the faster, the better.

You also want a toaster that's really easy to use and clean. You don't want any cracks or crevices, and you want to be able to pull out the crumb tray very easily.

Dishwasher maintenance: Do's and dont's

Testers even looked at a toaster with a gluten-free bread setting.

Gluten-free bread is a bit denser than regular bread, and you might not get the same results on the same setting. The 30-dollar Bella Pro Series Model 90062 toaster delivered. And it performed excellent on the standard setting with regular bread, too.

Toasting for a crowd?

Consider splurging on the top-rated four-slice toaster, the $100 Breville Bit More Model.

It has wide slots for bagels, and if your toast turns out too light, press a button and it will toast a little longer.

Consumer Reports tested all of the toasters with pre-cut, packaged bagels.

But if you're a bagel lover and like a fatter, bakery bagel, be sure to look for a toaster with the widest slots you can find.

Some toasters have a bagel setting that toasts on one side only, so you can brown the cut side and keep the other side softer.

And the best in show pick, lets you see a show: The two-slice Cuisinart View Pro Glass, which has glass sides that let you watch the browning process as it toasts.