Breville Smart Toast
Verified280 reviews
My old toaster after 15 years was dying a slow death so time to update. I was deciding between the Smeg Retro 50s and the Breville Smart 2 slice toaster. In the finish, I decided on the Breville Smart Toaster as the reviews gave them a better performance, we are building a new home and already have the Breville kettle in Sea Salt so decided to go… Read more
with Breville. I used it this morning for the first time. Amazing! A touch button to start the process, no knobs to slam down and when the preset time is done, it automatically rises without doing anything, no burnt toast anymore. If it is a little under done, there is a toast a bit more option, which is a great idea. I am so happy with this purchase and can highly recommend it!
My old Russell Hobbs 4 slice toaster worked well for 10 years. I now needed a new one. I bought an Alessi 2 slice toaster and then a Russell Hobbs the same as before. Both either toasted unevenly or not at all on one side. I thought how hard is it to make a toaster that WORKS!!! So I tried again. This time the Breville Smart toaster two slice. It… Read more
worked like a dream from the beginning. Perfect. The Alessi looked beautiful but didn’t toast properly. The Russell Hobbs burnt on the edges and half of the elements didn’t work. The Brevilee a dream toaster!!!!
All of the fancy features in this $240 toaster, Lift and Look, A Bit More, etc are great. However, for me,the fundamental requirement for a toaster is to toast and to toast EVENLY. My toaster will brown the top half of the bread and leave the bottom half six shades light. In fact, the Lift and Look function is used to invert the bread halfway… Read more
through the toasting cycle. Very disappointing - have just ordered a S.....M 4 slice toaster - I'll keep you posted.
Reviews with attachments
This is the best toaster ever – Had a Smeg toaster,used a relatives Breville toaster and was so much better,gave our Smeg away and bought the Breville. This toaster is incredible,even cooks crumpets Show details
Absolutely great – I love my new Breville toaster it cooks perfectly every time, I do suggest that people read instructions before use as you must hit the crumpet button TWICE to cook both sides of your fruit bread. I discovered the first time I used it it only cook one side, then I realized it was preset for crumpets so give it a go. Good luck. Show details
Great for a faultless breaky!! – Its hard to get excited over a toaster...but this one is really special! I don't like burning my toasts and I don't like them getting stuck in the toaster either...how frustrating!!! With this device, you are almost guarantee a perfect toast every time!!! Without getting too excited, I have to say it is very well designed. There are a little… Read more
trays under each section to collect crumbs, no need to turn the whole thing upside down anymore! I just loooooooove the extra large slots which allows me to toast bagels and thick slices of crusty bread. I also love the different time settings which makes it easier to choose the perfect level of toastiness! I don't use the crumpet setting at all so can't really comment about it...never ate a crumpet...perhaps it lacks to my Australian life experience! There's also a "Bit more" button, if your toast is not just right yet...but I found it a bit useless since I have to press it several times if I chose the wrong setting for my toast.
We really bought it because of the 4 slots and the size of them and this toaster really deliver. We have used it a lot, for many years and have had no issue whatsoever.
It's Toastin ! – Three years on and this toaster is quite the best I have owned , perhaps not as lovable as my 40 year old Sunbeam Automatic popup but it's close . Consistent performance and reliability makes for an unfussed morning departure . Basic maintenance is vital , the crumb tray is a little small and needs cleaning often . Tipping the unit upside down… Read more
is also required , especially when toasting crumbly breads and Hot Cross Buns . I was asked to repair a Smeg toaster by a friend , the very flash and impressive case hid the cheapest of internals imaginable , a two dollar shop toaster in a deceiving package . Not so with the Breville , heavy , well arranged elements , a thick well insulated case that won't burn its surroundings and a range of options from ' A little bit more ' to ' Frozen or Fruit breads ' . I'm happy with this unit , not all Breville appliances live up to their reputation but this one certainly does .
Footnote , Three years further on and the Breville has gone to that big bakery in the sky . First half of the element wires failed, followed swiftly by a refusal to lower the slices into the machine . I suppose six years isn't too bad a run for a modern appliance though it pales into insignificance when compared to 40 years from a Sunbeam .
I bought this toaster on a friend’s recommendation. I’ve had it about 6 weeks and would not buy it again. At $219 it is no better than the $69 toaster it replaced. It does not toast both sides evenly, burns the fruit toast on its designated setting (but interestingly, not on a normal setting) and leaves the crumpets raw on one side on their… Read more
designated setting. The photos show my fruit toast this morning cooked for less than two minutes from frozen on the fruit toast setting: burnt one side and raw the other. Cooked another piece for the same time on a normal setting and was fine. The toaster looks good and seems well made so it probably means I am going to be stuck with this for a long while yet! Edit: After having read other reviews regarding the crumpet/ fruit toast button, I realised I needed to press the button TWICE to cook fruit toast. Checked the instruction booklet but it doesn’t mention that. Now toasting satisfactorily.
In-depth reviews
Brevilles "the Smart Toast" Toaster – When it was time to get a new toaster Breville was the first company we had in mind to replace the old one. We've had a multitude of appliances from Breville over the years and have never let us down in performance. This time we thought it would be nice to go for something bit better than what normally we would buy, so we got the Breville "the… Read more
Smart Toast 4 Slice Long". At first glance the toaster has a touch of elegance and yet I'm here to work appearance. It can fit up to 4 slices of normal (square) bread, but not 4 continental slices (like your rye or farm bake), with those you would stick to just 2 slices. It can toast fruit bread with aide of the dedicated button press, crumpets and even bagels, which is pretty good if I do say. There is no spring loaded lever to push down to start toasting, just press the Toast button and the bread lowers in to the toaster and starts toasting, when finished it lifts it gently and beeps once. Now this is all nice but the real thing is, what we all want is a toaster that performs to level of the price that it commands in the shops which is darn high for a toaster (most places its over $200), and this is where Breville has missed the mark. Toasting performance is mediocre and I would say it doesn't warrant the price its commanding. Ok before I continue lets agree that there are a couple of factors that determine how good or bad bread will toast, like how thick the slice is, the moisture and the sugar content of the loaf. Too moist and it takes longer. Higher sugar content (like fruit breads) toast quicker just like thicker slices, and thats why there are controls to change how long to toast and temperature adjustment for the fruit breads (button press). But this doesn't count from the patchy result left on the surface of the slices. There is no eveness of toasting colourisation and a distinctive bar pattern on the toast. When you look inside of the slots while cooking you will notice that some parts of the elements look hotter than others as well as, some elements seem to lie flatter against the backing while other protrude more outward. Which to me makes no sense as each element should receive the same amount of electricity and be equally hot. At the base of the toaster you'll find a crumb tray, just remove the tray and discrard the crumbs, sounds good, but some bright spark in the Breville design team thought to make the tray too small to catch all the crumbs, maybe as joke or they just want you shake your toaster to remove the rest of the crumbs. As for the power cord, it looks as if it could wound up at the base of the toaster as a 'stay', yeah I've tried and no it won't stay there or be able wound there which makes the cord a nuisance when not in use. Overall I like the look of the toaster, I like the way it has a touch of elegance about it, press a button and way it goes but in all honesty end result counts and this is where it lets you down. I'm not sure if I would buy this toaster again. :( Now before I end this and some of you say I must not have learnt to use it properly, let me tell you that I've had this toaster for almost 6 months now and I've tried many different breads, bagels, muffins and crumpets in that period, I use it every day and the results are always consistent.
Worth the extra cost for this toaster – I previously purchased the 4 slice version of the Smart Toaster in 2013 and it only just died on me this year, 11 years later. As I loved that toaster and it treated me so well over the many years, I wanted to get a 2 slice toaster to replace it and I was initially looking at another brand's 2 slice toaster because it was cheaper. I bought the… Read more
cheaper 2 slice toaster and used it for a week. I immediately sent it back for a refund. What a dud that was. I then bit the bullet and spent a bit more for the 2 slice Breville Smart Toast. I mainly toast bread, both fresh and frozen. The frozen function works perfectly. I use the "a bit more" function quite often too as I prefer my toast a bit darker than my partner likes hers. So instead of changing the main timer, I leave it on about 3 where she likes it and I just add "a bit more". I often have muffins and crumpets and the "crumpet" feature is a massive draw card for me in choosing this toaster. Although the other cheaper toaster had the crumpet feature too, it was rubbish and just didn't work like the Breville does. The "crumpet" feature gives my muffins and crumpets that cooked crispy side and a nice warm fluffy soft side. Lovely! But one of the best features is the soft rising and lowering. Whether the cooking is at the end of it's timed cycle or you choose to raise it by the "lift and look" function, it raises nice and steadily without that instant popping up and occasional loss of toast out the top. The toaster is built well. Solid. Cool to the touch outer body when in operation. And it functions very well. If I get another 11 years out of this toaster, I'll be very happy. I'll come back in 11 years to update this review if it dies then.
Stylish toaster, and precise control – This toaster features a stylish metallic exterior with metal buttons and lighting that adorn all of the controls, this makes the appliance suitable for any modern kitchen design. The taster features a standard 4 slots for toast. What's great about this toaster is the customisation you can bring to something as simple as bread! You can select… Read more
wether your toasting bread from frozen, wether you want to simply defrost, you can even state that your toasting a bagel or crumpet. The dial for how much you want your toast cooked has allot of different levels so you can precisely select your preferred level of toasting. My only real complaints about the toaster would be that it's power cord is somewhat short so if allot of space between your toaster and the outlet exists there may be some difficulties. The toaster is also somewhat pricy given some other models do offer other features in the same price range, and at the end of the day it isn't much different to any regular and cheaper toaster, but still good value for what you get!
Positive reviews
We've owned two of these units, they're excellent, best toaster on the market as far as I'm concerned. Will buy again when required without hesitation if they're still available. Show details
Revolutionary toasting experience with the Breville smart toaster – Just purchased it on 29/6/2024. I make my own different types of bread - the cut isn’t always even and the slices are quite big. The different settings work brilliantly. I like raisin bread and hubby likes the light rye I make - What a joy it is to toast different breads with their own requirements, simultaneously. For us the degree of golden… Read more
brown is perfect, even though the toaster caters for deeper toast colours if required. Yes it’s a little expensive but as my dear husband pointed out, this unit is approximately the price of a good takeaway two course meal for the three of us. Money well spent.
Find out how Breville Smart Toast compares to other Toasters
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Breville 4 slice toaster BTA845BSS – Bought this 12 years ago and still toasting strong! Its pricey but worth the money for a good looking, quality, modern toaster. Toasts from warm to burnt black, the automatic drop down and buttons are solid. Kids love the red lights and beep when its finished... awesome will buy another!
Negative reviews
This product WILL fail shortly after warranty expires – I've now owned 3 of these and can honestly say never again. Guaranteed this product will fail only a few months after the warranty expires. We even purchased extended warranty on the latest one and sure enough, shortly after it expired, toaster reduced function and now one side barely works (the side that's almost never used). So disappointed… Read more
because I do like the features which are not readily available on other toasters, but Breville has taken enough of my money for an unreliable product. Why does a $9 Kmart toaster last forever but this thing barely outlasts it's warranty?
Avoid, not a good value choice – Used every few days and naturally failed not long after the warranty expired. Main problems were the supports for the toast broke away, and the electronics for the raise and lower are totally erratic. Very disappointed with the brand in particular the price we paid for it expecting a reasonable working life. As much as it pains me to write this;… Read more
in all it is more cost effective to buy a basic toaster from a supermarket or department store than waste money on what is an expensive piece of land fill.
Brand New Breville Toaster Defective – The issue was discovered when a family member attempted to use the toaster and noticed that the bread failed to descend into the appliance. Subsequently, after switching the toaster off and then plugging it in again, a power outage. We made a further attempt to use the toaster which resulted in the appliance emitting smoke, prompting its immediate shutdown. The internal wiring had sustained burn damage despite the absence of any crumbs. Show details
Recent reviews
Disappointing toaster – I'm disappointed enough by this toaster to go out of my way to write this review. Toaster lasted just over two years. The button to send the toast down stopped working on one side after a year. Then, when the product was two years old, the heating element stopped working on the other side. Out of warranty, no way for it to be economically… Read more
serviced. I am throwing out a $205 toaster way. It should have lasted much longer given it was being gently used in a family home. Do not recommend you buy this.
Overpriced – Worked well for the first few months. Crumbs don't fall into crumb tray, crumbs build up in toaster and cannot be removed. Will not toast frozen raisin loaf, one side untoasted, the other side burnt. Turns frozen bread into hard biscuit. Fresh bread cannot be properly toasted, has to be tasted twice! $20 toaster was better value. Do not buy this product. More 'Made in China' rubbish. Show details
Bad quality control from Breville – This is my third Breville toaster in this range. The first one we received as a wedding gift 12 years ago ended up with my parents-in-law, predated the fully electronic versions, and lasted over 10 years until it finally gave up. Great toaster. The second one we got about four years ago was fully electronic and lasted about two years before… Read more
dying completely. I foolishly thought this might have just been a bad batch, as the first one was still going strong, so I bought another one.
From the beginning the toast from this toaster was uneven, with one side always slightly browner than the other. Additionally the toast level had to be on the lowest setting not to burn toast, making the upper ranges seemingly pointless. This wasn't the best, but I'd describe it as a very expensive, average toaster. But last week, mid-toast we heard a loud popping sound from it, the house fuse tripped, and the toaster was dead.
The toaster does feel very high quality, it's hefty, no flex, solid metal, it's just unfortunate this seemingly doesn't extend to the quality of the toast and the rest of the componentry.
Best Toaster – I bought this toaster in early 2011 from The Good Guys in Carseldine. Used regularly, moved house multiple times and it never missed a beat. This week it finally died. Will definitely be looking for another. It was a fantastic toaster. Show details
Absolute rubbish – Worst toaster I have ever owned, doesn’t toast, burns crumpets, and unit is too heavy. Waste of money. Show details
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A very good toaster – I bought a BTA820 two slice toaster in March 2012, and it has been very good all of the time. Unfortunately it has expired in August 2022, so it gave faultless service for 10 years. I have traced the fault to a solid state switch which controls the heating elements - everything else is working. There are no replacement parts available. I believe… Read more
it is important to keep it clean inside - I regularly blow it out with compressd air. However, because it it so complex I can see if it became clogged with crumbs and the like, it could easily give trouble. I have replaced it with the most recent model BTA 825, and if it lasts 10 years I will be happy.
Very unreliable – I have a previous review on this toaster and it gets no better with the new one. I bought this toaster in April 2019, it broke 2 months before the end of warranty Feb 21. JBHiFi sent it away for appraisal and it was replaced. The new one only 15 months old has now also broken. Luckily I bought the extended warranty although I reckon this one… Read more
should also be covered under Breville warranty but I am using the ext warranty. 1. The toaster toasts great but is terribly unreliable. 2. The toaster lowers, lifts, looks and c's, a little bit mores great until it breaks making it very unreliable. 3. If you buy this very unreliable toaster buy the extended warranty too. 4. Each very unreliable toaster I have had has broken down differently.
Toast nirvana – My previous toaster last less than 2 years due to my over vigorous efforts to clean out ALL the crumbs. I lasted two days without a toaster and then the combination of working from home and the desire to have toast, because I couldn't, dragged me out of the safety of home to my local Retravision to get a new one. I did my due diligence but found… Read more
nearly every toaster had varying reviews. Including checking out the latest Choice review. I settled on the Breville as it seemed to have more positive than negative responses. I have had the toaster for about a week or so, and have used it for toasting crumpets, flat bread, normal bread and hot cross buns. It has performed really well across everything so far. The fruit bread option is great and the crumpets turned out perfect. I can't comment on longevity so far, but it does come with a two year warranty. It looks very nice on my counter and the brushed steel is easy to wipe down. Based on the angst I had in picking a toaster I thought I would add my review and hope it helps other toast tragics in their search for the perfect toaster - even browning is everything people!
Stopped working – After one year of very occasional usage (less than once per week) it has completely stopped working and I have been told that it cannot be repaired Expensive rubbish Last Breville for me Show details
Absolutely love the features – All of my family absolutely loves this toaster, though I agree with other reviewers that it’s not as durable as it could be. Both the “bit more” and “lift and look” features are genius. I love the long and wide slots that fit slices of sourdough and Turkish rolls. Here are the issues: - My first unit had an element fail after six months, but I… Read more
got the toaster replaced under warranty - The toast cooks more at the top than the bottom, so we need to flip the toast upside down then use the “bit more” button to get it evenly toasted, but that is a common issue with toasters and at least we aren’t burning toast since the “bit more” function gives it a quick extra burst - The motorised lowering arm is starting to get loud and jerky, so I fear that it will fail in the near future, though it hasn’t yet.
Based on the other reviews it would seem that I can’t expect it to last for five years, but I’d still be tempted to buy another toaster like this because I’d struggle to manage without the “bit more” function! We love our toast!
Still working after almost 20 years – It toasts. Has done for years. Can't remember exactly what year it was bought but it would have been around 2003 I would have thought, and it is still going in 2021. One of the led that light the buttons stopped working, and it has occasionally shorted out when something became wedged between wires, but clean it out and all is fine. I know of a… Read more
friend who had another model that produced uneven toast, but this has always worked sufficiently well that when we moved to a toaster oven we stayed with the same brand.
Now we have loaned out the original toaster, and it is still delighting those who use it.
RUBBISH – Fails to do what it is supposed to do ,toast evenly. It toasts the top but not the bottom of the bread and not the reverse side. I changed it for a Sunbeam maestro much better and $60.00 cheaper. I urge people to take items back if they don't do what they are advertised to do. Show details
It will toast it exactly how you want it – This toaster is worth every cent. We had one at work and I just had to get one. You can adjust the toast to exactly what you want. If you need it to be toasted for a little bit more - there is a little bit more button. The slots can take thick toast also. In addition there is a button for fruit toast - so you wont burn your raisin bread. I now… Read more
love being able to put 4 pieces of bread in also - so our eggs dont go cold waiting for more toast to pop up!!..
The Perfect Toast Ever!!! – Love this toaster, it toasts both sides of any type of bread perfectly and evenly, has no trouble with frozen bread. The bread lift is electronic so the bread doesn't spring out, super quiet and allows for a wide range of different bread thicknesses. Love the stainless steel look. I'm very happy with my purchase, good value for money. Show details
Piece of overpriced garbage! – I purchased this toaster for $200 and time level from 1 to 4.5 gives you light toast. when adjusted to 5, toast burns. Never ever will I be buying anything breville. here's my review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THuO8SntTHk Show details
Looks great but – Loved the design, features - toaster never toasted equally or consistently - same bread, same thickness, different results - the worst - exactly 2 years into owning a big flash and toaster is dead Show details
Don't bother! – Had a couple of these Breville 'Smart' toasters over the last few years and have to agree with the bulk of the reviews here - they really are rubbish. The 'lift and look' function failed almost immediately on our most recent one, and today the whole unit failed altogether. Even when it was working, the results where less than satisfactory - toast… Read more
only cooked on one side/burnt around the edges etc. I don't know if the people at Breville take any notice of these reviews or whether they don't give a rats what anyone thinks, but I notice there are no comments from anyone at the company on these pages in reply to what is an almost universally negative opinion of their products.
The elements just died – Bought just over 2 years ago and over the last 4 weeks the elements died, one side at a time. Now I can only toast 1 piece at the highest setting. Don’t buy it - it’s not worth the other features if it doesn’t toast. Show details
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