Cuisinart Countdown Metal 2-Slice Toaster - Brushed Stainless

    I agree it works well. - As noted it is hard to keep clean. Bending over for the timer isn't too much of price to pay considering it takes as long as it does to toast to the level of desired "toastiness". This Cuisinart toaster just quantifies it better than ones without a timer.

    Better than Most - In 1986 I bought a basic toaster for about $10. It worked fine for 20 years. When it broke, I was surprised that I was unable to find one that would toast evenly. This Cuisinart toaster is the best that I've found so far. I think the reason toasters toast unevenly now is that they're usually designed to hold bagels. When you place normal bread in them, the bread is a greater distance from the heating elements than it used to be, which makes the toasting more variable. Since I never eat bagels, I find this very annoying. But this toaster works fairly well, and I like the digital timer, which shows the remaining time. You can do something else if you know exactly when it will pop up.

    Decent Toaster - Like way too many people, I spent far too long researching toasters. There doesn't seem to be a perfect one under $100. Consumer Reports liked this one, so I bought it. Everything Kitchens had a good price. It does what it's supposed to, so...yippee ka yay. Imagine that, being happy because a simple toaster can toast! I have two complaints: the stainless steel casing is a fingerprint magnet; and the countdown timer is practically worthless because the display must be at eye level to see it best (so, unless your toaster is in your kitchen cabinet, you have to bend over to see the display).