Are Dualit Toasters Worth The Money?

1. Customer service. Dualit's customer service department rules. They speak to you in a very conversational, layman's tone of voice and are very receptive to making suggestions and solving your toaster issues. They are just as honest as they are helpful. I had to call them regarding a wattage question I had and the rep was competent and well spoken. I felt as though if this were a toaster I would need to have serviced or have to return, they would accommodate me without issue. Competent, friendly customer service is paramount to my purchase decisions.

2. Evenly toasted toast. Dualit 4 slice toasters have a dial that allows you to set the appliance to the exact amount of pieces you need to toast at a time. Just turn the dial and drop your bread. Once the piece of bread is done toasting, the toast does not pop out...it continues to warm....producing a perfectly warm, toasted piece of toast. Also, most 4 slice toasters will eject the piece of toast prematurely leaving it cold and not fully toasted. The ejector lever is manual, not automatic, so you can choose to use it or not use it. Dualit 4 slice toasters eliminate that issue and this was amazing to me. That ALONE was worth it. The evenness is not relegated to toast only....the bagels, muffins, and pretty much everything else you need to brown comes out evenly toasted. No cold spots.

3. Power saver. Here's the thing...because Dualit Toasters use such a high wattage you should only plug it into an electrical outlet that has nothing else plugged into it. Once you are finished using the toaster I recommend you unplug it. Unplugging your Dualit toasters will preserve the longevity of your toaster and reduce your energy usage, effectively reducing your energy bill. If you are like me you unplug all of your appliances when not in use anyway, but if you do not do that this is your opportunity to get into what is a pretty good habit.

4. Very wide slotting for larger food items. Because the slots are so wide, bagels and muffins slide in and out without getting caught. With so many cheap factory produced toasters the slots are so thin that you tear the bagels apart (before they ever make it out of the toaster) and you end up losing half of the food item to the bottom of the toaster--where it burns to a crisp. Annoying! That burnt smell loves to linger, too doesn't it? The 28mm slots can accommodate the optional Dualit sandwich cage or warming rack and this is why the bagels and muffins fit so well. The bagels and muffins also come out evenly toasted and the taste (that evenly toasted bagels produce) is second to none. I mean bagels aren't as popular as they are simply because they are convenient. There is even a setting on Dualit toasters for toasting one side of the bagel and warming the other! You can DEFROST your toast and bagels as well--right from the freezer! Sometimes I'll eat an everything bagel plain with Dualit Toasters simply because they taste great plain. Oh yeah, can't forget Marmite Yeast Extract...a Dualit toaster companion for years!

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5. Tons Of Colors. I know, to some this may be irrelevant, and I prefer stainless steel, but there are like 100 different colors for most Dualit toasters. I am exaggerating slightly, but they do offer lots of choices outside of the stainless steel model. Kinda nice for colorful kitchens. It's a great looking, strong toaster.

Here is my take on it. In one recent year, I bought a $20 toaster that almost caught on fire after having it for about one month. The toaster was so poorly constructed that the bread was always much too close to the toaster innards--I won't mention the name brands. Then, I bought what I thought was a nice $70 toaster from a bigger retail outfit. After about 6 months or so the toaster lever would not stay down. Cost to have it fixed and shipped? $45....I thought it was under warranty but they would not honor it. I never had it shipped or fixed. I bought a toaster through the manufacturers website on toaster number three and while this toaster looked great, it was all design and no performance. I mean the toaster wouldn't toast large bagels (despite the website specifically saying they would with ease) and one half was always colder than the other. So in the span of one year I spent about $110 on toasters that never worked more than 6 months.

Dualit toasters are doing me right FINALLY and the Dualit 4 Slicer hasn't given me one issue yet--I have had it for years. If I had to give you advice I would say go ahead and spend some money on a higher quality toaster and register the product immediately. This is one of those brands (designed in the UK) that makes quality products. I am totally satisfied and glad I made that decision. I have not been let down.