KitchenAid KMT222OB 2-Slice Toaster with Manual High-Lift Lever and Digital Display - Onyx Black

I just got this toaster today, so I can't speak to its durability, but my first impressions are very favorable.One thing I didn't see in the other reviews here at Amazon was any discussion of the heating elements employed. Were these quartz rods or the traditional glowing strips arrayed on mica board?The answer is that the elements on this toaster are high-grade strips -- comparatively wide and thick -- arrayed very neatly and consistently on the insulating boards for "even browning," according to the instructions.I confess I haven't tried toasting regular bread or bagels yet -- just toaster pastries -- but the toaster seems to handle these very well. And though the pastry maker recommends using the lightest toaster setting, I think a 2 out of 7 here is preferable.Otherwise the toaster uses all-steel construction for the body, with plastic only on the base. The crumb tray slides out neatly with a press on its front.There is a cord wind under the base, and the cord is sturdy, with three prongs.When you push down the lever, guides automatically center the bread in each slot for even toasting.Then you see a countdown timer of individual LED elements turn off one by one, until the toast pops up and a chime beeps to alert you.I have seen some complaints on this page about problems with the lever not engaging at the bottom of its travel. Folks needing something sturdier might want to opt for KA's step-up model, which motorizes the raising and lowering of bread, rather than relying on the simple spring-loaded mechanism here.In my case, I don't use a toaster that often, so I chose this cheaper model.Overall, though, the unit seems solid, well thought out, and it's attractive in that industrial deco KitchenAid way. I will report back if I encounter any difficulties...PROS:* All-steel body.* LED count-down timer and toast-ready bell.* Heavy-duty heating elements neatly arrayed.* Self-centering bread guides.* Cord wrap under base.* Heavy-duty three-prong cord.* Bagel, defrost, and reheat modes.* Attractive industrial deco look.* One-year easy-replacement guarantee -- just keep your receipt, and KA will replace your defective unit at their expense.CONS:* Not the cheapest toaster in town, but far from the most expensive either.

This is a truly great toaster. So far I have toasted store-bought and home made breads (both white and wheat, and yes there is a difference), English muffins, and toaster waffles. I never really thought the "count-down" bar would be of interest to me but I really appreciate it now that I have it - my toast and eggs are always done and hot at the same time. The extra "lift" on the handle is also great for getting to those smaller items (i.e. English muffins) without burning your fingers. If this holds up like the old Toast Master I had, then this will have been a great purchase.BTW, the only reason I didn't give five stars is because I think it's over-priced; I know that probably 25% of the price is for branding.UPDATE: We've had this toaster a year now and it's starting to "fade" a bit. It has begun to toast unevenly side-to-side and even up and down. That wouldn't be a HUGE deal after a year, but I paid a LOT of money for this toaster and would have expected it to perform better, and over a longer period of time. I think I will spend considerably less next time and just figure on replacing more frequently; I could have bought three toasters for the price of this one!

I've been using this toaster for almost a year now and find it to be satisfactory on all counts for toast, bagels, English muffins. toaster pastries, waffles, etc. I generally set the dial for 4-5 for an average sized slice of bread and get a nice even color, not too light and not too dark.This may sound goofy, but there seemed to be a bit of a break-in period of several weeks. The more I used the toaster, the better the results, and more predictable. The thickness of the bread makes a difference, too. The thicker the slice, the closer it is to the heating element--you get the picture. There is a bit of experimentation involved while you learn the idiosyncracies of your machine--just like ovens are different, toasters have their own "thing." And different baked goods may require some setting adjustment as well to achieve the desired result.I don't ask for miracles from a pop-up toaster and $60 seems a reasonable price for a machine which is used every day and does a respectable job at what it was designed to do. All I want is to save some time in the morning and not have to bird dog bread under the oven broiler while I'm prepping bacon and eggs, or making juice.This Kitchen Aid is easy to understand and operate (love the defrost and warming features) and has a handsome solid appearance. I like the brushed metal which looks good with "stainless" appliances and is attractive enough to leave sitting out on the counter. It has a solid high-end look and feel.I'm sure there are fancier toasters out there that make magnificent toast, but I'm not willing to pay those prices. I just wanted a good, reliable toaster with a modest countertop footprint which produced good toast on a consistent basis--and that's what I got. If I can get at least five more years use from it, I'll be content.

A Christmas present to ourselves - this toaster has now been used enough to have made its mark. It is stylish; if the look fits your kitchen decor, you will not be disappointed. The red color is tasteful, but not too-bright, or overbearing. The toaster has a solid look and feel - nothing flimsy here.Most importantly, it works as you would hope. Lots of control via rotary knob for the level of toasting AND push button settings for: defrost, bagel, reheat & cancel. AND all works as labeled. This is a good toaster and a good value, and lets face it, part of the appeal is for its looks. The only negative (and it may be trifling); the slots are plenty wide for bagels, but not quite long enough for rye bread - which is only a bit longer than standard. A star off is harsh, but 4¾ if I could!

We have only had this toaster for 2 months so I cannot comment on its durability, but so far it has worked well. The slots are wide to accommodate thick slices of bread or bagels and the controls are easy to use and include cancel, bagel, hold and defrost functions. The exterior is attractive and it stays quite cool while the appliance is operating. The result is good toast, although there is a very slight difference between the amount of browning on the 2 sides of each piece of bread. The digital read-out lets you know the setting and how much time is left before the toast pops. The lever raises the toast well out of the machine for easy removal.

Very cute, efficient and strongly built.When the toast is done, the toaster make a sound that is at a good volume level.The 900W makes crispy toasts, because the bread has time to cook from outside to inside.I had a 1200W and the toasts weren't very crispy. So I recommend this 900W toaster.I also like the crumb tray that is deeper than the other toasters, so it's easier to clean-up.The time bars are really cool, because you know when the toast will be done.The ventilation slots on each side of the toaster ensure that it won't become hot. So the toaster can be touch and the plastic bag won't melt on its sides.I really recommend this toaster !!!

This toaster looks lovely and is easy to use. The adjustment settings are reasonable and I didn't have a problem finding a setting I liked. However, since it is the "push down" model, it doesn't always stay down on first push and you need to use the cancel button to make the toast pop up. It has a count down timer which I find super handy dandy. I have had it for a while and no issues so far.

We have had bad luck with toasters over the years- uneven toasting and pieces of bread getting wedged in the slots being our worse pet-peeves. So far, this toaster has performed very well. Even browning, and the handy "ding" when the toast pops up makes this appliance a recommended buy. Pleased so far.

Very good, toasts well once you get the correct setting.Great looking, love the beeper when toast is done.Tag on cord left glue reside that was difficult to remove..