Why You Still Need a Toaster in Your Kitchen (Even If You Have an Air Fryer)
You should have the right tools in your kitchen. Welcome to The Guide to Outfitting Your Kitchen series , where I help you outfit your space with all the small appliances you need (and ditch the ones you don’t).
In the age of smart technology, it can be difficult to determine when simple is actually better. Such is the case with the humble toaster. Why even buy this clunky single-tasking appliance when you can use a regular oven or, better yet, your favorite air fryer? Even with the impressive advancements in modern kitchen appliances, when it comes to perfectly toasted bread, the toaster beats them all.
My partner and I are obsessed with our basket style air fryer . Its high-speed convection-driven winds quickly fry vegetables and crisp them like no other, but I would never fry bread on it. The problem is that both a regular oven and an air fryer are the worst at drying out bread.
The ideal toast will naturally have some dryness as evaporation is part of the process, but it should also have a pliable and tender element. The edges and sides should be slightly crispy and browned, and the center should still be moist. This is best done under close direct heat for a short period of time. This means that all the pressure is placed on where the heating elements are located in relation to your precious carbohydrates.
If you want to hear me explain, watch this video:
Where conventional ovens and deep fryers fail
A conventional oven heats food using indirect heat from the environment. The air inside this 3.5 cubic foot box must first be heated to the desired temperature, and this is what cooks the food, not direct high heat from an electric coil or gas flame. Heating elements can be located at the top or bottom of the oven, which is convenient for heating both sides of the bread at the same time; however, they are usually eight to 10 inches away from the food itself. Combined, these factors mean that your piece of sandwich bread needs to stay there for quite a long time. By the time the toast has any color at all, it will be completely dry. (A broiler can work, but that kind of firepower requires flipping and careful attention unless you need charcoal.)
The deep fryer has a different problem: the heating element is located much closer, but it only goes from above. To do this, you will have to turn the bread halfway through cooking to brown the other side. While this extra time is not a huge inconvenience, there is still the problem of hurricane-force winds coming from the convection fan. The convection function is indispensable for quickly removing moisture, which makes the air fryer great for crisping chicken wings or fried foods, but, unfortunately, makes the bread completely brittle.
For perfect toast you need a toaster
A simple slot toaster solves all these problems. Instead of ambient heat, electric coils are used, positioned a quarter to half an inch away from the bread. There’s more than one giant heating coil at the top; instead there are several small ones that affect both sides of each piece of bread. This two-way direct heat reduces overall cooking time and only browns the outside of the carbs. The slot toaster saves the day with slightly crispy edges, perfect color and a warm yet moist and tender interior.
There is a toaster with a slot for you:
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Müeller 2-slice extra-long toaster . Slim design avoids overcrowding the rack.
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Oster Long Slot Toaster – Ideal for toasting long, homemade bread.
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Yabano 4 Compartment Toaster – Includes independent heat settings and two warming racks.
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Retro Müeller toaster . If style matters, get this chic toaster that deserves high praise.
If you’re on the toaster team, I understand. We had this kind of toast in our kitchen growing up, and the toast was pretty good. It’s better than using an air fryer and much smarter than toasting bread in a regular oven. That being said, if you’re a big fan of toast and have the budget and space, there’s nothing better than a good old-fashioned toaster with a slot machine. You deserve it.