Black & Decker 2-Slice Toaster

I swapped my toaster oven for a compact two-slicer recently, and this Black & Decker toaster has lived on my counter for a few weeks. I wanted simple, predictable toast without babysitting a mini-oven, plus a bagel and frozen mode for quick breakfasts. After dozens of cycles with sandwich bread, sourdough, English muffins, bagels, and frozen slices, here’s how it actually behaves day to day.

Design and build

This is a straightforward, no-frills toaster with a matte black shell and a compact footprint. At roughly 8.6 by 9.1 inches on the counter and 12.3 inches tall, it fits comfortably under cabinets and leaves space for a coffee maker beside it. It’s heavier than I expected for a two-slice unit, which ends up being a positive: it doesn’t scoot around when you push the lever or jab the buttons.

The slots are generously wide, and the self-adjusting guides center thick and thin slices with reasonable reliability. Rustic slices with very uneven edges still lean a touch, but bagels and Texas toast fit without forcing. The lever has a high-lift action that raises small items an extra notch; English muffins and the end pieces of a loaf were easy to grab without singeing fingertips.

Build quality is what I’d call utilitarian. The dial and buttons are firm with a slight click, not luxury-grade, but consistent. The crumb tray drops down and removes easily for cleaning. I didn’t see sharp edges or misaligned panels, and heat staining on the top plate was minimal after regular use.

Controls and features

• A 7-position shade dial covers the range from barely warmed to quite dark. The steps feel evenly spaced.
• Push-button controls handle bagels, frozen/defrost, and cancel. Cancel works instantly, which is handy if you smell toast drifting quickly toward char.
• The extra-wide, self-centering slots accommodate thicker items better than many budget toasters.
• The high-lift lever is genuinely useful for small breads and pastries.
• The drop-down crumb tray makes cleanup painless; a quick tap in the sink kept smoke and odors at bay during my tests.

There’s no reheat function and no audible chime; it’s a simple pop-up toaster with the essentials.

Toasting performance

For standard white and wheat sandwich bread, the sweet spot on my unit was between 3 and 4 on the dial. At 4, I consistently got a crisp, even golden-brown surface with a soft interior. At 3, it leaned toward light with a gentle crunch. Timing varies with kitchen temperature and bread moisture, but the toaster’s pacing was steady across repeated mornings.

Evenness is decent but not perfect. The outer edges of slices trended a shade lighter than the center, and I saw a subtle diagonal gradient on very large slices—common in compact toasters where coil coverage isn’t uniform. If you’re picky about uniform color edge-to-edge, you’ll notice it; if you care more about texture, it hits a satisfying crunch without drying the crumb.

Heat recovery between back-to-back cycles is better than most budget models. The second cycle tends to run hotter, as expected, but not dramatically so. I found dropping the dial by half a step (e.g., from 4 to just under 4) for a second batch produced consistent outcomes.

Bagel mode

This is where the toaster stumbles. Bagel mode is supposed to prioritize heat on the cut side and reduce it on the outer side. In practice on my unit, both sides browned more than I’d expect in a true bagel setting, and the outer side was not meaningfully protected. I could coax acceptable results by lowering the dial to around 3 and using bagel mode, but it wasn’t a one-press, perfect bagel experience.

If you primarily eat bagels, especially thick ones with a delicate crust, plan to experiment with settings and keep an eye on your first few runs. The slots fit bagels comfortably, and they toast, but the “bagel” part of the promise feels more like a minor tweak than a dedicated program.

Frozen bread and waffles

The defrost function is more successful. It gently extends the cycle to thaw and toast frozen slices without scorching edges. I tested with supermarket sandwich bread straight from the freezer and with frozen waffles. On the dial at 3.5 with defrost, bread came out evenly toasted to a light-golden finish, warm throughout. Waffles were best at 4 on defrost, crisp on the outside with a fluffy interior. If you keep bread in the freezer and only toast occasionally, this feature is genuinely useful.

Everyday usability

Living with this toaster is easy. The lever operates smoothly, and the high-lift travel prevents singed fingers. The cancel button is responsive and rescues overambitious settings immediately. The crumb tray is more accessible than most; because it drops down, you’re more likely to actually use it, which keeps smoke and off flavors at bay. The exterior warms up but didn’t hit “don’t touch” levels in my testing—still, I wouldn’t drape a towel over it right after a cycle.

A couple of small notes: very thin rye slices can tilt slightly and toast a hair unevenly near the top edge, and extremely tall artisan slices may need a mid-cycle flip if you want the unexposed top to brown. Those are common quirks with standard-height toasters.

Calibration tips

• Standard sandwich bread: Dial 3.5–4, no modes.
• Dense whole grain: Dial 4–5; reduce by half a step on consecutive batches.
• English muffins: Dial 4, bagel mode off, use high-lift to retrieve.
• Bagels: Dial 3–3.5 with bagel mode; monitor the first cycle.
• Frozen bread: Dial 3.5–4 with defrost; expect a slightly longer cycle.
• Frozen waffles: Dial 4 with defrost; if you like a deep crunch, nudge to 4.5.

These ranges produced consistent results in my kitchen; you’ll likely adjust a notch either way based on bread thickness and taste.

Cleaning and maintenance

The crumb tray captures most debris and wipes clean under running water; let it dry before reinserting. Because the interior guides self-center, crumbs don’t accumulate excessively along one side. A quick weekly emptying kept smoke out of the equation and reduced that stale-toast smell. The top surface benefits from a microfiber wipe to remove minor smudges and fingerprints.

Value and alternatives

This is a classic “get the basics right” toaster with a couple of convenience features. The shade dial is predictable, the defrost mode works, the high-lift lever is genuinely helpful, and the wide slots make it versatile. Where it underperforms is bagel mode and edge-to-edge evenness. If bagels are your staple or you want showpiece-uniform browning, there are pricier models with more precise element control. If you mostly toast bread and occasionally pull slices from the freezer, this hits the mark without fuss.

Recommendation

I recommend this toaster for straightforward, everyday bread toasting with occasional frozen items. It’s stable on the counter, easy to use, and easy to clean. The shade dial is trustworthy, and the defrost function is legitimately helpful. However, if a true bagel program and immaculate, edge-to-edge evenness are high on your list, you’ll want to look at a model with more advanced element control. For most kitchens that need dependable toast at a reasonable price, this Black & Decker toaster gets the job done with minimal drama.