BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Toaster, Traditional Square, Black with Stainless Steel Accents, TR1400SB

This is a review for the Black and Decker TR1400SB 4-slice toaster. I am a big believer in the adage "you get what you pay for", but it is not always true. As far as kitchen gear goes, it's usually true, but in this case it is not. We had gone through two $100 Cuisinart stainless 4-slice toasters in 5 years. We loved how they looked, and they performed very well for about a year, but the elements started to go, and after about 2 years, one side (2 slices) would not work at all. For a $100 item, this was just unacceptable - I expected a longer life for that product, considering what I paid. So, I did a lot of research to find a suitable replacement (expecting to pay about $100), and my research kept coming back to the B&D toaster that sells for $35-$40. I was skeptical, and I took my time to be sure, because I figured for this price, it would not be what I wanted. Well, I was wrong. Although it is not as sleek looking as the higher-end toasters, it performs just as well as my Cuisinart did in its prime. And for this money, it could break in 2 years, and I am still under budget. It may not be sleek, but it is still attractive enough to keep on the counter as part of the decor. I have been using it for over a month - here are my review points: + 4 slice toasting (or just two at a time if I want) ++ toasts bread, bagels, muffins, and over-sized (country style) bread. Everything fits. + toasts fairly evenly - not perfect, but evenly enough. It's not art, it's food. ++ retractable power cord. When not in use, we unplug it, and the spring loaded cord takes up no space. + easy to clean. removable crumb trays mean I don't have to shake the toaster upside down to clean it out. ++ price is right. very affordable, and matches the performance of high end toasters at twice the price. + cancel button. this makes it easy to stop in mid-toast - dual adjustments are not exactly matching. When set at the same position, one side toasts a little longer. - case can get hot. after multiple consecutive toastings (12 slices), the case gets hot, but not enough to burn (too hot for a child). -- low baskets. when toast pops up, the toast does not protrude very far. I have to lift the lever so I can grab the toast. I would have rated at 4.5 stars, but I went with 5, because 4 would have been too low. For me, the negatives were far outweighed by the positives. Especially the price. Great value overall.

I read way too much about toasters and got Toaster Overload. I did not want an overpriced and over complicated toaster that was endeavoring to be a work of art. What I wanted was a good, solid functioning toaster that did not break the bank. After all, it is just a toaster. I refuse to spend $100 (or close) on a toaster. I just reject that on principle. For me, form follows function. This one fits the bill. It is easily wide enough for bagels and toasts everything well. The bagel button works well, as do the toasting dials, but as with all analog controls, you have to figure it out before you get it set the way you want it. I can now nail all of my toast-able items perfectly. It's not rocket science, you'll figure it out. Toasting is uniform in my experience. Others have stated that it is a little on the slow side. OK, maybe it is a little bit slower, but it toasts uniformly, so who cares? I don't plan on entering it in the toaster Olympics. It is maybe a touch slower than my old one, but that one did not toast uniformly. Put it this way; maybe it is slower, maybe not. I never timed the old one and I don't know what "average toast time" is. I'm thinking about it, so maybe it is just in my head. "A watched pot never boils..." Whatever the case, it is NOT excessively slow, and neither I nor my family have ever said, "What's taking so long?" Controls: The primary controls work well. To me, these are the dials. They are very precise in my opinion, once you figure it out. The down button is a touch finicky to lock, but again, it is not rocket science. Just press it fairly firm. The bagel button works very well. I add about ".5" on the dial for a bagel for my preference, but that is just how I like it. I have not used the Reheat or Frozen buttons yet. One thing that should be noted: The first toaster I received was damaged during shipping. The padding is a little on the light side, and one side on two slots (same side, the left side of the first two slots on the left) did not toast. I know I read at least one other review that mentioned this. However, Amazon customer service being excellent (IMO), they shipped a replacement immediately, and the second one works perfectly. This toaster does it all very well in my experience and I feel that I did not have to overpay. Two thumbs and big toes up.

EDIT 2016-06-15: This toaster is still toasting the toastiest tostables almost 2 years later. We use it at least 5 times a week and it works just as good as it did on Day 1. Still slightly uneven toasting, but honestly, it's well within the range of acceptable. If you need to make foodstuffs toasty, this'll do it reliably. ===== ORIGINAL REVIEW 2014-09-08: It's just a toaster. If you're like me and doing tons of research, trying to decide which toaster makes the tastiest, toastiest toast... Just freaking stop already. They are all pretty much the same nowadays, all built cheaply in China. I have not yet found a single toaster that perfectly evenly toasts every square millimeter of the breadstuffs stuffed into it's gaping, electrified maw... They all come out somewhat uneven. This toaster is no different. But is the uneven-ness in the toasting of toastables acceptable in this model? You betcha. Does it acceptably warm up your "oh man I'm so hung over" egg & cheese breakfast strudels, "I'm phoning it in" frozen waffles, or "dude, I'm so high right now" toaster pizzas? Yep, uh-huh, and... I'm sorry, what was the question? Pizza? Nom. The manual is written in fluent Engrish and comes full of truths, half-truths, and full-on lies, but if you need a manual to know how to operate a TOASTER, then God help you. Seriously, it's a toaster. Insert toastable item, press lever down, wait for the toastable to pop back up (drooling while waiting is optional), then cram it in your happy pie hole. So, yeah, seriously. It's a toaster. Don't over-think this. Don't expect a Bentley here, because you sure aren't getting a Bentley. You're not gonna spend a lot of money on this. That said, it does the job it's designed to do fairly well and looks fairly nice on the counter. So march that mouse pointer over to the "Add to Cart" button and buy this thing now so you can quit worrying over nothing and eat some perfectly acceptable toast.

So I needed to buy a new toaster. After reading a kizillion reviews I decided that buying a new toaster was like a box of chocolates---you never know what you are going to get. Then I read one review that said something like, this is not a major purchase. It's not like buying a new car. Don't overthink it and don't waste a lot of time trying to decide. So I opted for the Black & Decker TR1400SB 4 slice stainless steel toaster because I have a Black & Decker coffee pot that has served me very well for the past three years. Ding-dong, toaster has arrived. I unpacked it and put it on my kitchen counter and I must say that it fit right in with the kitchen decor and it didn't take up a lot of space. I read the directions before using ( I strongly suggest that reading the directions first is worth the time spent) and then surprise surprise. The first time I used it my toast came out perfect, just the way I like it on setting 4 (use setting 7 or 8 for darker toast).I have no comments about burnt toast because I hate burnt toast and never gave that setting a shot. Then I got adventurous and tried a bagel. Shazam!!! Perfect again. Finally I went for the gold ring and tried a frozen waffle. Bingo, bango, bongo. Perfect again. I have been using the toaster for about six weeks and all I can say is that it works extremely well for me. Who cares if the toaster doesn't have a timer? I am pleasantly surprised because some of the reviews for this appliance were not very flattering. Like a box of chocolates---you never know what you are going to get. Toasty happy in Pittsburgh

I read the reviews that stated that this is a cheap toaster, so don't overthink the purchase and buy it. I did and I was happy for two months. Last week, two months after buying it, the left two-slice mechanism stopped working. The tabs will not stay down and even when holding it manually, the entire side will not heat up. I am in the process of contacting the manufacturer regarding the warranty. I understand this is a cheap toaster. But for only two months of operation, it really becomes expensive if it stops working. EDIT 5/12/2014 I am very upset at the proposed solution to my problem. I contacted Black and Decker to ask about the warranty. They told me that this device is not actually manufactured by them, but by a company called Spectrum Brands. Spectrum asked me for proof of purchase, which I sent them. They agreed that the toaster is under warranty and they said they will replace it. What angered me was how they propose to do this. They want me to cut the end of the power cord with scissors, where the plug is, and send them this piece of cable. I also have to pay shipping and handling for the replacement unit--the S&H is about 20% of the original purchase price of the toaster. When they receive both things they will send me a replacement. I think this is insulting. The only reason I can think of for asking for a piece of the cable is to prevent me from using the defective toaster I have now. I guess they do no trust me when I tell them that the toaster is defective, so they want to ensure that I don't keep using it as well as the replacement. There are many problems with this, not the least of which is that repairing the cable with another plug would be trivial if I really wanted to steal a toaster form them. For a toaster this cheap, I can't imagine going through any trouble to trick this Spectrum Brands company out of a toaster, a toaster that has proven to be of terrible quality. Asking me to also pay shipping and handling is the cherry on top of the cake, in this case a rotten cherry on top of an 5-day-old cake that was left out of the freezer. I am so annoyed at Black and Decker for first pretending to be the manufacturers of this toaster, and then asking a company I never heard from to deal with me and treat me this way. I will not send back the plug nor the shipping and handling. When the part of the toaster that still works stops working, I will through it into the garbage. And I will never, ever buy anything from Black and Decker again. What a shame that this used to be a reputable brand. Brand equity only goes so far. Quality products are what sustain a company.

My husband said we didn't need a new toaster I said we did. In spite of hubby, I spent hours shopping & reading reviews on toasters. Eventually, it drove me crazy! The "better" name brands either weren't rated well, or they were too large and/or unattractive. This B & D toaster didn't look too exciting, but it had more good reviews than not-so-good. I got tired of shopping so I ordered it. What a great move that was! I can't speak for others who may have complaints, but mine is perfect! And, now my husband admits we DID need a new toaster. He sees the difference & loves this! It toasts evenly, and that's the most important to us. Also, bagels and English muffins work great. (No need to unplug & get a fork to remove them!). The features are just as described, but the picture of the toaster doesn't do it justice. This toaster is gorgeous. (I never thought of a toaster as being "gorgeous"... just a necessity!). I've replaced other small appliances such as coffee makers, microwaves, can-openers, & coffee grinders. Nobody ever noticed, nor did I expect anyone to. Yet, with this appliance, everyone who regularly comes over, notices it immediately. "Oh, you got a new toaster!?", they say. Then, they go on to say how beautiful it is! It truly shines! Who would ever think, after 40 yrs of housekeeping, I'd get excited over a toaster?!!!! I give it five stars at the very least! PS: I don't fix Pop Tarts or frozen toaster items such as waffles, but I can't imagine they'd be a problem at all!

I had this same model of toaster previously for about 3 years before it started to fall apart after heavy use. I like this model because it accommodated bagels well and is sturdier and more solidly built than other models I saw on the store shelf. It also costs more than most 2-slice toasters. I liked the old version of this model because the bagel setting just heated the two elements on the inside of the toaster. So you could put the two sides of the bagel in with the cut side facing in and toast only the top (inside part) of the sliced bagel. Crispy on top, soft and chewy on the bottom, nice! I bought the new version of this toaster 2 months age after the mechanical part inside started to fall apart. The bagel setting on the new version of this model toaster heats all four elements, 2 outside and 2 inside. So it toasts the outside (rounded side) of the bagel crispy like the inside (cut side). I honestly don't even know what the bagel setting does when you use it that is different from the standard setting. The manual explains nothing about how the 3 extra settings work. This toaster does not toast very evenly. Toasts more on the top of the bread or bagel than the bottom. So I set it to the number 2 timer setting, then when it pops up I turn the bread 180° and put the toaster down again. I still have not figured out a setting that toasts the bread perfectly. Mostly because 1) when the toaster is cold the #2 timer setting toasts less than when it is already warmed up and 2) because it toasts more on the top of the bread than the bottom. So, I toast for 2 light settings per slice to get it the way I like. It is very easy to burn bread because it is a very hot toaster. So keep an eye on it. The retractable cord is a nice feature. Though it can be a bit temperamental when you are trying to extract the cord. It's pretty easy to keep clean because of the slide-out tray on the bottom. Once and awhile I turn the whole toaster upside-down to shake out the crumbs that don't come out with the slide-out tray. I give this toaster 3 stars because it is sturdy and gets the job done better than other toasters I have tried. I take away two stars because it does not toast evenly, the instructions are poor and the bagel setting does not do much.

As a family of 5, when we need to toast something, we are toasting a lot of it. We had a 20 year old Betty Crocker Toaster that finally bit it when it lost all of its knobs - so I turned to my handy amazon to check the reviews for a replacement. Going over the available toasters, not a lot had decent reviews. The digital ones appeared to be the worst. As for the rest, many could not be used for successive toasting without overheating or shorting out. Many died within a short period of use. In fact, I found several references on line that "one should not expect a toasted to last more that 1-3 years. I don't find that acceptable. I bought this Black and Decker because it was simple. It apeared that there were less bells and whistles on it to break. I am glad for my decision. It is a great stury toaster. The exterior doesn't get hot - so it is safe for my children to use. It has a normal browning knob and additional settings for bagels/frozen items/etc. The cord is retractable. I'm not usually a fan of retractable cords - they usually break, so I will update this review if that happens. This browns toast evenly and to the degree which I prefer on 4, so there is plenty of room on either side of that to toast things to your preference level. I've only burnt one thing in it so far - an impressive record for me! My oldest children eat a lot of bagels and they enjoy using this toaster. It is simple and well made. Black & Decker usually makes a good product and this is no exception. I would heartily recommend it to anyone. For it's price point, I don't think you could find a better toaster. Edited July2016: starting to die . The mechanism in the retractable cord has loosened a wire connection and we now have to wiggle the connection quite a bit to get it to work. Some days no amount of wiggling will help-- so it is time to replace

...aber mehr auch nicht! Fairerweise muss ich dazu schreiben, dass wir diesen Toaster ausgepackt und kein Toast damit getoastet haben. Was nicht in der Beschreibung zu finden war, dass das Gerät nicht 220V tauglich ist. Somit ging der Toaster wieder zurück.

No instructions about a step down converter. It blew up the moment we plugged it in with a simple adaptor for a flat pin plug...