CHOOSING a toaster shouldn’t be taxing – but picking one that delivers a perfect, golden crunch is more of a challenge than you might think. From basic two-slice machines for around a tenner, to high-end appliances with more dials than a spaceship, there are hundreds of styles to browse through. And some pricier gadgets cost serious dough, setting you back nearly £150. Lynsey Hope paid more than £100 for her toaster – but the uneven results failed to impress.

Here, she pits fancy models against more budget-friendly options and scores each out of five. £39.99, robertdyas.co.uk. Toasting time: 2 minutes 50 seconds. I LIKED the attractive rippled design but it was a bit slow, taking nearly three minutes to toast a slice of bread. Although it’s easy to use, taller bread slices didn’t fit completely, so the tops came out not quite done. It was a bit fiddly to clean, too.

On the plus side, this benefits from a high-lift carriage lever to help you retrieve your slices without burning your fingers. I liked the illuminated cancel, reheat and defrost buttons but this is a little overpriced. Rating: 2/5. £54.99, vonhaus.com. Toasting time: 2 minutes 31 seconds. AN attractive toaster with lovely wood-effect controls. But it’s quite bulky, so one to avoid if you don’t have much counter space.

It toasted better on one side of the bread than the other and the lever function wasn’t terribly efficient – I had to give the bread a helping hand to push it far enough into the toaster. But it browned evenly enough and I liked that it has separate controls for the different slots, so you can cater to different preferences. Rating: 3/5. £29.99, morphyrichards.co.uk. NOT as powerful as others, this took nearly three minutes to toast a single slice of bread.

But it toasted pretty evenly, although the top of a standard slice did poke out a bit. I loved the colour but the brushed effect meant it easily showed up dirt and fingerprints and needed constant wiping. With a cancel, defrost and reheat function and seven different heat settings, it is similar to the Russell Hobbs model. But at £10 cheaper, it’s better value. £14, argos.co.uk. Toasting time: 1 minute 30 seconds.

ONE of the fastest toasting times, but the results looked quite anaemic on setting three, so I had to turn up the dial a bit. Its slots are deep and wide enough to fit both thicker and taller slices of bread, which is great considering the price. OK, it’s not the most stylish but if it’s tucked away, who cares?. It might not wow your guests, but it is really easy to clean and does the job. Plus it is an amazing price.

£11.97, currys.co.uk. Toasting time: 2 minutes. FOR less than £12, this toaster had an impressive array of functions. You can toast bread straight from the freezer with the defrost setting, plus it has a removable crumb tray and clever reheat option – great if you get distracted and need to warm up your toast. This purse-friendly machine looked smart on my kitchen counter and is available in a range of colours, including black and green.

Was it the absolute best? No. But for this price, who’s complaining?. Rating: 4/5. £79.99, shop.swan-brand.co.uk. Toasting time: 2 minutes 38 seconds. I LOVED the retro look and wood-effect controls. The slots were wide enough for a bigger slice, but the top did poke out, so was uncooked. Has seven adjustable browning levels to suit your toasting tastes. And the crumb tray popped out with ease, so it’s quick to clean.

There’s also a handy defrost option if you want to toast bread straight from the freezer. With four slots, it is ideal for busy parents – and I reckon its stylish looks are worth the few extra pounds. £34, kenwoodworld.com. Toasting time: 2 mins, 3 seconds. MY pick of the bunch. This was one of the only models that toasted both sides of the bread evenly and it was also one of the quickest, so there is less hanging around for your breakfast.

The slots are wide enough to fit chunkier slices of bread and deep enough so the whole slice gets properly browned. The design is easy on the eye and it feels robust and well-made, too. It’s also the best value of the four-slice models we tested. A great gadget for the price. Rating: 5/5. £17.50, dunelm.com. Toasting time: 2 mins. ALTHOUGH this is made of plastic, it’s a stylish design for the price and looked nice on my kitchen counter.

But on closer inspection, I could see it was made of cheaper materials, making me worry how long it would last. It cooked my toast slightly more on the inner side than the outer, but the results tasted fine and it didn’t take long. My biggest complaint is the size of the slot. It isn’t tall enough for a standard slice of bread, so half of it came out untoasted. Rating: 1/5. From £149.95, smeguk.com.