BALMUDAThe Toaster | Steam Oven Toaster | 5 Cooking Modes: Sandwich Bread, Artisan Bread, Pizza & Pastry, Oven | Precise Heat Control | Steam Technology | Baking Pan | US Version | Black

If you are reading this review you may be torn about paying such a premium for a toaster. And it’s a toaster. It’s not an all-in-one appliance. So here are my thoughts on why you should buy it if, like me, you really enjoy a perfect slice of artisan bread toast or are used to croissants that are crispy and flaky and not the mushy thing sold at grocery stores.For years, our family has known that running wet hands down a baguette before placing it in the oven, or a quick spritz of water on artisan bread or croissants produces a crunchy crust and moist interior. The trick also works with stale bread. Enter the Balmuda. Its simple trick of introducing water into the toasting process produces perfect, crunchy toast, evenly browned. Flaky crisp pastries. Crispy left-over pizza. Perfect English muffins and nice open face tuna melts.I have had the Balmuda for a month now and put it through its paces. It shines. Part of its magic is that the heating elements go on and off which seems to retain a moist interior while making a perfect crust. Note that, on purpose, the top will be perfectly browned and the bottom not so much; this ensures that your toast does not turn into Melba toast. Tip: Also but an 8” small silicone baking mat for the baking tray for those cheesy sandwiches and trim it down to size.I was concerned about the number of 1 star reviews based on reliability. I even called their tech support and received some advice on avoiding damage to the door and the cover for the water intake (i.e., so long as you don’t mishandle the device you should be fine). The upshot is that if you buy from Amazon, for $30 you can get 3 year protection. I did that because this is a pricey commodity.It’s self-indulgent to be sure, but you’ll never go back. If it’s just too pricey, use our family’s spritz technique with a small spray bottle and you may come close.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: Just received it and made my first piece of toast, and wow, I’m glad I got this thing. If you’re looking for the Lamborghini of toasters, this is it.The steam feature is actually pretty cool - I think it makes a difference in making the bread a bit more gooey on the inside. Then it browns the outside perfectly, and wow.I often toast either homemade or artisan sourdoughs, and I already know it’ll be better to have something that easily accommodates toast of any thickness.The price is freakin high, but if you’re ok paying a premium to have the best toaster out there, then this is it.The unit seems very well made. Im excited to show this to my family and friends!Status update after one week: I’ve made toast roughly 10 times and am totally loving this thing. It’s so awesome. Really glad I splurged on a nice one.Status after 6 months: This thing is freakin incredible. I just ate three pieces of toast and said to myself, yet again, that this thing is WAY better than any other normal toaster. My wife and I are really glad we got this over a normal slot toaster, and the whole steam thing is actually true - the toast is consistently moist and soft on the inside, with a toasty and crunchy layer on the outside. It's seriously the perfect toast. I love this thing and would highly recommend it to anyone with enough spare cash to afford it. Yes, it's expensive. But I'm very glad I got it.Update after a year: I continue to absolutely love this thing. SO GLAD that I made the investment.Update after 3.5 years: It finally died on me. It was toasting and then died half way through, and now it won’t turn on. I spoke with customer support and it’s out of warranty and they offer no repairs, so I’m taking it apart to see if I can fix it. Even if I can’t, I’m still gonna buy a new one; they’re just that good.

Once you've used The Balmuda Toaster you'll never go back to a traditional slotted toaster. It has to be the steam technology that creates the perfect texture for all kinds of breads, bagels and pastries. And a leftover slice of pizza was reheated to perfection. Everything turns out delicious! I hesitated to make the purchase for a couple days due to the price, then went back on the page to think about it and a discount was offered. Between the many high ratings and the lower price, I went for it. So glad I did!