I should have known not to bother splurging on the pricey retro-inspired Smeg toaster when I asked one of my fancy-leaning friends if he liked his. His response? “It’s just a toaster, it’s neither ...

this toaster looks cool, but in a more self-consciously modern way than your classic Dualit. Again there are two- and four-slot versions, with extra-wide bread cavities for chunky slices of toast.