Bellini BET200

...Feel

This Bellini toaster stuck out from the rest on the shelf because of its nice brushed steel finish and nicely-rounded design. It is a standard 2-slice toaster size, with slots both big enough to accomodate a longer-than-average white bread, and wide enough to take unusually-shaped bread.

Setting the timer is just a case of twisting a dial until you get the number for your desired toast shade displayed on top. You ...
...for the same money, the Bellini is reliable and is unlikely to let you down once in its first year. I bought this toaster from an electricals and household appliance superstore, but you will be able to buy it from two of the major retailers' (Dixons and Currys) websites or high-street stores for around twenty pounds (delivery extra). Right, a toast now to the Bellini - well, for that money you'll be able to afford a nice bottle of Chianti too...  ... more

Introduction

I bought this toaster from the electricals and appliances superstore up the road from me after I moved about a year ago. If you are looking for something to go with, say, a stainless steel kettle, and are as much a bargain-hunter as style-conscious, then you might want to opt for this - an absolute bargain at £19.99.

Look & Feel

This Bellini toaster stuck out from the rest on the shelf because of its nice brushed steel finish and nicely-rounded design. It is a standard 2-slice toaster size, with slots both big enough to accomodate a longer-than-average white bread, and wide enough to take unusually-shaped bread.

Setting the timer is just a case of twisting a dial until you get the number for your desired toast shade displayed on top. You can go from 1 through to 6, with 2-4 certainly sufficient for what most people would consider 'normal' levels of toastie-ness.

Those lovely Italian designers have made this toaster simple yet stylish: all-over brushed steel, apart from the end panel which sports a lever, a dial and three buttons. The three buttons are lit up in red when activated, and are used for Defrosting a frozen slice, Cancelling your current toasting session and Reheating a pre-toasted slice.

Toastability

When you slide down the lever on the side, to start toasting, clever little braces automatically clamp the bread in place - right in the centre of the slots - so that an 'even tan' is applied to both sides. When the bread comes out it will have been browned across three wide areas on each side, and this is enough to cover around 90% of the slice.

Italian designers seem occasionally to forego practicality in the pursuit of the ultimate visceral delight. This toaster suffers a similar problem in that the outer casing can get a little hot (i.e. just too hot for hands less resistant to kitchen heat-sources than my grandmother's 94-year-old, and now virtually teflon-coated, hands - bless her) towards the end of your toasting session, but since the toast pops up by itself, there is no real need to touch it.

Other Features

There is a handy crumb-catcher tray to collect the toasting detritus that all your keen toasting will bi-produce. It slides in nicely on the underside of the toaster and is again finished in the same brushed steel effect as the casing. There is a black plastic handle on the outside edge of the tray which forms part of the skirting around the base of the toaster.

There are four good feet on the base, which will stop the toaster running away on smooth surfaces like granite or plastic-ey ones like granite-effect.

Conclusion

The good-value option for those who don't want to look at a gaudy, plastic-cased toaster every morning, for the same money, the Bellini is reliable and is unlikely to let you down once in its first year. I bought this toaster from an electricals and household appliance superstore, but you will be able to buy it from two of the major retailers' (Dixons and Currys) websites or high-street stores for around twenty pounds (delivery extra). Right, a toast now to the Bellini - well, for that money you'll be able to afford a nice bottle of Chianti too... 

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