DeLonghi CT04R Argento 4 Slice Toaster

When choosing a toaster, it's often the case that style rather than "content" is the main contributing factor when making a purchase. Unfortunately, while some toasters look the part, they don't deliver when it comes to making a decent slice of toast. Thankfully, the Argento 4-slice not only looks good but produces top-quality toast.

As with all toasters, operation is very straightforward--simply pop in your rounds of bread, check the browning settings are correct and pull down the levers. After a short while, your toast pops up. It is worth noting that the pop-up mechanism doesn't lift the toast that far above the slots, making it difficult to remove the toast. So, you have to push the levers up to remove the toast. On the surface, this may seem like a design fault, however it is intentional. The Argento has a re-heat function and so if half of the toast was sticking out of the top that would get cold quicker. The toaster has two separate browning controls so you can toast two slices darker or lighter than the other two--ideal for couples who like their toast done differently. The main selling point for a toaster is obviously the quality of the toast, and the Argento doesn't disappoint. It produces evenly toasted bread constantly. But be careful not to knock the browning control dials as they move easily.

With two sets of variable browning controls, wide slots, a high-rise lift facility and defrost and reheat settings, the De'Longhi Argento 4-slice toaster offers more than toasters costing twice as much. With its stylish curves and finished in brushed metal, it looks the part too. --Ben Curtis

It takes pretty much any size of bread, making wonderful toast from the thick slices you carve from an uncut loaf or from a normal supermarket loaf, and also accomodates crumpets, muffins, bagels, waffles, etc..

The toasting quality is great. Bread is evenly toasted and if you keep the same setting it comes out the same every time. No hovering over it worrying that it might do it more than you want this time.

An all round great toaster. Highly recommended.


Superb Toaster   August 27, 2003
Mub (Charlton Musgrove)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

This is rather a large and chunky toaster, but it makes superb toast. The design is unique, looking rather like an old fashioned wireless set, with knobs and dials, and would probably not suit a small kitchen. However, if you can fit it in, do so, because the quality of toast that it produces is second to none


great toaster, great toast!   April 16, 2003
25 out of 26 found this review helpful

This is a fantastic all rounder toaster. Unlike most toasters, it even accommodates for crumpets etc, which means that days of jamming knives in toasters are over. Other features, such as the "frozen" button, means that this toaster will fulfil your dreams (toast related ones, at least!). All that, and it looks great in the kitchen. This toaster will make you a very proud owner.


Nice style, white toast   September 5, 2003
chozzar (nr Preston, Lancashire United Kingdom)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful

Shame I can't agree with the previous two reviewers, but although the De'Longhi looks beautiful in our kitchen (especially with the matching kettle!) it's pretty ropey at producing toast. To get a slice of toast which is golden the browning setting has to be permanently on maximum. Additionally it takes an age, which tends to result in thinner slices drying out, resulting an a "french toast" scenario. If I hadn't thrown the box away on receipt (stupid!) I would have returned it assuming it was faulty (maybe it is).

Style *****, Toastability **


Looks fab, rubbish toast   January 5, 2004
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

We bought this toaster cos it looked fantastic, even if it is a bit big. Love the Flash Gordon stylee dials. However, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone cos it makes terrible toast - uneven and inconsistent. We end up turning over the toast half way through cos half the time only one side browns. Now, after about 2 years, one of the sides has broken - it keeps popping up every 20 seconds or so. So, now we can only toast 2 slices at a time unless feeling v patient. Shame, cos it looks great in the kitchen.