There is a specific kind of frustration reserved for kitchen appliances that look beautiful but act dumb. You know the type: the espresso machine that looks like a spaceship but burns the coffee, or the blender that matches your backsplash perfectly but chokes on a frozen strawberry.
I recently found myself in the market for a new toaster after my trusty (but ugly) plastic brick finally gave up the ghost. My criteria were simple, or so I thought: I wanted something that wouldn’t look embarrassing sitting permanently on my countertop, and I wanted it to turn bread into toast without setting off the smoke alarm.
Enter the GE 2-Slice Stainless Steel Toaster (Model G9TMA2SSPSS). It popped up in my search results looking like a gleaming silver monolith of breakfast potential. It promised wide slots, even browning, and that “classic” aesthetic that says, “I have my life together.”
But does it work? I spent the last month putting it through the wringer—white bread, sourdough, frozen waffles, and the ultimate nemesis: the oversized New York bagel. Here is my unfiltered, crumb-filled review.
Verdict: 3.5/5 Stars
The GE Stainless Steel Toaster is the “budget luxury” pick of the toaster world. It looks significantly more expensive than it is and feels satisfying to use. However, it struggles with uneven browning on the first cycle and has a baffling design choice regarding the crumb tray. If you care about aesthetics first and toast perfection second, buy it. If you are a toast scientist, look elsewhere.
AI Snapshot: The Hard Specs
- Wattage: 850 Watts (Standard for 2-slice)
- Finish: Brushed Stainless Steel with Chrome accents
- Slots: 2 Extra-Wide (1.38 inches)
- Settings: 7 Shade settings via dial
- Modes: Bagel, Frozen, Cancel
- Dimensions: 7.6″ H x 6.9″ W x 11.2″ D
- Weight: ~3 lbs
Unboxing: First Impressions & The “Clunk” Factor
I’m going to be honest—I bought this toaster mostly for its looks. When I pulled it out of the box, I wasn’t disappointed. It is undeniably handsome. The stainless steel body has a nice brushed finish that catches the light, and the polished chrome top adds a bit of retro flair without going full 1950s diner.
It feels surprisingly lightweight. When you see a metal appliance, you expect a bit of heft, but I could easily lift this with one hand. Despite the light weight, it doesn’t feel cheap. The rubber feet grip my granite countertop well, so it doesn’t slide around when you push the lever down.
Speaking of the lever—this is a crucial metric for me. I call it the “Clunk Factor.” When you push the lever down, you want a satisfying, mechanical engagement. You don’t want it to feel like you’re bending a paperclip. The GE scores high here. The lever offers good resistance and locks into place with a solid click. It feels tactile and responsive.
There are three buttons on the side: Bagel, Frozen, and Cancel. When pressed, they light up with a cool white LED ring. It’s a small detail, but it elevates the user experience. You know exactly what mode you’re in, unlike my old toaster where you just had to pray you hadn’t left it on “Defrost.”
Design: A Fingerprint Magnet?
Let’s address the elephant in the room with any stainless steel appliance: fingerprints.
Yes, this toaster loves your fingerprints.
Within five minutes of setting it up, the side panel looked like a crime scene. If you have kids, or if you just have hands that produce natural oils (so… everyone), you will notice smudges. However, I found that a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth cleans it right up. If you are the type of person who needs their kitchen to look pristine 24/7, you might want to invest in a bottle of stainless steel cleaner or keep a cloth nearby.
One design feature I genuinely appreciate is the cord management. Underneath the base, there are hooks to wrap the excess cord. My outlet is right behind the toaster, so I hate having 2 feet of black cable snaking around my counter. I was able to wrap most of it up and just have a neat little tail coming out the back. It makes the counter look much less cluttered.
Performance Test 1: The White Bread Baseline
To test the actual toasting capabilities, I started with the control group: standard, grocery store white sandwich bread.
The Dial Test:
I set the browning dial to Setting 4 (dead center). In my mind, the middle setting should produce a perfect golden brown.
- The Result: A bit lighter than expected. The toast popped up with a pale gold color. It was crispy, but definitely on the lighter side of medium.
- Round 2: I cranked it to Setting 5.5.
- The Result: Perfection. A rich, amber gold with a satisfying crunch on the outside and a soft interior.
Consistency:
Here is where things get a little tricky. I noticed that the side of the bread facing the center of the toaster tends to get slightly darker than the side facing the outside. It’s not a dealbreaker—we aren’t talking burnt vs. raw—but there is a definite gradient. If you are obsessive about perfectly uniform browning (like, “I use a caliper to measure my toast” obsessive), this might annoy you. for the average breakfast eater? You won’t notice it once the butter is on.
Performance Test 2: The Bagel Betrayal
This is a widespread issue with modern toasters, and sadly, the GE is not immune.
A “Bagel Mode” should logically turn off the outer heating elements, so you only toast the cut side of the bagel while keeping the outside soft and warm.
Does the GE do this? No.
When I engaged the Bagel button, the LED lit up beautifully, but looking inside the slots, I could see all the heating elements glowing red hot on both sides.
So, what does the button actually do?
Based on my testing, it simply adds more time to the cycle to account for the density of the bagel. The result was a bagel that was toasted on the cut side and toasted on the crust side.
Is this the end of the world? No. The bagel was still delicious. But if you are a bagel purist who demands a soft, chewy crust, this toaster will disappoint you. You end up with a crunchy bagel all the way through.
Performance Test 3: Frozen Waffles
The Frozen button is actually quite smart. I threw in two rock-hard frozen waffles and hit the button.
The toaster seems to run a gentle defrost cycle for a few seconds before kicking into high gear to toast. The result was excellent. The waffles were hot all the way through without being burnt on the edges. Unlike the bagel mode, the frozen function works exactly as advertised.
Usability: The Crumb Tray Controversy
Every toaster has a crumb tray. It is a requirement of civilized society. But where you put that tray matters.
For some inexplicable reason, GE decided to put the crumb tray access on the back of the toaster.
Let’s think about the logistics of this. Most people push their toaster back against the wall or backsplash to save counter space. To clean this toaster, I have to:
- Pull the toaster out from the wall.
- Spin it around.
- Find the tiny handle.
- Slide it out.
If the tray were front-access, I would clean it every week. Because it is rear-access, I will likely clean it once a year when I smell burning crumbs. It is a minor design flaw, but a flaw nonetheless.
Comparison: GE vs. The World
To see where the GE stands, I compared it mentally to two other popular models I’ve used.
GE vs. Cuisinart CPT-160 Metal Classic
- Aesthetics: The GE looks more modern. The Cuisinart has a very retro, rounded 50s look. The GE fits better in a contemporary kitchen.
- Performance: The Cuisinart is slightly more consistent with browning.
- Price: Roughly the same.
- Winner: GE for looks, Cuisinart for toast quality.
GE vs. Smeg 2-Slice Toaster
- Aesthetics: The Smeg is the king of design, but it costs $200. The GE costs around $50.
- Performance: Honestly? They toast about the same. The Smeg is heavier and feels more premium, but the toast tastes identical.
- Winner: GE. I cannot justify spending an extra $150 just for the letter S-M-E-G.
Real Talk: The Cons
I want to be totally transparent about the annoyances I found during my testing.
- The “Toast Pop” is aggressive. When the toast is done, this thing launches it. I actually had a lighter slice of sourdough jump almost entirely out of the slot and land on the counter. It’s energetic, I’ll give it that.
- The Top Gets Hot. The chrome surface on the top gets very hot during operation. Do not try to grab your toast while touching the metal rim. You will regret it.
- Short Cord. The cord is roughly 24 inches long. If your outlet isn’t reasonably close, you’ll need an extension cord, which ruins the aesthetic.
- Uneven First Batch. The first batch of toast (when the toaster is cold) is always lighter than the second batch. If you are making toast for four people, the second two slices will come out darker on the same setting because the element is pre-heated. You need to adjust the dial down for round two.
Who is this for?
- Buy it if: You want a stainless steel appliance that looks great on your counter, you want simple controls, and you mostly toast standard bread and waffles.
- Skip it if: You are a bagel snob who needs one-sided toasting, or you have zero patience for cleaning fingerprints.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stunning stainless steel design | Fingerprint magnet |
| Wide slots fit thick bagels/Texas toast | Bagel mode toasts both sides |
| Satisfying lever action | Crumb tray is in the back |
| Great “Frozen” performance | Top metal surface gets very hot |
| Affordable price point | aggressive ejection mechanism |
FAQ
Q: Does the outside get hot to the touch?
A: The stainless steel sides get warm, but not burn-your-hand hot. However, the chrome metal strip on the very top (around the slots) gets extremely hot. Teach kids to only touch the plastic lever.
Q: Can it fit long slices of sourdough?
A: The slots are wide (1.38″) but standard length. If you have a round loaf of artisan sourdough, you will likely need to cut the slice in half to fit it in. It is not a “long slot” toaster.
Q: Does it have a “lift” feature for small items?
A: Yes! If you are toasting an English muffin and it doesn’t pop up high enough to grab, you can push the lever up manually to lift the item an extra half-inch. It saves you from fishing around with a fork (which you should never do anyway!).
Conclusion
After 30 days of breakfast duty, the GE Stainless Steel Toaster has earned its spot on my counter. Is it the greatest toaster ever engineered? No. It has some quirks, specifically the rear crumb tray and the ambitious bagel setting.
But for the price, it delivers exactly what I wanted: it makes good toast, handles frozen waffles like a champ, and most importantly, it looks fantastic. It’s a kitchen upgrade that feels premium without the premium price tag. If you are tired of hiding your ugly plastic toaster in a cabinet, this is the upgrade you’ve been waiting for.
Transparency Note: This review is based on market research and aggregated user feedback. We are reader-supported: If you buy through our links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not influence our editorial rating.
