Making toast seems simple enough, but getting the same level of browning every morning is surprisingly difficult. The Breville Eye Q 850 Auto takes a smarter approach by watching the bread itself rather than relying solely on a timer.
Breville’s Sensability technology uses optical sensors to monitor the surface color of your bread 10 times per second. Choose from seven browning levels, press start, and the toaster automatically lowers the bread, watches it toast, and raises it once the selected shade is reached. It even accounts for frozen bread without requiring a separate defrost setting.
There’s also a dedicated Sourdough Mode designed to handle dense centers, irregular air pockets, and thick crusts more evenly. Timer Mode lets you bypass the sensors for waffles and pastries, while Bagel Mode directs additional heat toward the cut side. Breville’s familiar A Bit More function is there when breakfast needs another touch of browning.
Even cleanup received some attention. A ceramic-coated top wipes clean easily, while the Clearway Cavity directs crumbs into a large removable tray instead of letting them collect inside.
It’s an unusually sophisticated solution to a very ordinary problem: making your toast exactly how you like it, every morning before you head to work.
Specs
- Two-slice capacity
- Sensability optical sensor technology
- Monitors toast color 10 times per second
- Seven shade settings
- Automatic lowering and raising
- Dedicated Sourdough Mode
- Bagel Mode
- Manual Timer Mode
- A Bit More function
- Ceramic-coated easy-clean top
- Clearway Cavity and catch-all crumb tray
- Onboard cord storage
- Price: $300
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