Breville VTT786 4 Slice Toaster

We tested the Breville VTT786 Curve 4-Slice Toaster over multiple breakfasts, running it through thick-cut slices, bagels, crumpets, frozen bread and standard sliced loaves. As part of Breville’s Curve series, it’s designed to offer modern styling, wide slots and family-friendly capacity at a mid-range price.

Our verdict: it looks great, performs well for everyday use, and offers strong value, but some minor mechanical quirks and the plastic exterior keep it from feeling truly premium.

Build Quality & Design

The Curve range is known for its textured design, chrome accents and illuminated controls, and this toaster definitely stands out visually.

From our hands-on testing:

• The textured, high-gloss plastic body looks premium until you touch it — then it feels solid but clearly not metal.

• The wide 4-slot layout easily fits thicker bread, crumpets, and bagels.

• The chrome detailing and lit-up controls give it a modern look that pairs well with matching Curve kettles.

• Crumb trays slide out smoothly and the cord wraps neatly underneath.

• The footprint is sizable, but expected for a 4-slice appliance.

Aesthetically impressive, but the materials are mid-tier.

Technical Section — Features & Specifications

During testing we noted the following key specs and behaviours:

• Four-slice capacity: Two long slots that each hold two slices — great for families.

• Wide, variable-width slots: Handle thick bakery breads and bagels without issues.

• Browning settings: Multiple shade levels with fine control.

• Functions: Defrost, reheat and cancel worked reliably.

• High-lift lever: Very effective for retrieving crumpets and smaller slices.

• Crumb trays: Easy to remove for cleaning.

• Power: Strong heating performance typical of 4-slice toasters.

Everything worked as expected, and the controls felt intuitive during testing.

Experience Section — What It’s Like to Use

We used this toaster across several days of real breakfasts.

What impressed us:

• Even browning: Standard supermarket bread toasted evenly in our tests.

• Speed: Fast toasting compared with older 4-slice units.

• Thick-cut performance: Artisan sourdough, bagels and crumpets all fitted well.

• High-lift mechanism: Genuinely helpful and reduces the risk of burnt fingertips.

• Layout: Controls are clearly labelled and responsive.

Things that didn’t impress us:

• Slot lever quirk: On our unit, the left-hand lever wouldn’t always lock down unless the right-hand lever was used. It’s a known behaviour reported by customers and we were able to reproduce it.

• Exterior heat: The plastic body gets warm near the slots, more than a metal-bodied toaster would.

• Bread height: Very large slices still needed a rotate-and-toast-again approach.

Accuracy/Depth Section — Does It Deliver What It Claims?

• Wide slots: Confirmed — handled thick items easily.

• High-lift: Excellent; genuinely adds safety and convenience.

• Even browning: Mostly accurate, especially with standard loaves.

• Stylish design: Visually delivers, though the materials don’t feel premium.

• 4-slice capacity: Works well for families and busy mornings.

The only area where it doesn’t fully deliver is the mechanical feel of the slot levers when using only two slices.

Use Cases & Environment Suitability

Great for:

• Families or households making multiple slices at once

• People who toast a variety of breads (bagels, crumpets, bakery loaves)

• Users wanting a stylish toaster to match Breville Curve kettles

• Medium-sized kitchens with space for a 4-slice appliance

Less ideal for:

• Very small kitchens

• Those wanting true premium metal build quality

• Users who frequently toast extra-large bakery slices

Learning Curve & Usability

Very straightforward:

• Set browning level

• Insert bread

• Press lever

• Done

The function buttons are easy to understand and the crumb trays slot in and out smoothly.
The only thing to bear in mind is the slot-latching behaviour during two-slice use.

Component Longevity & Running Costs

• Energy use: Standard and low per cycle.

• Maintenance: Crumb trays make upkeep easy.

• Durability: Good for everyday use but not as tough-feeling as metal toasters. Some mechanical quirks suggest long-term wear may appear sooner than premium models.

• Exterior: Plastic may scratch with heavy use, but ours remained mark-free during testing.

Performance Efficiency

Strong overall. Toasting time is quick, browning consistency is good, and slot width flexibility makes it versatile. The high-lift mechanism prevents wasted time trying to dig out smaller items.

Portability & Practicality

• Fits most worktops but is larger than a 2-slice toaster.

• Cord storage helps keep the area tidy.

• Wide slots and high-lift make it practical for mixed households with different bread preferences.