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BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD Review

A good, inexpensive option that does just about everything well
BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD
Credit: BLACK+DECKER
Best Buy Award
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Price:   $40 List | $44.30 at Amazon
Pros:  Good toast, decent bagels, inexpensive
Cons:  Hard to clean crumb tray
Manufacturer:   BLACK+DECKER
By Max Mutter and Steven Tata  ⋅  Apr 17, 2018
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67
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#4 of 11
  • Bread Toasting Quality - 35% 7
  • Ease of Use - 35% 6
  • Bagel Toasting Quality - 15% 7
  • Frozen Food/Defrosting Quality - 15% 7

Our Verdict

Providing good all-around performance at a reasonable price, you can't really go wrong with the BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD. It makes good toast, handles frozen waffles quite well, and preps a surprisingly good bagel. The only downside is that the Oster Jelly Bean provides slightly better performance at about the same price. If you can't find the Jelly Bean or can find the BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD on sale, it is a great low-cost option. But, if you have a choice, we would suggest the Jelly Bean.

Compare to Similar Products

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BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD
This Product
BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD
Awards Best Buy Award Editors' Choice Award Top Pick Award Best Buy Award Top Pick Award 
Price $40 List$170 List
$169.95 at Amazon		$180 List$70 List
$39.99 at Amazon		$26 List
$22.99 at Amazon
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Pros Good toast, decent bagels, inexpensiveGreat toasting performance, incredible bagels, stylish looksGreat user interface, lift and look function, aesthetically pleasingInexpensive, toasts 4 slices at once, toasts bagels evenlyGood toasting performance, good bagels, inexpensive
Cons Hard to clean crumb trayExpensiveExpensiveNo specific bagel mode, toasting can be slightly inconsistent overallMediocre froze pastries, difficult crumb tray access
Bottom Line A good, inexpensive option that does just about everything wellThe perfect choice, particularly if you're a bagel fan and love unique designThis 4-slice model boasts amazing design, good toasting performance, and a great interfaceThe best option we've found for people seeking a 4-slice or long-slot model on the cheapThis toaster delivers the best bagels you can get at such a low price
Rating Categories BLACK+DECKER... Smeg 2-Slice Die-Cast 4-Slice... Elite Gourmet... AmazonBasics KT-3680
Bread Toasting Quality (35%)
7
9
7
7
8
Ease Of Use (35%)
6
7
8
6
4
Bagel Toasting Quality (15%)
7
10
6
9
8
Frozen Food Defrosting Quality (15%)
7
8
6
7
5
Specs BLACK+DECKER... Smeg 2-Slice Die-Cast 4-Slice... Elite Gourmet... AmazonBasics KT-3680
Weight (lb) 2.7 5.4 8.4 6.4 2.5
Dimensions (L x W x H) 10" x 6.5" x 7.4" 12.7" x 7.7" x 7.6" 15.3" x 7" x 7.8" 14.7" x 7.1" x 7.7" 10.7" x 6.4" x 7.6"
Standard/Long Slot Standard Standard Long Long Standard
Available with Long Slot? No Yes Yes Yes No
Available in 4 slot? Yes No Yes No No
Color/Finish Options Stainless Steel Cream, Red, Black, Chrome, Pastel Blue, Pink, Pastel Green Stainless Steel Black Plastic/Stainless Black Plastic/Stainless
Exterior Housing Material Stainless Steel Coated Steek Stainless Steel Stainless Steel Plastic
End of Cycle Indicator None None Beep None None
Manufacturer Warranty Two Year Limited One Year Limited One Year Limited One Year Limited One Year Limited

Our Analysis and Test Results

The BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD has all the functions you really need in a toaster: backlit buttons, bagel and defrost modes, and quick heating elements. The one place it really falls short is its crumb tray, which can be a bit of a pain to empty.

Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Performance Comparison


The BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD did quite well in our testing, but fell a bit short of the elite performers.

Bread Toasting Quality


Bread toasting is likely the most important aspect of performance for most people, and the BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD did quite well in our testing, earning a 7 out of 10. This put it comfortably above average and just a bit behind the top scorers.

Good toast with just a few inconsistencies.
Good toast with just a few inconsistencies.
Credit: Steven Tata

The TR3500SD was able to get a nice crispiness across the entire face of the bread that we toasted, resulting in a piece of toast that was delightfully crunchy in every bite. However, each piece also had some seemingly random hot spots that were a bit crunchier than the rest. This didn't negatively affect the taste too much, but it wasn't quite as amazing as the perfect golden fields that some of the best models were able to produce (the Oster Jelly Bean, for example).

Ease of Use


BLACK+DECKER nailed the interface but fumbled a bit on the crumb tray, resulting in an average ease of use score of 6 out of 10.

The TR3500SD's intuitive, backlit controls.
The TR3500SD's intuitive, backlit controls.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

The shade knob and buttons on this machine feel solid and supple. The buttons are conveniently backlit, making it very clear whether or not bagel mode is on. Our only real complaint is the crumb tray. instead of the slide out trays that most models use, the TR3500SD opts for a hinged trapdoor style tray. This necessitates lifting the entire toaster to get the crumbs out, rather than just sliding out a little tray.

Bagel Toasting Quality


We were pleasantly surprised with the TR3500SD's bagel toasting performance as it earned an above average 7 out of 10. This is one area where it actually outperformed the Oster Jelly Bean. However, if your main concern is good bagel on a budget, you might want to check out the KRUPS Breakfast Set.

The backsides of bagels made with this machine were slightly warm but still soft and gooey, just the way they should be. The front side were toasted well with no burned spots, but one side tended to have one side much darker than the other. We'd put these bagels on the right side of acceptable, but certainly short of great.

Frozen Food/Defrosting Quality


The TR3500SD again earned an above average 7 out of 10 in our frozen food testing, putting it just behind the group of top performers.

Cooked all the way through, but with some clear hot spots.
Cooked all the way through, but with some clear hot spots.
Credit: Steven Tata

The defrost function worked quite well, thawing all of the frozen pastries all the way through before actually toasting them. Similar to its toasting performance, it did produce some random hotspots in frozen pastries, leaving some bites much crunchier than others. It did a bit better with frozen waffles, getting most of the ridges just a bit brown and leaving the pockets on the fluffier side.

Crispy ridges and fluffy pockets.
Crispy ridges and fluffy pockets.
Credit: Steven Tata

Value


All-in-all the TR3500SD is quite good for a toaster that lists for just $40. However, the Oster Jelly Bean is appreciably better in every category except for bagel toasting, and lists for $35.

Conclusion


The BLACK+DECKER TR3500SD provides great performance given its $40 price, but it is handily outdone in the budget toaster battle by the $35 Oster Jelly Bean.

Credit: Jenna Ammerman

— Max Mutter and Steven Tata