Below we detail how the OXO performed in each of our individual tests.
The On was one of the highest performers in our bread toasting tests, scoring a 8 out of 10, bested only by the Best Buy Award winning Oster Jelly Bean and the Editors' Choice Award winning Smeg, both of which scored a 9. Results in this test ranged from 5 to 9 with only 2 models scoring a 7, so the On's 8 clearly puts it in the upper echelon.
While the most dedicated toast devotees may notice and appreciate the slightly better toasting quality of the Jelly Bean, the On's toast would more than satisfy the vast majority of people. The On toasts both sides of the bread almost identically, which is an impressive achievement. The faces of the bread are also toasted quite evenly, with the toast becoming maybe just a couple of shades lighter towards the top of the slice. One of the few downsides of the On is that its toasting range is a bit small. Toast made on the dark setting was a bit lighter than the corresponding toast from other models. Most people won't even notice this, but if you like your toast really really dark you may have to to run a second cycle when using the On. Overall, the On produces toast worthy of the name, and will satisfy even harsh toast critics.
The On's controls earned it the top score of 8 out of 10 in this metric, putting it well ahead of the bottom score of 3.
Pushing the up arrow button raises the toast without canceling the cycle. You can then choose to remove your toast or hit the down arrow button and resume the cycle. This is similar to the lift and look feature on the Breville Die-Cast Long Slot, if just a bit clunkier. Overall we felt the pared down style of the On's controls takes a couple of cycles to figure out, but once you get used to them they are a pleasure to use. Just remember that the On automatically dials in your last used settings, so if the last thing you toasted was a bagel the toaster will still be in bagel mode the next time you use it. Its crumb tray is easily removable from the front and is deep enough to prevent any crumb spillage on the way to the trash.
The On made fairly good bagels in our test, earning a score of 8 out of 10. This was fairly close to the top in a metric where scares ranged from 3 to 10.
Bagels from the On had fairly evenly toasted faces with just a few inconsistencies. Its bagel mode also left the backside mostly untoasted, but often produced just a bit more crispness than we would have liked. These bagels were good, but not as good as those made in even an average toaster oven, and nowhere near as tasty as those made in the top scoring Smeg.
The On was one of the top performers in our frozen goods testing, sharing the top score of 8 with the Best Buy Award winning Oster Jelly Bean and the Editors' Choice Award winning Smeg. This is particularly impressive in a test that saw wide ranging scores from 3 to 8.
Its defrost setting uses a variable cycle that slowly warms and fully thaws the frozen item before moving on to full out toasting temperature. This produced incredibly even and crispy products and all but eliminated the inconsistencies that can arise when toasting frozen products. In fact, some of the best looking toast from our testing was produced by putting slices of frozen bread through the On's defrost cycle. This method also produced some golden, near perfect waffles. The On will easily handle all of your defrosting needs.
At a list price of $100 the On is certainly not a cheap toaster, but it offers a sleek modern look and high end functionality for a much lower price than its main competitor, the Breville Die-Cast Long Slot. It also offers top tier performance in bread toasting quality and ease of use. So, if you're willing to spend a little extra for something that looks and feels high end and performs well, the On is a great value.
The On offers supreme toasting quality, elegant controls, and one of the least troublesome crumb trays we tested, all in a package that blends into any modern kitchen. No matter your toasting preference, you will be happy with the On.
The OXO On is also available in a 4-slot model:
OXO On 4-Slice Motorized
