BALMUDA The Toaster | Steam Oven Toaster | 5 Cooking Modes: Sandwich Bread, Artisan Bread, Pizza & Pastry, Oven | Precise Heat Control | Steam Technology | Baking Pan | US Version | White

If you are reading this review you may be torn about paying such a premium for a toaster. And it’s a toaster. It’s not an all-in-one appliance. So here are my thoughts on why you should buy it if, like me, you really enjoy a perfect slice of artisan bread toast or are used to croissants that are crispy and flaky and not the mushy thing sold at grocery stores.For years, our family has known that running wet hands down a baguette before placing it in the oven, or a quick spritz of water on artisan bread or croissants produces a crunchy crust and moist interior. The trick also works with stale bread. Enter the Balmuda. Its simple trick of introducing water into the toasting process produces perfect, crunchy toast, evenly browned. Flaky crisp pastries. Crispy left-over pizza. Perfect English muffins and nice open face tuna melts.I have had the Balmuda for a month now and put it through its paces. It shines. Part of its magic is that the heating elements go on and off which seems to retain a moist interior while making a perfect crust. Note that, on purpose, the top will be perfectly browned and the bottom not so much; this ensures that your toast does not turn into Melba toast. Tip: Also but an 8” small silicone baking mat for the baking tray for those cheesy sandwiches and trim it down to size.I was concerned about the number of 1 star reviews based on reliability. I even called their tech support and received some advice on avoiding damage to the door and the cover for the water intake (i.e., so long as you don’t mishandle the device you should be fine). The upshot is that if you buy from Amazon, for $30 you can get 3 year protection. I did that because this is a pricey commodity.It’s self-indulgent to be sure, but you’ll never go back. If it’s just too pricey, use our family’s spritz technique with a small spray bottle and you may come close.