The Best Cheap Toastie Makers (Under About £30)
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You do not need to spend much for a good toastie. The Tower T27013 deep fill machine usually sells for around £20–£28 and makes a toastie close to a Breville; the Breville VST091 is the best branded option near the £30 mark. Below about £15 quality becomes a lottery, so it is worth spending a few pounds more for a known brand.
Quick answer:
- Tower T27013 Deep Fill: best cheap toastie maker overall
- Breville Deep Fill (VST091): best branded budget pick
- Daewoo 4-Slice Deep Fill (SDA1389): cheapest way to make four portions
- Morphy Richards Mico: best cheap microwave option
- Supermarket own-brand machines: fine if you just want basic toasties
On this page
Comparison table
Price bands are typical UK prices, not live prices. Budget machines are discounted often, so check before buying.
| Model | Portions | Plates | Power (listed) | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tower T27013 | 2 | Extra deep, ceramic non-stick | 900W | £18–£28 |
| Breville VST091 | 2 | Deep fill, enclosed plate design | 850W | £25–£35 |
| Daewoo SDA1389 | 4 | Deep fill | Check listing | £20–£30 |
| Morphy Richards Mico | 1 | Microwave heat plates | Uses your microwave | £20–£30 |
| Supermarket own-brand | 2 | Usually standard depth | Typically 700–750W | £8–£20 |
The best cheap toastie makers
Tower T27013 Deep Fill Sandwich Maker
The T27013 is the budget machine that does not feel like a compromise where it matters. It has extra-deep moulds, so you can still make cheese and beans or a loaded ham and cheese, a ceramic non-stick coating and a 900W element that is more powerful than many dearer machines. Tower has historically offered an extended guarantee when you register the product, which is unusual at this price; check the current terms when you buy. More in the Tower toastie maker guide.
- Genuine deep fill at a budget price
- 900W heats fast
- Ceramic non-stick
- Lightweight plastics
- Fixed plates
Breville Deep Fill Sandwich Toaster (VST091)
If you want the Breville name without paying for the VST041, the VST091 is the one to watch for in sales. Breville describes a fully enclosed plate system to help stop leaks, deep plates, a longer element for even browning, upright storage and built-in cord storage. At 850W it heats in a couple of minutes. Expert Reviews has rated it a strong budget option. It is sized for standard sliced bread, so it is not the one for huge sandwiches. See our Breville range guide.
- Breville build at a budget price
- Upright storage
- Deep, enclosed plates
- Often just over £30 outside sales
- Best with standard bread only
Daewoo 4-Slice Deep Fill Sandwich Maker (SDA1389)
Four-slice machines are usually £30 or more, but Daewoo's SDA1389 regularly sells for less. It makes four deep fill portions, so two full sandwiches at once, which makes it the budget pick for families and house shares. Expect a lighter build and allow a full preheat across the wider plates. See our Daewoo toastie maker guide and the best 4-slice toastie makers.
- Four portions for a low price
- Deep fill
- Budget build
- Wide fixed plates to clean
Morphy Richards Mico Microwave Toastie Maker
If you have a microwave but no space for, or permission to use, another appliance, the Mico toasts one sandwich at a time using heat-absorbing plates. It costs about the same as a cheap electric machine and browns less evenly, but it fits in a drawer. Read our microwave toastie maker guide before buying.
- No extra appliance
- Compact
- One at a time
- Less even browning
Supermarket and retailer own-brand toastie makers
Argos, Asda, Tesco and the discounters sell basic own-brand sandwich toasters, often for under £15, and Aldi and Lidl run them as occasional Specialbuys and Middle of Lidl deals. They are usually simple 700–750W machines with standard-depth plates. They make a perfectly decent thin cheese or ham toastie; they struggle with deep fillings. Check the store guides for Argos, Aldi and Lidl for how to shop each one.
- Very cheap
- Easy to pick up in store
- Usually shallow plates
- Shorter guarantees on some
What you give up at the budget end
Cheap toastie makers have improved a lot, but the savings come from somewhere. Here is what to expect below about £30 compared with a £35–£50 machine.
- Plate depth. The cheapest machines often have standard plates. You can still make good toasties, just with less filling.
- Removable plates. Rare at this price. Expect to wipe plates in place; our cleaning guide makes that easier.
- Coating life. Thinner non-stick coatings wear faster, especially if you use metal utensils. Once food starts sticking, see why is my toastie sticking.
- Latch and hinge. Lighter plastics flex more over a thick filling.
- Browning evenness. Shorter or weaker elements can leave corners paler than the middle.
What you do not give up is the toastie itself. A cheap, well-designed machine makes a classic cheese toastie just as well as an expensive one.
What to avoid
We would not put a "buy" button on any of these, and we suggest steering clear:
- Unbranded machines from unknown online sellers with no UK address. If something goes wrong there may be no realistic way to claim under warranty, and some have been found not to meet UK electrical safety standards.
- Listings without UKCA or CE marking or a proper UK plug. Avoid anything sold with a travel adaptor or a two-pin plug.
- Very low-powered machines (below about 600W). They take a long time and tend to leave the cheese unmelted.
- "Deep fill" claims with flat-looking plates in the photos. Look at the plate pictures, not the title.
- Second-hand machines with scratched or flaking plates. Sticking will be constant; see are non-stick toastie makers safe for what damaged coatings mean.
How we chose
We do not run lab tests. We looked for machines that typically sell at or under about £30 in the UK, then compared plate depth, listed power, coating type, build, brand guarantee and owner feedback. Machines that are routinely more expensive but sometimes discounted, such as the Breville VST041, are covered in our main best toastie maker guide instead.
Tips to make a cheap toastie maker last
- Use a silicone or wooden spatula, never metal.
- Wipe the plates with a damp cloth while still warm (unplugged), not with a scourer.
- Brush a little oil on the plates occasionally, especially if they are not ceramic.
- Do not overfill; forcing the lid stresses the hinge and latch.
- Store with the lid closed so the plates are protected.
Budget vs mid-range: where your money goes
| Feature | Under about £30 | £30–£50 |
|---|---|---|
| Plate depth | Standard to deep fill | Deep fill as standard |
| Removable plates | Rare | Common on 3-in-1s |
| Extra plates (waffle, grill) | Occasionally | Often |
| Power | Typically 700–900W | Typically 750–900W |
| Build | Lighter plastics, simpler latch | Sturdier latch and hinge |
| Storage features | Some upright models | Upright storage and cord wraps more common |
The jump from about £20 to about £40 buys convenience (removable plates, extra plate sets) more than better toasties. If you want those features, see our toastie makers with removable plates and 3-in-1 picks. If you just want good toasties, stay at the budget end.
When to buy for the best price
Toastie makers are among the most frequently discounted small kitchen appliances in the UK. Prices tend to drop during big sales events such as Black Friday and the January sales, and around back-to-university season in late summer when retailers push student kitchen kits. Branded models like the Breville VST091 and Russell Hobbs machines often dip into the budget band at these times, so if you are not in a hurry it can be worth waiting. Never trust a "was" price on its own; compare current prices across a couple of retailers instead.
Is a cheap toastie maker a false economy?
Rarely. A £20–£30 machine from a known brand typically lasts several years with gentle care, and toastie makers are simple appliances with little to go wrong besides the coating and element. The false economy is the very cheapest unbranded machine with no UK support, which may not last a year. Spend enough to get a recognised brand with a UK guarantee, and you will get most of the value of a premium machine.
FAQs
Are cheap toastie makers any good?
Many are. A well-designed budget model like the Tower T27013 makes a toastie very close to a premium machine. What you usually lose is build quality, coating life and convenience features like removable plates, not toastie quality.
What is the cheapest decent toastie maker?
Supermarket own-brand machines can cost under £15 and make basic toasties well. For deep fill capacity and better build, the Tower T27013 is usually the best balance of price and performance.
Is it worth paying more for a Breville?
If you make toasties several times a week, the stronger latch, deeper plates and reputation of Breville's models are worth a few pounds more. If you make one a fortnight, a budget machine is fine. See are toastie makers worth it.
Where is the best place to buy a cheap toastie maker?
Prices move constantly, so compare Amazon, Argos and supermarket listings. Aldi and Lidl occasionally have very cheap deals in their weekly specials. Our where to buy guide covers each retailer.
How long does a cheap toastie maker last?
With gentle cleaning and no metal utensils, a budget machine can last several years. The coating is usually the first thing to go: once food sticks even when the plates are buttered, it is time to replace it. See toastie maker not working for electrical faults.
Do cheap toastie makers use more electricity?
No. Power use depends on wattage and cooking time, not price, and a toastie costs only pennies either way. A low-powered machine may take a minute longer but uses less power while it runs. Our electricity cost guide has the sums.