Toast with jam or butter is a breakfast staple in many parts of the world, but without a toaster, achieving the ideal toasting level on your sliced bread can be challenging. But while the average toaster costs between $20 and $40, some toasters are worth thousands! Still, which toasters are the most expensive?
The most expensive toaster in the world is Marilyn Monroe’s Chrome Toastmaster. This used vintage toaster sold for $2,560 in 2016. Nearly all of Marilyn Monroe’s belongings sell for top-dollar prices due to her legacy as one of the most influential and controversial celebrities of the 1950s.
Are you looking to invest in a high-quality toaster? If so, you can expect to spend big bucks! This ranking will reveal which toasters have sold for the highest prices.
Here are the top 10 most expensive toasters in the world:
10. Revolution InstaGLO R270 Toaster – $380
The Revolution InstaGLO R270 Toaster might cost more than the average toaster, but it’s far more than your standard two-slot bread toaster. This $380 device can toast:
- Sliced bread
- Bagels
- Frozen waffles
- English muffins
- Rectangular toaster pastries
If you opt for the bundle version (which costs more than the standalone toaster), you’ll also receive a panini press accessory and a warming rack that attaches to the top of the toaster! But one of the most fascinating aspects of this hi-tech toaster is its easy-to-use touchscreen.
Instead of fiddling around with confusing knobs and dials, the lucky people who own this toaster only need to select the food item they’d like to toast and their desired toasting level to get started. This machine also allows users to differentiate between frozen and fresh food items.
And if you always forget to clean out loose crumbs of burnt bread, you’ll be glad to know that the Revolution InstaGLO R270 Toaster provides crumb tray cleaning reminders.
This touchscreen toaster can help you start each morning with a smile, but adding a cup of the most expensive coffee will make your breakfast experience even more enjoyable!
Why Is It So Expensive?
This toaster’s hi-tech design and multipurpose functionality make it pricier than the standard two-slice toaster.
After all, few toasters feature touchscreens and cleaning reminders. Even fewer are capable of warming up baked goods and creating delicious paninis.
9. Wolf Gourmet 4-Slice Toaster – $480
Wolf Gourmet produces some of the world’s most luxurious kitchen appliances and accessories.
As such, it should come as no surprise that they’re responsible for creating one of the world’s most expensive toasters: the aptly-named Wolf Gourmet 4-Slice Toaster. This high-end toaster costs $480.
This box-shaped stainless steel toaster has four large openings that are ideally sized for thick bread slices or hefty bagels. It also features commercial-grade heating elements that are far more durable and effective than standard consumer-grade versions. These elements are partially responsible for the toaster’s impressive five-year limited warranty.
The front-facing knobs allow users to select their ideal toasting level, and the buttons along the uppermost portion of the machine offer further toasting customization. For example, there are “bagel,” “one-slice,” and “frozen” options.
The extra-wide openings on this four-slice toaster make it ideal for toasting homemade bread slices or artisanal baked goods. But do you know how you could make your morning toast even tastier? Drizzling on some of the world’s most expensive honey, of course!
Why Is It So Expensive?
There are three reasons why this toaster costs almost $500. Firstly, this is a Wolf Gourmet kitchen appliance, and this brand is known for making some of the best luxury-quality devices. Consequently, it can set higher-than-average prices for its products.
Secondly, this toaster is made using commercial-grade components. This boosts the toaster’s durability and longevity, making it a worthwhile long-term investment for those who consistently enjoy toasted bread, bagels, and waffles.
Thirdly (and lastly), this toaster is a four-slice model. Most toasters are only sized to toast two slices simultaneously. Devices with a higher capacity are generally more expensive.
8. Dualit Rose Gold Classic Toaster – $600
If you live outside of the UK, you might be unfamiliar with the Dualit brand of appliances. But this British brand is well-known among passionate kitchen appliance aficionados.
Dualit produces everything you need to make your breakfast a luxurious treat. They make toasters, milk frothers, and electric kettles! But their toasters might be the most decadent devices, with the Dualit Rose Gold Classic Toaster being one of the most sumptuous and aesthetically-pleasing options.
This $600 toaster features a reflective stainless steel center frame flanked by shimmering rose gold sides. It’s a hand-built appliance capable of toasting four slices simultaneously.
This device is also more energy-friendly than standard four-slice toasters. Instead of all the heating elements activating each time you activate the toaster, only your selected burners will turn on!
For the ultimate luxury breakfast experience, why not brew a cup of the most expensive tea to enjoy alongside your perfectly toasted bread slices? You could even use a Dualit kettle to boil the water for your cuppa!
Why Is It So Expensive?
Quality, brand reputation, advanced features, and aesthetic appeal are responsible for this toaster’s incredible price. If you’re serious about enjoying high-quality toast, you might want to splurge on a Dualit toaster.
7. SMEG 24K Gold-Plated Toaster – $788
Although SMEG is best known for creating some of the most expensive and luxurious refrigerators, this brand also produces a wide range of high-quality kitchen appliances, including toasters.
One of the priciest of these bread-toasting devices is the SMEG 24K Gold-Plated Toaster. This unabashedly swanky device is sleek and indulgent, with a black exterior that’s accentuated by multiple 24-karat gold accents. If you have $788 (or £650.00) to spend, you can make this appliance yours!
Why Is It So Expensive?
If you’re a fan of costly commodities, you’re likely aware of just how much gold can do in terms of pricing. Almost anything featuring high-quality precious metal (including gold) can cost a small fortune.
When it comes to this gold-plated toaster, the gold accents are mostly responsible for the high price. Of course, the SMEG brand name also makes it a pricey appliance.
6. Volo Newspaper Toaster by Casa Bugatti – $960
The Bugatti brand is primarily associated with elegant (and expensive) supercars. But Casa Bugatti is not actually related to the French hyper sports car manufacturer Bugatti, it’s an Italian luxury brand that produces a wide range of products, from water bottles to toasters.
One of their costliest high-end toasters is the Volo Newspaper Toaster, partially created by German designer Andreas Seegatz. This toaster has a distinct vintage design thanks to its aged Italian newspaper finish (combined with leather) and fry-basket-like top.
The price of this toaster also sets it apart, as this device costs a whopping $960.
Why Is It So Expensive?
Brand reputation and decadent components are the two factors responsible for this toaster’s incredible price tag.
While this toaster might not feature precious metals or jewels, it is made using premium-quality leather. This unique material only makes the Volo Newspaper Toaster more expensive.
5. Elton John’s Wedding Gift Toaster – $1,062
Wedding gifts are often homeware items designed to help newly married couples start their lives together in comfort. Kitchen appliances are a common wedding gift, but few are quite as valuable as the one gifted to Elton John in 1984.
Personalized with an inscription addressed to Elton John and his first wife (Renate Blauel), this vintage toaster sold for $1,062 when it went to auction in 2008.
It’s a straightforward two-slice device, and it does show some signs of wear. So, why did this toaster sell for such a high price?
Why Is It So Expensive?
Elton John is a beloved pop musician and cultural icon. He’s also a significant LGBTQ+ icon who helped destigmatize homosexuality.
As such, any item that once belonged to him has historical and cultural significance, including his wedding gift toaster. This significance naturally makes Elton John’s belongings valuable and expensive, especially among fans.
4. Dolce & Gabbana x SMEG Sicily Is My Love Toaster – $1,100
Anyone hoping to elevate their kitchen into decadent territory will want to check out the Dolce & Gabbana x SMEG “Sicily is my Love” collection of kitchen appliances.
You’ll find one of the most expensive refrigerators of all time in this collection. But you’ll also discover a high-priced toaster with a matching aesthetic: the Dolce & Gabbana x SMEG Sicily Is My Love Toaster. This toaster, priced at $1,100, is a two-slice appliance with extended slots designed to accommodate long slices of fresh bread.
It’s not the most technologically advanced toaster, with a simple pull-down lever and a twisting “toasting level” knob that also functions as a cancel button. Despite its high price, it doesn’t have a removable crumb tray or other features that high-priced toasters are known for.
Why Is It So Expensive?
This toaster is a limited-edition collaboration between SMEG and Dolce & Gabbana. Because of that, it’s exceptionally pricey. Sure, it might not have as many user-friendly features and functions as other toasters, but its branding makes it a costly commodity!
3. Dualit 24-Karat Gold Plated Classic Toaster – $1,600
Without a doubt, the Dualit 24-Karat Gold Plated Classic Toaster is the priciest toaster ever released by the British brand. While the Rose Gold Classic Toaster might have a mirror finish and gold-like appearance, it doesn’t feature actual gold like this appliance.
Priced at $1,600, this toaster would look at home in a kitchen rich in gold-plated devices and cabinetry. It’s essentially the same toaster as Dualit’s four-slice Classic Toaster (available in 21 finishes), but the stainless steel central frame is flanked by 24-karat gold panels.
Why Is It So Expensive?
Gold is the name of the game when it comes to this luxurious gold and stainless steel toaster. Without it, this toaster would be far more affordable. It’s also a Dualit appliance, making it inherently more valuable than other kitchen devices released under lesser brand names.
2. Noun Glass Toaster by Casa Bugatti – $2,000
Have you ever wanted to watch your favorite breads and pastries as they toast? If so, you’ll fall in love with the Noun Glass Toaster by Casa Bugatti. But you might not be as fond of this appliance’s $2,000 price tag.
This transparent glass toaster has bottom and side heating elements, toasting baked goods with ease without blocking your view. Instead of featuring multiple slots, it has a single wide-spaced slot that can accommodate everything from artisanal bread slices to bagels.
The Noun Glass Toaster is far more than an aesthetically-pleasing see-through kitchen appliance. It’s also one of the most technologically advanced options.
For example, users can select a precise toasting temperature (50°C to 300°C / 122°F to 572°F) for the ideal amount of toasting. The glass sides are also removable, so cleaning this toaster is surprisingly easy.
Why Is It So Expensive?
This toaster’s unique design (being see-through), advanced tech, and brand name make it an expensive appliance.
1. Marilyn Monroe’s Chrome Toastmaster Toaster – $2,560
The most expensive toaster is Marilyn Monroe’s Chrome Toastmaster. This simple chrome-silver toaster sold for $2,560 when it went to auction in 2016.
Considering the toaster’s condition, this unusually high sales price might be surprising. After all, the toaster is obviously used, with black smudges marring the exterior surfaces.
But this toaster once belonged to American actress and cultural icon Marilyn Monroe. So the final auction bid might be on the lower end of the spectrum.
Several of Monroe’s belongings, including a dress she wore while performing for President John F. Kennedy, have sold for incredible prices. In fact, that dress is one of the most expensive dresses in the world!
Still, the fact that this Toastmaster toaster was once used and enjoyed by Marilyn Monroe isn’t the only reason it’s so expensive.
Why Is It So Expensive?
The primary reason this toaster is so valuable is that it belonged to Marilyn Monroe. However, its brand name and vintage status also influence its value.
The Toastmaster brand dates back to the 1920s. But Toastmaster appliances didn’t enjoy their heyday until the 1940s and 1950s. Consequently, many older adults have fond memories of these toasters.
Additionally, those passionate about vintage kitchen devices are often more than happy to spend hundreds of dollars to own an original, vintage Toastmaster toaster.
For perspective, a brand-new two-slice Toastmaster toaster available at your local department store might only cost about $30. But a vintage chrome one, much like the one owned by Marilyn Monroe, might cost as much as $70!
What’s the Most Expensive Toaster in the World?
Marilyn Monroe’s Chrome Toastmaster is the most expensive toaster in the world, in no small part because it once belonged to one of the most famous and celebrated actresses of the 20th century.
That said, vintage Toastmaster-brand toasters generally sell at higher prices than brand-new options. These toasters are built to last and exude a midcentury aesthetic that many homeowners and toast lovers find appealing.
Is your stomach rumbling yet? Check out these related articles to learn about the world’s most expensive food and drink items!