Steam toaster oven · Updated October 2026
Balmuda The Toaster vs The Toaster Pro
The short answer
Buy the original Balmuda The Toaster if you only care about world-class steam toast, want to spend ~$299, and don't need to reheat or broil. Step up to the Toaster Pro ($379) only if the Salamander top-down broiler matters to you — reheating fried food crisp, finishing gratins, melting cheese — because the core toast quality is essentially identical. The Pro is also now Balmuda's officially-supported US flagship, while the original has been pushed to third-party sellers.
Balmuda The Toaster
Discontinued in the US (third-party sellers only)
The steam-toast result — genuinely bakery-grade toast that made the brand famous.
Balmuda The Toaster Pro
$379 (Balmuda US)
The Salamander Grill Mode — a genuine top-down broiler the original lacks, turning the toaster into a crisp-reheat and finishing tool.
How they differ, factor by factor
| Factor | Balmuda The Toaster | Balmuda The Toaster Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Salamander / broiler mode | Not available | Yes — crisp-reheat fried food, melt cheese, finish gratins |
| Toast quality | World-class steam toast | Essentially identical world-class toast |
| Price | ~$299 | $379 (~$80 more) |
| US availability & support | Third-party sellers only now | Officially sold and supported on us.balmuda.com |
| Versatility | Toast and bake-reheat | Toast, bake-reheat, plus broil/finish |
The full picture
Balmuda The Toaster
The steam-toast result — genuinely bakery-grade toast that made the brand famous.
- World-class steam toast — the signature result Balmuda is known for
- Beautiful, compact design that suits any counter
- Simple mode dial; five cooking modes cover toast, bread types and reheat-bake
- Lower price (~$299)
- No Salamander / top-down broiler — can't crisp-reheat or finish the way the Pro does
- No longer officially sold on Balmuda's US store — third-party sellers only, so support is less certain
- Small capacity (as with all Balmuda toasters)
Adored for toast quality and design; owners consider it a luxury that earns its keep at breakfast. The main knocks are price-for-a-toaster and small capacity — and, increasingly, that it's been superseded by the Pro in the US.
Balmuda The Toaster Pro
The Salamander Grill Mode — a genuine top-down broiler the original lacks, turning the toaster into a crisp-reheat and finishing tool.
- Adds a Salamander (top-down broiler) mode — crisp-reheat fried food, melt cheese, finish gratins
- Same signature steam-toast quality as the original
- Balmuda's officially-supported US flagship (sold on us.balmuda.com with warranty/support)
- Same iconic design and footprint
- About $80 more than the original
- Core toast quality is essentially identical — you're paying purely for the broiler mode
- Still small capacity
Reviewers frame it as the version to buy now in the US: the Salamander mode adds real everyday utility (reheating, finishing) on top of the toast the brand is famous for, and it's the model Balmuda actually supports here.
Which should you buy?
Get the Balmuda The Toaster if…
The buyer who wants the famous Balmuda steam toast at the lowest price and doesn't need broiling or crisp-reheating — and is comfortable buying from a third-party seller.
Get the Balmuda The Toaster Pro if…
The buyer who wants the same toast plus a genuinely useful top-broiler for reheating and finishing, and prefers Balmuda's official US warranty and support.
Check current prices
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We build a comparison only when real buyers genuinely cross-shop the two models. Specs and positioning are checked against manufacturer documentation and dealer data; owner sentiment is drawn from real reviews and owner communities. Prices are shown as ranges because premium models vary by configuration and dealer.
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