Your toaster, sitting on your counter, is — let's be honest — underused. Most of us put bread in it twice a day and never think about it again. But a properly engineered toaster (we're partial to the Toastley 2 Slice and 4 Slice for what's about to follow) is essentially a precise, vertical, infrared grill. Which means it can do far more than toast.

Here are five things most people never realise their toaster can handle — and how to do them properly.

A note before we start: always use the lowest browning setting and watch the toaster the first time you try anything new. Burnt food in a toaster is a very long, very smoky event involving the smoke alarm and a tea towel.

1. Leftover pizza

Yes, really. The toaster is the single best thing in your kitchen for reheating pizza, and it's not even close.

The microwave makes the crust soggy. The oven takes 15 minutes from cold. A toaster — assuming the slice fits — gives you a crispy base, melted cheese, and warm-through toppings in about 90 seconds.

How to do it:

• Use a single slice, fold it gently to fit the slot if needed (it'll slide in like a sandwich)
• Set browning level 2–3
• Use bagel mode if you have it — heats one side more than the other, perfect for pizza
• Important: keep an eye on it. Cheese can drip if you're aggressive with the setting.

The 4 Slice Toastley is particularly good at this because the dual independent screens let you reheat two different slices at different settings (deep-pan needs longer than thin-crust).

2. Tortillas, naan, and flatbreads

A microwaved tortilla is a sad, rubbery thing. A toasted one is a revelation.

Toasting flatbreads in the toaster gives you the same lightly-crisped exterior and warm interior you'd get from a tava or skillet — without dirtying a pan.

How to do it:

• Browning level 2 (any higher and they go from warm to crisp instantly)
• One at a time — they don't stack well in a slot
• Pita: same rules, but watch the puffing — they'll inflate like little balloons, which is normal

Brilliant before tacos, kebabs, fajitas, or curry.

3. Hash browns and frozen waffles

The toaster aisle and the freezer aisle are secretly best friends.

McCain hash browns and the supermarket frozen waffles (sweet and savoury) were both designed with toasters in mind. They cook from frozen, in 3–4 minutes, with no oil and no oven preheating.

How to do it:

• Use straight from the freezer (don't defrost first — they'll go soggy)
• Browning level 4–5
• For hash browns: crank to maximum if you like them very crispy
• Practical note: hash browns can drip a little oil when fully cooked. Wipe the crumb tray afterwards.

4. Croissants and pastries (the cut-in-half method)

A day-old croissant is one of life's small disappointments. Until you slice it horizontally and toast it.

The first time you do this, you'll wonder why you've been spending years putting them in the oven. Sliced and toasted on bagel mode, a day-old croissant comes back to life — crisp shell, warm buttery middle.

How to do it:

• Slice horizontally with a serrated knife (like a sandwich)
• Bagel mode if available — toasts the cut side, gently warms the back
• Browning level 2–3, no higher
• Best with a smear of jam or butter melted into the warm cut side

Same approach works for:

• Pain au chocolat (slice with care — chocolate is awkward)
• Brioche buns (perfect for next-day bun warming)
• English muffins, bagels, hot cross buns (the obvious ones)
• Sliced cinnamon rolls (chef's kiss)

5. Toasting nuts and seeds (yes, really)

This is the one that always surprises people. You can toast small batches of nuts, seeds, and even spices in a toaster — and it works brilliantly.

The catch: you need a small heat-safe pan or a piece of foil folded into a tray. You're not putting nuts straight into the slots.

How to do it:

• Make a small tray from folded foil (turn up the edges) — small enough to sit on top of the toaster, not in the slots
• Place nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts) or seeds (sesame, pumpkin) in a single layer
• Pop two slices of bread (any bread) below in the slots — this provides the heat
• Browning level 5–6, run the cycle once
• Stir or shake the foil tray halfway through

It works because the toaster's residual heat through the body is enough to gently toast small ingredients — the same way a low oven would. Less mess, less waiting, no preheating.

This is especially useful when a recipe calls for "toasted pine nuts" and you need 50g, not enough to bother with a pan or oven.

A quick word on what NOT to put in your toaster

For the avoidance of doubt:

• Anything with cheese on top that isn't bread. It'll drip and burn into the element.
• Buttered bread. Butter melts, drips, smokes. Always butter after toasting.
• Anything wet. Even slightly damp bread can shock the element.
• Pop tarts above level 3. They burn in seconds at higher settings, and the filling burst is a nightmare to clean.
• Foil with sharp edges. Always fold and flatten edges so nothing catches.

Your toaster, working harder

A modern smart toaster is a better appliance than most kitchens give it credit for. The combination of precise heating, multiple modes, and (in the Toastley range) extra-wide slots means it'll handle far more than two slices of supermarket loaf.

So next time you've got leftover pizza, a slightly stale croissant, or a recipe asking for toasted hazelnuts — try the toaster. Worst case, you'll have wiped down the crumb tray. Best case, you'll have a new favourite kitchen shortcut.

Bon appétit.