Breville has announced the Eye Q Auto Toaster – the world’s first toaster that toasts by colour – and not time.
Breville Australia general manager, Nick Moore, told Appliance Retailer the toasters will be available with immediate broad distribution through major retailers including Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Myer and The Good Guys.
Using patented Eye Q Optic Sensor technology using dual wavelength green and infrared LEDs developed by physicists and normally used for astronomy, the new toaster monitors bread up to 10 times per second and automatically stops cooking when the chosen colour has been reached.
Breville claims the product is the first time optic sensors have been used in a food appliance. The Eye Q Auto Toaster has been in development for 10 years and represents the longest research phase for any product in the company’s 90-year history.
The sensors provide the ability for the Eye Q Auto Toaster to recognise different breads including white bread, wholegrain, fruit loaf, crumpets and sourdough using different methods to automatically cook various forms of bread.
Recognising that artisanal breads like sourdough require a different approach, Sourdough Mode recalibrates the Eye Q sensors to account for thicker crusts, denser interiors, and longer browning times – delivering even, golden results without burning.
There are two models available – the 850 Auto two-slice ($399) and the 870 Auto four-slice ($599) configurations – it is available in five colours – Sea Salt (white), Stainless Steel, Noir (Black) and Truffle (Matte Black) and Pomodoro Rosso (Red).
Doug Nash, Breville’s Global Product Officer, says: “Until now, every toaster no matter the brand or price has relied on timed heating, which is why toast can turn out uneven, inconsistent, or burnt. For over two decades, we’ve been leading the way making toasters ever more effortless and delightful. The Eye Q Auto Toaster is a breakthrough that fundamentally changes what’s possible in toasting, and we’re thrilled to be bringing it to kitchens all over the world.”
The Eye Q® Auto Toaster marks the next chapter in Breville’s long history of innovation in the toast category, building on a legacy of industry-first features introduced over the past two decades. These include the original ‘Lift & Look’ function and LED Progress Bar (2004), motorised controls and the now-iconic ‘A Bit More’ setting (2007), Fruit Bread Mode (2012), Bagel Mode (2014), and the Toast Type Selector (2016). Each advancement, designed to improve the toasting experience, has culminated in the launch of the Eye Q Auto Toaster, cementing Breville’s reputation for reimagining even the simplest kitchen rituals through smart, thoughtful design.