Toast is not complicated, but it rewards attention. The single most important variable is the bread itself — its hydration, its density, its age. A freshly baked sourdough will toast faster than a two-day-old supermarket loaf at the same dial setting. This is not a flaw in the toaster. It is the nature of bread.

Start at shade 4. Adjust one position at a time. Once you find your setting for a specific bread, write it down. The toaster will repeat it faithfully.