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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-22 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
• apollo THE HOUSEWARES BRAND Chrome Toast Rack — biggest strength: six slots in a 13 x 14 x 7 cm footprint, so a family or a couple can load several slices at once and let them cool upright without stacking.
• apollo THE HOUSEWARES BRAND Chrome Toast Rack — biggest trade-off: hand-wash only. Apollo specifically says it is not dishwasher-safe to preserve the finish, so it needs a wipe-down or a rinse rather than a machine cycle.
• Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast — biggest strength: a Victorian horseshoe design with a loop handle and ball feet, dishwasher-friendly, and light enough to carry one-handed.
• Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast — biggest trade-off: only two slots, so it is a small-batch rack rather than a crowd-feeder.
• Who each pick is for: the apollo rack suits households that make toast in batches and want chrome on the counter; the Junverelle suits two-person tables, brunch hosts, and anyone who wants the rack to double as a serving piece.
The apollo rack is a purpose-built toast organiser. It measures 13 x 14 x 7 cm and holds six slices upright in a rectangular chrome frame. The frame is made from triple chromium-plated wire, which is what gives it that bright, polished shine rather than a dull grey metal look. In my opinion that plating is the whole point of this rack — it is meant to sit out on the counter and look like a piece of kitchen kit, not something you hide in a cupboard.
Six slots changes how you use it. When you are feeding two or three people, you can toast a full round in one go, stand the slices up, and let them cool without the bottoms going soft. Steam escapes from the open sides instead of collecting under a stack of bread. That is the same principle behind any open-air rack, just scaled up. It arrives fully assembled, so there is nothing to clip together — you unbox it and it is ready.
The trade-off is care. Apollo is explicit that this is not dishwasher-safe. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth or run it under warm water instead. That is a small daily habit, not a burden, but it does mean the rack is a poor fit for someone who wants to throw everything in the machine after breakfast. It is also worth noting the chrome finish is a shine you are choosing to maintain — a quick dry after rinsing keeps it looking sharp.
Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast: Who It's For
The Junverelle rack takes the opposite approach: fewer slots, more character. It is a two-slot stainless steel rack in a Victorian horseshoe shape with a loop handle on top and four ball feet underneath. The finish is polished silver, and the styling is deliberately classic and retro — the kind of thing that looks right on a set breakfast table rather than beside a modern toaster.
Two slots is not a limitation so much as a definition. This rack is built for a couple, a single person who likes one slice at a time, or a host setting out a small serving of toast alongside jam and butter. The open-air design does the same job as the apollo's: steam escapes, bread stays crisp. The description even suggests using the two slots for different things — standard bread in one, artisan slices or muffins in the other — which is a neat way to serve two people with different tastes from one rack.
The details are where this one earns its place. The loop handle lets you carry it from kitchen to dining area without touching hot metal, and it doubles as a hanging point on a kitchen hook if you want it off the counter. The raised ball feet lift the rack off the surface, so hot toast is not resting directly on a wooden or stone table, and the feet are rounded rather than sharp. The frame is welded stainless steel with a smooth, burr-free finish, and it is dishwasher-friendly — the opposite of the apollo's care instructions. It is also very light at 2.72 ounces, and listed as heat resistant, rust resistant and washable.
Who should buy it? Two-person households, brunch hosts, B&B and café setups, and anyone who wants a toast rack that reads as tableware. Who should skip it? Big families making six slices at once, and anyone who wants their rack to be a permanent, matching part of a chrome appliance lineup. The Victorian look is a deliberate choice — if your kitchen is strictly modern and minimal, this is a different aesthetic.
• Best for toasting in batches → apollo THE HOUSEWARES BRAND Chrome Toast Rack. Six slots versus two is the single biggest practical difference between these two.
• Best for a two-person table → Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast. Two slots, a loop handle and ball feet are sized for serving rather than bulk toasting.
• Best for easy cleanup → Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast. It is dishwasher-friendly; the apollo rack is hand-wash only by design.
• Best for a polished, modern counter look → apollo THE HOUSEWARES BRAND Chrome Toast Rack. Triple chromium-plated wire in a rectangular frame.
• Best for vintage or traditional styling → Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast. Horseshoe shape, loop handle, ball feet, Victorian and retro styling.
• Best for carrying hot toast to the table → Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast. The ergonomic top handle and raised feet are built for exactly that trip.
• Best for small kitchens and hanging storage → Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast. At 2.72 ounces it is lighter, and the loop handle can hang on a hook.
• Best for a couple who toasts four slices across the morning → either. The apollo gets them all in one pass; the Junverelle keeps two crisp at a time and looks better doing it.
If I were buying for a household of two or more that makes toast in rounds, I would buy the apollo THE HOUSEWARES BRAND Chrome Toast Rack. Six slots in one pass is the feature you will use every single morning, and the chrome finish is the kind of thing that makes a counter look intentional. The hand-wash requirement is the price of that finish, and I think it is a fair one. If I were buying for one or two people who want the rack to double as a serving piece — or if I simply refuse to hand-wash anything — I would choose the Junverelle Stainless Steel Toast instead. It is lighter, dishwasher-friendly, and the Victorian styling does work no plain wire rack can. In my opinion the decision comes down to one question: how many slices do you need at once?
how to use toast rack in air fryer
A toast rack goes into the air fryer basket so slices stand upright instead of lying flat, which lets hot air move around both sides of the bread and helps steam escape rather than trap. Both racks here can serve that purpose — the apollo holds up to six slices, while the Junverelle holds two. Check your air fryer's internal height against the rack's dimensions before you commit, since the apollo measures 13 x 14 x 7 cm.
when to use a rack in an air fryer
Use one when you want even browning on both faces of the bread, when you are reheating several slices at once, or when you want to keep finished toast crisp while the rest cooks. The open-air design is the whole mechanism behind that — it is why a rack prevents sogginess. For a single slice, a rack is optional; for a full batch, it is the difference between even and patchy.
what is the air fryer rack for
It holds food upright and off the base of the basket so air circulates underneath as well as over the top. In toast terms, that means crisper bread and less trapped steam. The Junverelle's raised ball feet do the same job on a countertop, keeping hot toast off a wooden or stone surface and preventing scratches.
can you use air fryer without rack
Yes. An air fryer works perfectly well without a rack — you simply lay food flat in the basket and turn it partway through. A rack is an upgrade for specific jobs like upright toast, not a requirement. If you mainly cook flat items, you can skip one entirely; if you toast often and want even results on both sides, it earns its place.
If price matters to you, check the current price on Amazon before deciding — the two racks sit in different tiers of build and styling, and that is worth confirming against your own budget.
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See also: Supreme Housewares Toast Rack Stainless vs JIABEIUS Toast Rack, ELEOUTI Square Grill Rack vs Amosfun Stainless Steel Air, GWBSXM Air Fryer Wire vs Hemoton Stainless Steel Toast