Dualit NewGen vs Vario vs AWS Toasters: What’s the Difference?
If you’ve been looking at a Dualit Classic toaster, you may have noticed something confusing: two Dualit toasters can look almost identical but have different names.
NewGen, Vario and AWS are all part of Dualit’s iconic Classic toaster family, sharing the unmistakable stainless-steel construction, mechanical timer and traditional Dualit styling.
However, there are some important differences between them – particularly when it comes to the slot selector and bagel function.
In this guide, we explain the differences between Dualit NewGen, Vario and AWS toasters, how to identify each model and what the different controls actually mean.
What Is a Dualit Classic Toaster?
The Dualit Classic is one of the most recognisable toaster designs in Britain.
Classic toasters are hand assembled at Dualit’s factory in West Sussex and use the brand’s replaceable ProHeat® elements. Key components can also be repaired or replaced, helping make the Classic fundamentally different from many conventional household toasters.
The familiar design includes a stainless-steel body, cast aluminium ends, mechanical browning timer and manually operated ejector lever.
But within that familiar Classic design are several different configurations.
Three names you may encounter are:
Dualit Vario
Dualit AWS
Dualit NewGen
At first glance they can be difficult to tell apart, so let’s look at them individually.
Dualit Vario Toaster
The Vario represents the more traditional Classic toaster configuration.
One of the easiest ways to recognise a Vario is its square red slot-selector switch.
According to Dualit, the selector operates as follows:
2-slot Vario: select 1 or 2 slots
3-slot Vario: select 2 or 3 slots
4-slot Vario: select 2 or 4 slots
Importantly, the Vario does not have a dedicated bagel function.
This makes the Vario relatively straightforward: select the number of slots required, set the mechanical timer and manually raise your toast using the ejector lever.
How to recognise a Dualit Vario
Look for the red square selector switch on the front.
That is one of the quickest visual clues that you are looking at a Vario rather than a NewGen or AWS.
Dualit AWS Toaster
This is where things can become confusing.
The AWS looks much more like the NewGen because it uses a black rotary slot-selector control rather than the Vario's red selector.
However, the AWS and NewGen aren't identical.
On an AWS, Dualit states that the selector allows:
2-slot AWS: 1 or 2 slots
4-slot AWS: 1, 2 or 4 slots
6-slot AWS: 2, 4 or 6 slots
The important distinction is that the AWS does not have the NewGen's bagel function.
So if you see the black rotary selector, don't automatically assume the toaster is a NewGen.
Check the available settings as well.
How to recognise a Dualit AWS
Look for a black rotary slot selector, but without the NewGen bagel setting.
This is particularly useful when identifying older Dualit Classic toasters or comparing models that visually appear almost identical.
Dualit NewGen Toaster
The NewGen is the updated version of Dualit's traditional Classic design.
Dualit describes NewGen as being based on the same robust commercial-style construction as the Vario, but with additional features and more flexible control over the heating slots.
The NewGen uses a black rotary slot-selector switch.
On the 4-slice version, you can select:
1 slot
2 slots
3 slots
4 slots
That means you don't have to heat four slots simply because you own a four-slot toaster.
The NewGen also introduces an important additional feature:
Bagel Setting
The NewGen includes a bagel setting, designed to toast the cut side while warming the other side.
This is one of the clearest functional differences between NewGen and AWS.
NewGen vs Vario vs AWS – The Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Vario | AWS | NewGen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Dualit design | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mechanical timer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manual ejector | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Repairable Classic construction | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Red square slot selector | Yes | No | No |
| Black rotary slot selector | No | Yes | Yes |
| Individual 1–4 slot selection on 4-slot model | No | No | Yes |
| Dedicated bagel setting | No | No | Yes |
This is why simply looking at the overall shape of a Dualit toaster isn't always enough.
Vario = red selector
AWS = black rotary selector, but no bagel setting
NewGen = black rotary selector + greater individual slot control + bagel setting
Why Do They Look So Similar?
The similarities are intentional.
Rather than completely redesigning its Classic toaster every few years, Dualit has retained the distinctive appearance and construction that made the toaster recognisable in the first place.
The Classic range continues to feature stainless-steel construction, cast aluminium ends and repairable or replaceable components.
As a result, the controls are often the easiest way to distinguish one version from another.
Is NewGen Newer Than Vario?
Yes – the NewGen was developed as an updated version of the Vario concept.
Dualit describes the original Vario as its established British design classic and the NewGen as an updated model based on the same robust construction, with additional functionality.
Rather than replacing the distinctive Classic design, NewGen effectively develops it further.
That is why the two can look remarkably similar from across the kitchen.
What Does AWS Mean on a Dualit Toaster?
AWS is another Classic toaster configuration that can easily be mistaken for NewGen because both use the black rotary-style selector.
For shoppers, the name itself is less important than understanding the controls.
The easiest distinction is:
AWS does not have the NewGen bagel function.
On a four-slot AWS, the slot choices are 1, 2 or 4, whereas the four-slot NewGen allows 1, 2, 3 or 4.
That little difference in the selector is one of the most useful ways of telling them apart.
Which Dualit Classic Toaster Should You Choose?
The best model depends on the features you want from your toaster.
The Vario offers the traditional Dualit Classic experience with straightforward manual controls.
The AWS retains the Classic construction while introducing the black rotary-style selector, but without the NewGen bagel function.
The NewGen provides the greatest flexibility of the three, particularly on the four-slot version where individual slot selection and the bagel setting give you more control over how the toaster is used.
Whichever version you encounter, the underlying appeal of the Classic remains much the same: distinctive British design, robust construction and a toaster designed with repairability in mind.
Shop our Dualit Kettles & Toasters →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Dualit NewGen and Vario?
The most obvious difference is the selector. Vario uses a red square slot-selector switch, while NewGen uses a black rotary selector. NewGen also provides greater individual slot control and includes a bagel setting.
What is the difference between Dualit AWS and NewGen?
They can look very similar because both use a black rotary selector. However, the AWS does not have the NewGen bagel function. On four-slot versions, AWS offers 1, 2 or 4-slot selection, whereas NewGen offers 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Does the Dualit Vario have a bagel setting?
No. Dualit states that the Vario does not have a dedicated bagel function.
Does the Dualit AWS have a bagel setting?
No. Although its black rotary control can make it resemble the NewGen, the AWS does not have the NewGen bagel function.
Are Dualit Classic toasters repairable?
Yes. Dualit designs its Classic range with repairability in mind. ProHeat elements and a number of other components can be replaced, subject to model compatibility.
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