The humble toaster

[CJE]

Good morning Gents,
I am in the market for a new toaster. I currently have a modern "electronic" Rival that was a gift a few years ago. I've not been happy with it. It seems to be short on wattage so you must leave the bread in too long to toast it. This dries the bread out to the center, making for a less than desirable finished product. I have considered cruising the antique/thrift store circuit to find an old Toastmaster like my Granddad had. Nicely toasted on the outside, soft in the center. As I recall though, the old toasters would not accomodate a bagel or things of that nature. Would anyone care to share a recomendation for a new one? Or is a trip through the appliance section of the second hand stores in my future?

 

[SiBurning]

I ditched the toaster for a small Cuisinart convection oven. It's really just a toaster oven with a fan, but it works very well for toast, and can actually bake things like a real oven. Small things, anyway.

 

[ixiboneheadixi]

get one of those rack things you can throw over the flame on your stove

 

[moshulu]

Get yourself a Dualit toaster – the finest in the world. There are several models, and they are not the cheapest, but think of it this way: how many things do you own that are the best of the best? Your car? No. Your home? Nah. Your razor? Well, maybe, if you own an Eclipse or a Kirby Beard. But here is one item where you can be on the same plane as Bill Gates or the Sultan of Brunei. With all of their wealth and power, they would not be able to toast a bagel any better than you.

 

[galopede]

Another vote for the Dualit. As I live on my own, mine is the two slice version in stainless steel. Design classic and a brilliant bit of kitchen kit.



Gareth

 

[CJE]

Thanks to all for your input. The Dualit is pricey but fits what I was looking for. The convection toaster oven intrigues me now as well. I had a regular toaster oven years ago and gave it to a college student neighbor. We were both happy. It was very small inside and nearly worthless for me. Hadn't even looked at how they have improved.

 

[maxman]

My Cuisinart (made by Conair) is OK.
I like the look of those Dualit ones.

 

[Rushman2112]

Early in 2002 I moved from Jakarta to Bangkok from a serviced apartment to an empty one and I had to equip it from egg cups to beds. I purchased a Seimens, long slot so 2 slices side by side. It is still going strong and toasts bread as well as any toaster could possibly do so.

 

[Kazeryu]

Nothing allows a more custom toasting than this classic design.


As an added bonus, when you forget to watch the toast carefully the chromed surface allows you to wipe the soot and charred toast matter right off!

 

[Deltaboy]

I have a Bosh for 15 years and it works great.

 

[gulfwinds]

I have both a 2-slice toaster and a convection oven in stainless from Breville. Both are excellent.


Breville BTA820XL


Breville BOV800XL

 

[JoshuaNY]

You might want to use tongs though, unlike this dude.

 

[Snappy Lunch]

I still have my Grandmothers Toast-O-Lator. My brother and I always walked to her house for breakfast just to watch the toast run through. I don't think he knows I have it, or there would be a fight. jk

Another tidbit of info:
Like many companys during WWII The company that made the Toast-O-Lator stopped the production to help the war effort. They made the "Crocker-Wheeler" turret. It was fitted to the Beechcraft AT-11 and SNB aircraft.

 

[Deltaboy]

Cool!

 

[Alacrity59]

I have both a 2-slice toaster and a convection oven in stainless from Breville. Both are excellent.

View attachment 279644
Breville BTA820XL

View attachment 279646
Breville BOV800XL

I've got this convection toaster OVEN too. It is a brilliant piece of work. Settings for toast, bagel, Bake, Broil, warming (and remembers the last temp, quantity, and time you used for each setting). Very smart. There is a quantity setting for toast and bagels so that it adjusts the time for the number of pieces you put in the oven. Takes a fare bit of space on the counter but you can reheat a frozen pie at the same time as you are cooking a turkey in your regular oven

 

[Blackbeard's Delight]

I don't think I have ever had toast that wasn't drier than a crouton. I am trying to imagine toast that is still soft in the middle and I think I would actually make toast more often if it came out that way. How good toast is almost always is directly related to the amount of butter melted on it to make it palatable!

 

[Phog Allen]

I will see your Dualits and raise you a Toastmaster commercial model. These are ridiculously priced at between four and five hundred dollars but they are built like tanks, can be had in 120, 208, or 240v models, and parts are available to rebuild them for decades. You can get two or four narrow slots. Two or four wide slots. Two narrow slots that toast on both sides along with wide slots that toast on both sides or a model that only toasts one side of the wide slots. Think bagels. Very cusotmisable. We had some at work that were nearly forty years old and were still going strong. They had only been retired when they moved to the conveyor style toasters which are prone to much more maintenance. Ask me how I know that. Anyroad, they are designed for commercial work where repeatability is needed for busy hours. They toast very consistently but as mentioned are quite dear. You can usually bag a slightly used one from a kitchen supply store that has taken it in on a trade. The price is usually less than half. Still, this is an extreme piece of equipment for a home kitchen. Yet if I find one at a decent price that has the configuration I want, the money is spent. Ancient version we had at work below. New model; http://www.webstaurantstore.com/toa...bagel-pop-up-toaster-120v-2000w/858HT409.html

Cheers, Todd

 

[Deltaboy]

Yep Resturant returns or trade in's are great; I had a Oster Blender that was 30 years old when I got it and I ran it another 20 years before it died.

 

[ouch]

Just what I needed- TAD.

 

[Samurai-5]

I have this Rowenta...Works great.