PrintToaster Recommendations?
Somehow, a piece of plastic got melted in my toaster this morning. Now I not only have a horrible smell lingering in the house, I am also in need of a new toaster.
Anyone have thoughts on toasters - Love yours? Hate it?
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19 Comments:
I haven't had one in many years. I use a Black & Decker toaster oven. It only takes up a little more space, makes great toast (3 or 4 at a time), bakes, broils and I use it nearly every day. My favorite feature is the crumb tray - it slides out from the front (My old toaster oven had a snap tray and it made it real mess, turning it upside down and dumping crumbs everywhere in order to clean it). I just slide it out, dump it, wash & dry & slide back in. So convenient and it makes perfect toasted anything. If I were buying a new one, I'd get one with a convection oven, too.
PerkyMac at 9:54AM on 05/16/08
I bought a great old sunbeam automatic at a flea market 15 years ago. It was brand new from the fifties, obviously a duplicate gift. Built like a tank before American stuff was made to wear out. I see them on eBay all the time for very low cost. Just make sure the cord is in good shape. I will NEVER buy a new toaster again.
BreweRepublic at 10:34AM on 05/16/08
after having two twenty dollar toasters crap out on me in the space of four months, i bought a krups. it was very expensive but so far totally worth the money.
cybercita at 10:54AM on 05/16/08
Kitchenaid toasters range from 69.99 - 129.99 for the consumer models...and well worth the price. I'm on my 3rd due to upgrading and regifting the old ones....I have also given 4 as gifts....all of them are still working as my friends and family could attest.
Plus....you can if so inclined, get them to match. Our latest upgrade wa to get the matching stainless model....most importantly thought, they heat up fast, toast thoroughly & are durable. When I was a Culinary Specialist in retail, we never got a kitchenaid back or heard complaints.
2qrs at 11:37AM on 05/16/08
I am pleasantly shocked (or is that shockingly pleased) by the performance of my $9.96 Durabrand Wal-Mart special. I've never had an expensive toaster, but I have had a lot of really crap ones. My mom never bought any nice kind of toaster (or any other kitchen appliance) and we always had half-scorched and half-naked toast. This one does a great job of toasting evenly, of never burning anything, and of responding to the little knob of doneness.
renzata at 11:46AM on 05/16/08
I think a toaster is one of the most impractical appliances. A toaster-oven, on the other hand, is a different story. It is the appliance I use more than any others. I use it every single day, whether for toast, baked potato, heating leftovers, grilled cheese, and much more.
SavtaShayna at 12:47PM on 05/16/08
25 years ago I received a Sunbeam self-lowering toaster as a gift. I still use it today and it's perfect. I also have a Oster toaster oven which if you ask me, sucks at toast. I've never seen a toaster oven that does as good a job as my old Sunbeam.
RichardCrystal at 1:42PM on 05/16/08
I have to second SavtaShayna on the toaster oven. It's a lot more multi-use. I have used my toaster oven to make toast, bake cookies (small batch-perfect for two when you have your cookie dough frozen in balls), and blue cheese stuffed pork chops to name a few goodies that came outta there. My BF seems to think we need a toaster- and won't go for the toaster oven. We have neither item currently & have given up discussing it. It makes for an exciting morning of glaring at each other when we want toast. We are both too stubborn for our own good. :)
bisbee at 1:48PM on 05/16/08
bisee: get a toaster oven; dump your BF
SavtaShayna at 1:55PM on 05/16/08
I always felt the same way about the toaster oven--much more of a multi-tasker than the plain old toaster. I used to make a tray out of tin foil and use it to reheat pizza/melt cheese for a tuna melt/etc.
Right now I only have a plain toaster. It's fine. I don't miss the toaster oven more than once in a while.
America's Test Kitchen was very harsh on toaster ovens. I was not expecting that. They said it was terrible for toast and impractical for anything else.
@bisbee, I don't know how you go without toast altogether. For some reason, I love toast. I could eat toast for breakfast for the rest of my life. I need to get up earlier so I actually have time to make it.
blackolive at 3:38PM on 05/16/08
LOL !
BlackOlive- I love the foil tray trick!
SatvaShayna-Toast (or lack thereof) won't come between me & my man. We have been "toasting" it in the oven as a compromise- but it always turns out hard & dry. sigh...we'll probably just end up with both appliances and less cabinet space.
bisbee at 5:53PM on 05/16/08
@blackolive: wait...how long does it take you to make toast? Toss some in the toaster (oven) and go about other morning rituals and it's done.
I think I have a Black & Decker toaster that someone tossed in when I bought their microwave for $20 back in college. They were going abroad and for some reason decided to sell all their stuff. Both microwave and toaster were like 1 month old. They both work great. I'm not really sure the model on the toaster, but it has a slide out crumb tray (very useful) and is pretty sensitive to the "doneness" dial. It heats pretty evenly. I'm pretty sure it was quite inexpensive (under $20) for my friend to buy, but I can't be sure.
wunami at 2:34AM on 05/17/08
My family switched to a toaster over 15 years ago, and we'll never use a toaster again. I picked up an inexpensive $15 one from Walmart, and it's still going strong two years on. I use mine for all my grilling needs (salmon, chicken, tofu, grilled cheese), to get bakery pastries nice and toasty, to roast nuts , and to bake cookies from the log of dough I keep in the freezer. It's perfect for the impatient single!
onedaylingers at 10:31AM on 05/17/08
@wunami, I'm not a morning person. I've had coworkers tell me that they simply don't talk to me before noon because they said good morning to me and I growled in response. Multi-tasking is not an option. Tasking is barely an option. A sharp knife would almost certainly result in marital and/or legal issues.
I save my toast for weekends when my husband and I can enjoy it in safety.
blackolive at 1:02PM on 05/17/08
Funny this is brought up. I just had to replace my old most awesome toaster for a new one. I actually wrote about it here: The Champagne of Toasters.
My new one is a Cuisinart 2 in 1 - 4 slice toaster with racing stripes...
bodaciousgirl at 2:45PM on 05/17/08
my toaster is a hello kitty model, that toasts a picture of hello kitty on the bread. Not the best toaster in the world, but it is cute and brightens up my kitchen.
brittj8585 at 1:14AM on 05/18/08
toaster ovens are fine, I use them for broiling and light baking/reheating, and I also use the tin foil tray for melty things! but they take way too long and use too much energy for just toast. that's why I have both...plus my old sunbeam automatic 2-slice is so fun to watch as it gently lowers the toast and slowly raises the toast when done.
BreweRepublic at 8:48PM on 05/18/08
toaster oven is the way to go... I have a Black and Decker model that I use almost everyday. It toasts perfectly, IMHO. I use it as my go-to personal oven. I even went out to find casserole dishes that would fit the toaster over so I could avoid turning on the big oven for a mac & cheese, for example.
I saw a TV ad for a Kenmore toaster oven that has some extra features... when mine dies down, I might check those out...
MadelynRodriguez at 10:21PM on 05/18/08
I have a 4-slice T-Fal Avante that I absolutely love. $39 and it works great. Two features help me out with my children: the top slants down, so one toast corner points out when it pops up. Also, there is a lift feature to raise it even higher. Really helps out with English muffins.
It has all the features of the more expensive toasters. I did a lot of research when I bought this one, and I'm very pleased with it. They have a chrome version that's more expensive, but my white plastic one is very pretty. It works great!
Editmom at 10:44PM on 05/18/08