Our first resolution of the new year is to buy a decent toaster.
The requirements are:
1) The slots should be big enough to take a standard sized UK slice of bread
2) Wide adjusting slots that will take a sliced bun or teacake
3) Fast toasting - infra red, mirror, etc ?
4) Crumb tray
5) Consistent browning from one slice to the next.
6) Fast browning, producing toasted bread, not rusks.
Big hates:
Bread that has to be forced in because it's too wide for the toaster
Having to shake it upside down to get bits of burnt toast out
Jamming when trying to get things out
Inconsistent browning from one slice to the next
Weak pop-up, requiring poking about with knife to extricate slice.
What are the team's recommendations?
2-slots preferable, money no object for the right product.
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We bought a 32 inch telly, a soundbar and 4 slice toaster on Christmas Eve from Sainsburys in their sale all with Nectar points. Can't remember any of the brands but they all work so far and were in effect free.
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>> but not the cheap one (tho it is a good average toaster, its not cheap
>> for a good average toaster)
>>
>> this one
>>
>> www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/small-kitchen-appliances/toasters/dualit-40352-vario-4-slice-toaster-stainless-steel-05003204-pdt.html?
>>
£150 for a toaster FFS?!?!
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It does have variable browning though.
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>> >> but not the cheap one (tho it is a good average toaster, its not
>> cheap
>> >> for a good average toaster)
>> >>
>> >> this one
>> >>
>> >> www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/small-kitchen-appliances/toasters/dualit-40352-vario-4-slice-toaster-stainless-steel-05003204-pdt.html?
>> >>
>>
>> £150 for a toaster FFS?!?!
He did say "money no object"
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Dualit combi has a 'cage' slot designed for toasties but you can squash fatter stuff in it. The other slots are a reasonable size but not adjustable.
Actually mine needs an element, I'm having to toast each side separately at the moment in the two right hand slots. But you can get the bits and fix them yourself. Ours is about 15-20 years old and I had to put a new clockwork in it a while back. No pop-up mechanism to jam/go wrong, just a timer and a lever to lift the slices up.
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How about a bit adventurous. These have flat toasting plates so give an even finish, take thick sandwiches or single slices and do not crush the food unless you want to.
www.amazon.co.uk/Breville-Panini-Press-Sandwich-Toasters/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A1684587031
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Zero's right. We have the cheap one which is fine. The more expensive one is better and has replaceable elements if they go pop..This one has lasted well ( 5 years plus) - its predecessor didn't.
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Tefal Avanti - either 4 slice or 2 slice.
Debenhams sell them, or Amazon.
We had one for years till it broke down, went out and got a Russell Hobbs one as a distress purchase but decided to get another Avanti. A good decision.
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We have the dualit ones at work, they get a lot of use. Never known one fail, if you've got the money for one they are good.
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Much to Dog's amusement, we had a long discussion here in 2010 that resulted in me buying a four-slice Dualit - the proper one, as advised by Z. It's been faultless in operation and consistency and a real pleasure to use, and it's reassuring that any bits that might wear out are readily replaceable.
There are two, three and six-slice versions of the same design, but look for the one with the rotary slot selector. Mine will heat one, two, three or four slots, or just the inner sides of one or both pairs of slots. The older design doesn't have this versatility and there may still be old stock at some retailers.
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Many thanks everone.
It's looking like a Dualit then. I'm getting exited about the rotary slot selector.
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>>Much to Dog's amusement
Moi?
I bought a Kenwood toaster 'back then', it matches our kettle, cream 'n chrome but, as good as it is, it can't handle a 2nd toasting, e.g. if I'm doing a couple of crumpets (it's a 2 slice jobbie) the 2nd batch get burnt unless I reduce the toasting time.
Does that happen with the Dualit toasters I wonder?
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We have a Bosch toaster: it's OK & matches our Bosch kettle.
Works with ceramic style bars and shiny reflectors and has several browning levels.
Longevity not proven yet.
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... if I'm doing a couple of crumpets (it's a 2 slice jobbie) the 2nd batch get burnt unless I reduce the toasting time. Does that happen with the Dualit toasters I wonder?
If you mean does a hot toaster brown faster than a cold one, then yes. But it's a different game with a Dualit because, instead of a pop-up mechanism and a numbered scale of dubious meaning, you get a knob that works a clockwork timer, calibrated in minutes. There's a marked guide point at about 2 1/4 minutes, which is about right for the first load of factory-sliced bread. The second load will be quicker, so you just set a shorter time. Home-made bread takes longer, so you wind the dial round a little more. Sounds complicated but it's a piece of - erm - toast.
I had several Kenwood toasters before the Dualit. They were good - until the control mechanism went, usually at about four years. I'm expecting the Dualit - as befits its price - to last a fair bit longer.
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>
>> Home-made bread takes longer,
Mine doesn't, but I guess thats because I put some olive oil in the dough.
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This is our Kenwood toaster:
www.reevoo.com/p/kenwood-tt930-semi-professional-toaster
It too has the clockwork timer like the Dualit jobbie, I just find it annoying that the 2nd 2 slices of (my home-made) bread will burn unless I reduce the time, I'm asking too much of a toaster, obviously :)
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>> It too has the clockwork timer like the Dualit jobbie, I just find it annoying
>> that the 2nd 2 slices of (my home-made) bread will burn unless I reduce the
>> time, I'm asking too much of a toaster, obviously :)
The problem is, the first two slices are underdone, so you have the timer set too long....
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 1 Jan 14 at 17:57
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>> I just find it annoying
>> that the 2nd 2 slices of (my home-made) bread will burn unless I reduce the
>> time, I'm asking too much of a toaster, obviously :)
>>
Ideally I suppose a toaster would do what a human eye would do, watching a piece of bread on a toasting fork. There would be an optical sensor and a clever device that assesses the initial brown-ness and then gives a controllable degree of additional brown-ness.
White bread would have lower initial brown-ness, brown bread would already be brown, but each might perhaps require the same amount of browning to achieve toast.
Independent of starting temperature, of course.
A safety device would listen for that tell-tale sound that warns you the toast is ready, and just about to burn, and activate the cut-off. A blind person could make toast on an open fire.
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I've just toasted 4 Warburton wholemeal rolls in my 2 slice toaster.
The first 2 were toasted to perfection, but the 2nd 2 were burnt, even tho I reduced the toasting time.
I would expect, in this day and age, when we can put a man on the Moon, and a probe on Mars, that someone could design a toaster with a sensor to stop the 2nd lot of toast from burning.
Nice drop of beer though, Tribute, from St Austell brewery.
:}
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I'd like to invent a toaster you can turn on its side so you can do cheese on toast in it. Maybe I just have.
Send money.
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You could call it a "Grill".
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Don't you be trying to get in on the action here. I'm about to be rich.
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I always miss out on the genius ideas.
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George Foreman has already been there and taken all the money.
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>> George Foreman has already been there and taken all the money.
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Yeh, and like most kitchen gadgets it takes ages to clean the poxy things up after you have used them as you cant chuck them in the dishwasher.
Last edited by: Skip on Wed 1 Jan 14 at 19:30
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Clean them? A bit fussy. The heat sterilises them doesn't it? They acquire a sort of patina.
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>> Clean them? A bit fussy. The heat sterilises them doesn't it? They acquire a sort
>> of patina.
>>
Hmmm
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I have a girll you can lay on its side.
And make me cheese on toast. Eventually.
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>> I have a girll you can lay on its side. And make me cheese on toast. Eventually. >>
Sandwich maker does that (but leaves it rather messy though). Or use the oven if it has a grill...!!
As for the girll - is she hot as well?
Last edited by: Stuartli on Wed 1 Jan 14 at 21:24
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Well that tempted me... So two slices of toasted wholemeal and some Cathedral City Cheddar have been consumed. Delicious...:-)
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Left out of it again........we don't have a toaster...( pensioners/electric bills/etc. )
Well, actually we might, I've just remembered it's in the caravan. Don't know why, we never use it in there. Just use the griller at home and away.
HO
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"I would expect, in this day and age, when we can put a man on the Moon, and a probe on Mars, that someone could design a toaster with a sensor to stop the 2nd lot of toast from burning"
I've employed the best brain/s in the country to try to solve this problem and it seemed to me that the toaster required pre-heating - to stop the 2nd batch of crumpets burning.
Problem solved (thanks Horace Ontaltwin) I've just toasted 6 Sainsbury's (we went to Sainsbury's yesterday for the first thyme in years) under the grill and they are toasted to purrfection - deliciously topped with Rachel's orgasmic butter.
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>> - deliciously topped with Rachel's orgasmic butter.
>>
Could make for interesting breakfasts!
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Where's BBD this morning.
:o)
rachelsorganic.co.uk/range/milk-cream-and-butter/50/unsalted-butter
Last edited by: Dog on Sun 5 Jan 14 at 10:07
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>> "I would expect, in this day and age, when we can put a man on
>> the Moon, and a probe on Mars, that someone could design a toaster with a
>> sensor to stop the 2nd lot of toast from burning"
At a cost, presumably.
I like the Dualit, but I have to say the £5 Tesco value one in the caravan works quite well at 1/40 of the price.
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>> >> the £5 Tesco value one in
>> the caravan works quite well at 1/40 of the price.
>>
Yes, but I'm tired of toasters that only work "quite well".
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Quite is a useless word, sorry. Means either absolutely, totally, without question; or to a certain extent.
It works absolutely, totally, without question as a toaster. As well as any I've had. That is, it takes longer for the first go, and the brownness varies with the type/age of the bread.
So it works to a certain extent :)
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>> "I would expect, in this day and age, when we can put a man on
>> the Moon, and a probe on Mars, that someone could design a toaster with a
>> sensor to stop the 2nd lot of toast from burning"
>>
I have a lovely little illustrated book for kids from the fifties/sixties all about "how things work". Pre digital of course, so I can actually understand it.
The toaster section clearly tells you how a toaster is (or at least was) made such that the first piece gets done for longer than subsequent ones so that they all come out the same.
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They are possibly heat sensitive and have to heat up first whereas it's already at toasting temp for the 2nd batch.
Toasters such as my Kenwood and the Dualit jobbies have a mechanical timer and y'all have to reduce the toasting time for the 2nd batch or it'll burn, well, you do on my Kenwood anyway :)
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...someone could design a toaster with a sensor to stop the 2nd lot of toast from burning.
It's been tried: tinyurl.com/PhilipsToaster (link to Amazon UK)
No longer available, so perhaps (drum roll) it didn't actually work very well. Or perhaps not enough customers were willing to pay the extra.
I think Manatee probably has it right (although not about the caravan, obviously) - either buy a basic one, work within its limitations and regard it as a consumable, or go for something top notch with a price to match. Don't mess with Mister Inbetween.
Or if that still leaves anyone short of ideas, you could try any or all of these:
www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/10-weird-and-cool-toasters
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Sun 5 Jan 14 at 17:21
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Nothing will sway me now I've discovered "The Grill" although it's interesting to see that the Philips toaster with a SmartScan infrared sensor failed to make its mark so to speak and isn't available now - 10 years after it was introduced.
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Tefal Avanti Hi-speed, definitely. The main consideration for us when buying this (at least 10 years ago) is that it's much faster than any we've had before. It also has a crumb tray and (particularly useful) a lever for lifting up buns, crumpets etc to get them out.
I don't know how long toasters normally last but this one has done us proud for longer than any others.
Last edited by: Avant on Sun 5 Jan 14 at 20:05
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My ladyfriend has a Dualit, her Dad gave it to her when she bought her flat. It makes a lovely clicking noise, it just seems very high quality.
I'm an Oatibix boy rather than a toastie so I don't use it but it sits in the kitchen all shiney and ready.
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You're quite right - it has got Mercedes quality buttons.
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>> I'm an Oatibix boy rather than a toastie so I don't use it but it
>> sits in the kitchen all shiney and ready.
Agricultural, I'd call it.
Incidentally, have you noticed that Oatibix is the most absorbent thing ever made? I had to give up on it and go back to mere Weetabix, couldn't afford the milk. They should be handing them out with flood warnings.
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Yes, Oatibix are very absorbent but I think that’s one of the benefits for me since they then release a lot of energy slowly. I like toast but after an hour I’m hungry again whereas if I have two Oatibix when I get up at 5:15am then that keeps me satisfied until 11am when I have two bananas and an apple, followed by my sandwiches at 1pm.
I find the Oatibix works best if I put an initial amount of milk on them, then feed the dog his Pedigree then by that time the milk has been absorbed and they’re just ready for another bit of milk.
If my ladyfriend stays over at the weekend then on a Sunday morning she will bring me two pieces of toast and a cup of tea in bed. She tried bringing me Oatibix once but it resulted in a spillage so we stuck with toast. I don’t know whether she was excited to see me or if the dog jolted her arm, I was half asleep at the time, but the milk went all over my face and on the pillow. We decided to stick to toast after that.
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>> I don’t know whether she was excited to see me or if the dog jolted
>> her arm, I was half asleep at the time, but the milk went all over
>> my face and on the pillow. We decided to stick to toast after that.
Yes and best stick to that story too!
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>> Yes and best stick to that story too!
>>
She'd probably just get a sausage off me !
HO
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Avant wrote>> Tefal Avanti Hi-speed, definitely.
Aren't there forum rules about advertising your own stuff...
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Nice one....my next recommendation is for an Audi estate.
(This was what I had when I joined the HJ Backroom in 2004: hence the nom de clavier. It was an A4 2.5 TDI - still on balance the best car I've ever had, despite the excellence of the Octavia vRS. Why? I suppose mainly because it had six cylinders.)
Last edited by: Avant on Sun 12 Jan 14 at 21:00
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Nice cars those 2.5 Audis. I had one on a long term loan from a more than generous friend on one of the occasions the Espace was being glued back together ( using a Pritt stick as far as I could gather )
A bit nose heavy under duress I found but otherwise delightful. Smaller load space than I'd have imagined for an estate. Perhaps that's what 'Avant' means eh? 'Not really an estate' in something foreign maybe?
;-)
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Toaster recommendations - Skip
