Need a new toaster

[jennigrey]

We had a T-Fal toaster that we were pretty happy with. Used it for about five years. Then last week the toast wouldn't lock down anymore. I messed with it for a bit, heard a plastic bit rattling around inside the toaster. Went to open 'er up for surgery and the @$%*$# thing is held together with special can't-open-it screws. I was so angry that I opened the front door, stepped out on the porch and threw the toaster as far as I could out into the pasture where it broke apart in a satisfying fashion. I will NOT buy another T-Fal toaster.

Any good toaster recommendations out there? We need it to accomodate sliced bagels and rectangular bread slices. And not be made by T-Fal. How about the one currently being carried by Costco? I don't recall the make and model. It's $19.99 at the Costco here. I'll look at it next time I'm there and enquire again. In the meantime, any toasters to look for/avoid?

[GrannyG]

Until you find one you want, just put butter on your bread and "fry" it in your frying pan...yummy ! I have a toaster and never use it, prefer them this way. Cut bagels in half, butter them, and fix the same way. English muffins are so good.

[soulsurvivor]

Originally Posted by GrannyG

Until you find one you want, just put butter on your bread and "fry" it in your frying pan...yummy ! I have a toaster and never use it, prefer them this way. Cut bagels in half, butter them, and fix the same way. English muffins are so good.

We call it grilled toast. Tis good stuff.

If you find that great toaster, please let me know. I have yet to own one that works like it's supposed to.

[amyquilt]

Personally, I'm waiting for my toaster to die so I can move "up" to a toaster oven. As a matter of fact, I may not wait until the toaster dies, I may get my new toaster oven with our stimulus check ;-)

Toaster ovens offer so much more versitality.

Amy
www.crazyforthecountry.com

[luvrulz]

I don't have lots of counter space or storage space so I use the broiler in the oven! Makes the best toast and now I wouldn't have it any other way! Besides, anything you buy now will be MADE IN CHINA! ACK! Makes me crazy!

[Charleen]

Originally Posted by luvrulz

Besides, anything you buy now will be MADE IN CHINA! ACK! Makes me crazy!

Our toaster died about 2 years ago. We searched and searched for a toaster made in USA and couldn't find a new one. So, we started searching at yard sales and found a 4 slicer that is avocado green (from the 70's) from an old department store in our area called Grants. Made in USA. 30+ years old and still working fine.

[soulsurvivor]

We own a Windmere hair dryer that's almost 25 yrs old and still working fine. Also,up until last year, we had a Hoover cannister vaccum we bought new in 78 that got used almost daily on all the dog hair here. It got to a point that we couldn't find the vaccum bags anywhere local and had to order them out of Louisville. Come to think of it, just about everything we own is 30+ yrs old. Time flies when you're having fun I guess.

[hotzcatz]

You could look at thrift stores and maybe find a made in U.S.A. toaster. Or at least the money would go to the thrift store instead of somewhere else.

We just slice it and flop the bread onto the cast iron griddle plate we have that fits over two burners. I guess it is grilled toast, but we live on sunshine (photovoltaic electricity) and don't have enough power to run a toaster.

When I lived on a boat (same lack of grid electricity) we had a stove top toaster. It was a perforated metal plate with wire arms which held the toast. The metal plate would get glow red hot to toast the bread. The bread had to be turned, too. Most non-toaster methods of making toast involve turning the bread.

[Macybaby]

I have not owned a toaster for years. When the kids were younger we got a toaster oven, as I got tired of digging things like poptarts and toaster strudel and home made bread out of the toaster.

Now it's just the two of us, and used mostly for toast, but it's still great for homemade bread (DH likes it thick sliced) or melting cheese on top of a slice. I've heard it's also great for heating up pizza, but I've always used the micro wave oven for that. Was reading on an appliance forum about this subject, and got a few tips from other users I may try.

Cathy

[canfossi]

They don't make things like they use to. Your lucky, my toaster lasted me just over a year and then it wouldn't stay down. I started to hold it down while the toast was toasting, that go old really fast and out it went. Chris

[pheasantplucker]

If you cook with gas, you can get a camp toaster at any camping supply store. basically a metal pan that has four wire sides that you lean bread against. (the metal pan has holes on it so heat can come up through them)...turn your bread and after just a few you have toast.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

if you are looking for a better toaster then the magnettic hold down variety it the way to go i have a hamolton beach we bought 5 or 6 years ago it is a 4 slot toaster it has settings for bagles and toast and each side has its own controlls toast for a family of 5 used to take forever when you had to wait for the toaster to cool down before you could put down another 2 slices

you can tell the magnetic hold down type they will have a button to release them the timer appears to be a resitance capacitance based timer circuit unlike the bimetalic mecanical of the old toaster that needed time to cool before it would stay down again

i didn't do it but personaly it would be worth a cheap loaf for grocery store bread to take a loaf in and try the toasters , not sure most stores would let you do that

but like i said with 5 people all wanting tost we were interedted in the production aspect of it , i did take it to deer camp one year i am not alowed to do that again but made toast for 9 in a hurry.

i see my mother in law got one with this type controls that is a 2 slot now also