Toaster

"Ginny Sher" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice)
> rececently that they are satisfied with?

We have an Oster thatwe purchased sometime last year because our
DeLonghi was too frustrating to use. It just took "too Longhi" to
toast bread, among other things.. IIRC, the cost of this appliance was
about $40-50. We have used it for lots of baking tasks and are quite
satisfied with it. It's black with chrome trim piece around the glass
door (also a plus) because it goes with our kitchen.

Ginny

The longhi as you call it is making me nuts. I'm ready to throw the
&%^$#@#*&%&^% out and use an old stove top toaster gizmo.

http://store.a1camping.com/camstovtoasc.html

Dimitri

On Tue, 08 Feb 2005 23:29:39 GMT, "Dimitri" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

About 2 months ago my old toaster finally bit the dust. I zipped over to
Target and purchased a Hamilton Beach 4-slice Toaster which looked pretty
good. It had several different bells and whistles and about 6 push buttons
for everything from bagels to toaster pops. Paid about $40.00. What a
piece of [censored]. It takes forever to toast 2 slices of bread and if it's
anything but Wonder Bread (AKA Cotton) one has to toast it twice to get a
nice crisp toast.

Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice) recently that
they are satisfied with?

Hi Dimitri,

I threw out all the old small appliances and replaced them when I got
the new kitchen. I bought a Cuisinart 4 slice, wide slot toaster at
Costco for about $35.00.

It works fine and has several options like bagels, defrost, etc. as
well as independent power settings for each set of slots. If you
increase the power setting, the toast gets darker...so you can adjust
it for different breads.

Debra

at Wed, 09 Feb 2005 16:05:32 GMT in <53dk019q1gu02ruio5kbaqdopoqie2c7o5@
4ax.com>, [email hidden] (Top Spin) wrote :

Quoted message said:

The Ranger said:

Dimitri <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

About 2 months ago my old toaster finally bit the dust. I zipped
over to Target and purchased a Hamilton Beach 4-slice Toaster

....

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice)
rececently that they are satisfied with?

I've been looking at KitchenAid's and Cuisinart's models....

I have a Cuisinart. Do not like it at all. It has 7-8 darkness
settings, but just like the hot water faucet in the shower, all but 2
are useless.

In fairness, that's not the manufacturers' fault, its the fault of us
humans having irritatingly sensitive preferences. Our human senses are
designed to be especially sensitive when things get close to what, for us
individually, is our "optimum" range. So, in a shower, when the water
temperature is getting close to "just right", even a very small difference
in actual temperature translates to a very large difference in how we
perceive it. Meanwhile, if the temperature is way off, even large
differences don't have much impact on how we perceive it - it's merely
"much too hot" or "much too cold". Same thing with toast. The exact degree
of brownness we like is very fine indeed, so that even small differences
put it away from optimum, and meanwhile if it's far too light or far too
dark, it doesn't really matter just exactly what level of darkness it is.

The solution would be to have 2 darkness (or temperature or dryness or
whatever) adjustments : a coarse and a fine. You'd use the coarse to get
your darkness in the range, and then the fine adjustment would make micro-
changes to the exact length of time the toaster toasted for perfect
results.

--
Alex Rast
[email hidden]
(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

Alex Rast said:

at Wed, 09 Feb 2005 16:05:32 GMT in

<53dk019q1gu02ruio5kbaqdopoqie2c7o5@

Quoted message said:

4ax.com>, [email hidden] (Top Spin) wrote :

Quoted message said:

The Ranger said:

Dimitri <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> About 2 months ago my old toaster finally bit the dust. I zipped
> over to Target and purchased a Hamilton Beach 4-slice Toaster

...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice)
> rececently that they are satisfied with?

I've been looking at KitchenAid's and Cuisinart's models....

I have a Cuisinart. Do not like it at all. It has 7-8 darkness
settings, but just like the hot water faucet in the shower, all but

2

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are useless.

In fairness, that's not the manufacturers' fault, its the fault of us

Quoted message said:

humans having irritatingly sensitive preferences. Our human senses

are

Quoted message said:

designed to be especially sensitive when things get close to what,

for us

Quoted message said:

individually, is our "optimum" range. So, in a shower, when the water

Quoted message said:

temperature is getting close to "just right", even a very small

difference

Quoted message said:

in actual temperature translates to a very large difference in how we

Quoted message said:

perceive it. Meanwhile, if the temperature is way off, even large
differences don't have much impact on how we perceive it - it's

merely

Quoted message said:

"much too hot" or "much too cold". Same thing with toast. The exact

degree

Quoted message said:

of brownness we like is very fine indeed, so that even small

differences

Quoted message said:

put it away from optimum, and meanwhile if it's far too light or far

too

Quoted message said:

dark, it doesn't really matter just exactly what level of darkness it

is.

Quoted message said:

The solution would be to have 2 darkness (or temperature or dryness

or

Quoted message said:

whatever) adjustments : a coarse and a fine. You'd use the coarse to

get

Quoted message said:

your darkness in the range, and then the fine adjustment would make

micro-

Quoted message said:

changes to the exact length of time the toaster toasted for perfect
results.
(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

Now you're really demonstrating your moronicness... you are assuming
that all bread is identical. A certain amount of experience and human
interpolation is required, the same settings should not be made with
say sliced white bread, sliced whole wheat bread, and bagels.

And humans are incapable of retaining shading gradiations for more than
perhaps ten seconds (more like 3 seconds), so what shade of toast one
prefers today can't be compared with tomorrow's, not unless one doesn't
eat the toast and saves it to compare. That's why paint companys offer
brochures with myriad color chips, fabric mills offer swatches, even
dye lots are carefully cataloged... color/shade gradiation retention is
by far the weakest of all human senses. Human olfactory sense will
retain and recall a particular odor an entire lifetime, but color and
hue are extremely elusive.

In Dimitri said:

About 2 months ago my old toaster finally bit the dust. I zipped over
to Target and purchased a Hamilton Beach 4-slice Toaster which looked
pretty good. It had several different bells and whistles and about 6
push buttons for everything from bagels to toaster pops. Paid about
$40.00. What a piece of [censored]. It takes forever to toast 2 slices of
bread and if it's anything but Wonder Bread (AKA Cotton) one has to
toast it twice to get a nice crisp toast.

Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice) recently
that they are satisfied with?

I've got an old Sunbeam toaster (2 slice but 4 were offered) and it's
amazing. Auto-down-up and always makes it perfect. They don't make
this exact model anymore (I mean, it's almost 30 years old) but
definitely when I do get a new one, it'll be a Sunbeam.

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 23:53:19 -0000, [email hidden]

(Alex Rast) said:

at Wed, 09 Feb 2005 16:05:32 GMT in <53dk019q1gu02ruio5kbaqdopoqie2c7o5@
4ax.com>, [email hidden] (Top Spin) wrote :

Quoted message said:

The Ranger said:

Dimitri <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> About 2 months ago my old toaster finally bit the dust. I zipped
> over to Target and purchased a Hamilton Beach 4-slice Toaster

...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice)
> rececently that they are satisfied with?

I've been looking at KitchenAid's and Cuisinart's models....

I have a Cuisinart. Do not like it at all. It has 7-8 darkness
settings, but just like the hot water faucet in the shower, all but 2
are useless.

In fairness, that's not the manufacturers' fault, its the fault of us
humans having irritatingly sensitive preferences. Our human senses are
designed to be especially sensitive when things get close to what, for us
individually, is our "optimum" range. So, in a shower, when the water
temperature is getting close to "just right", even a very small difference
in actual temperature translates to a very large difference in how we
perceive it. Meanwhile, if the temperature is way off, even large
differences don't have much impact on how we perceive it - it's merely
"much too hot" or "much too cold". Same thing with toast. The exact degree
of brownness we like is very fine indeed, so that even small differences
put it away from optimum, and meanwhile if it's far too light or far too
dark, it doesn't really matter just exactly what level of darkness it is.

This is just horse puckey. Given the entire temperature range, huimans
can tolerate just a few degrees around 70F. Yet my thermostat does not
have the problem that the shower faucet does. The shower faucet is
poor engineering.

Quoted message said:

The solution would be to have 2 darkness (or temperature or dryness or
whatever) adjustments : a coarse and a fine. You'd use the coarse to get
your darkness in the range, and then the fine adjustment would make micro-
changes to the exact length of time the toaster toasted for perfect
results.

And now you offer a solution. If a doofus like you can figure out a
solution, the toaster manufacturers ought to be able to. Maybe you
should apply for a job.

--
Hitachi HB-A101 bread machine, 1 pound
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(01/10/05)

On Wed 09 Feb 2005 07:59:02p, Ruddell wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

In Dimitri said:

About 2 months ago my old toaster finally bit the dust. I zipped over
to Target and purchased a Hamilton Beach 4-slice Toaster which looked
pretty good. It had several different bells and whistles and about 6
push buttons for everything from bagels to toaster pops. Paid about
$40.00. What a piece of [censored]. It takes forever to toast 2 slices of
bread and if it's anything but Wonder Bread (AKA Cotton) one has to
toast it twice to get a nice crisp toast.

Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice) recently
that they are satisfied with?

I've got an old Sunbeam toaster (2 slice but 4 were offered) and it's
amazing. Auto-down-up and always makes it perfect. They don't make
this exact model anymore (I mean, it's almost 30 years old) but
definitely when I do get a new one, it'll be a Sunbeam.

You might want to reconsider. My aunt and uncle owned one of the old ones
which I coveted. A few years back I bought one. The auto-down-up mechanism
only lasted a couple of years.

Wayne

Dimitri said:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice) recently that
they are satisfied with?

Thanks

Dimitri

Dimitri,

I have a Sears Kenmore 4 slice toaster that has two long wide slots so
that you can
toast large thick slices or bagels etc. I've had it about six years but
I saw the same
model in the local Sears (Peoria, IL) just before Christmas. It is a
white cool side
type with several adjustments and a few extras and was around $45. Mine
has been pretty
even on the toasting.

Hope this helps.

Later,
BobSlo

Ruddell said:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice) recently
that they are satisfied with?

I've got an old Sunbeam toaster (2 slice but 4 were offered) and it's
amazing. Auto-down-up and always makes it perfect. They don't make
this exact model anymore (I mean, it's almost 30 years old) but
definitely when I do get a new one, it'll be a Sunbeam.

Unfortunately you won't get the same quality. We have a Sunbeam that the
best we can figure is at least 50 years old. It makes perfect toast and
the auto up-down works perfectly.

It was almost retired because it doesn't fit in. None of the
replacements we tried worked as well. The new ones were 70% of the heat
(at best) of the Sunbeam and its higher heat is what makes good toast.
It is amazing that manufacturers have forgotten how to make a good toaster.

George said:

Ruddell said:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice) recently

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that they are satisfied with?

I've got an old Sunbeam toaster (2 slice but 4 were offered) and

it's

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

amazing. Auto-down-up and always makes it perfect. They don't

make

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

this exact model anymore (I mean, it's almost 30 years old) but
definitely when I do get a new one, it'll be a Sunbeam.

Unfortunately you won't get the same quality. We have a Sunbeam that

the

Quoted message said:

best we can figure is at least 50 years old.

Do you really expect the same quality/longevity in something costing
the same $10 it did 50 years ago... 50 years ago $10 bought a weeks
worth of groceries, and all excellent quality/fresh, that today costs
$400, and the quality is far depreciated. A good loaf of fresh baked
bread from the corner bakery cost 10¢ in 1950, now it's frozen mystery
dough <S>baked</S> processed at the stupidmarket, costs $4, and it's
mostly chemicals, and weighs half as much. There are plenty of quality
toasters, you gotta spend a lot more than $10... there are high quality
goods today of every type, you just gotta pay the price. I bet you buy
your furniture at IKEA.

In Sheldon said:

Do you really expect the same quality/longevity in something costing
the same $10 it did 50 years ago... 50 years ago $10 bought a weeks
worth of groceries, and all excellent quality/fresh, that today costs
$400, and the quality is far depreciated. A good loaf of fresh baked
bread from the corner bakery cost 10=A2 in 1950, now it's frozen
mystery dough <S>baked</S> processed at the stupidmarket, costs $4,
and it's mostly chemicals, and weighs half as much. There are plenty
of quality toasters, you gotta spend a lot more than $10... there are
high quality goods today of every type, you just gotta pay the price.
I bet you buy your furniture at IKEA.

I understand what you're saying and totally agree with you. Yet the
toaster I have is a different story. It' cost $100.00 almost 30 years
ago. Really, it was that much...no wonder they discontinued the line.

But it is a quality machine and well, when it goes toss me out with it :-))

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

On Thu 10 Feb 2005 11:39:33a, Ruddell wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

In Sheldon said:

Do you really expect the same quality/longevity in something costing
the same $10 it did 50 years ago... 50 years ago $10 bought a weeks
worth of groceries, and all excellent quality/fresh, that today costs
$400, and the quality is far depreciated. A good loaf of fresh baked
bread from the corner bakery cost 10=A2 in 1950, now it's frozen
mystery dough <S>baked</S> processed at the stupidmarket, costs $4,
and it's mostly chemicals, and weighs half as much. There are plenty
of quality toasters, you gotta spend a lot more than $10... there are
high quality goods today of every type, you just gotta pay the price.
I bet you buy your furniture at IKEA.

I understand what you're saying and totally agree with you. Yet the
toaster I have is a different story. It' cost $100.00 almost 30 years
ago. Really, it was that much...no wonder they discontinued the line.

But it is a quality machine and well, when it goes toss me out with it
:-))

Curious... What kind of toaster cost $100 30 years ago?

Wayne

Ruddell said:

Quoted message said:

and it's mostly chemicals, and weighs half as much. There are plenty
of quality toasters, you gotta spend a lot more than $10... there are
high quality goods today of every type, you just gotta pay the price.
I bet you buy your furniture at IKEA.

I understand what you're saying and totally agree with you. Yet the
toaster I have is a different story. It' cost $100.00 almost 30 years
ago. Really, it was that much...no wonder they discontinued the line.

But it is a quality machine and well, when it goes toss me out with it :-))

Sadly, we consumers are the people to blame for the demise of quality
appliances. Too many of us shop for the cheapest price, or get sucked into
buying fancier designs. It is cheaper to replace an appliance than it is to
repair it, so the manufacturers get to sell the same [censored] several times.

In Wayne Boatwright said:

On Thu 10 Feb 2005 11:39:33a, Ruddell wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I understand what you're saying and totally agree with you. Yet the
toaster I have is a different story. It' cost $100.00 almost 30
years ago. Really, it was that much...no wonder they discontinued
the line. But it is a quality machine and well, when it goes toss me
out with it
:-))

Curious... What kind of toaster cost $100 30 years ago?

It's a Sunbeam radian shade control. Auto down/up and is chrome with
rounded edges. Don't see them anymore but I'd imagine there's a few
around still.

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

In Dave Smith said:

Ruddell said:

I understand what you're saying and totally agree with you. Yet the
toaster I have is a different story. It' cost $100.00 almost 30
years ago. Really, it was that much...no wonder they discontinued
the line.

But it is a quality machine and well, when it goes toss me out with
it :-))

Sadly, we consumers are the people to blame for the demise of quality
appliances. Too many of us shop for the cheapest price, or get sucked
into buying fancier designs. It is cheaper to replace an appliance
than it is to repair it, so the manufacturers get to sell the same
[censored] several times.

Lol. Yes, you're absolutely correct...the truth hurts doesn't it ;-)

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

On Thu 10 Feb 2005 12:00:00p, Ruddell wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

In Wayne Boatwright said:

On Thu 10 Feb 2005 11:39:33a, Ruddell wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I understand what you're saying and totally agree with you. Yet the
toaster I have is a different story. It' cost $100.00 almost 30
years ago. Really, it was that much...no wonder they discontinued
the line. But it is a quality machine and well, when it goes toss me
out with it
:-))

Curious... What kind of toaster cost $100 30 years ago?

It's a Sunbeam radian shade control. Auto down/up and is chrome with
rounded edges. Don't see them anymore but I'd imagine there's a few
around still.

Thanks. Some years ago I bought a Sunbeam with the auto down/up and
appearance as you describe. (I don't recall about the radiant shade
control.) The auto down/up didn't last more than a couple of years. Maybe
I got a lemon. I don't recall paying that much for it. I do know of other
ones owned by relatives that are much older than the one I had and they
still work.

Wayne

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dimitri said:

Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice) recently that
they are satisfied with?

A "no' vote for Krups. Attractive long-slot toaster that's built
pretty well. It does a good job with short pieces of bread but cannot
maintain the same color/level of toastiness across a long piece.

sd

Sheldon said:

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately you won't get the same quality. We have a Sunbeam that

the

Quoted message said:

best we can figure is at least 50 years old.

Do you really expect the same quality/longevity in something costing
the same $10 it did 50 years ago... 50 years ago $10 bought a weeks
worth of groceries, and all excellent quality/fresh, that today costs
$400, and the quality is far depreciated. A good loaf of fresh baked
bread from the corner bakery cost 10¢ in 1950, now it's frozen mystery
dough <S>baked</S> processed at the stupidmarket, costs $4, and it's
mostly chemicals, and weighs half as much. There are plenty of quality
toasters, you gotta spend a lot more than $10... there are high quality
goods today of every type, you just gotta pay the price. I bet you buy
your furniture at IKEA.

But we weren't in Wally when we bought replacements. The 2 we tried were
"upscale" products and just didn't produce the same result as the Sunbeam.

Dimitri <[email hidden]> wrote:
: About 2 months ago my old toaster finally bit the dust. I zipped over to
: Target and purchased a Hamilton Beach 4-slice Toaster which looked pretty
: good. It had several different bells and whistles and about 6 push buttons
: for everything from bagels to toaster pops. Paid about $40.00. What a
: piece of [censored]. It takes forever to toast 2 slices of bread and if it's
: anything but Wonder Bread (AKA Cotton) one has to toast it twice to get a
: nice crisp toast.

: Has anyone purchased a decent toaster (preferably 4 slice) recently that
: they are satisfied with?

I bought a Toastmaster (2-slice) toaster at a thrift store 10+ years ago
for a dollar. Works a treat. Only for bread though, it's not a
wide-slice toaster. Still. Pretty good bang for the buck :-)

TammyM
Sacramento, California