Help me find the elite of toasting

[Posmo]

Wehave the exact same kitchen aid toaster as the OP posted, even the same colour.

I can't be bothered to write a "review" so i'm just going to post good/bad things about it.

+EXTREMELY STURY. It feels like a very high quality product, No plastics to be seen (except on the controls).
+Nice design. If you like that sort of thing.
+Fantastic controls: Only 2 knobs, time and power on, and the power on button feels like turning an ignition key. The toast "shelf" (no idea what to call it) is all mechanical, which I like a lot.

-Very heavy. If you're looking for something you could easily move around the kitchen /store in the cupboard, this is not the toaster for you. You simply have to find a spot on the table for it and leave it there.
-Very expensive. It's kitchen aid..
-Not actually the best toaster in the world. since there is nothing to hold the toasts in place evenly, you sometimes end up with unevenly toasted bread.
-Short power chord. Only a minor -.


Couldn't come up with more things to mention, if you want any pictures of the thing (specific things) just ask.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by DarkReaper

Just for reference. All these are designed by F.A. Porsche. Porsche design designs a lot of stuff for hire. There's even a kitchen designed by Porsche design.

Funny you should mention Porsche design. We have brushed aluminium Porsche design toaster at our summerhouse

It's an older model, couldn't find a better pic than this:


The thing is, I remember it being very flimsy and generally crap. The alu finish is very nice, but the plastics are Daewoo quality, and the toast "shelf" (still have no better word for it) release jiggles and rattles a lot. It's a good toaster however, jsut doesn't feel like a quality product, unlike the kitchen aid.

[the Interceptor]

It's highly likely I won't get a design toaster, for one simple reason: the design. These products are made to look good / look a certain way, but not to be a good toaster. I'm sure there are a few machines out there that cover all the bases, but mostly, all specially designed toasters are expensive (because of the design), but just average in terms of toasting and mechanics in general.

Actually, I pretty much don't care what it looks like as long as it works ace.

[NooDle]

I won this at a competition I can't even remember, and it has served me well for 4 years and counting...

it also makes a stupid music sound when it's done

While we're on the topic of toast : if you had to choose, would you prefer "too white" over "too dark"? I would...
from a certain shade of brown, toast stops being toast and starts tasting like ash...

[ahpadt]

Toasted but no black edges please.

[ladora]

Originally Posted by NooDle

I won this at a competition I can't even remember, and it has served me well for 4 years and counting...

it also makes a stupid music sound when it's done

While we're on the topic of toast : if you had to choose, would you prefer "too white" over "too dark"? I would...
from a certain shade of brown, toast stops being toast and starts tasting like ash...

Don't you get sick of seeing Mickey Mouse's face every morning? Reminds me a bit of the time where this lady swore she saw Jesus in her toast... do they sell Jesus toasters as well? I can think of a few people in my life who would absolutely love one.

---

While we're on the subject of toasters, I was wondering if you guys could give me a hand here.

I bought a box of waffles today... the kind where you store it in the freezer and when you're ready to eat it you just warm it up.

Here's the thing. The box says I can pop the waffles in the toaster... but I'm feeling a bit apprehensive. Wouldn't the waffle be all frozen, and won't it start dripping water (ugh soggy waffle omg) when the toaster is starting to heat up? And water and electrical products don't always mix... I don't want to end up burning down the house while making my parents breakfast in the morning.

[NooDle]

^mickey isn't as clear as it is on that pic, and it's only on one side so it's easily flipped

with regards to your "waffles in the toaster" question, I have no idea. I have tried it with ready made waffles, with good results,but never with frozen ones. You could try unfreezing your waffles, but then you'd have soggy waffles that would burn on the outside and be cold and wet on the inside.... which is fail

[ladora]

I guess the only way I'll find out is in the morning when Frozen Waffle meets The Toaster.

Cross fingers, hope nothing bad happens!

[the Interceptor]

Originally Posted by Firecat

There is a battlestar galactica toaster which toasts an image of a cylon on your bread.

I've had this bad boy (Dualit, but with white sides) for several years now, but lately i've been questioning the results. I usually chow 3 or 4 slices, so the 2-slice models don't cut it for me.

You've been questioning the results in what way?

[Firecat]

Alright. Excuse shitty iPhone pics, these are the results from my dinner tonight. I pretty much eat the same dinner every night, so my toaster gets a lot of use. It's a Dualit 4-slice, and I've had it for at least 5 years.

The toaster. White & Stainless. The stainless has some scratches on it. Admittedly, I haven't put much time (if any) in cleaning it thoroughly over the years.



The bread. The last few weeks I've been using white mountain bread. It's pretty soft. I also use sourdough, wheat, five grain, or pumpernickel.




The bread in the toaster. The slices are pretty big, so it sticks out. Which means I flip it once so the ends get a little toasty as well



Through what I can only fathom to be sorcery, the bread has become toast. The bottom left piece was in the first compartment, and that is why I have been questioning the results. It doesn't seem to be as toasted as the other pieces. (BTW, I don't like my toast too crispy. I like it chewy, but with some bite to it)



The spreads.



And the final product (which I enjoyed while watching The Amazing Race)



The ends are lighter because I had to flip the slices. Total toasting time was between 3 - 3 1/2 mins.

[the Interceptor]

Yeah, I see what you mean. The state of toasted-ness isn't 100% even.

[MadCow809]

wtf... how can you yanks eat peanut butter with strawberry jam together.

*shivers*

[hansvonaxion]

Can't believe I opened a thread about toasters.

But why don't you ask someone in the food industry what gets used commercially? Surely that has to be good quality.

[foreverer]

My toaster has 2 options: completely white or burned. I usually go for the white one.

[Firecat]

Originally Posted by MadCow809

wtf... how can you yanks eat peanut butter with strawberry jam together.

*shivers*

It's raspberry jam

[Lupin_IV]

Originally Posted by ladora

While we're on the subject of toasters, I was wondering if you guys could give me a hand here.

I bought a box of waffles today... the kind where you store it in the freezer and when you're ready to eat it you just warm it up.

Here's the thing. The box says I can pop the waffles in the toaster... but I'm feeling a bit apprehensive. Wouldn't the waffle be all frozen, and won't it start dripping water (ugh soggy waffle omg) when the toaster is starting to heat up? And water and electrical products don't always mix... I don't want to end up burning down the house while making my parents breakfast in the morning.

Gravity works. if you somehow have waffles wet enough to cause a puddle, the water will fall and the vapor caused by heating will rise.
Anyway, this is a toaster you're talking about. The entire heating element is just a big short circuit to begin with.

[beeemdubau]

If you're serious about your toast, you might as well go commercial or go home. With that I present to you the APW Wyott AT-Express Electric Conveyor Toaster:



Selected Specs:

• The AT Express™ generates over 300 slices of toast per hour

• Unique warming area keeps toast at the perfect temperature until you are ready to serve

• Ability to turn off either the top or bottom element for one-sided toasting

• Able to handle a variety of breads, bagels or muffins

Only $489 USD here.

I mean that, or you can go with one of these:


(just a little bit overkill )

[Jacobfox]

That second option is great if you like food-based charcoal.

[cvrefugee]

Panasonic made an infrared toaster oven at one point, but I looked on their website and they've discontinued it.

[Magnet]

God those industrial toasters they have in hotels are useless. They only seem to have three settings:

-slightly warm
-brown on one side, slightly warm on the other
-charcoal

[Pug]

De Longhi do two or three nice four-slice toasters that you might like to check out.