OT: Toasters

[geoffr16]

We had a Cookworks for many years from Argos which worked really well (and still works well as a second toaster). Have just brought a Prestige for the simple reason that the elements are close together and evenly spaced.

This has replaced a Russell Hobbs which was frankly terrible, it toasted unevenly, burnt toast if used a few times in a row and although it is only 2 years old the rack doesnt always stay down . The elements are so uneven with some flush to the surface and others sticking out its no wonder it toasts unevenly.

[Tim Lamb]

In article , T i m writes

This is becoming an *everybody knows about toasters* megathread:-)

Ours is the combi model and the slot for the removable rack is wider than the other two so no. I'd be rather nervous about any sandwich filling which might boil out.

Bread made in our breadmaker is a very tight fit in the toaster.

Curiously the toasting time for white sliced bread coincides exactly with the cooking time for poached eggs in slightly salted water:-)

regards

[Bob Eager]

Our 'normal' model has all the slots the same size, and all can take the sandwich toasting racks. I was nervous too but in practice it just doesn't happen.

[T i m]

This is uk.d-i-y ... of course it has! ;-)

Ah thanks .. I didn't know if the std model could also take the sandwich racks etc?

Well indeed, but if you were a bit selective I guess you could minimise the aftermath?

Bread maker eh .... hmmm .... ;-) [1]

And they say there is no God .. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

[1] Our daughter and I went through a batch of home (hand) made bread and it was way too nice ..

[T i m]

Well, we have one as our primary toaster now ;-)

I noticed that in my new Coolworks, elements a bit 'random'.

Not good from what most would associate with a 'good brand'?

Indeed .. I wonder if they might tolerate a bit of fettling?

All the best ..

T i m

[T i m]

Cheers,

All the best ..

T i m

[Owain]

Which is handy if you only want one side of something toasted.

I am here passing on my extensive practical experience of Cookery. :-)

Nor melba toast neither.

Owain

[Bob Eager]

You can do that in a Dualit as well!

[Appin]

Go for the classic (expensive model) Dualit. A pleasure to use for decades.

Actually the new elements are completely mica covered and much longer-lasting -- crumbs can't get stuch between the element and the insulator.

[Stuart B]

I only ever toast bread slices but you can take whatever you want .Take the real thing if you prefer ..lol

[Frank Erskine]

What you do with them is make a sandwich of a fried egg and sautéed chestnut mushrooms, with just a smidgeon of Guinness Marmite applied on top of the butter... If you get the fried egg right, as you bite into it the yolk runs and soaks into the muffin.

(Just a snack!).

[Pete C]

Surely the Dualit is the Aga of toasters :)))

Big, heavy, eye watering price.

Works no better than something small, light and cheap, but this is somehow lost on their owners :)

cheers, Pete.

[David]

Oh dear, I've just got in and now I have to go home again...

David

[T i m]

Ok ..

lol

I made the mistake of asking for a special offer coffee in Gregs the other day, not realising their machine dispensed it at the rate of

2ml/hour.

It's one of those situations where once you realise it's going to take a time it's too late to say 'forget it' and then the queue behind starts to build. :-(

Like when the checkout barfs at a barcode ... or the person in front pulls out a credit card to pay for a Mars bar then can't remember their PIN .. :-(

All the best ..

T i m

[T i m]

I just received a nice reply to the general spares question I posted to Dualit on Wed (was it?) saying elements were available to the end user and ~£5 each.

So maybe they have sorted their eAct out now?

All the best ..

T i m

[Frank Erskine]

Hmm - perhaps. Thanks.

(Presumably other spares are available too.)

[T i m]

Np

Well I assume so. I just asked about elements and we know Chris F has changed a timer (and parts are available from others).

All the best ..

T i m

[T i m]

Ok, I've just done some very quick experiments on our new Coolworks toaster (and in comparison with a similar design old Swan toaster).

Set to 4 (out of 7), not_so_fresh machine cut medium round loaf slice.

First slice out quite fast, perfect on one side, slightly underdone on the other. More obvious patterning than with previous toaster.

Second slice in fairly quickly behind it and was nearly incinerated (smoke) before it popped up [1]. :-(

Allowed to cool for a couple of mins then re-set to 3, quite underdone (so manually timed to-up to taste ).

Allowed to cool, reset to 3.5, pretty good result (still slightly down on one side though). [2]

All the best ..

T i m

[1] I believe this toaster is quite a bit faster than our previous model so small timing differences can make quite a difference. It's only 1375W as opposed to 1244W (measured) so it may be the positioning of the elements nearer to the bread more than the heat generated? [2] This slice actually popped right out of the toaster and landed on top sideways!

[Appin]

The message from T i m contains these words:

No question about it -- a Dualit element IS more expensive than a cheap toaster -- and of course there are two different varieties in each toaster (centre and end). However the newer ones have a very much greater life, having the heater ribbon covered with mica so that crumbs etc. don't get stuck in there and cause overheating.

[John Rumm]

That is the one we went for last time...

Seems pretty good so far (after about five years), except the extra leavers that raise small items (buns etc) further out of the slots no longer work. Even toasting, takes thick items.