OT: Toasters

[Huge]

That's not new technology, though;

[T i m]

Isn't that what you do on the Dualits Andy?

So you can get good access but too close to the electrical stuff for todays stupid people [1] (I wonder if there's been a Darwin award connect to toasters yet)? ;-)

Piston damper ... on a toaster ... we really are going backwards today aren't we!

All the best ..

T i m

[1] Mind you, I think a toaster has one of the most easily accessible live elements of all appliances?

[T i m]

Little is really eh?

T i m

[boltmail]

Miele don't make fridges. Leibherr make fridges, and some of them are stamped with Miele's name on them. So try Leibherr.

[Dave Liquorice]

It's a known risk. Had one of the free fire insepctions, the first thing he did in the kitchen was to look for the toaster (we don't have one) and then under wall cupboards and found the scorch mark from the previous owners toaster. This was a scorch mark as well it didn't respond in anyway to cleaning attempts.

[Dave Liquorice]

Far far too complicated for modern assembly these days. Even for nimble fingered Chinese it just takes to long...

Though why something similar can't be done with a dedicated controller chip is another matter.

[Andy Wade]

I don't know I've never used one.

Maybe. The BC lampholder is the other example with easily accessible live parts.

[Appin]

The message from [e-mail] (Steve Firth) contains these words:

I don't think anyone is likely to mistake a Lincat for a Dualit.

However, a quick check at the websites of two of Lincat's listed dealers promptly indicated that neither actually STOCKED Lincat toasters. One didn't even list them, the other could order them, whereas both (catering suppliers) had Dualits in stock and one carried spare parts for Dualits, even down to the feet!

I'm not running down Lincats -- they have a very nice scissors-action lifting mechanism for the toast -- but in small-scale commercial catering Dualits are most certainly used.

[Appin]

The message from "Dave Liquorice" contains these words:

Some of the things those free fire inspections deal with are plain daft. Socket strips are OK, adaptors that plug into a socket directly aren't. Neither are very great, but it seems to me that the vast majority of strips seem to have iffy contacts and a short life, whereas some adaptors are marginally less bad. Check-list mentality rules, OK, as far as those "inspectors" are concerned.

[Appin]

The message from Andy Wade contains these words:

Not in all instances. I have an exception on my desk at this moment.

[Appin]

The message from "John" contains these words:

It might indeed. I own a Miele washing machine. And a Dualit toaster. Both grief-free appliances.

Which is more than I can say for two Sharp microwaves. Display on the first one went faulty after a couple of years. Traced fault to corrosion on the end of the ribbon cable. Carefully scaped off the corrosion and trimmed the end of the ribbon cable. Reckoned that the repair wouldn't last indefinitely and pensioned the machine off to the holiday cottage about three years ago. Bought a new one. Display failed after a year. Problem seems to be in the display itself but that part of the machine seams well glued together. Have been working for two years without a display at all. Last Sharp appliance to enter this house :-(

[Clive George]

ES too surely?

cheers, clive

[Bob Eager]

There is actually a reason...the weight of the adaptor, plus three plugtops and the cables, can damage the socket mechanically. I've seen that happen a *lot* in student accommodation provided with only two single sockets. We made it a rule to use only socket strips for that very reason.

[Bob Eager]

have the same exception in all the fittings in the house (apart from the desk lamps!).

[Appin]

The message from "Bob Eager" contains these words:

I don't doubt it. However, in terms of fire risk strips are pretty dire. Internal construction is, as a rule, a fire hazard because of lamentably poor contacts overheating. What is needed are better power strips. And a lot more sockets provided in the first place.

[Dave Liquorice]

Socket strips are fused, many adapters aren't. I have a mix of fused/unfused adapters here, I'm using three but they are all low power, digiboxes, VCR, PVR etc etc. Haven't a clue if any of those in use are fused or not but then they are splitting from a 4 way (fused) socket strip...

Around here the "inspector" is a fireman without his heavy jacket and yellow hat on...

[T i m]

Our Miele Cat&Dog cleaner seems pretty tough.

Ah, now the display hasn't gone on our ~10 year old Sharp Microwave ... because it hasn't got one! ;-)

We keep meaning to change it, it's cream and it's the only thing in the kitchen that is, but nothing we have seen is as simple / functional without going real 'cheap'. I was even considering re-spraying it .. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

[Huge]

And you think anyone paid any attention?

:o)

[Bob Eager]

Oh yes. That's what being an ex-student does for you! I was once asked to comment on security for a major event in my college. The students showed me what they were doing, and went through it all. At the end I asked them what they were doing about 'door X'. They didn't even know it existed, but I bet the gatecrashers would have...

[Huge]

That's what kind of prompted my comment. I know what goes on in those colleges....

Just get in through the service tunnels. I wonder if the access cover in the ladies toilets near the bar in R********d (*) still has the "bodged" bolts (+), meaning you can get it open from underneath?

:o)

(* Assuming the bar is where it was!) (+ They were removed, the shanks sawn off and the heads Araldited back on, so they look like they're unchanged.)