Toaster Frustration (2)

[TheScullster]

Hi all

Thanks to respondents in Part (1). Dismantled toaster last night and it appears that the hold down mechanism in our Russel Hobbs toaster is provided by an electro magnet. This is anchored to the base of the unit. Travelling with the slider arrangement is a plastic dangling carrier with the metal counterpart. Both appeared clean enough to work OK. Cleaned all the internal crud out - not too bad and no nasties like mice etc!

Reassembled toaster and tried.............just the same...........latch works occasionally when it wants.

So, guess it's landfill time and a trip to wholesalers :(

Phil

[Guy Dawson]

We bought a Dualit toaster after the wife trashed a number of normal toasters with sliders, catches and the like. The Dualit has a timer and a leaver. When the timer has stopped and the toaster turns off you push the leaver down and up comes the toast. No complicated mechanisms to go wrong. So far we've had about 8 years service out of it.

Guy

-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Guy Dawson I.T. Manager Crossflight Ltd [e-mail]

[Matty F]

If it works sometimes there can't be too much wrong. It must be the switch that controls the electromagnet, or the timing mechanism. I have an electromagnet in my ultra cheap Chinese toaster but have not looked inside yet as it's gone OK for 15 years so far. If the switch comes apart it may be possible to clean it. I usually spray the inside of switches with CRC and wipe them clean with a rag.

[Brian L Johnson]

Guy Dawson wrote

Many people initially object to the fact that you have to set the timer every single time you want to do some toast.[1] What they don't realise though is that, with an 'automatic' toaster, you have to make that judgement anyway when you decide how brown you want it depending on what sort of bread you're putting in.

And likely to get a lot more. :) Footnote

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1. Actually, I suspect that most people object to the price. "How much?!! For a /toaster/?!!" :)

[Guy Dawson]

Yup. Different types bread and freshness make a difference. The big difference comes if you make a second batch of toast as the toaster has already warmed up some and less heat is lost heating the toaster. In my experience the second and subsequent batchs need about 75% of the time of the first batch.

Indeed. £160 odd for a 4 slice toaster does slow people down.

Guy, who might be too interested in toast!

-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Guy Dawson I.T. Manager Crossflight Ltd [e-mail]

[Tim S]

We decided to buy a toaster a couple of years ago and I was well and truely fed up with the crapness of "typical" toasters. Couldn't afford a "proper" Dualit so we got their consumer range, one of these:

?categoryCode=18It's pretty good - does do toast reliably, evenly and repeatably - only down is remembering which number to choose for the brand of bread in the bin this week, but I've never seen a decent solution to that problem.

Cheers

Tim

[TheScullster]

"Tim S" wrote

I've always rated Russel Hobbs above the run-of-the-mill manufacturers. This toaster has lasted 4 years, probably averaging 2 uses per day.

Pity there's such a gulf between the prices of diposable level of equipment and the prices of "quality" items.

Have to ask her-indoors if we can spend £50 on a toaster instead of £20.

Phil

[Guy Dawson]

?categoryCode=18You've got to love a company that gives the expected throughput of each toaster model on it's web site. Toasters from 65 to 500 slices per hour!

Guy

-- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Guy Dawson I.T. Manager Crossflight Ltd [e-mail]