Toasters

[Little Jim]

Our toaster has decided to malfunction.  It heats up fine but the springy bit wont stay down, so I assume the catch is broken in some way.  I've tried emptying out the half a loaf's worth of blackened crumbs, still no luck.  Is it worth taking it all apart or is it likely that some small plastic part will have snapped?  I've never dis-assembled a toaster so I'm not sure how the catch works and if it is likely to be repairable.

[The French Tandem]

Next time, buy a dualit. They may be a bit pricey, but they have no springy bits or plastic bits and will last a lifetime.

[Little Jim]

Actually that is exactly what it says on the side of our toaster!  Except that this one has a cheaper plastic body, not the all metal indestructible one.

[citoyen]

They may be a bit pricey, but they have no springy bits or plastic bits and will last a lifetime.

One of the elements has failed in our Dualit (we've only had it 14 years). The good news is that they're replaceable. If you ever get round to it...

The timer sticks occasionally as well, resulting in burnt toast, but otherwise it's brilliant.

[Kim]

Paging Arch.  Arch to the bakelite courtesy phone please...

[DaveReading]

IMHO, the best toaster ever made (Morphy Richards 1960-something):



I still can't believe that my wife threw out my lovingly restored example and replaced it with a cr*p modern edition that's incapable of toasting two consecutive slices the same.

[Jurek]

Still using the same Dualit I bought as a student in 1989, when they were made in Deptford and before Habitat / John Lewis had started to sell them, as they had yet to become A Thing.
I think I paid just over £50.00 for it in what was then The Covent Garden General Store. I'm delighted to see what they come through the till at these days.
As mentioned upthread, spare parts are readily available, although I've never had to buy any.
The only thing I've done to mine is to mount the timer on rubber grommets to reduce the amount of noise resonating through the aluminium body.

[robgul]

After a succession of "disposable" toasters we bought a Dualit 3 slot machine in 1995 . . daily use and one set of replacement elements in about 2003 - but the current price of replacement elements in 2015 made it a value judgement.

After some thought we decided to buy a Kitchen Aid toaster - the one that looks like the classic Kitchen Aid mixer ... in red.  Superb machine, about the same price as the equivalent Dualit.

The Dualit awaits the holiday cottage purchase that my wife dreams of!

Rob

[SA_SA_SA_SA]

How come most toasters don't have a one slot mode? For a person making one slice (in a 2 slot toaster....) thats a 50% reduction in energy use.... You'd think it would be a legal  requirement....

[SA_SA_SA_SA]

Also, how come Toasters are allowed to expose the mains so brazenly, so that absent minded persons/other types of persons  with metal forks can collect Darwin awards? I can't think of any other consumer equipment that would be allowed to expose the mains wires....

[The French Tandem]

How come most toasters don't have a one slot mode? For a person making one slice (in a 2 slot toaster....) thats a 50% reduction in energy use.... You'd think it would be a legal  requirement....

Not necessarily. The 2 slots Dualit have 2 single-sided elements and one two-sided element. If you switch on the single slice option, you save only 25% of energy.

[Biggsy]

Regarding the broken catch: I'm wondering if it's the kind of mechanism that requires power to latch.  Perhaps there's just a dodgy connection or blown component if so.

Also here's how to get your toaster to toast more quickly: https://youtu.be/UUPSGvWr6xE

[Kim]

Regarding the broken catch: I'm wondering if it's the kind of mechanism that requires power to latch.

That would make sense from a fail-safe perspective.  It avoids toasters unexpectedly heating up because power has been restored.

[Little Jim]

Yes, a mechanism requiring power to latch makes sense, and is also bad news as the toaster toasts perfectly providing that you are prepared to stand next to it holding the lever down.  if it does require power to latch it then that means something electrical has probably failed, a connection probably.  I'll open it up sometime and have a look, but unless it is "bleedin' obvious" then I'm going to struggle if it is electrical.  My suggestion of hanging a tin of soup off the lever to hold it down was not appreciated.

[andrewc]

How come most toasters don't have a one slot mode? For a person making one slice (in a 2 slot toaster....) thats a 50% reduction in energy use.... You'd think it would be a legal  requirement....

One piece of toast ?    Does not compute.......

[fuaran]

My suggestion of hanging a tin of soup off the lever to hold it down was not appreciated.

I had the same problem with a shiny metal toaster, can't remember what brand.
So I put the toaster on a plastic chopping board, then used an elastic band around the toaster lever and chopping board handle to hold it down. But then there is the risk of forgetting to release it, and burning the toast.

I've now replaced that toaster anyway.

[ian]

I was also going to say that the solution to one slice of toast is always to cook two. And they're only done when the fire alarm helpfully goes off.

[Kim]

The ability to network your fire alarm to your toaster is the most compelling argument for the internet of things.

[Morat]

The ability to network your fire alarm to your toaster is the most compelling argument for the internet of things.

I'm sure you're right, in which case - count me out of the botnet of toasters!

[Gattopardo]

I have a dualit with a sticky timer and yet to fix it as I have a 4 slice that seems to still work.