New Toaster Test

Dalandius · 25 Jun 2017 at 14:53

If the bread is toasting unevenly try doing it in two stages.

Divide the setting by two, when it pops up turn the bread over then toast again.

Raymond Lin · 25 Jun 2017 at 15:25

Dalandius said:
If the bread is toasting unevenly try doing it in two stages.

Divide the setting by two, when it pops up turn the bread over then toast again.

Yeah, but that's hassle, I can live with that if the toaster is like £5 but something for £30 it should be a 1 press process.

Scottland · 25 Jun 2017 at 20:53

None of these toasters will toast as well as a hotel style conveyor toaster, may as well just use the grill

jpaul · 25 Jun 2017 at 22:16

Dalandius said:
If the bread is toasting unevenly

The type of bread rather than the toaster may give uneven toasting ,
for a vertical toaster the heating elements are usually uniformly spread and equidistamt from the bread (and heat rises) so what design alternatives are there.?
for home made or artisanal bread, more worthy of good butter & (home made)marmalade ? the moisture variation between middle and edges seems lower (baked longer?) so you
get more uniform toasting versus a production line/factory loaf (pictured so far in thread) where they are maximising water content .

... so get better bread rather than an expensive toaster - spend the £170 on a Panasonic bread machine plus a a £30 toaster?

Top_gun · 25 Jun 2017 at 23:20

I do all of my toasting either under a gas grill or cast iron pan. Far better than using an electric toaster.

FrenchTart · 25 Jun 2017 at 23:57

Better results but also certainly more hassle. I think it really depends on the occasion.

Top_gun · 26 Jun 2017 at 00:03

More hassle? Is this based on personal experiences? I don't share your view as I feel it's less hassle not to have an electric toaster. For example, more counter space, no trailing wires and one less electrical equipment to cause a fire in the wake of recent events.

Raymond Lin · 26 Jun 2017 at 00:21

Top_gun said:
More hassle? Is this based on personal experiences? I don't share your view as I feel it's less hassle not to have an electric toaster. For example, more counter space, no trailing wires and one less electrical equipment to cause a fire in the wake of recent events.

Toaster

Pros
Convenience - put it in, push lever and wait.
Does both sides at once
Speed

Con
Fire heard in wake of recent events? I guess I should throw out my TV, computer, Xbox, fridge, freezer, coffee machine, washing machine?
Wires on table top?

Grill

Pros
No need to buy more gadget
Not on table top?

Con
Fire hazard if you forget to turn it off?
Need to keep an eye on it
Need to flip it
More cleaning

I have both a grill and a toaster, the only time out a nice of bread in the grill is AFTER it has gone through a toaster and then I melt the cheese in the grill. In my personal experience.

Top_gun · 26 Jun 2017 at 00:35

I've burnt quite a few toasts in my old toaster. My last toaster literally popped after a build up of breadcrumbs caused it to short circuit last year.

As for speed, yeah grilling is slow compared to electric toaster but toasting is pretty quick on a cast iron pan. The biggest advantage in using the grill/cast iron pan is the ease to see the degree of brownest while using the toaster is often hit and miss. Also, it can cope with different sizes of breaded products, from burger buns to tortillas. For me, the toaster isn't worth the kitchen space.

oli collett · 26 Jun 2017 at 11:41

I ended up getting a magimix 'le toaster' 2 slot a couple of years ago. It produces the most even toast I've seen in a toaster, probably thanks to the way it loads in the toast. I've used various dualit toasters and have never been impressed in comparison. It's expensive - but cheaper than a dualit - but definitely worth it if you like toast!

Raymond Lin · 26 Jun 2017 at 13:03

Top_gun said:
I've burnt quite a few toasts in my old toaster. My last toaster literally popped after a build up of breadcrumbs caused it to short circuit last year.

As for speed, yeah grilling is slow compared to electric toaster but toasting is pretty quick on a cast iron pan. The biggest advantage in using the grill/cast iron pan is the ease to see the degree of brownest while using the toaster is often hit and miss. Also, it can cope with different sizes of breaded products, from burger buns to tortillas. For me, the toaster isn't worth the kitchen space.

Not really, you set a number for the type of bread, press it down and it is perfect every single time.

Top_gun · 26 Jun 2017 at 13:34

Raymond Lin said:
Not really, you set a number for the type of bread, press it down and it is perfect every single time.

Yes really, as I don't always buy the same brand of bread and usually I like to buy unsliced bread.

I did look into into Magimix glass window toasters when they first came out. Good idea but the price tag made me see sense. Toast made under the grill or on cast iron pan is just as good if not better than toasters.

jpaul · 26 Jun 2017 at 13:54

Top_gun said:
... or on cast iron pan is just as good

don't quite get this, there is no radiant heat (unless cherry red) so does it get toasted ?

google - cook or brown (food, especially bread or cheese) by exposure to a grill, fire, or other source of radiant heat.

even under a grill, not as much radiant as a toaster and the bread can get dried out inside before the exterior is brown, like a biscuit - you want a crusty outside and
softish inside - no ?

Top_gun said:
glass window toasters when they first came out. Good idea but the price tag made me see sense

agree - ~~sounds like a diy job to add a window.(only £10 213*200mm 3D Printer Borosilicate Glass )~~

FrenchTart · 26 Jun 2017 at 15:12

Top_gun said:
More hassle? Is this based on personal experiences? I don't share your view as I feel it's less hassle not to have an electric toaster. For example, more counter space, no trailing wires and one less electrical equipment to cause a fire in the wake of recent events.

I'm quite keen on the idea of less stuff on my counter but making toast in a pan is definitely more effort than just dumping bread in the toaster. As I said though, I agree regarding the better results you'll get (and under most circumstances it's worth spending a little extra time to get better results).

Top_gun · 26 Jun 2017 at 15:17

jpaul said:
don't quite get this, there is no radiant heat (unless cherry red) so does it get toasted ?

Heat travels in three ways: conduction, convection and radiation. I suspect all of methods are utilised when toasting bread in a cast iron pan.

jpaul said:
even under a grill, not as much radiant as a toaster and the bread can get dried out inside before the exterior is brown, like a biscuit - you want a crusty outside and softish inside - no ?

Never had a toast with texture like a biscuit.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/09/how-to-make-toast-the-jamie-oliver-way

jpaul · 26 Jun 2017 at 17:35

ok - I stand corrected

the article proposed this innovation too

I have turned the toaster on its side, put cheese on bread and slid it in so it toasts on one side and melts on the other. It’s a bit of a jiggle but it works

Top_gun · 26 Jun 2017 at 23:55

jpaul said:
ok - I stand corrected

the article proposed this innovation too

I have turned the toaster on its side, put cheese on bread and slid it in so it toasts on one side and melts on the other. It’s a bit of a jiggle but it works

True story but Jamie got berated by the fire brigade as turning the toaster on its side was deemed a fire risk. No longer recommended. However, you can still do cheese on toast in a frying pan and works very well. One of the big advantages is you can add butter on the outside of the sandwich during the cooking process to enhance the flavour. Try to do that on a mega bucks Magimix toaster and wave bye bye to the warranty.

Raymond Lin · 27 Jun 2017 at 00:29

Top_gun said:
True story but Jamie got berated by the fire brigade as turning the toaster on its side was deemed a fire risk. No longer recommended. However, you can still do cheese on toast in a frying pan and works very well. One of the big advantages is you can add butter on the outside of the sandwich during the cooking process to enhance the flavour. Try to do that on a mega bucks Magimix toaster and wave bye bye to the warranty.

That's not cheese on toast. That's what american call grilled cheese.

Using a cast iron pan to cook bread by definition is not toast.

Top_gun · 27 Jun 2017 at 13:01

Raymond Lin said:
Using a cast iron pan to cook bread by definition is not toast.

Toast made by using a cast iron pan taste exactly like toast so it is toast.

Raymond Lin said:
That's not cheese on toast. That's what american call grilled cheese.

You can finish cheese on toast made on a cast iron pan under a grill if you want to be pedantic about it.

I'm more than happy to make my toast under a grill or cast iron pan after my electric toaster blew up last year. If you're happy to use an electric toaster then that's fine but I can't see the need to spend money on a unitasker taking up space on my kitchen counter. Plus the bonus of one less electrical appliance to cause a fire risk. Electric toasters are generally not built to last so you're continuously in a purchasing cycle.

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/toasters-can-be-fire-hazards-042313.html

Raymond Lin · 27 Jun 2017 at 13:04

Not if you put butter on the pan whilst it is frying. That's call fried bread, not toast.