OT: Speaking of Toast

Dualit. UK manufacture. Primarily designed to toast toast so not the most elegant looking machines.

Andy.

Go to the second-hand store and get an old one for a dollar or less. My

Second that. We had new toaster that died, Wrote the manufacturer ( More likely the company importing toasters ) and they sent a new toaster. It failed after a few months.

We now have an expensive toaster that we got at a tag sale.

Dan

I forgot to mention that garage/yard sales are sources as well.

My favorite is the manly way of doing it. Place crumpled newspaper in the Weber kettle, some twigs, bigger chunks, should be wood with good flavor. Pound chest, let off a Tarzan holler, light the newspaper, stand around the Weber and admire the flames and all. Ponder some electronics problem, day-dream, have a "beverage", whatever. When down to coals place the grill on there, plop toast on grill, and toast. Real men also have cast iron skillets so you can cook the whole breakfast including bacon and eggs, thin steak, hot links, hashbrowns, pancakes, maybe some beans. Needless to say, all this is not good for the waist line.

Thanks, Joerg, Your suggestions are always so useful >:-} ...Jim Thompson

I just fixed the washer--ancient clockwork timer. Rad hard, low emi, surge-proof. Rugged as heck. And no BSOD.

Cheers, James Arthur

Been a long time since we've had a washer with a clock-works timer, but I can recall replacing a timer spring with a large safety pin that I clipped off the clasp and bent the ends... ran on for several more years before the tub started leaking transmission oil into the clothes... wife frowned on that. ...Jim Thompson

I just fixed the door lock out on my washer, some bimetal contraption that locks the door before turning on the power and keeps the door locked for a period after it is done had failed

-Lasse

Speaking of Toast...

We have a Toastmaster toaster... "Design by F.A.Porsche" no less... sleek, pretty, which is why my wife bought it, but it's crap for function... uneven toasting, poor repeatability, etc.

I'm mostly a "toast for breakfast" person, so I'm looking for a good functional toaster... ugliness no object >:-}

Recommendations?

Thanks!

...Jim Thompson ======================================================================================

Years ago Americas Test Kitchen recommended the Black and Decker T4030 4 slice model so I gave a couple as presents. One to a friend who liked it, and one to my sister so I've actually used it many times on visits, and it works well. I think that model is gone now but it looks like it has been replaced with the TR1478BD which has good reviews on Amazon and is #3 in the toaster category so if I needed one today that would be my choice.

----- Regards, Carl Ijames

Soldering iron and patience, then?

Thanks, Carl! I buy a lot of kitchen gadgets based on ATK's reviews. ...Jim Thompson

Sorry, I have no recommendations, but I am going to take the advice others have given to check second-hand stores for Really Old Toasters, because the one we have (four slots, extra-wide for bagels which we don't eat, yadda yadda) is SLOW AS HELL.

Am I just getting old, or did toasters actually use to make toast faster?

Mark L. Fergerson

I don't think it is an age thing, either you or the toaster. I have a couple that work fast enough and a friend has an older one that is slow as the dickens.

Sunbeam 'Radiant Control' is my preference. The T-35 model.

If you are making several slices, which would be the norm for a family they can all be done under the grill at once ( as said before). Much less trouble and every one gets their slice at once.

That's cool. The old stuff--call it survivor's bias or not--was often very, very good.

Cheers, James Arthur

That is exactly the bias. "was often very, very good." It wasn't as often as you think. It seems that way because the ones left are the good ones. I remember plenty of old things that were junk or at least not "very, very good". Except for anything made by Donald Trump. They are always "very, very good", especially walls.

And as any habitue' of Northeastern bed-n-breakfasts will tell you, all the surviving Victorian furniture is the uncomfortable kind.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs