Toasters / Toaster Ovens (2008-10)

[andiesenji]

This is one of the "vintage" GE Automatic toaster ovens I have.

As you can see, it has a much smaller footprint than most toaster ovens and the fact that it stops toasting (or baking) automatically, make it much easier to use.

It was of course, much more expensive than the Dominion, Kenmore, and etc., toaster ovens of its day.

My "secret" for keeping it polished is very simple, a slightly dampened cloth, dipped in DRY baking soda, then dusting it with a clean cloth. As long as the chrome finish is not abused with abrasives, it will last a very long time and I take very good care of my appliances.

The one I use all the time has had its cord replaced twice and it is not as pretty as this one but it still does a fine job, especially on cheese toast!

[Grovite]

I've had this one for about two years and I love it.

[Toliver]

I received this Hamilton Beach toaster for Christmas and like it so far.

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Toliver, I have the same toaster and I like everything about it but the finish. The chrome finish shows every fingerprint.

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I should probably care more about fingerprints on the toaster but I don't. My last toaster was a cool-to-the-touch white plastic exterior toaster from Walmart that was as ugly as sin. I welcome the new chrome in my kitchen, smudges and all.

One interesting thing is that the toast cycle can vary depending on what kind of bread you're using. I normally buy a double-fiber bread from Orowheat (more bang for the buck, no pun intended ). But the last time I was at the store they were out. I bought a whole wheat bread with hazelnuts instead. When toasted on the same middle default setting, the toast came out almost black. This surprised the heck out of me and I couldn't figure out why there was such a difference in the toasting. It took me a couple more days of adjusting the "doneness" button to almost the highest non-toasting setting to get this bread to turn out nicely toasted. This makes me wonder what kind of sensors are in the toaster and how they determine toasting doneness.

Still, I am quite happy with the toaster.

[JimH]

My "secret" for keeping it polished is very simple, a slightly dampened cloth, dipped in DRY baking soda, then dusting it with a clean cloth.  As long as the chrome finish is not abused with abrasives, it will last a very long time and I take very good care of my appliances.

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I could swear my parents had a toaster oven just like that. Andie, I knew you would come through on keeping up the chrome.

I should probably care more about fingerprints on the toaster but I don't. My last toaster was a cool-to-the-touch white plastic exterior toaster from Walmart that was as ugly as sin. I welcome the new chrome in my kitchen, smudges and all.

One interesting thing is that the toast cycle can vary depending on what kind of bread you're using. I normally buy a double-fiber bread from Orowheat (more bang for the buck, no pun intended  ). But the last time I was at the store they were out. I bought a whole wheat bread with hazelnuts instead. When toasted on the same middle default setting, the toast came out almost black. This surprised the heck out of me and I couldn't figure out why there was such a difference in the toasting. It took me a couple more days of adjusting the "doneness" button to almost the highest non-toasting setting to get this bread to turn out nicely toasted. This makes me wonder what kind of sensors are in the toaster and how they determine toasting doneness.

Still, I am quite happy with the toaster.

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Well, I'm not Mr. Clean but I do get frustrated when cleaning it. I'm not a perfectionist but it gets smudged if I look at it wrong while cleaning it. That's interesting, I would think that the toast settings were governed by a timer. I'll have to look inside my toaster to see if there is a probe or sensor.

[Toliver]

....That's interesting, I would think that the toast settings were governed by a timer.  I'll have to look inside my toaster to see if there is a probe or sensor.

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I've been thinking about this...what if the difference is due not because of a sensor but because of the ingredients in the bread? I wonder if that could cause the difference in toasting (where is that eGullet Food Science board when you need it? ).

Could a higher sugar content in the hazelnut wheat bread be to blame for it toasting more than the double-fiber bread which may have less sugar in it? I'll have to go back to the grocery store and compare the ingredient labels to see if there's that much of a difference.

What else could cause one bread to toast perfectly and the other to almost burn using the same heat setting?

[andiesenji]

Toliver, There are so many variables in bread that I think it would be extremely difficult to make it an exact science.

The moisture in the bread, the amount of sugar, the size of the crumb, (more open crumb toasts twice as rapidly as a close or dense crumb) and even the ambient humidity and the temperature can affect the toasting time.

If I toast several pieces of bread in succession, I lessen the setting for the subsequent slices, otherwise they will be too dark.

I had one toaster that I think was "possessed" and did not like rye bread. Invariably it turned out burnt to a crisp, even on the lowest setting. A friend thought I was nuts until she tried to toast some rye bread right out of the freezer. -Absolutely scorched.

She gave up and toasted an English muffin which took two tries on a much higher setting. She finally said, "that toaster is really strange."

Strangely, it toasted bagels perfectly.

Edited May 24, 2008 by andiesenji (log)

[JimH]

....That's interesting, I would think that the toast settings were governed by a timer.  I'll have to look inside my toaster to see if there is a probe or sensor.

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I've been thinking about this...what if the difference is due not because of a sensor but because of the ingredients in the bread? I wonder if that could cause the difference in toasting (where is that eGullet Food Science board when you need it? ).

Could a higher sugar content in the hazelnut wheat bread be to blame for it toasting more than the double-fiber bread which may have less sugar in it? I'll have to go back to the grocery store and compare the ingredient labels to see if there's that much of a difference.

What else could cause one bread to toast perfectly and the other to almost burn using the same heat setting?

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I would think that you would be able to taste the higher sugar content if that was the case, perhaps it's the type of wheat flour? I'm grasping at straws here.

[jsmith]

....That's interesting, I would think that the toast settings were governed by a timer.  I'll have to look inside my toaster to see if there is a probe or sensor.

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I've been thinking about this...what if the difference is due not because of a sensor but because of the ingredients in the bread? I wonder if that could cause the difference in toasting (where is that eGullet Food Science board when you need it? ).

Could a higher sugar content in the hazelnut wheat bread be to blame for it toasting more than the double-fiber bread which may have less sugar in it? I'll have to go back to the grocery store and compare the ingredient labels to see if there's that much of a difference.

What else could cause one bread to toast perfectly and the other to almost burn using the same heat setting?

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I would think that you would be able to taste the higher sugar content if that was the case, perhaps it's the type of wheat flour? I'm grasping at straws here.

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Maybe the fat in the nuts conducts the heat better?

[Marlene]

My husband brought this home last night.

He had seen it in a magazine recently and we sort of oohed and aahed over it, then I thought nothing more about it. He had to stop at Sherway yesterday to get some olive oil for me and he decided to pop into WS and buy this.

I took it for a test run this morning. First, it's got the widest slots I've ever seen for bagels etc. Those little blue lights at the bottom? They blink and gradually decrease as the toast is toasting. There is no lever to push to put the toast down. You push the toast button and the toast just glides down and the little racks inside move in to hold the bread.

There's a button you can push to lift and look at the toast to see if it is perhaps not done enough or too much. And a "bit more" button to continue toasting for a few seconds if it's not done enough to your liking.

When done, the toast doesn't "pop" but glides silently back up and a discreet buzzer sounds to let you know it's done. It is die cast steel or some such and is heavy as lead and has rubber base on the bottom so it doesn't slide around on the counter.

It also made very good toast.

It's not cheap, but it sure is fun to play with.

[Toliver]

My husband brought this home last night.

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A nice new shiny toasting toy.

From the look of those wide slots, you could toast a shoe in each one!

It looks like it's a cool-to-the-touch exterior. Is this correct?

[Marlene]

A nice new shiny toasting toy.

From the look of those wide slots, you could toast a shoe in each one!

It looks like it's a cool-to-the-touch exterior. Is this correct?

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It is a cool to the touch exterior. I was amazed at how wide those slots are. I've never seen any toaster with slots that wide. I imagine toasting kaisers and or hamburger buns won't be a problem!

Edited May 29, 2008 by Marlene (log)

[gfweb]

Eric Ripert has a new site on toaster oven cooking http://aveceric.com/ . Its sponsored by Cuisinart, but ain't bad. The concept appears to be that one can cook a lot of good stuff in a TO.

[Marlene]

Eric Ripert has a new site on toaster oven cooking http://aveceric.com/ .  Its sponsored by Cuisinart, but ain't bad.  The concept appears to be that one can cook a lot of good stuff in a TO.

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yes, and he's using the same toaster oven I showed in post #21

Edited June 10, 2008 by Marlene (log)

[Kayakado]

I have one of these, my parents received it for a wedding gift. I've repaired it once, but it needs a whole new reburbishment. I am planning on sending it to these folks, they sell and repair. www.toastermuseum.com

Nothing makes toast like these old toasters. It sat in the garage for awhile until I got brave enough to do surgery on it. None of the replacements made such evenly toasted toast. I love the auto down feature, too.

In addition to my vintage legacy toaster, I have a waffle iron from the same period and it makes superior crunchy waffles.

I love the old applicances!!!!

I believe this is the Sunbeam referenced:

Working T-20, T-30 and T-50 Sunbeam toasters, (and these are the benchmark of toasterdom), can be found on eBay for fairly reasonable prices.

As seen on this list.

I collect antique/vintage toasters and I have a "few" of these. Last year I scored one that was still in its original box, had never been plugged in.

[stephenm4q]

Has anyone used the Kalorik Pro Star toaster oven? I've seen very few reviews, none substantial. Looks like a good unit, stainless steel, open front like a salamander.

Any opinions would be appreciated

Stephen

Edited June 17, 2008 by stephenm4q (log)

[andiesenji]

Has anyone used the Kalorik Pro Star toaster oven?  I've seen very few reviews, none substantial. Looks like a good unit, stainless steel, open front like a salamander.

Any opinions would be appreciated

Stephen

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If THIS is the one you mean, it is a decent unit. Rapid toasting and easy to clean. Pricey but if you want a commercial unit, it is cheaper than many.

The one in your link is not a good unit, underpowered.

[stephenm4q]

Yes, The Kalorik OT-19735 Pro Star is the unit I meant (thanks for the link). Found one new for about 70 less than amazon...

If THIS is the one you mean, it is a decent unit. Rapid toasting and easy to clean. Pricey but if you want a commercial unit, it is cheaper than many.

The one in your link is not a good unit, underpowered.

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[paulraphael]

That Kaloric oven looks pretty nice. I wonder how it would be compared with the Cuisinart brick oven. I lean toward the commercial unit. The home ovens always look so great in pictures but feel so flimsy in person.

[paulraphael]

Bringing this thread back from the dead.

I've been living with a barely functional toaster (free!) and my broiler since this topic first came up. Now I'm thinking about negotiating with Santa for the real deal.

My first questions are about the Cuisinart Brick Oven.

How do you lovers of this machine like the toast? I don't expect toast to be perfect ... in fact I've never had perfect toast. But if I can consistently get toast that's browned everywhere and blackened nowhere, I'll probably be happy. Especially if it doesn't take much too long.

Also, how useful do you find the convection feature? I see now that they have three models: plain, convection, and convection plus rotisserie. I have no need for the rotisserie. But if the convection feature works well, I might use it for cakes.

My last question is about that cool Kaloric toaster oven. I like the description of it but can't find any reviews anywhere. Has anyone used it??

[andiesenji]

Bringing this thread back from the dead.

I've been living with a barely functional toaster (free!) and my broiler since this topic first came up. Now I'm thinking about negotiating with Santa for the real deal.

My first questions are about the Cuisinart Brick Oven.

How do you lovers of this machine like the toast? I don't expect toast to be perfect ... in fact I've never had perfect toast. But if I can consistently get toast that's browned everywhere and blackened nowhere, I'll probably be happy. Especially if it doesn't take much too long.

Also, how useful do you find the convection feature? I see now that they have three models: plain, convection, and convection plus rotisserie. I have no need for the rotisserie. But if the convection feature works well, I might use it for cakes.

My last question is about that cool Kaloric toaster oven. I like the description of it but can't find any reviews anywhere. Has anyone used it??

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I know two people who have the Cuis. Brick oven and like the way it bakes, but do not get the one with the rotisserie as the person who got that one had to return it after one use and got the convection model. The motor of the roti broke half-way through roasting a chicken.

The heating element can vary somewhat so be sure to check the oven with a separate thermometer.

For the discounted price it is okay but those who paid the full price when first introduced are a bit disappointed.

It does an okay job baking bread but uses too much power for just toasting a couple of slices of bread and tends to dry the bread too much.

Also, it gets very hot on the outside so can't be placed next to a wall or under an overcounter cabinet unless there is a lot of space - it melted the housing on a coffee maker that was 6 inches away from it on the countertop while a cake was baking. My neighbor was quite upset because the coffee maker was new and expensive. She also thinks the oven has discolored her Corian countertop.

If you are going to be doing a significant amount of baking you would be better off getting the Cadco convection oven - the smaller unit if space is a consideration. It is more of a "commercial" unit the outer surface does not get excessively hot while it is working. Better insulation, I guess.

I use it extensively for baking, broiling, braising, and etc. Here some stuffed pork chops.

I haven't read anything recently about the Kalorik but note that it was being sold at Overstock.com. A friend had one but opted to get one of the Cadco 1/2 sheet ovens (like mine) so she could use larger pans. I think she gave the Kalorik to her son who mostly cooks pizza and snack foods.

Edited December 13, 2008 by andiesenji (log)

[Lindacakes]

I had one of those Sunbeams. It died, I revived it, it died again.

Subsequently, I bought another. And another. On eBay.

Don't intend to live without one.

[paulraphael]

One thing I'd love to be able to use a toaster oven for is warming plates, when the big oven is occupied.

Does anyone know the interior dimensions of the Cuisinart brick oven? I can only find it in cubic feet, which doesn't tell me if my plates will fit.

[Marlene]

One thing I'd love to be able to use a toaster oven for is warming plates, when the big oven is occupied.

Does anyone know the interior dimensions of the Cuisinart brick oven? I can only find it in cubic feet, which doesn't tell me if my plates will fit.

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I don't know how big your dinner plates are. My corelle plates fit with lots of room to spare, and my formal dinner china plates fit as well. I could measure those, which are bigger than the corelle if you like.

[paulraphael]

One thing I'd love to be able to use a toaster oven for is warming plates, when the big oven is occupied.

Does anyone know the interior dimensions of the Cuisinart brick oven? I can only find it in cubic feet, which doesn't tell me if my plates will fit.

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I don't know how big your dinner plates are. My corelle plates fit with lots of room to spare, and my formal dinner china plates fit as well. I could measure those, which are bigger than the corelle if you like.

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I'd love it! My biggest plates are 11 inches.

[Marlene]

Ok, my china plates are just shy of 11 inches and they fit. Using a ruler, the inside of the oven seems to measure 12 1/2 x 12 1/2. So your plates should fit just fine!