Please comment on my ongoing toaster dilemma...

[lifespan]

What to do about toasters?
One crappy cheap toaster after another. What's a cook to do? For a new approach, I'm considering the possibility of going commercial. My spouse wants a 4-slice version anyway... Is this one over-kill?
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/warin...
I wonder what your toaster experiences have been?

[kayakado]

Go here and buy a real toaster and ditch those Asian made pretenders.

http://www.toastercentral.com/

[flourgirl]

That's a great site! :)

[lifespan]

Those are some real beauties...

[srsone]

and i mentioned this in another toaster thread...but im very happy with my tfal avanti 4 slice..

and its always better to buy quality

[Candy]

Do your self a favor. go to e-bay and bring up a Sunbeam toaster from the 50's. You will have to replace the cord. They are self-lowering and pop up when done. They make perfect toast, you cannot beat it. Crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. My last was a Breville, and as fine as it is, it is not the Sunbeam I grew up with. I may just bid on one i the AM and donate my Breville.

[lifespan]

Candy, you're the second person to recommend the "old" Sunbeam. I love the idea and so I'll be on the lookout for one... In the meantime, we decided on the 4-slice Breville. It is, of course, GORGEOUS. We love looking at it. I hope we'll love using it, as well! To everyone, who commented: Thanks for your thoughtful responses. Good information, all.

[josephnl]

You will love your Breville toaster. We have the 2 slice model and love it. It's so much fun to use, and it makes perfect toast. Wouldn't want anything else!

[sueatmo]

If I had to have a toaster I'd gulp and buy the Dualit, but I have to admit that I don't know for a fact that it makes good toast. However, I've been down this road and finally bought a Cuisinart convection toaster oven. It makes acceptable toast (I admit I am not a fanatic. I only want evenly browned toast, not amazingly evenly browned toast.) And it does so much more, and I use it for something every single day. The footprint is larger than a toaster, but it might be worth the space if your kitchen countertop space is not severely limited. If you only have one oven, then all the more reason to buy a good convection toaster oven. That's my two cents.

My toaster experience over my adult lifetime has been not good. They are essentially a one function item that is always out on the counter, and they don't make good toast.

[M_Xandria]

The Breville smart oven is by far the most versatile and most used appliance in my kitchen. From pizza to roasted vegetables to scones and... of course... TOAST. Three rack heights, all the options you need. Perfect for single or couple use!

I now use my oven to store my cookware and do not have to give up counter space for a toaster (but I do for the smart oven... so not sure if that was a real space savings!).

[flourgirl]

I love my Breville Smart Oven too. I use it every day for all kinds of things. It was worth every penny I paid.

[dijon]

Agree the Breville smart oven is a terrific countertop appliance, very versatile, but if you are looking only for a toaster, it is rather slow. For toasting I give it no higher than a B-.

[ipsedixit]

Get one at Costco.

With their return policy, it's essentially like a lifetime warranty. http://www.costco.com/service/featurepageleftnav.aspx?productno=11204333 If it breaks, return it and get a full refund or another one.

This one looks pretty good. http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product....

[rasputina]

I have the breville smart oven too and I love that thing. It toasts very evenly and I use it almost every day for a variety of things including baking pies.

[josephnl]

We have the Breville toaster (not the toaster-oven) and love it. It looks great, works entirely with push buttons (very cool), and makes great toast. Have had it over a year, and it works flawlessly. We have 2 slice version, but it comes in 4 slice model.

[Midlife]

If anyone knows............... it appears that the Dualit is only available in the UK, AU, NZ. Am I mis-Googling?

[Eiron]

My search turned up 20 stores in the US, including Amazon, Target & Sears:

http://www.google.com/#q=dualit+class...

[Midlife]

hm-m-m-m! And I consider myself a pretty good Googler,

Aha! The chow reference (andrewtree above) has a link to the Dualit 4 Slice New Gen" on Dualit's site. Googling that brings up UK, AU, NZ. "Duality 4 Slice Classic" brings up totally different sources. Didn't catch the difference.

[srsone]

u need more google training grasshopper....

[Eiron]

"... I'm considering the possibility of going commercial. My spouse wants a 4-slice version anyway... Is this one over-kill?"

Not in my opinion. Considering what I've spent in the past few years on heavily discounted coffee eqpt ($700+), knives & sharpeners ($550+), & frying pans ($150+), $110 for a commercially-intended toaster seems like a relative bargain!

After reading the recent thread provided by andrewtree, I don't see how you could justify spending an ADDITIONAL $220 for the Dualit Classic. Reading reviews on both models, I'd only consider buying the Dualit Classic if it was the same price as the Waring, but definitely NOT at 3X the price.

I am willing to spend more for items that are not manufactured in China. Unfortunately, it appears that both models are built in China (the Dualit only mentions that it's DESIGNED in England).

[phrekyos]

Williams-Sonoma carries a US version of the Dualit new-gen Classic. They only have the chrome version and it's $340 for the 4-slice version. They say it's hand *assembled* in England, although where the parts are made is anybody's guess.

[Jenny Ondioline]

2-slice Dualit Classic, Williams-Sonoma Outlet Store, Wrentham MA. Best $49 I ever spent.

[andrewtree]

In case you missed it this recent thread covered this topic pretty well. My vote is for the Dualit Classic, a commercial toaster that became a design classic (NB NOT the Dualit Lite).
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/775394

[wekick]

I went with a classic. It is a Sunbeam and it lowers the toast and brings it up automatically. The toaster gets hotter than the modern toasters and makes perfect toast. It is probably almost 60 years old. I love it.

[David11238]

Mine were so bad that I went with a Breville Smart Toaster Oven. All of my bread, bagels, you name it, come out hot and the darkness I set it at. It's a wonderful machine.