How and which toaster to choose for the home? How to use it correctly? Popular manufacturers

How does a good morning start? Of course, with a cup of hot drink and toast with your favorite toppings: jam, vegetables or ham. It is the toaster that determines how fried and tasty the morning sandwich will be. How to choose the best toaster? What to pay attention to? Let's take a closer look in our article.

Crispy fragrant pieces of toasted bread - "toasts" - have been known to the world since ancient Greece, when bread was put on sticks and kept over a fire to increase its shelf life.

The first in the world electric toaster appeared in 1893.

Since then, toasts have become an essential attribute of most breakfasts, and the functionality and capabilities of one of the most popular kitchen appliances constantly growing and changing.

Today, on the shelves of household appliances stores there is a huge variety of models of toasters that differ in appearance, functionality, capabilities and many other details.which makes it very difficult to choose the right device.

Let's try to figure out what you should pay attention to when buying it.

Types of toasters

Modern toasters not only successfully cope with the toasting of bread, but also have other functions, sometimes drastically affecting the appearance and the possibility of using the device.

Based on the functionality the following types of toasters can be distinguished:

  • conventional model - has a minimum set of functions.
    It is used mainly for toasting bread, less often for heating buns, even less often for defrosting;
  • sandwich toasters - devices designed for making sandwiches with various fillings.
    Some models provide baking pancakes and waffles;
  • grill toasters, allowing not only to make sandwiches, but also to fry meat or bake almost any bakery product.
    Outwardly, they resemble micro-grills or micro-ovens.

The main parameters of the device that affect the choice

Note! The main task of the device is the uniform roasting of bread to the desired degree. But almost all devices on the market have this function.

What else is worth paying attention to and how to choose the right device for your home?

Dimensions and number of compartments

A toaster is a device that is in use almost constantly.

As a rule, a separate place is allocated for it on the working surface of the kitchen table.

Therefore, the dimensions and requirements for distance from the walls and upper cabinets of the headset are quite an important parameter that you must definitely decide on before buying.

Most compact size possess conventional mechanical toasters. But grill toaster will require a much larger area for permanent placement.

Number of compartments in modern devices ranges from 1 to 6, which allows you to simultaneously fry the appropriate number of pieces of bread.

The most popular are 2-compartment toasters, which is quite enough for preparing breakfast for a small family.

Note! Models with one compartment are often elongated, which allows you to place 2 toasts in the compartment at the same time.

Power

In the salons of household appliances, devices with a power of 600 to 1600 watts are mainly presented.

For home use 1-3 times a day most toasters with a power of 800-1000 watts will be convenient.

If the appliance is to be used more frequently - then It is worth considering models with a power of more than 1000 watts.

Models from 600 to 800 W are also convenient to use.

Of course, frying toast in such devices will be a little longer than in more powerful analogues, however, in general, the difference is not too critical.

materials

Machine body made of either plastic or metal.

Keep in mind! Models with a plastic case are available in a variety of designs and colors, this is the most popular material, which is very easy to care for.

metal body (usually stainless steel or aluminum) gives the device a solid appearance and can have a shiny or matte surface.

However, a matte finish is preferable as it shows less wear marks and fingerprints.

Control type

Toaster control may be:

  • mechanical, at which the roasting time is set by the user independently, the degree of roasting is controlled manually;
  • semi-automatic - such an apparatus is equipped with a thermostatic switch that controls the readiness of bread by its temperature;
  • automatic (or electronic), which, in addition to the thermostatic switch, is equipped with a timer or other timing device.
    The readiness control here is carried out automatically and depends on the selected temperature.

Heating element

The most common electrical heating elements.

Should know! They are cheap, easy to maintain, and, if necessary, can be easily replaced even without the involvement of specialists.

But progress does not stand still more expensive quartz heating elements are often installed in modern toasters.

Such elements are much more economical in power consumption, have high reliability and distribute heat more evenly.

inner panel

The material of the inner panel of the toaster is also of considerable importance.

Mainly, such panels are made made of metal, often with a non-stick coating.

This simplifies the cleaning of the toaster and prevents the formation of carbon deposits on its heating elements.

Also ceramic coated panels, the main advantage of which is the absence of a metallic smell on bread.

Number of modes

The degree of toasting of the bread depends on the selected mode: at the minimum value, the bread is only slightly browned, and the maximum value results in a golden brown color of the toast.

Most devices have 5-8 roasting modes.

It is worth noting! There are also baby toasters with 2-3 modes, and almost professional devices equipped with an 11-speed regulator.

In general, 4-6 roasting modes are quite enough, more of them are required only for gourmets.

Additional functionality and its need

Many modern toasters have much more functionality than just toasting bread.

Another question is how much this functionality will be in demand by the user and whether the owner is ready to pay for it.

What additional functions are equipped with devices?

Details, functions

Advantages

Comments

Removable tray Picks up breadcrumbs for a clean work surface Can be replaced with a heat-resistant tray or silicone mat placed under the toaster
Bun warmer Reheats any baked goods, including stuffed ones, without toasting them The bun can be placed on the top panels of the toaster
Keep warm or defrost modes Increase the functionality of the device Limited in use due to the small size of the device
Rising small slices or "extra rise" Allows you to toast small pieces of bread, e.g. for canapé sandwiches or homemade croutons For canapes, ready-made toast can simply be cut.

And any oven will do just fine with crackers.

Cancel button, pause button Allows you to stop cooking when the wrong mode is selected Much needed button
Timer Allows you to estimate the time until the end of cooking A clock or a standard timer have similar functionality.
Drawing on toast On baked bread, a pattern will be burned: a figure or text Interesting for children. A special variety of drawings is not expected.
One side toast Only toasts one side of the bread Gourmets will love it
Toaster with roaster or sandwich maker function Allows you to toast sandwiches with fillings: cheese, sausage, etc. This sandwich can also be made in a frying pan.
Grill toaster Can fry meat, scrambled eggs, vegetables Takes up a lot of space

How to use?

The toaster is a fairly simple device with intuitive controls.

To start the device placed on the table (or other surface) and connects to the electrical network.

Then slices of bread are inserted into the slots. It is preferable to use bread for toast, which is already cut into equal pieces.

But you can cut the bread yourself, the main thing is to achieve a relatively equal thickness of the pieces for their uniform frying.

The adjustment knob is set to the required level. For the first toasting, low levels of 2 or 3 are recommended.

In the future, the handle is adjustable depending on preferences.

The frying process is started by pressing the lever. The average cooking time for toast is 1-2 minutes.

Important! If smoke or a burning smell appears, press the button to turn off the device.

At the end of the time, the device will automatically raise the lever along with the toasted toast. Bread should be carefully removed with your hands or wooden tongs.

If necessary, the process is repeated with the next portion.

The main manufacturers of toasters

Which firm is better? Almost all firms involved in the production of household appliances have models of toasters in their arsenal.

Let us dwell in more detail on the most popular manufacturers in the segment of small household appliances.

So, when choosing a toaster, you should give preference to such manufacturers as:

Brand

Brand Country

Main characteristics

Popular Models

Smeg Italy Powerful devices of the big sizes, differ in reliability.

The price segment is above average.

  • smeg TSF01;
  • smeg TSF02;
  • smeg TSF03.
Philips Holland Decent quality and good functionality. Many models for every taste and budget.

Different prices.

  • Philips HD2581;
  • Philips HD 2392;
  • Philips HD 2516;
  • Philips HD 2628;
  • Philips HD 2636.
Kenwood Japan, USA Powerful models with good functionality. Optimal balance of price and quality.

Prices are low and medium.

  • TTM610;
  • TCX751;
  • TTM021;
  • TTM028;
  • TTM560.
Bosch Germany Refined design, thoughtful construction, high reliability, good quality.

Different prices.

  • TAT 3A011/ 3A012/ 3A014/ 3A016;
  • TAT 6A803;
  • TAT 7S25;
  • TAT 6901;
  • TAT 8611/8613.
Bugatti Germany
  • Recognized as one of the best electronically controlled toasters in 2019.
  • Volo (many colors available).
Polaris Russia Inexpensive economy class models with good functionality and decent reliability.
  • PET 0702L;
  • PET 0706LB;
  • PET 0804A;
  • PET 0913;
  • PET 0917A.
Brown Germany Reliable branded models with excellent build quality and decent functionality.

Prices are average.

  • NT 3010;
  • NT 3110;
  • HT 400;
  • HT 450;
  • HT 600.
Maxwell Russia, production - China Models in the middle price segment, characteristics and functionality correspond to requests.
  • MW-1501;
  • MW 1502;
  • MW 1503;
  • MW 1504;
  • MW 1505.

Conclusion and Conclusions

A toaster is not the most expensive appliance in the kitchen, however, and its choice should not be random.

Key points to consider when buying such a device:

  • power (for a small family, 800-1000 W is enough);
  • number of slots for simultaneous frying bread (standard - 2);
  • Availability crumb tray;
  • necessary and sufficient for the owner functionality.

And then the purchased device every morning will delight the owner with fried and crispy toasts, which are delicious with jam, ham, and just like that.

Useful video

From this video you will learn what parameters to look for when choosing a toaster:


2 Comments
  1. Mikhalych He speaks

    A toaster, of course, is a very convenient and necessary thing, especially in the morning when you are in a hurry to work, and there is absolutely nothing to chew coffee with.And then he smeared a couple of fried slices with butter - beauty! But for the last three or four years I have given up any toasts and toasters, because as many as five have been in use in turn, and not one of them has worked for half a year. Everyone has the same defect - a primitive bimetallic relay fails, which you can fix yourself by bending the contact plate. But after that, the device works in its own mode, not paying attention to the position of the regulator knob, and as a result, it produces charred slag from the pieces of loaf. It is impossible to repair or replace under warranty, since the check has long been lost, such relays are not available for spare parts, and in general, you violated the operating rules.
    Maybe at the present time something has changed, and the quality of these same relays has increased unimaginably - that's enough for me.
    Sorry, but my story is true. By the way, among the brands listed in the article, I found only two “their own”, but I won’t name them.

  2. Daria He speaks

    A couple of years ago we bought a BOCH toaster. The main advantages when choosing this particular company, as indicated in the article, were elegant design and high quality. In this model, such little things as a crumb tray and a defrost for bread and buns were also thought out. Functional, convenient and reliable. When buying a toaster, it is very important to pay attention to the desired power and quality of the product, so that breakfast toast will please you with a crispy crust, and not charred edges??

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