Toaster frustration

I prefer to do toast under the grill. The result is more even, you don't have a toaster clogging up the kitchen counter space, you can do several slices at once and it's quicker. (To name three advantages).

Having said that, I do use a toaster but am never satisfied with the results and can never find the right setting - it's either black on one side or has no colour at all.

I have to turn the setting down to below medium or my scones or pancakes are burnt. I frequently forget to readjust the setting so my toast is pale. I agree it is frustrating when a fair bit of the bread is not toasted because it does not fit in.

I never use my grill because it takes forever to heat up being electric. I do not know the answer, I stopped a long time ago buying expensive toasters and I have had my present one running for over three years.

I am usually governed by colour- I want plain white with no flowers on the side.

I cut large slices of bread in half to fit them in my toaster. It was a cheap-ish one from Tesco. It's pretty good, but as someone else mentioned, the two sides are usually a different colour when toasted.

I was in the same boat as you, going through toasters by the dozen. Then I noticed a Dualit in a hotel, getting used far more than I ever would. It was a catering size but they do smaller household ones. We have had ours now for years and years and it has paid for itself, it is so reliable. Mine has 2 slots for ordinary toast and one wider slot for toasted sandwiches. You turn on the timer and it switches itself off. Never ever burns the toast.

Get one on Black Friday!

I too find toasters only last two years at max but in fairness I do only buy the cheap ones so a tenner every two years isn’t so bad My microwave blew up the other day for no reason flames abound quickly turned the electricity off and off to the dustbin it goes

I have Dualit which must be over 15 years old but I’d better not say that too loud in case it hears me!
#askingfortrouble

Gosh, Charliegirl I read that as you liked your toast plain white with no flowers on the side and was set wondering exactly how you eat your toast!

We have a Dualit toaster. They're very simple and apparently endlessly reparable, should the worst happen. They're also made in the U.K. if that's of interest.

This is a run-down of the best toasters. www.telegraph.co.uk/recommended/home/the-best-toasters/

I too am always replacing toasters - it does not take long for them to just toast one side instead of two. Presumably an element fails.

I have a very useful set of flat bamboo tongs for getting toast out if it gets stuck - and avoiding electrocution. They have a magnet on the side so they can be stored on the side of the toaster.

I have a useful tool called a knife just make sure you pull the plug first ?

Another Dualit toaster user here. As SueDonim says very simple and reparable. The timer broke on mine we bought a new timer online and DH fixed it. I love the look of them.

Very clever SueDonim I did not actually mention toast in that paragraph.

I threw a toaster out not long ago it was tossing my crumpets up and out of the toaster when it went off. It was a barmy old thing-------sparked inside too so it had to go anyway.

We bought a Dualit toaster in 1997, when we had our kitchen re-fitted. It worked well for years, then one of the elements failed. A friend re-placed it for us, but while it was out of commission, I bought a Sebastian Conran one in 2013. It has been working so well, fingers crossed, that the Dualit is still in the cupboard.

I spent ages looking for a toaster as DH likes Warburtons bread toasted. The only ones suitable for large slices were extortionate and I refused to spend all that money on a toaster.
Then one day I spotted a Silverline toaster in Lidl, dirt cheap. It does the job and looks good into the bargain.

My toaster fused on Saturday after many years of use (we can't remember how many). I've bought a new one but don't expect it to last as long as the last one.

I have the same problem with kettles, cheap or expensive they never last. My latest Tesco toaster burns one side even on the lowest setting and my Sainsbury kettle has started leaking steam from the area of the on switch at the bottom of the kettle.

Mines a Kenwood bought over 20 years ago. Don't use it everyday, so that might explain its longevity, but am very happy with it. (You watch, now I've said that, it'll probably break )!