Why do you need a toaster: characteristics, application features, reviews

Reasons for purchase

Do you need a toaster in the kitchen? According to reviews, for lovers of fried croutons, such a device will be an excellent helper. Whether a toaster is needed can be determined by analyzing the following points:

Reduced cooking time. This is the main purpose of a toaster. No need to wait for the frying pan or oven to heat up. Heating occurs after pressing the “Start” button.
No oil. This fact also determines why a toaster is needed. The device dries the bread and forms a golden brown crust, and also acquires an appetizing aroma.
What else is a toaster used for? There is no need to wash the greasy frying pan, just empty the crumbs from the pan.
The taste and crunch increase appetite and ensure proper digestion. This is an equally common benefit that explains why a toaster is needed.

Therefore, you will not need to be at the stove, turn over croutons, and you can do other things at the same time. These reasons are enough to determine whether a toaster is needed. Customer reviews indicate the convenience of the device.

Only dry bread should be placed in the hole. You should not add different fillings, as they will damage the device.

The electrical device was invented in 1893. Over the decades, the design and functions have been improved. Compared to its predecessors, the 21st century toaster has an attractive appearance and many functions. But the purpose of the devices is one - to create toast.

What is a toaster?

This kitchen appliance looks like a modest suitcase. It does not take up much space and offers its services when the owners want a quick and tasty snack. The child is getting ready for school. His mother, taking a moment, puts a couple of cheese sandwiches in the toaster, and in a matter of minutes the hot delicacy is on the platter. Breakfast is ready.

Toaster device

The toaster is designed for frying bread and heat processing the products included in the sandwich. The heating chamber of this device works on the principle of an electric stove.

Electrically conductive spirals are a source of infrared radiation, which directly affects the bread. Roasting occurs online, and the heat gently and evenly covers the entire crust.

How a toaster works

The secret to the even heating of this device is that there are many sources of infrared healing. Each miniature filament represents a tiny radiator. Dozens of such heaters send their heat at different angles to the surface of the bread crust, eliminating charring and drying out. A fried sandwich will perfectly complement your morning tea or coffee.

The toaster is working properly if the thin threads become hot and glow red. They are separated from the frying tray by a grid on which the slices of bread are placed. In addition, the grill serves as a protective function for the toaster. Never touch hot conductors with your hands. A burn will be the least evil that can happen. In the worst case, you will be hit with a strong electric current.

If a piece of bread falls through the grill onto a hot thread, it is best to turn off the device. You should wait until the electrically conductive spiral cools down, and then lift the grill and take out the bread.

Some risk-takers try to reach the fallen slice with an insulated knife or fork, but this is stupid. A knife or fork can remove it from the thread, but lifting it up and pulling it through the grate will be problematic.

Based on the above, we can draw an important conclusion: a toaster is not a toy. Despite the simplicity of the device, it should only be used by adults.

Children can master the art of quickly frying bread exclusively under the supervision of their parents, starting from the age of 12-14. Unlike a microwave, a toaster can be dangerous for immature youth.

Design

When considering whether you need a toaster at home, you should familiarize yourself with its structure. This is a small unit with slots in the body. The holes have heating elements made of nichrome in the form of spirals. The device circuit assumes the presence of an electrical circuit and auxiliary elements for holding bread.

Inside it consists of:

lever for lowering the basket;
heating plates with nichrome wires;
circuit breaker – marked on the body with a “Stop” button;
a lock to hold the basket in the lower position;
a hot spiral that fries the slices;
bread baskets;
locking plate;
an electromagnet, thanks to which the basket is kept at the bottom in working condition;
plate that closes the contacts.

By pressing the lever handle, the basket opens, the electrical circuit is closed and the timer starts. The bread is heated by infrared radiation, and after a certain time the timer goes off and the power is removed from the electromagnet. The basket is released by the upward action of the spring. The contacts open and the control circuit turns off.

Characteristics

Manufacturers create toasters with different capabilities. They may differ depending on the purpose - for domestic or commercial use. There are several criteria that will help you choose the best toaster:

The number of sections depends on the required number of pieces. Sometimes there is 1 long slot where 2 slices can be placed. According to reviews, devices with 4 compartments are considered the most convenient.
Energy consumption. The cooking speed is determined by the power. It can be in the range of 600-1600 W.
The presence of a thermostat that allows you to select the roasting time and temperature.
Manual shutdown button. With it, heating stops at the required moment, no matter what operating cycle is selected.

Toaster Specifications

Housewives first started toasting bread on electric toasters 100 years ago. Therefore, this household appliance can rightfully be considered a real long-liver. The first toasters did not have a casing, and heating was carried out by a hot wire. During the frying period, it was necessary to ensure that the toast did not burn, and to ensure even frying, the slice of bread had to be turned over. But technological progress did not stand still, and soon toasters acquired timers, mechanisms for throwing out slices of bread and other convenient devices.

Number of toasts

Before buying a toaster, you should decide how many toasts you want to get per frying? Two? Four? Modern toasters are designed to make 2 or 4 pieces of toast. If you have a large family, perhaps you should consider a 4-slice toaster?

So, you have decided how much toast you need. Now it's time to move on to studying the characteristics of the toaster.

Branches

Typically, a toaster has one or two compartments that are parallel to each other. The compartment can hold either one or two pieces of toast. There are the following combinations of the number of compartments and the toasts being prepared:

The toaster has one compartment in which you can fry 2 pieces of toast at the same time. As a rule, these are narrow and long toasters.
The toaster has two compartments in which you can fry 2 toasts at a time (that is, 4 toasts are fried at the same time). These are the largest toasters.
The toaster has 2 compartments in which you can fry 1 piece of toast at a time (that is, 2 toasts are fried at the same time). These are the most compact toasters.
The toaster has 4 compartments. You can fry 1 piece of bread in each (a total of 4 pieces of toast are fried at the same time). Quite rare models.

Power

You should know that toasters consume quite a lot of electricity: from 600 to 1600 W. However, they don't last long, so running a toaster won't cause your energy bills to skyrocket. But the more power the toaster has, the faster you will get toasted bread.

Thermostat

The average toaster model has 6 degrees of browning, but in a household appliance store you can buy devices with as many as 11 degrees! If in the first frying mode the bread is slightly warmed up, then in the last one you will get a real ready-made cracker! You can choose the degree of roasting yourself by setting the switch to the desired position.

Shutdown button

Using the shutdown button, you can stop the toaster and remove the bread at any time without waiting for the toasting time to expire. This feature is especially useful if you have already toasted your first batch of toast and the toaster has warmed up well.

Functions

The main purpose of a toaster is considered to be drying and frying plates of flour products using hot air. But modern devices perform various additional functions. Many toasters:

heated without drying;
defrost;
fry one side;
they put a stamp on the bread;
heat the buns on a special grill;
have a grill function;
prepare sandwiches;
prepare toast and scrambled eggs or cutlets at the same time.

According to reviews, in addition to the basic and similar functions, there are additional useful little things that make the device more functional. So, it may have a retractable crumb tray, electronic control, and automatic centering. Some devices have a high lift for small pieces and a compartment in the housing for compact cable storage.

Pleasant trifles

Above we have listed the standard functions of toasters that are present in absolutely all models. Inexpensive toasters, as a rule, have only standard functions, but more expensive toasters will offer you a whole range of nice little things.

Removable tray

The removable tray is located at the bottom of the toaster body. It is designed to simplify the process of cleaning the toaster, since most of the crumbs accumulate there. To remove them, you no longer need to remove the top cover of the toaster. It will be enough to pull out the tray, shake out the crumbs and insert it back. By the way, some models, instead of trays, have slots in the bottom of the body through which crumbs spill onto the table. It is unlikely that you will like this method of self-cleaning, so when buying a toaster, pay attention to whether it has a tray.

Warming grid

The bun warming rack is located above the bread compartments. Buns and other baked goods are heated by the heat generated by the toaster's heaters.

Automatic centering

This system helps to place the toast exactly in the center, thereby ensuring even toasting of the bread.

Heating function

With this function you can reheat already toasted toast or fresh bread. No frying occurs in this mode.

Defrosting

This function helps defrost bread taken out of the refrigerator. After defrosting, the toaster switches to toasting mode, so you end up with golden-brown toast.

High rise of small pieces of bread

This option allows you to prepare small slices of bread, for example for soup or canapés. In this case, removing the toasted bread will not cause any inconvenience.

Electronic control

With a toaster equipped with an electronic control unit, you can set the temperature for toasting. The electronics will calculate the operating time of the device, and at the end of toasting it will give a signal or turn off the toaster.

In principle, any manufacturer of household appliances necessarily offers customers several models of toasters for every taste and budget. There are also premium toasters, for example, Siemens Porsche Design, which have a digital indicator, a special panel that protects the toaster from dirt and dust, and other wonderful functions.

Modes

Electric toasters are:

Mechanical - a simple option without a timer. Cooking is done manually.
Semi-automatic. In this case there is a thermostat, at a certain temperature it turns off.
Automatic. The device has a timer and thermostat. This is a convenient configuration of the device, but the price of this model is higher.

Terms of use

According to reviews, operating the toaster is not difficult. To create toast, you need suitable bread: the pieces must be made of the same thickness and size. Large layers will touch the heaters and burn, and too thin layers will dry out to breadcrumbs. It is advisable to purchase sliced bread.

First you need to lower the slices into the slots, then set the mode, press the lever - and the procedure will start. You need to wait until the toast automatically turns off and rises. It is possible to use the manual control button to monitor the degree of roasting and complete the work at your discretion.

The device must be loaded as much as possible so that the heating parts are not overheated in idle mode. The cooked bread must be removed without using metal objects, as there is a risk of electric shock. It is better to unplug the cord from the outlet before removing the pieces.

When the food has cooled, you need to remove any crumbs remaining inside. If you have a tray, this will be very simple to do: shake off the dry residues and wipe the retractable plate, return it to its place. When the toaster does not have such a part, you need to turn it over and shake it until the crumbs are removed. Then the heating wires are cleaned with a small brush or brush to prevent the appearance of carbon deposits.

How to use a toaster correctly

The device is very simple, and there are usually no problems with its use. The operating instructions look like this:

For frying, select pieces that are suitable in size for the toaster. They should fit freely into the trays, but not be too thin.
The bread is loaded into the slots, aligned in the center, the desired frying time and temperature are set, or one of the automatic programs is selected.
By pressing the lever, the trays of the device are moved down and the unit is put into operation.
They wait for the timer to fire, after which most models automatically return the loading containers to the upper position.

Then all that remains is to remove the finished toast from the compartments using plastic or wooden tongs.

You can only remove toast with metal utensils when the device is completely de-energized.

Precaution

A toaster is considered a fire hazard, so it must be placed in a free space in the kitchen, far from the edge of the countertop. You also need to make sure that there are no curtains nearby. Water should not get on the operating device, otherwise the hot heating parts will burst with sparks.

It is advisable to connect the equipment to the electrical network only for the period of preparing toast, and when finished, disconnect the power cord. Do not cover the body. Before use, it is important to read the instructions for use.

To prevent carbon deposits on the heating wires, regular cleaning inside the housing is necessary. Cleaning the area where the spirals are placed is only permissible using a dry method, using a brush or brush. It is allowed to wash only the outer part of the case - with a damp cloth and a cleaning agent.

What else do you need to know

Let's imagine the situation that you are in a store, and all kinds of toaster models are lined up in rows in front of you. First, pay attention to their characteristics, but do not forget to look at what material the body of the device you like is made of. A good option is a case made of stainless steel, special plastic or aluminum alloys. It is very important that the material was heat-safe, that is, you should not get burned when touching it.

So, you have made your long-awaited purchase. Now you do not need to forget about safety measures when operating this electrical appliance. We will remind you of some of them:

Do not place the toaster near flammable objects (curtains, towels, etc.).
Do not cover (cover) the appliance while it is running.
At the end of use, do not forget to disconnect the toaster from the power supply.
Before cleaning, unplug the toaster.
Do not add any oils, pastes or glazes to the bread. Remember that the toaster can only contain bread!
Do not let water drop into the toaster.

What to replace it with?

A standard toaster will not create hot sandwiches. There is such a type of electrical engineering as a sandwich maker. In appearance it is similar to a waffle iron. The device has frying plates with a non-stick coating. You need to place the sandwiches on the ribbed surface and close the lid, set the cooking mode and, upon completion of the process, remove the bread with filling.

Thus, you need to choose a toaster responsibly. You shouldn’t skimp on it; it’s better to buy a quality device. If you follow the operating rules, the device can work for a long time.