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FAQ
On almost all toasters, there is a crumb tray that you can easily pull out to get rid of all the crumbs that collect at the bottom. If you want to clean the surface of the toaster, unplug it and wipe it on the outside with a slightly damp cloth. The toaster should never be washed or cleaned with water, as that’s not something toasters are designed to handle.
To enjoy toast without a toaster, the easiest way is to use a frying pan and gently toast your bread slices in the pan until you get the right colour. You can also toast bread in the oven. Whether you choose the frying pan or the oven, it’s important to keep a watchful eye on the bread, as the process goes quickly at the end. To avoid burnt bread, it is best to check the slices regularly.
A toaster contains heating elements that heat the bread at high temperature from two sides. Due to the high temperature, the bread gets a toasted surface. Toasters are equipped with a timer and pop-up function, to make the bread jump up when it is ready.
The vast majority of toasters give you the opportunity to choose how well-toasted you want the bread to be. More advanced toasters have features such as thawing, the ability to toast bagels and settings that allow you to further specify the toasting time.
The first electric toaster was invented in 1893 by Alan MacMasters. He called it the "Eclipse Toaster". In 1919, the first toaster with a pop-up function and timer was invented by the American Charles Strite, from Minnesota. He came up with this invention because he was tired of burning his toast. It’s Strite’s toaster that should really be seen as the first modern toaster.
3 tips for buying a toaster
Toasters usually fit two slices of bread, which maybe isn't enough for big families. There are models with four or more slots, but also the ones with two long slots. These long slots accommodate larger bread slices.
Thicker bread. For slightly thicker slices, such as bagels or ciabatta, choose a model with wider slots.
Levain and similar types of bread. For bread cut into long slices, you'll also need a toaster with long slots (like four-slice toasters).
Croissants. To heat up croissants or a sandwich with toppings, look for toasters with a small stand or a keep-warm function.
Grilled cheese sandwich. Avoid a grilled cheese meltdown by using toaster bags and ensuring your toaster has wide enough slots.
Most toasters today have adjustable browning, but you can also look for other features like:
a crumb tray collecting crumbs for easy cleaning
a thaw setting defrosting bread without toasting it
a keep warm function warming up previously toasted slices without further toasting
a pause function letting you check the toast without starting over.