# Defrost button on a toaster. How does it work and what does it do?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defrost-button-on-a-toaster-how-does-it-work-and-what-does-it-do/245278>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 15, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defrost-button-on-a-toaster-how-does-it-work-and-what-does-it-do/245278 "2004-05-15T15:16:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SallyStar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@SallyStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SallyStar)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defrost-button-on-a-toaster-how-does-it-work-and-what-does-it-do/245278/1 "2004-05-15T15:16:43Z")

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I have toasted frozen bread with and without pushing the defrost button. Can’t see any difference. 😕 What is it suppose to do and how does it work?

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defrost-button-on-a-toaster-how-does-it-work-and-what-does-it-do/245278/2 "2004-05-18T00:58:22Z")

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> [@SallyStar](#):
>
> I have toasted frozen bread with and without pushing the defrost button. Can’t see any difference. 😕 What is it suppose to do and how does it work?

I believe the defrost switch tells the toaster to cycle the heat (as opposed to just leave the heat on) in order to more gently defrost the bread and then toast it. My microwave has the same button and behaves the same way (cycles the microwaves to defrost the food gently). If you tried to toast frozen bread normally I would think it would be raw on the inside.

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**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defrost-button-on-a-toaster-how-does-it-work-and-what-does-it-do/245278/3 "2004-05-18T01:17:02Z")

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I could never understand the ‘defrost’ button, either.

Never in my 44 years have I ever owned a toater that iced up.

Am I using mine wrong?