[QUOTE=flex727]
:eek: I wonder if they actually sell any of those? I notice they’re only available online.
[/QUOTE]
I used to work for a place that imported them, and they imported them fairly regularly, so someones buying them- probably not as much now due to the economy. And the mark-up is not as astronomical as you would think based on the list price- the invoice price was like 175.00 each.
My family had the same toaster oven through my entire childhood. That thing chugged along for 20+ years. Forget the upright bread poppers; toaster ovens are the way of the future.
[QUOTE=BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed]
My family had the same toaster oven through my entire childhood. That thing chugged along for 20+ years. Forget the upright bread poppers; toaster ovens are the way of the future.
[/QUOTE]
Agreed. As long as you have the counter space (and mine is only maybe 25% larger than the average toaster), then a toaster oven lasts forever, toasts bagels without requiring special slots that they still get stuck in, and also allows you to make any number of minor non-toast food items without breaking out the pots and pans. I’ve had mine since college (about 12 years), it only cost about ~$30 from WalMart, and it’s still as good as new.
[QUOTE=ralph124c]
Most cheap appliances now are made of plastic-which once broken, cannot be fixed. This was brought home to me-my brother still has my mother’s 1968 GE can opener-solid aluminum, as good as new. Wheras the plastic model I have is obly 5 years old-and ready for the trash
[/QUOTE]
Is this not a case of survivor bias? How many of those '68 GE can openers are still extant?
[QUOTE=An Gadaí]
Is this not a case of survivor bias?
[/QUOTE]
Not entirely. What with the advent of miracle plastics, a lot more appliances are held together with nasty plastic tabby things than with screws anymore.
I bought a toaster with a plastic case for $7.00 in 1998, and it still works. It’s survived several moves and a lot of toast. If it ever croaks, I’m getting a toaster oven since they’re more versatile.
I’m still using a cheap toaster I bought in the mid 90’s. Reading this thread, I hope it never breaks. 
[QUOTE=flex727]
:eek: I wonder if they actually sell any of those? I notice they’re only available online.
[/QUOTE]
We have the rolls royce of toasters.
Behold the Glory of the Viking Professional 4-Slice Toaster!
Nashiitashii 's brother is a manager for Neiman-Marcus, and got us this as a gift. It rocks. Perfect toast to any level of doneness, AND you can do four different llevels at once. It has Chrome … 
We have been through dozens of toasters.
My mother still uses the same toaster she got as a wedding gift in 1955! The damned thing is a workhorse. I’ll have to check out what brand it is.
[QUOTE=SmartAleq]
I don’t know what Toaster God I annoyed as a small child, but I have never been able to find a toaster that doesn’t turn into a Random Carbonizer Unit within a couple of months max. My mother has the same damned toaster we used when I was a kid, which means it’s over 40 goddamned years old and it works perfectly, yet every time I break down and buy a new toaster it’s a piece of shit within mere moments. It doesn’t matter how much I spend, either–back in the day I used to spend lots on new toasters, thinking it was just the cheapies that fell apart but NOOOOOOOOO. Now I count myself lucky if I can figure out how to wangle each successive useless random carbonizer into producing something which remotely approaches toast but dammit, it would be nice to have a toaster that just effin’ well MADE TOAST. With darkness settings that actually made a difference in the toastedness of the bread inside instead of what I have, which is the darkness setting all the way up to “Satan’s Asshole” but I have to push the bread down for two full cycles to get it toasted all over. Of course the last shitty toaster had the darkness control all the way down to “Angel Bum” but it’d spew out a pre-diamond in a minute if you didn’t watch it like a hawk and pop it up by hand.
None of which actually addresses the OP but I feel a little better now…
[/QUOTE]
I feel better, too, that was hilarious, Smart Aleq.
I used to be a toaster oven fan, too, until I bought a really unfortunate Black & Decker model. It sucked to a degree that I scarcely thought possible. It was still clean with no crumbs when I sent it sailing out the door and into the dumpster. We have an upscale poppy-uppy one now and use the broiler a lot more often. It’s an okay toaster, I guess. Burns my bagel on the Bagel Setting, which is annoying. It’s certainly nothing like Acid Lamp’s though. That is truly a thing of beauty, it is.
[QUOTE=jellyblue]
I feel better, too, that was hilarious, Smart Aleq.
[/QUOTE]
Concur. Take a bow, Mr Aleq.
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn]
Three 20 dollar toasters in three years, you’re still 260 bucks ahead vs. this one 
[/QUOTE]
Funny you should mention the Dualit. I was over at my friend’s house and they had one and the timer was BROKEN! However, I looked online and found a tutorial on how to disassemble the thing (very simple) and just lubricated the thing and fixed it.
Just be glad they haven’t developed Talkie Toaster. Yet. 
[QUOTE=HongKongFooey]
I’m currently trying to repair a can opener. I know, I know it’s faster and cheaper to but a new one. It was an easy fix once apart but the plastic housing the moving parts fit into is what is a PITA. They’re tricky to get apart and even trickier to get back together.
[/QUOTE]
My wife and I are still using the same can opener we had when we got married, over fifteen years ago.
However, it’s not an electric can opener. 
My parents had a Sunbeam toaster that they got when they were married and were still using it 25 years later. Yeah, they just don’t make 'em like they used to.
Does anyone know of a website with good toaster reviews? I too have been through my fair share of toasters and am looking for something high quality, reliable, and reparable.
[QUOTE=Acid Lamp]
We have the rolls royce of toasters.
Behold the Glory of the Viking Professional 4-Slice Toaster!
LINK
[/QUOTE]
I like the description that this toaster “provides professional-style toasting.” I have no idea what “professional-style toasting” is, but it must be worth $300.
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn]
I like the description that this toaster “provides professional-style toasting.” I have no idea what “professional-style toasting” is, but it must be worth $300.
[/QUOTE]
Personally, my morning is ruined unless there’s professional-style toast.
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn]
I like the description that this toaster “provides professional-style toasting.” I have no idea what “professional-style toasting” is, but it must be worth $300.
[/QUOTE]
That’s like the phrase “architecturally designed” when speaking about a new development of houses. All that means is that each house has a different coloured front-door.
I bought a $20-ish unit at Target in around 1994. Used probably 6 times per week since then. Still works good as new.
[QUOTE=SmartAleq]
…a toaster that doesn’t turn into a Random Carbonizer Unit within a couple of months max…
[/QUOTE]
I’ve had just the opposite frustration. I’m unable to find a toaster that doesn’t require at least two pushes down for the bread to get a toasted surface. The knob’s “light ----> dark” settings really only manage “warm ----> haha, still only warm!” as a result of the settings.
I think consumer safety paranoia has gone over the deep end now.