We’re always on a quest to find compact appliances that can replace our current ones and save kitchen counter space. That’s one reason why toasters are a staple in American households—they’re energy-efficient and space-saving.
However, choosing the best toaster can be a hassle. The market is flooded with models, all claiming to be the best. Worse yet, many people dive into purchasing without understanding the basics of how a toaster works.
How can you pick the best of something if you don’t know how it operates and what features set it apart?
That’s why I decided to create this post explaining what a toaster is and providing you with the basic knowledge needed to guide you in finding your next, best toaster.
Without further delay, let’s start by looking at:
What is a toaster?
Simply defined, a toaster is a user-friendly kitchen appliance used to lightly cook and toast bread slices, making them crispier, darker, and tastier. When using these appliances, you’ll need to adjust the tool’s knob to choose how dark you’d like your bread slices to be toasted.
After that, you’ll slide your bread slices into the toasting slots and press the lever on the front side of your appliance to begin the toasting process. In the next section, we’ll look at a step-by-step guide on how to use a toaster.
As a general rule of thumb, always keep your nose attentive as you use your toaster to ensure it isn’t burning.
How to work a toaster
There are different types of toasters out there, each with unique features. That said, this section will touch on general procedures for using a standard toaster.
- Insert Bread Slices
Place a slice of bread into each slot on the toaster. If you wish, you can toast just a single slice on a multiple-slot toaster by choosing one slot. For single-slot toasters with a long slot, it can probably fit two bread slices. The direction you place your slices doesn’t matter, but the most natural way is to insert the bottom first.
2. Set the Toasting Level
After inserting the bread, adjust the toaster settings. Use the adjustment knob on the front side of your toaster to choose how dark you’d like the toast to be. Most toasters have multiple toasting levels, from number one being the lightest to the highest setting being the darkest.
If it’s your first time using a toaster, I suggest picking between the 2nd and 3rd settings. This way, your bread slices will be toasted moderately, and if the darkness doesn’t entice you, you can toast it again.
Some toasters also include different settings such as bagels, toast, and waffles. In such cases, simply pick the setting that best matches the meal you’re preparing.
3. Press the Lever Downwards
Press the lever downwards to begin the toasting process. Give the slices sufficient time to toast. During this process, it’s crucial to stay attentive to prevent burning. The toasting shouldn’t take longer than a minute or two, depending on your desired darkness.
Even though most toasters are timed and will pop the bread slices up automatically, ensure you never leave your toaster unattended. If the bread slices begin to burn, you can quickly pop them out manually.
To manually pop up the bread slice, hold the top side corner of your toaster down while lifting the lever up. However, only do this if you notice the bread slices are starting to burn.
4. Remove the Food
Once the toasting is complete, remove your toasted bread slices. Be cautious as they might be hot. Use tongs or allow them to cool slightly before handling.
For your own safety, ensure you do not use anything metal to retrieve the toasts. You may electrocute yourself.
Toaster ovens
Now that you understand how to use your toaster, let us look at the more advanced brother of toasters, the toaster oven.
Toaster ovens are the innovative versions of the toaster. They are bigger, and also permit you to be creative in the kitchen. Compared to using a regular toaster, a toaster oven also allows you to prepare meals easily and quickly for different occasions.
Below is a list of different uses for a toaster oven
1. A toaster oven can make small batches of individual cakes, muffins, and cookies
2. Dehydrate vegetables and fruits
When using the toaster oven to dehydrate your meals, set the temperature to the lowest setting. Subsequently, slice your vegetables and fruits and place them on a baking sheet then cook for several hours until the meals are completely dehydrated
3. Roast vegetables and meat
Unless your family is a big one, you can use your toaster oven to prepare a healthy, delicious meal for yourself. You can quickly roast turkey, beef, chicken, pork, or other different types of meat.
4. Bake a pizza
Depending on your toaster oven’s size, you can usually quickly bake up to a 12-inch pizza. This is the standard sized pizza I noticed can fit in most toaster ovens. You can also make your own bagel pizzas and English muffins using any of your favorite ingredients.
5. Reheat leftovers
When you reheat meals in your microwave, they usually come out inedible and soggy. This is usually because the microwave reheats by vibrating the water molecules in your meal. Using a toaster oven to reheat the leftovers, however, will retain both your meal’s flavor and texture
6. Roast nuts
7. Make baked potatoes
8. Defrost frozen ingredients
9. Melt cheese on top of your meal
10. Warm your plates before serving
11. Cooking side dishes such as the stuffing while your main oven is occupied by something bigger like the turkey
Now I guess you know why you ought to consider getting a toaster oven as well. They are more functional and energy efficient.
With that in mind, let us look at a brief history of the toaster, so you can appreciate how far this invention has come.
History of the toaster
Electric toasters have been in existence for less than a decade. However, consuming bread has been a renowned practice over the last 6,000 years and people have been toasting their bread since the time of the Romans.
Before the invention of the electric toaster, individuals toasted bread over open fires with the help of a wide array of simple tools. Just like today, toasting bread back then was more than just a way to preserve it.
It changed its nature and the bread because crunchier, sweeter, and the surface became a great place to spread all sorts of things.
If you’re interested in the history of the toaster, it’s worth noting that the invention of the electric toaster was a collaborative effort over time. The first commercially successful electric toaster was introduced by Frank Shailor of General Electric in 1909, known as the D-12 model. This model toasted bread on one side at a time and required manual flipping. Later advancements led to the development of the pop-up toaster by Charles Strite in 1919, which automatically ejected the toast when done.
Understanding these basics will not only help you appreciate the appliance but also guide you in selecting the best toaster for your needs.
