New toaster

[jeffg]

Our circa-1970 Toastmaster is finally on its last legs, and we're looking to replace it with a KitchenAid KMTT400 4-slice. We'd appreciate any first-hand experience from AWers on this model or any others you like.

Thanks all!

Amazon.com

 

[ronhic]

How about this....

...a lovely Sunbeam toastermatic

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[douglasdc6]

I was thinking the same , Why not buy youre toaster off e-bay & save youreself $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[kenwashesmonday]

I've been using the same 1930s Toastmaster 1B6 for 20+ years. There's always a few on eBay.

Ken

 

[petek]

The Kitchenaid toaster looks nice and all and it may be a very good toaster, only using it will tell,however it is made in China or Asia no doubt as are all KA small appliances except for the stand mixers. If that means anything, to some people it does, to some it doesn't. Thing is I don't think there are any toasters made in the US or western world anymore so you have to buy vintage to get one.
BTW I'm not an anti-China snob I have plenty o made in China appliances myself.
One of the best most consistent toasters has always been the budget low priced Proctor Silex two slicers that have been on the market now for decades and still are. They generally cost $20 or less. Nothing beats em for toasting but they are boring LOL
Here's the 4 slice version of the budge 2 slice Proctor

 

[jeffg]

Thanks, but as far as I know, none of the vintage or low-end toasters have the features we're looking for: 1.5" slots, two levers instead of one for four slices, and a bagel setting (which toasts just one side of the bread). We eat more English muffins and bagels than toast, and a bagel setting would be great.

 

[chuffle]

I hear ya...

I still use the Sunbeam toaster that my parents received for their wedding in 1954, and it is still going strong. That being said, the toaster does not like today's thick bagels, and so I went on a search for a toaster that I could drag out when I wanted a bagel or two. The problem is that many of the toasters that I tried (I tried six different models, and returned five) just are plain wimpy when toasting. One, the retro look Hamilton Beach toasted light on the darkest of settings. I finally found an Oster (uglier than sin, but I hide it away when I am not using it) that does bagels well (has the bagel setting), and I think that this toaster also comes with four slots.

Good luck in your search,

Joe

Robot or human?

 

[chuffle]

Here is the Oster ...

...with four slots, at Best Buy.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8388602&type=product&id=1179876289137&ref=06&loc=01&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=8388602

 

[frigilux]

I have had an electronic slimline 2-slice KitchenAid toaster for....oh, I'd guess 8-10 years, and it's excellent.

 

[petek]

Well that's the whole point of collecting to make sure you have the right appliance for the right items.. one is never enough. I don't know how anyone can get by with less than 5 toasters to choose from, I really don't. HA

Bagels you say, Texas toast maybe? Well GE had solution years ago with their ever so retro open faced radiant toaster and it's handsome

 

[washendry]

TOASTERS

how about 300, I started collecting them in 1995 when my brother told me the washers were getting too heavy!! (I've added many since then), The GE is your best bet, Good luck finding one,
Kim

 

[frigilux]

JeffG: Consumer Reports rates KitchenAid toasters near the top---except for the $250 ProLine model, which is quite far down the list.

The model you're considering isn't listed at their website, but the user reviews for it at Amazon looked stellar. I think you've found a winner!

If I were to purchase a new toaster, it would be this model by KitchenAid, which toasts four slices/bagels/muffins, but is a slimline model, which accommodates my counter space issues. It is also $99.00

 

[toggleswitch2]

Toaster?

I've never owned a toaster. Find a toaster-oven more practical.

How's this for "just-about" vintage? New unit with retro styling.

 

[toggleswitch2]

Would you believe I justt finsied cleaning that thing with Windex. Damn camera!

 

[jeffg]

Thanks. One feature that caught our eye about the KA KMTT was its electronic heat sensor.. Consumersearch.com mentions it's one of a few toasters that automatically adjust, to compensate for increased heat when running multiple cycles. Our Toastmaster is terrible in this respect: by the third cycle, bread comes out badly charred.

The site also mentions durability issues and problems with uneven browning on the KTT570:

http://www.consumersearch.com/toasters/review

 

[moonvalleycacti]

I am with toggs
A good toaster oven will work best for that stuff

I have a cuisinart toaster and its not great

 

[passatdoc]

not overly impressed with mine (340 series)

I have the two slice KA 340 series white model, but not the long model. It's the one with the standard length slots, though they are wide enough to handle bagles. Not very impressed with it. To toast French bread, you have to use maximum heat and even then it's underdone. Toasting is still rather uneven for a $60 MSRP toaster. The bagel feature and warm feature are pretty good.

I bought it to replace an Oster wide slot toaster that was a good deal for $20 but half the heating wires were gone. I had a store credit at Robinsons-May (now Macys) and was limited to the models they had in the store. My model was the only KA model they had in stock; I think this was after Christmas and they had not yet restocked. The color and size were nice, but in restrospect I would rather have had the wide slot model.

 

[~sudsshane]

Sunbeam "Radiant Control" Toaster

Buy one of these, you'll be glad you did!

This is a 1957, (T-20C), Sunbeam "Radiant Control" Toaster that I bought off Ebay 2 months ago. I expected it to be in great condition, but when I received it, I was amazed at how MINT the toaster was. Not a scratch on it, and barely used.

 

[charbee]

Stay away from the Cuisinart...it's a piece of junk. We bought one because it was RED and we thought it would be groovy to have a toaster that matched the Chambers. Big mistake. We have to toast most things TWICE to get the brownness we like (even with it turned to maximum brown), and it toasts unevenly, so that you have to take the toast out, turn it over and flip it, or else the top will be done and the bottom will be soft. In the summer in Texas, we really have to keep our whole-grain bread in the fridge, or else it's moldy in a day or two, and the Cuisinart toaster is a total wimp with 'fridged bread. Wish we'd never gotten it! Looking for a great vintage one on eBay right now!