New toaster
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Jim----Your 340 series KA toaster is at the top of Consumer Reports' ratings, scoring an 82. "Range Of Color" was only 'Good', but "Full Batch" (consistency of color with 2 slices of bread) and "Successive Batches" (consistency of color when making consecutive batches) were both 'Excellent'. "Ease Of Use" (how easy controls are to operate and read) was 'Very Good'.
The so-so "Range Of Color" score would account for your issues with it not toasting French bread to your liking on the first try. I wonder if manufacturers are dialing back the 'dark' end of the toasting scale in order to avoid smoke-outs and toast-related fires due to careless consumer usage?
Right behind it was a $15 Proctor/Silex with 80 points. I'd call that a good value.
JeffG----After reading the many glowing user reviews of the toaster you're looking at, I ordered one, too! I have people over for a big brunch on a regular basis, and have always thought it would be nice to have a 4-slice toaster to speed up the job.
The long, 4-slice slimline KA toaster (the black toaster pictured a few posts up the thread) had consistently horrible user reviews at Amazon, so I decided against that one.
I also ordered a TOL 9-speed KA hand mixer (in blue, as it was on sale for $55), as my old GE is showing its age. The KA hand mixer is almost always at the top of reviews at Consumer Reports and Cook's Illustrated, both of whose tests I generally trust.
I guess its small appliance month at my house, LOL!
The so-so "Range Of Color" score would account for your issues with it not toasting French bread to your liking on the first try. I wonder if manufacturers are dialing back the 'dark' end of the toasting scale in order to avoid smoke-outs and toast-related fires due to careless consumer usage?
Right behind it was a $15 Proctor/Silex with 80 points. I'd call that a good value.
JeffG----After reading the many glowing user reviews of the toaster you're looking at, I ordered one, too! I have people over for a big brunch on a regular basis, and have always thought it would be nice to have a 4-slice toaster to speed up the job.
The long, 4-slice slimline KA toaster (the black toaster pictured a few posts up the thread) had consistently horrible user reviews at Amazon, so I decided against that one.
I also ordered a TOL 9-speed KA hand mixer (in blue, as it was on sale for $55), as my old GE is showing its age. The KA hand mixer is almost always at the top of reviews at Consumer Reports and Cook's Illustrated, both of whose tests I generally trust.
I guess its small appliance month at my house, LOL!
We had a KA like the black one Eugene posted. Too often we had to turn it to its highest setting to get any browning action.
I got fed up and ditched it in the garage and pulled out the trusty 50's vintage Sunbeam Radiant Control I will never part with, and once again we had great toasting action. The problem with this model is that it prefers a standard slice of bread, nothing "artisan" and certainly no bagels. So unless it was typical sandwich bread, you couldn't be certain it would toast right or even lower the bread at all.
A few months ago we were at Tuesday Morning and found a KA Pro Line series for half price. It was the only one there. The thing looked indestructible and weighs 10 pounds, and was the right industrial grey color. So far it's been fine. I like the manual raising and lowering--after the Sunbeam who knew? You can check the bread for doneness without shutting the machine down. You can keep one slice down in the well to stay warm while buttering the other. And the machine blends in well with the heavy duty large appliances in the kitchen. Comes with a no-nonsense guarantee that provides full replacement. I wouldn't pay full price for one, but a subsequent trip to TM produced another one on their shelves for the same price we paid. If interested, that would be the place to check.
The last place I'd look for reviews on toasters in CR. Way too many bum steers from them in recent years on various items, as witnessed by their low rating of the Pro Line toasters. Perhaps they rated it from a value perspective. They are indeed overpriced at full retail.
Ralph
I got fed up and ditched it in the garage and pulled out the trusty 50's vintage Sunbeam Radiant Control I will never part with, and once again we had great toasting action. The problem with this model is that it prefers a standard slice of bread, nothing "artisan" and certainly no bagels. So unless it was typical sandwich bread, you couldn't be certain it would toast right or even lower the bread at all.
A few months ago we were at Tuesday Morning and found a KA Pro Line series for half price. It was the only one there. The thing looked indestructible and weighs 10 pounds, and was the right industrial grey color. So far it's been fine. I like the manual raising and lowering--after the Sunbeam who knew? You can check the bread for doneness without shutting the machine down. You can keep one slice down in the well to stay warm while buttering the other. And the machine blends in well with the heavy duty large appliances in the kitchen. Comes with a no-nonsense guarantee that provides full replacement. I wouldn't pay full price for one, but a subsequent trip to TM produced another one on their shelves for the same price we paid. If interested, that would be the place to check.
The last place I'd look for reviews on toasters in CR. Way too many bum steers from them in recent years on various items, as witnessed by their low rating of the Pro Line toasters. Perhaps they rated it from a value perspective. They are indeed overpriced at full retail.
Ralph
Ralph, when we started scouting a new toaster we first looked at Hobart's commercial models, but finding one of these in relatively new condition has been impossible, and we certainly can't afford to buy it new. They're nearly $600! Also, their 2-slice model (ET13) is the only one that runs on 110V, the 4-slicers are all 220V.
JeffG--- I'll post my review of the toaster when it arrives, probably late next week if it ships by this Monday. In fact, I'll post pics of the bagels, English muffins, and toast it produces.
Jeff, I'm not familiar with Hobart toasters but they sound intriguing. Since KA and Hobart are no longer associated, I presume their Pro series wouldn't resemble anything Hobart makes. But they do have a commercial look and are indestructible on the outside, and cost significantly less than a Hobart. As long as the heating elements and the rotary control hold up, this could be the last toaster we have had to buy.
I do have a Toastmaster 1B6 around somewhere but haven't used it in years. To me, that type of styling looks better on a table than a counter.
And I agree Cuisinart makes junk. And their service is awful. Sounds like you were intending to steer clear of them anyway.
Ralph
I do have a Toastmaster 1B6 around somewhere but haven't used it in years. To me, that type of styling looks better on a table than a counter.
And I agree Cuisinart makes junk. And their service is awful. Sounds like you were intending to steer clear of them anyway.
Ralph
I have the single slot KA black plastic toaster, and I think it's pretty good.
Before that I had a Cuisinart single slot that simply didn't work right. The catch stopped gripping, so it was hit or miss when you loaded the bread if it wouldn't pop up immediately with no toasting.
Before that, I had a Rowenta (made in Germany) single slot toaster with a single heat tube on each side and a parabolic reflector that seemed to work pretty good. I think I still have it somewhere - if not, I got one for my Mom at the same time and when I cleaned out her apartment there it was. So I know I have at least one in a box somewhere.
The reason why I replaced the Rowenta was because I was into making bread, and most toasters won't hold a piece of bread maker bread deep enough to toast all of it. I guess that's what toaster ovens are for, but my Oster digital convection toaster oven needs about five minutes to warm up before it will make a decent piece of toast. Panasonic makes an advanced quick heating halogen toaster oven, pricey and small, but if I were really into artisan toast that's what I'd get.
Before that I had a Cuisinart single slot that simply didn't work right. The catch stopped gripping, so it was hit or miss when you loaded the bread if it wouldn't pop up immediately with no toasting.
Before that, I had a Rowenta (made in Germany) single slot toaster with a single heat tube on each side and a parabolic reflector that seemed to work pretty good. I think I still have it somewhere - if not, I got one for my Mom at the same time and when I cleaned out her apartment there it was. So I know I have at least one in a box somewhere.
The reason why I replaced the Rowenta was because I was into making bread, and most toasters won't hold a piece of bread maker bread deep enough to toast all of it. I guess that's what toaster ovens are for, but my Oster digital convection toaster oven needs about five minutes to warm up before it will make a decent piece of toast. Panasonic makes an advanced quick heating halogen toaster oven, pricey and small, but if I were really into artisan toast that's what I'd get.
In the past I've seen "real" commercial toasters at the Costco Business Center in Hayward. These are the ones that have conveyor belts to turn out high volumes of toast. I think whoever buys one here would have to wear a hairnet and snap their chewing gum in order to operation it. Haven't seen any of these recently, though.
I've also seen various "commercial" pop up style toasters at the same store. For some reason I've not been all that impressed, perhaps because of my bread machine form factor I'm always looking for an extra-deep popup toaster.Nobody seems to make one.
I've also seen various "commercial" pop up style toasters at the same store. For some reason I've not been all that impressed, perhaps because of my bread machine form factor I'm always looking for an extra-deep popup toaster.Nobody seems to make one.
