Speaking of toasters

[sudsmaster]

I was in Kmart yesterday... looking for Martha's old wicker bushel baskets... and spotted something interesting over in the toaster aisle.

It's a combination toaster-oven, but not what you think. It's got a long slot on top for regular toast, and then the side of the toaster (glass) flips down, and you can bake on a little tray inside it, after flipping a horizontal lever that closes off the slot on top.

I'm not quite sure if I'd ever need such a device, but I thought it was pretty cool. It combined the see-through aspect of the Arize! toaster, with the practicality of having a little baking capability thrown it (I think it might be able to handle not much more than a few muffins, some bite-size quiche, or maybe a micro pizza).

Don't recall the mfg, but something low end like Sunbeam or Proctor-Silex. Alas, no boxed ones on the shelf, anyway.

And yes, Kmart was a total zoo yesterday. I was going to buy some other stuff, but got disgusted with the long lines (only two registers open) and left empty handed.

 

[petek]

Nah... it's a new Hamilton Beach Toast-station which is simply a re-introduction of the original Proctor-Silex from the 60's and 70's. HB bought out Proctor Silex. I have one of the original PS models, someone else does as well on here.

 

[toggleswitch]

Speaking of toasters......

Has anyone seen the Cusinart toaster that is a blatant *interpretation* of the older GEs with the flip-up door?

There it was staring at me in Bed, bath and beyond bitchy.

http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/product.php?product_id=391&item_id=487&cat_id=15

 

[petek]

Yes I saw the Cuisinart knock off, more Chinois fakery.

 

[sudsmaster]

It may be made in China, but I bet it was a Westerner who performed the redesign.

 

[brettsomers]

mouth DROPPING to the FLOOR!!!

i cannot BELIEVE that cuisinart!!! OUTRAGE! suppose GE patents are expired. blatant indeed! i often dream of the classic Hoover Convertible returning in its metal base style, sold as a heavy duty vacuum, with a metal impeller and the classic Hoover agitator. but IF it ever was, chances are it would be made in China. thus, it would not be a REAL Hoover. if that cuisinart toaster is made in China, it prolly cost 2 cents to put together, and they want 120 dollars?! for 120 dollars, i will buy a REAL GE toaster made in America (insert flag waving here)!

 

[sudsmaster]

Brett,

I might be wrong, but I don't think there are any longer any "real" GE toasters made in America, not for any price. GE sold off its small appliance division to B&D decades ago...

Of course, $120 would probably bring you a very nice vintage GE toaster.

 

[brettsomers]

Of course, $120 would probably bring you a very nice vintage

of course!

 

[petek]

And that's what is so maddening about paying $120 for a made in China toaster or more than double that for the KA Pro Line also made in China. You know it only cost them a few dollars to manufacture it. The shipping per toaster is minimal if not about the same price as what it cost to make the toaster but probably less. So you're looking at maybe $10 total of which the Chinese workers wage who made it will be only a few pennies over the course of the hundreds or thousands they'll have part in making one of thousands in the course of a work week.

 

[portendere]

Just wondering

are there any toasters assembled in the US anymore?

I'm pretty sure there are some UK-built ones.

 

[petek]

Not that I'm aware of in fact the only consumer kitchen appliance left I think is the classic KA stand mixer. Their hand mixers are now made in China as are all the other KA small appliances.

 

[brettsomers]

about two years ago i COULD NOT find a clothes iron at wal-mart made in the US OR mexico! all china. nothing against China, i love chinese food! (j/k!)

 

[tolivac]

There is a 2 slot "commercial" Toastmaster Toaster that was built in Elgin Ill. at my workplace-its brand new.I saw a KA food processor at Linens and Things that was built in China-Looked pretty flimsy compared to the French built one that I have now-bought it many years ago.

 

[gansky1]

I've seen several of these new models and have been less than impressed. It always looks as if cleaning these things is made to be nearly impossible, but that is the idea I suppose, planned obsolecence.

A few months back we were seeing original NIB GE toaster ovens going for hundreds of dollars on eBay and although it still sounds crazy, you can kind of see why when you stare at the new models long enough.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[veg-o-matic]

Yep, that's the same model I unload...er sold for like $185 a few months ago.

Still, even at that price and vintage, it'll probably outlast the Cuisinart.

veg

 

[petek]

I sold two of them on Ebay, luckily I've found two more. Actually they're also a bitch to clean. No provisions were made for that chore.

 

[sudsmaster]

I have been less than impressed with Cuisinart's offerings in general for the past 10 years or so. Their original food processor, which I have, is fine. But their toasters have been flimsy for quite a while. I agree that the GE-knock off is overpriced, but I thought the web site said that it had a soil-resisting inner lining.

The situation we're in... we have our president apologizing for an American citizen pointing out the the Chinese government murders people, enslaves others, and persecutes various religions. It is all about the money, of course... with China's government bank holding the bulk of our national debt, we are soon to pay the piper. Eventually I think our own wages will drop so low that we'll be exporting shoddy US-made goods to China. LOL.