Why is it impossible to find a decent toaster ?

[dazco]

davek_964 said:

They've already refunded me, so I have to send it back now. I may try again at some point - tempted to see if John Lewis can plug them in and make sure they work properly before buying.

They have already refunded you?

That seems an unusual and dangerous policy

[davek_964]

dazco said:

They have already refunded you?

That seems an unusual and dangerous policy

Yep, I was surprised myself. But that's what they've done and under my order history it says they've refunded me and they are expecting me to return it. I have a deadline of 3rd March - if they don't get it by then, then they simply bill me again apparently.

[Rick101]

Seems like good customer service to me.

[dazco]

davek_964 said:

dazco said:

They have already refunded you?

That seems an unusual and dangerous policy

Yep, I was surprised myself. But that's what they've done and under my order history it says they've refunded me and they are expecting me to return it. I have a deadline of 3rd March - if they don't get it by then, then they simply bill me again apparently.

I like this policy. Do they sell motorbikes?

[Frybywire]

I have this one.

http://www.johnlewis.com/graef-4-slice-long-slot-t...

Toasts the bread very evenly across the slice.

[beanbag]

Madness! £150 on a toaster!

My sis and bro-in-law bought some fancy number for a similar price as part of their wedding gifts. It lasted about a year.

I have a £15 two-slice toaster from Morrisons. It takes everything I throw at it and has lasted 6 years since I moved to Spain. I usually have a couple slices of toast each day.

Use your money on car parts and not toasters man!

[Pothole]

dazco said:

RicksAlfas said:

I don't understand the hate for Dualit. Our four slicer has been going strong for nearly 20 years.

I like the fact it doesn't pop up. It keeps the toast warm when it's finished, and it's easy to see how it's getting on during the toasting, which can be useful if you are toasting something new and exotic. Like brown bread. Heston's "just see how it's doing" and "put it back in a bit longer" is the same thing, but button based for modern types.

The Dualit does not fully toast Warburton sized bread, it has a noisy timer, it does not toast evenly and from the day you get it the elements start deteriorating.

It actually does nothing well and is one of the most expensive toasters out there

I don't buy vile supersized white bread so size is not an issue, the timer ticks fairly quietly as far as I can tell, but then my kitchen is a kitchen, not a library. I've had it for 15 years approx and it still toasts evenly just as it did when I bought it...maybe their quality control is patchy and I just got a good one, who knows?

[sgrimshaw]

Had a De'Longhi Icona Vintage for a few years now:

http://www.johnlewis.com/de'longhi-icona-vintage-4...

Everything I've wanted to put into it "fits" and it toasts quickly and evenly.

Being a fan of Bagels, that particular setting gets used a lot and it works well.

[sgrimshaw]

JKRolling said:

You can buy the Sage by heston toaster for about £100 from JL or Amazon. Still expensive but if its that good ......

There are two models, one is £170, the other is £100. JL sell both.

[Riley Blue]

sgrimshaw said:

JKRolling said:

You can buy the Sage by heston toaster for about £100 from JL or Amazon. Still expensive but if its that good ......

There are two models, one is £170, the other is £100. JL sell both.

Both made by Breville but not (as far as I can see) sold under their own name in the UK.

[Gareth1974]

rsbmw said:

I think this is the one we have

http://www.argos.co.uk/beta/static/Product/partNum...

Now that I realise the wife spent £50 on it, I'm less cocky.

I bought that model a couple of weeks ago, seems OK. It was only £25 when I bought it though.

[PugwasHDJ80]

dazco said:

rsbmw said:

I think this is the one we have

http://www.argos.co.uk/beta/static/Product/partNum...

Now that I realise the wife spent £50 on it, I'm less cocky.

We have one of these- its been running well for 5-6 years and makes very nice toast!

[Bebee]

I have a catering Rowlett 8 Slice Toaster, it was left over from a cafe we used to have.
Bullet proof and well made, with replaceable elements, though we only use two or four max of the slots.


Here's one for the large family:

[davek_964]

I am finding myself surprisingly disappointed that I had to send the posh toaster back. Think it's very likely I'll be getting another one within the next week, and hopefully it will have a decent set of elements on it.

[thetapeworm]

My previous Russell Hobbs toaster had a bagel setting that would only toast the sliced face of the bagel and then warm the outside to a nice soft finish, it also let you set different heats per side (4 slice toaster, settings per 2 slices) and would pop-up at different times. Unfortunately it started to fuse the house whenever it was used so it was replaced with a similar looking De'Longhi one that offers none of these nice features, doesn't cope with Warburtons and laughs when you put a slice of Jackson's sliced bloomer anywhere near.

I fancy a 4 slice Sage or a "just make me some decent toast with no gimmicks" Graef next, maybe if there is a sale on.

[Silent1]

Look, it's simple, you need an oil fired aga and a tennis racket, put it on the hot ring and close the lid keeping it wedged slightly open so it doesn't crush the bread, turn halfway through and it's perfect.
It makes a £150 toaster look cheap, althought i suppose you could do breakfast with it too?

[knk]

I prefer to lay the bread directly on the plate, rarely bother with the toasting grill.

Silent1 said:

Look, it's simple, you need an oil fired aga and a tennis racket, put it on the hot ring and close the lid keeping it wedged slightly open so it doesn't crush the bread, turn halfway through and it's perfect.
It makes a £150 toaster look cheap, althought i suppose you could do breakfast with it too?

[Audidodat]

I had a look at a Dualit in Costco this week. For the money being asked the thing is a PoS. The buttons and dials feel cheaper (literally) than the £9.99 job we bought from Sainsbury's a couple of years ago. That thing doesn't manage full size slices, hence lookintz, by I won't be investing in a Dualst.

[devnull]

I've had a Kenwood "response" toaster since around 2007 - a motor moves the bread up and down and you have a progress bar to check progress. It has lasted far far longer than I ever thought it would. Does a bloody good job too, was only around £30.

[zollburgers]

AB said:

More annoying is most toasters that won't fit a slice of Warburtons in due to it being longer than 'normal'.

I had a fantastic toaster but it too wouldn't fit larger slices in properly so I donated it to the office kitchen. My colleague at he time put the bread in sideways when he saw it wouldn't fit lengthways and I felt pretty stupid.