My problem is that one of my families' favorite breads is my Italian garlic, and it makes perfect slices that measure about one third the height of regular bread, so I can't put it in a regular pop-up toaster without having to fish around to remove it. I like the quality of toast from a pop-up toaster better than from a toaster oven because it has the advantage of allowing the toast to cool off quicker than the toaster oven and that makes a better texture of toast, crisp on the surface and not as dry in the middle, and you can handle it a few seconds sooner. I also like the convenience of not having to open the door on the toaster oven and risk hand burns reaching inside.
I went looking for a mini pop-up toaster and haven't found one anywhere. I did a web search and came up empty handed but I'm sure I'm not the only one who has ever thought of this. That brings me here with what I have in mind to see if anyone thinks this is truly unique.
“This toaster would be half the length, width, and height of a regular pop-up toaster. It's purpose is to allow you to toast those small pieces of bread without having to fish them out of the regular size pop-up or from having to open the toaster oven and risk a hand burn. The pop-up also has the advantage of allowing the toast to cool off quicker than the toaster oven leaving it with a better texture and you can handle it a few seconds sooner.”
I also like the fact that it could save me space, and time that I spend cleaning crumbs out of the toaster oven.-- UfosOverChina, Feb 11 2003 Building the world's smallest toaster http://home.pacifie...imcser/toaster.html [half, Oct 04 2004] (?) Use one of these http://www.patented...20Bkpg/edicraft.htm [angel, Oct 04 2004] Baked (or is that toasted) - our toaster has a feature where you can lift up the slidy thing you place the bread in, so that you can pick out smaller pieces without fiddling around with knives and hot wires. I see them all over the place in kitchen appliance shops in the UK - not that I've got a thing about kitchen appliances, not me, oh no...-- PeterSilly, Feb 11 2003 I wouldn't have thought this was an idea that deserved much consideration before [Ufos]'s well-written posting. If you are well aware of a product that performs to [Ufos]'s rather precise specifications, [Peter Silly], then add the appropriate link instead of making me guess what you know and I don't.-- jurist, Feb 11 2003 We have one of these, it's a Kenwood I think. I'll have to check on that later.-- 8th of 7, Feb 11 2003 Plastic tongs always handled this problem for me.-- waugsqueke, Feb 11 2003 Probably would conserve a bit of electricity, too, by not toasting the area where the toast isn't.-- lurch, Feb 11 2003 Maybe you could get one of those "George Foreman" grill things then ? It would be a kindness.
[lurch] A toaster with a variable geometry mirror and IR emitter that adjusted the footprint of the beam to match the shape pf the slice of bread would be amazing - nearly as good as a laser toaster (doesn't work by the way, the surface of the bread just chars). I would buy one of those. Especially if it had an 802.11 link to my PDA so I could monitor the toasting process from another room.
(NB [UB] sp. "toatser")-- 8th of 7, Feb 11 2003 Get Verne Troyer to be your best man.-- waugsqueke, Feb 11 2003 [waugs] - that would make Richard Whiteley groan.-- sild, Feb 11 2003 Can't find a link but my "Presto Bread Machine Toaster" handles tall slices, small slices, thick slices, etc. and has "the feature where you can lift up the slidy thing" to remove small items. Works great for stuff as small as 2.75 inches high and can toast slices as tall as 5.5 maybe 6 inches. But, it's nowhere near the diminutive size you're calling for.-- half, Feb 11 2003 I once pulled a medical X-ray machine apart and was intrigued by the system of lead "barn door" shutters inside the head used to control the beam spread. Now, if you had an intense infrared source (easy enough) and a collimator tube and some shutters driven by stepper motors you could match the shape of the IR beam to the shape of the bread. All you need is two of these and a way of holding the bread by the edge only.-- 8th of 7, Feb 11 2003 Yes, reminds me of "like a cake, only bigger" as well.-- snarfyguy, Feb 11 2003 Snarfy, wasn't that pie?
I thought this was a toaster to use in a mini. Plug it into the cigarette lighter and hey presto, toast on the move. Complete with set of those miniature jamjars you can't get your finger into (even with the lid off).
UB, is a toatser especially for oatmeal bread?-- egbert, Feb 11 2003 Yeah, maybe it was pie, I forget. I like your toast on the move notion [egbert]: I picture Mr. Bean in fast moving traffic, steering with his knee and barely missing collisions as he's buttering his toast, rooting around under the pedals for the jam jar lid, etc.-- snarfyguy, Feb 11 2003 Would you settle for a cheap and easy workaround?
I propose an "extender" for the metal bread holder bit.. Say differently sized pairs of rectangular metal boxes.
You could simply place one in the toaser that corresponded to the height of the bread. It could also be dented in the centre so that smaller round peices don't run away.
Then you: a) Wouldn't have to worry about fishing around in the toaster for a smaller peice of toast, and b) wouldn't need a whole new toaster
That being said; I would still look at a mini-toaster in a sharper image catalog and want it, though I would have no use for it ;)-- JackandJohn, Feb 11 2003 Yes, bliss, I think everyone likes a good forking now and then.
UB, when I first read this idea I had an image of someone popping the cork on some champers to "toast" the new Mini. Well, OK, I didn't really, but it sounds pretty good, eh?
Ufos, why not place your regular toatser.. toster.. toaser.. taoster.. bread-browner on its side and let the warm slices fly out onto an adjacent plate at the completion of the cycle? No hand burns (unless you like that sort of thing), no unnecessary handling of toast, heck you could even cover the plate with butter so when the warm toast lands it would be elf-buttering! How convenient is that?-- Canuck, Feb 12 2003 Toaster gimballs ? all you need is a trunnion at each side.-- 8th of 7, Feb 12 2003 /when the warm toast lands it would be elf-buttering! How convenient is that//
Not very, since it will then be butter side down.-- egbert, Feb 12 2003 Thanks all. Looks like I'll have to do the extra lift thing. Still would like the mini though.
I guess the greatest thing yet is still just sliced bread.
"...what's the big deal? You got a knife and a loaf of bread. Slice the dam thing and get on with your life." George Carlin-- UfosOverChina, Feb 12 2003 [Ufos] - Here's my handy tip for the day. It is possible to get stuck pieces of toasted goods out by rapidly pulling the plunger/handle/button thing upwards, and then catching the item as it partially pops out the top. I have rescued many a crumpet this way.-- sild, Feb 12 2003 Mega Pie. I think it was. Like pie only bigger.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 12 2003 baked on all the toasters i've had-- -----, Oct 24 2004 <pedantic>my families' favorite : how many families do you have?</pedantic>-- neilp, Oct 25 2004 random, halfbakery