Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

I love this thread.

Back around 1951 dad bought mom a Sunbeam toaster for their anniversary. We were poor dirt/dairy farmers, anniversary gifts had to be useful.

It came to pass mom & dad split and somewhere along the way she wanted a new and better toaster - one of those "four slice" jobbies

I jumped at the chance to inherit that old Sunbeam, as nothing I owned in this modern world made toast as good as the Sunbeam. I wasn't alone in that thinking - many's the time a visitor would comment at how good the toast tasted

It lived everywhere, always being carefully packed, the word TOASTER! scrawled across the box, and placed last in the moving truck. Last meant first off and if we didn't eat anything else in the frenzie of settling in, we ate the best toast in the world

It came with me to my current residence in 2003 -- in a very weakened state but still "toasting" the best toast ever.

Finally, in 2004, it passed away. No big hoopla, just a quiet last effort of the heating elements trying to fire up but were just "too tired to do this anymore".

I have had several lousy rotten toasters since 2004. The first replacement being a Sunbeam because of the Old Timers great track record. It didn't last a year.

None of them have lasted much more than a year. We now buy cheap ones because they're going to soon crash and burn, anyway.

The worst kick in the pants? None of them, NONE of THEM can make toast as good as that old Sunbeam.

Still sadly missed for many reasons but proving once again: "nothing lasts forever, not even quality"

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

Oh, such a sad tale Julie (RIP Sunbeam)
George, you fool I'm certainly browned off!

My toaster at the moment is a 4 slicer but it won't take four normal slices from a cut loaf..unless you are willing to turn them over when it pops . Uncut and tobblers - don't even bother. Crumpets, well what a disaster, they stuck to the elements and set the smoke alarms off for a couple of days. We are now using the oven grill and my sparkling white 4 slicer? well it is sitting on the worktop (can a toaster look smug??) well it knows it doesn't have to commit hari kari any time soon.

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

All toasters that on earth do dwell, crumb to crumb, crust to crust. We return thee to the element from whence thee came in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection as a soup can.

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

Whilst this is not relevant to toasters one of the best pieces of advice I was ever given when I first started off in electronics was that when you buy a new piece of electronic equipment as soon as you get it home run it continuously for twenty four hours.

If it lasts the 24 hours it will generally outlast its warranty by a long way, if it is going to fail then it will fail in that period. I cannot tell you how many times that has proved to be the case.

The best thing is that if it does fail taking an item back the next day is a pretty sure way of getting a replacement rather than a repair.

Getting back to the topic... One of life's unanswered questions is why does my toaster have a scale of 1 to 9 when it burns even frozen bread at a setting of 4? Which engineer came up with that idea?

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

Hilarious, George.

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

Well done Hammer this is a beauty.

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

I only posted a little of the eulogy as I was fearful of incurring the wrath of the League of gentlemen toaster protectors. ( LOGTP)

The last time I offended they sent a very singed pop tart through the post as a warning against other transgressions.

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

Bruce, I'd never thought of the scale of burnicity! But you're right.
An amazing burial picture George..
So you are a wanted man by the LOGTP? Sounds serious that singed pop tart - a dire warning indeed!

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

Not a crumpet or a muffin but a pop tart you have indeed brought the wrath of the dark lord (whose name should not be mentioned) on your yourself

Re: Do toasters commit suicide?

Not just small appliances Jan a couple of weeks ago within days of ordering a new Bosch washing machine from Boots Electrical a woman rang me ostensible to discuss delivery arrangements but within seconds she was trying to sell me an extended warranty for life if I paid x amount of £ every month .
She said the appliance was not likely to last more than 5 years to which I replied I had better cancel my order then if that was the best I could expect as the last one lasted 16 years. The woman waffled on trying to cover her confusion until I got sick of her and put the phone down.