We were discussing the need for a new toaster within the last 10 days
or so. I had looked at some Black & Decker, Amazon Basics, and maybe
another brand at Amazon.com. I also believe I had misidentified my
present toaster as a B&D, but it is a Hamilton Beach brand. No matter.

Anyway, I opted for a 'Gourmet Elite' at Amazon and before tax, it was
$15 and some change, free shipping. It's a black, cool sided model and
I was a bit surprised as the outer body is about ¼ smaller than my present
model. However, it takes full-size slices of bread, English muffins, and
bagels. It also has a cancel button which pops up the bread immediately.
This model had several great reviews, too.

Test run last night after doing 4 or 5 preheating's to remove any 'new
plastic' smell I did two slices of raisin toast. The browning selection
I chose produced excellent results. Of course, there are other more
expensive brands to be had there, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just
toast, no need for something costlier to use once or twice per week.

ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
> We were discussing the need for a new toaster within the last 10 days
> or so.  I had looked at some Black & Decker, Amazon Basics, and maybe
> another brand at Amazon.com.  I also believe I had misidentified my
> present toaster as a B&D, but it is a Hamilton Beach brand.  No matter.
>
> Anyway, I opted for a 'Gourmet Elite' at Amazon and before tax, it was
> $15 and some change, free shipping.  It's a black, cool sided model and
> I was a bit surprised as the outer body is about ¼ smaller than my present
> model.  However, it takes full-size slices of bread, English muffins, and
> bagels.  It also has a cancel button which pops up the bread immediately.
> This model had several great reviews, too.
>
> Test run last night after doing 4 or 5 preheating's to remove any 'new
> plastic' smell I did two slices of raisin toast.  The browning selection I
> chose produced excellent results.  Of course, there are other more
> expensive brands to be had there, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just
> toast, no need for something costlier to use once or twice per week.

Thanks! That sounds like it might be a good choice. It's not expensive and
does the job, and that's all I expect from such an appliance. I don't need
a toaster that has 117 settings and also logs onto the internet and tells
me the weather and news at breakfast :)

On 2024-02-28 3:46 p.m., ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
> We were discussing the need for a new toaster within the last 10 days
> or so.  I had looked at some Black & Decker, Amazon Basics, and maybe
> another brand at Amazon.com.  I also believe I had misidentified my
> present toaster as a B&D, but it is a Hamilton Beach brand.  No matter.
>
> Anyway, I opted for a 'Gourmet Elite' at Amazon and before tax, it was
> $15 and some change, free shipping.  It's a black, cool sided model and
> I was a bit surprised as the outer body is about ¼ smaller than my present
> model.  However, it takes full-size slices of bread, English muffins, and
> bagels.  It also has a cancel button which pops up the bread immediately.
> This model had several great reviews, too.
>
> Test run last night after doing 4 or 5 preheating's to remove any 'new
> plastic' smell I did two slices of raisin toast.  The browning selection
> I chose produced excellent results.  Of course, there are other more
> expensive brands to be had there, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just
> toast, no need for something costlier to use once or twice per week.

Glad you are happy with your new toaster. I bought a Breville smart
toaster in the early days of the pandemic. It was a splurge. I had to
order it online and then pick it up curbside. It was also a 30 mile
drive to the store. I have been extremely happy with it. It took me a
few tries to learn how the controls were graduated but once I figured
that out I was set. It has settings for frozen bread and for bagels.
Sometimes I have to adjust the lever a little more or less cooking. I
know that the sour dough needs a little longer and that bagels need
less. I can count on my previous experiences to adjust the time and it
never lets me down.

Hank Rogers wrote:

> ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>> We were discussing the need for a new toaster within the last 10 days
>> or so.  I had looked at some Black & Decker, Amazon Basics, and maybe
>> another brand at Amazon.com.  I also believe I had misidentified my
>> present toaster as a B&D, but it is a Hamilton Beach brand.  No matter.
>>
>> Anyway, I opted for a 'Gourmet Elite' at Amazon and before tax, it was
>> $15 and some change, free shipping.  It's a black, cool sided model and
>> I was a bit surprised as the outer body is about ¼ smaller than my present
>> model.  However, it takes full-size slices of bread, English muffins, and
>> bagels.  It also has a cancel button which pops up the bread immediately.
>> This model had several great reviews, too.
>>
>> Test run last night after doing 4 or 5 preheating's to remove any 'new
>> plastic' smell I did two slices of raisin toast.  The browning selection I
>> chose produced excellent results.  Of course, there are other more
>> expensive brands to be had there, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just
>> toast, no need for something costlier to use once or twice per week.

> Thanks! That sounds like it might be a good choice. It's not expensive and
> does the job, and that's all I expect from such an appliance. I don't need
> a toaster that has 117 settings and also logs onto the internet and tells
> me the weather and news at breakfast :)

No "Toaster From The Fyooture" like Unca Tojo has...???

--
GM

Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2024-02-28 3:46 p.m., ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>> We were discussing the need for a new toaster within the last 10 days
>> or so.  I had looked at some Black & Decker, Amazon Basics, and maybe
>> another brand at Amazon.com.  I also believe I had misidentified my
>> present toaster as a B&D, but it is a Hamilton Beach brand.  No matter.
>>
>> Anyway, I opted for a 'Gourmet Elite' at Amazon and before tax, it was
>> $15 and some change, free shipping.  It's a black, cool sided model and
>> I was a bit surprised as the outer body is about ¼ smaller than my present
>> model.  However, it takes full-size slices of bread, English muffins, and
>> bagels.  It also has a cancel button which pops up the bread immediately.
>> This model had several great reviews, too.
>>
>> Test run last night after doing 4 or 5 preheating's to remove any 'new
>> plastic' smell I did two slices of raisin toast.  The browning selection
>> I chose produced excellent results.  Of course, there are other more
>> expensive brands to be had there, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just
>> toast, no need for something costlier to use once or twice per week.
>
>
> Glad you are happy with your new toaster. I bought a Breville smart toaster
> in the early days of the pandemic. It was a splurge. I had to order it
> online and then pick it up curbside. It was also a 30 mile drive to the
> store. I have been extremely happy with it. It took me a few tries to learn
> how the controls were graduated  but once I figured that out I was set. It
> has settings for frozen bread and for bagels. Sometimes I have to adjust
> the lever a little more or less cooking. I know that the sour dough needs a
> little longer and that bagels need less. I can count on my previous
> experiences to adjust the time and it never lets me down.
>

Sounds wonderful dave, but a toaster is something I just won't expend much
effort to figure out. It's this simple: put bread in, push handle down, get
toast. That's all I want or need.

To me, it's much like a toilet ... I want to shit, push the flush handle,
and walk out. That's it.

On 2024-02-28, Hank Rogers <hank@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> Dave Smith wrote:
>> On 2024-02-28 3:46 p.m., ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>>> We were discussing the need for a new toaster within the last 10 days
>>> or so.  I had looked at some Black & Decker, Amazon Basics, and maybe
>>> another brand at Amazon.com.  I also believe I had misidentified my
>>> present toaster as a B&D, but it is a Hamilton Beach brand.  No matter.
>>>
>>> Anyway, I opted for a 'Gourmet Elite' at Amazon and before tax, it was
>>> $15 and some change, free shipping.  It's a black, cool sided model and
>>> I was a bit surprised as the outer body is about ¼ smaller than my present
>>> model.  However, it takes full-size slices of bread, English muffins, and
>>> bagels.  It also has a cancel button which pops up the bread immediately.
>>> This model had several great reviews, too.
>>>
>>> Test run last night after doing 4 or 5 preheating's to remove any 'new
>>> plastic' smell I did two slices of raisin toast.  The browning selection
>>> I chose produced excellent results.  Of course, there are other more
>>> expensive brands to be had there, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just
>>> toast, no need for something costlier to use once or twice per week.
>>
>>
>> Glad you are happy with your new toaster. I bought a Breville smart toaster
>> in the early days of the pandemic. It was a splurge. I had to order it
>> online and then pick it up curbside. It was also a 30 mile drive to the
>> store. I have been extremely happy with it. It took me a few tries to learn
>> how the controls were graduated  but once I figured that out I was set. It
>> has settings for frozen bread and for bagels. Sometimes I have to adjust
>> the lever a little more or less cooking. I know that the sour dough needs a
>> little longer and that bagels need less. I can count on my previous
>> experiences to adjust the time and it never lets me down.
>>
>
> Sounds wonderful dave, but a toaster is something I just won't expend much
> effort to figure out. It's this simple: put bread in, push handle down, get
> toast. That's all I want or need.
>
> To me, it's much like a toilet ... I want to shit, push the flush handle,
> and walk out. That's it.

You place a lot of trust in your toilet.

What happens if the toilet malfunctions? I want to know how it works
so I can fix it.

--
Cindy Hamilton

Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On 2024-02-28, Hank Rogers <hank@nospam.invalid> wrote:
>> Dave Smith wrote:
>>> On 2024-02-28 3:46 p.m., ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>>>> We were discussing the need for a new toaster within the last 10 days
>>>> or so.  I had looked at some Black & Decker, Amazon Basics, and maybe
>>>> another brand at Amazon.com.  I also believe I had misidentified my
>>>> present toaster as a B&D, but it is a Hamilton Beach brand.  No matter.
>>>>
>>>> Anyway, I opted for a 'Gourmet Elite' at Amazon and before tax, it was
>>>> $15 and some change, free shipping.  It's a black, cool sided model and
>>>> I was a bit surprised as the outer body is about ¼ smaller than my present
>>>> model.  However, it takes full-size slices of bread, English muffins, and
>>>> bagels.  It also has a cancel button which pops up the bread immediately.
>>>> This model had several great reviews, too.
>>>>
>>>> Test run last night after doing 4 or 5 preheating's to remove any 'new
>>>> plastic' smell I did two slices of raisin toast.  The browning selection
>>>> I chose produced excellent results.  Of course, there are other more
>>>> expensive brands to be had there, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just
>>>> toast, no need for something costlier to use once or twice per week.
>>>
>>>
>>> Glad you are happy with your new toaster. I bought a Breville smart toaster
>>> in the early days of the pandemic. It was a splurge. I had to order it
>>> online and then pick it up curbside. It was also a 30 mile drive to the
>>> store. I have been extremely happy with it. It took me a few tries to learn
>>> how the controls were graduated  but once I figured that out I was set. It
>>> has settings for frozen bread and for bagels. Sometimes I have to adjust
>>> the lever a little more or less cooking. I know that the sour dough needs a
>>> little longer and that bagels need less. I can count on my previous
>>> experiences to adjust the time and it never lets me down.
>>>
>>
>> Sounds wonderful dave, but a toaster is something I just won't expend much
>> effort to figure out. It's this simple: put bread in, push handle down, get
>> toast. That's all I want or need.
>>
>> To me, it's much like a toilet ... I want to shit, push the flush handle,
>> and walk out. That's it.
>
> You place a lot of trust in your toilet.
>
> What happens if the toilet malfunctions? I want to know how it works
> so I can fix it.
>

Working on toilets is a pain in the ass. But you can eventually fix them.

While your toilet is inoperable, you can go outside, squat, and shit. Same
as you and I have done many times in the woods while hunting.

I encourage you to study the physical principals of toilet operation. It is
all based on newton's 3 laws. I think you'll find it simple.

Dave Smith wrote:

> On 2024-02-28 3:46 p.m., ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>> We were discussing the need for a new toaster within the last 10 days
>> or so. 
>>
>> Anyway, I opted for a 'Gourmet Elite' at Amazon and before tax, it was
>> $15 and some change, free shipping. 

> Glad you are happy with your new toaster. I bought a Breville smart
> toaster in the early days of the pandemic. It was a splurge. I had to
> order it online and then pick it up curbside. It was also a 30 mile
> drive to the store. I have been extremely happy with it. It took me a
> few tries to learn how the controls were graduated but once I figured
> that out I was set. It has settings for frozen bread and for bagels.
> Sometimes I have to adjust the lever a little more or less cooking. I
> know that the sour dough needs a little longer and that bagels need
> less. I can count on my previous experiences to adjust the time and it
> never lets me down.
>
Oh, there were some there that were real beauties (for a toaster) and
some had great features and buttons for different functions. But sanity
prevailed and I got 'just a toaster.' This one will accept wide slices
of bread and hold them snug inside while toasting.