Electric Toasters – The 3 Types

Whether you purchase 4 slice toasters, 2 slice toasters, or any other electric toaster products, there are a few things you should know. Depending upon their development, nearly all electric powered toasters, will toast two slices of bread on each side or two slices on one side simultaneously. In line with conventions there are actually 3 distinctive styles of toasters;

- Manual toasters

- Partial-automatic toasters,

- Computerized toasters.

Manual Toasters

The earliest electric manual toasters had no moving parts and the bread was simply perched on the framework. But most manual toasters are usually of the open-element vertical type. Here the bread is placed on hinged racks, one on each side of the open heating element and after the bread is toasted on one side, then by turning the rack outward the bread simply slides down and reverses itself.

Although the vertical types are universally used, certain types of manual toasters of the open-element type are horizontal, in which case the bread is laid on a flat rack sometimes hinged and reversible.

It should be noted that in all manual toasters, the toasting period is left to the judgment of the operator. In most cases, it is necessary to turn the handle to reverse the toast.

Partial-automatic toasters

These differ from the manual type in that they incorporate certain signal features or annunciators, which normally consist of a bell which will signal the completion of the toasting period.

Other toasters of this classification include a thermostatic switch, in which the toasting period is thermostatically controlled by the surface temperature of the bread, but usually do not include the pop-up feature. Most toasters of the semi-automatic type also include a regulator in the form of a dial, which may be adjusted to the degree of brownness desired.

Computerized toasters

There are a great variety of automatic toasters with somewhat different construction principles. In all cases, however, the electrical current in the heater element toasts the bread. The main difference in the various types lay in the method employed to control the toasting cycle. A great number of automatic toasters are classified as the “pop-up” type and include, in addition to the heating element, a thermostatic switch or timing device which automatically controls the toasting process.

When the operating lever is pressed down, the switch contacts are closed and they remain closed until the bread carriages are released. Thus, the units are energized from the time the operating lever handle is depressed until the bread pops up.

One type of automatic toaster, contains a spring-actuated clock mechanism, in which the lowering of the operating handle with its bread carriage energizes the spring which action also completes the electrical circuit through the heating elements. When the toasting period has ended the clock routinely trips the carriage, which comes back to its main standing, opening the circuit through the heating element.

Other Computerized toasters are of the so-called through form in which the bread to be toasted is entered in one end and taken out through the other, the motion of the bread being furnished by a carrier bar which in turn is being powered by a modest electric powered motor.

Here is more information on electric toasters: Check out the Cuisinart 4 Slice Toaster type as well as the Kitchenaid 4 Slice Toaster model and I’m pretty sure you will find a toaster that fits your need.