Topic summary
Toaster

Domestic appliance used for toasting foods, especially bread ToasterA toaster from 2008InventorCrompton & Company of Chelmsford, EssexInception1893; 133 years ago (1893)ManufacturerVariousAvailableGlobally A toaster is a small electric appliance that uses radiant heat to cook sliced bread into toast. When cooked the bread browns due to the maillard reaction. It typically consists of one or more slots into which bread is inserted, lowered, and cooked using heating elements, often made of nichrome wire, to generate heat and toast the bread. Types Untoasted slice of white breadThe same slice of bread, now toasted Pop-up toaster In a pop-up or automatic toaster, a single vertical piece of bread is dropped into a slot on the top of the toaster. A lever on the side of the toaster is pressed down, lowering the bread into the toaster and activating the heating elements. The length of the toasting cycle (and therefore the degree of toasting) is adjustable via a lever, knob, or series of pushbuttons, and when an internal device determines that the toasting cycle is complete, the toaster turns off and the toast pops up out of the slots. The completion of toasting may be determined by a timer