DualitClassic 2 Slice NewGen Toaster - Stainless Steel - Hand Built in the UK - Replaceable ProHeat elements - Defrost Bread - Mechanical Timer - Polished Classic Toaster

I was thinking about it this morning and this toaster is very similar to a 1967 VW bug I had. Its mechanically simple, well built, beautiful in design but all of its charms have some downfalls, oddly enough these downfalls and complexities are in fact what makes me love both this taster and old VW's.Everyone needs routines in their life. Each day I wake up early turn on the coffee machine and go out and get my paper. I then start making toast so I can sit down and enjoy my paper, coffee and toast. Its a small thing but it gives my day a good start and I feel prepared and relaxed. With this toaster you can't just put the bread in, push the button and forget about it, it needs to be warmed up for a few moments and the bread needs to be turned if you want it perfectly toasted. To some people I'm sure this would be an annoyance, but to me it simply adds to my routine. Here is where the VW comparison comes in, VW's need to be warmed up because they're air cooled and carbureted so they run a bit rough when you first start them, they also never seem to be able to get the mist from the humidity in the air off of your windshield so you have to take a small rag and do it yourself. If you're thinking that sounds like a horrible chore to have to do everyday then this toaster may not be for you. Its an odd thing with finicky cars, appliances or whatever, after a while you fall in love with them. Whether its from the constant interaction you have to have with them to make them work or what I don't know but they become part of your routine and it actually enriches your life and makes you feel in a small way that you achieved perfection. I have a semi automatic espresso machine and everyday I feel like I achieve perfection when my coffee comes out just right. So this toaster is the same way, it is able to achieve perfection in toasting but it needs to be helped along the way. I wouldn't buy it if in the morning you hit the snooze bar so many times that you're hurried and always running late, that would make this toaster a horrible choice. The other thing I like about the toaster is where its made, not in China. I like to buy products that pay good wages to their workers and products that are made with quality. If you know nothing about this toaster I will tell you everything is manual, there is no circuit boards inside. The timer ticks when you turn it, everything can be replaced if it brakes. If you choose this can easily be the last toaster you ever buy and I suppose after your gone your grandkids wouldn't have to buy one either, its that robust. So think about it before you buy, are you looking for a quick easy pushbutton toaster or something that you have to interact with and finesse. I suppose in a way its like a woman, most men think they would love to have a woman that was always eager to please and didn't care if you were out late watching sports or a woman that maybe would watch sports with you but in reality that wouldn't be as amazing or beautiful as a delicate, feminine complicated woman that has her own complexities. My point is things that are automatic are rarely beautiful.

If the ridiculously bad reviews scare you, like they did me, check out the PDF linked instructions here on Amazons product page. You can read for yourself how easy this is to use and how wrong most of the bad reviewers were on first their use and then the various flaming reviews posted.I purchased this toaster to replace a 40 plus years-old Mary Proctor toaster (very nice in its heyday). I was actually just looking for toasters that had an optional heating rack, since that option seems really good for defrosting buns and heating this really awful cheap pastry that my Dad loves. This toaster, kept coming up in my searches, but the horrid reviews foolishly keep me from delving further. I bought it and this is what I experienced.This toaster has two simple knobs; the upper dial for the number and/or type of bread to be toasted and a lower dial for the time setting. Between the two knobs is an indicator light (an LED) showing if the heating elements are on or off. That's it. That is all it takes to use this toaster, but you need to SET BOTH EVERY time you use it.If your interested in more details, these are the "quirks" I noted:First, set how many toasts you are making; I have never had to do this before. For a two slicer it is 2, 1, or 0-like thingy for a bagel or English muffin. Of course, four slot toasters have up to 4 toast selections and a choice between 1 or 2 bagels). From reading the critical posts, I think this step is most often not known or missed by people. (If you set it for more or less toast, you get real uneven heating and toast.)Second, the first slot to use/load is on the LEFT, so you need to load from there; again I never had to do this before either, it was always from the right. (Please, please do not argue why; just go with it.)Then to "start" with a cold toaster, it might help to preheat, this really only takes a moment; but you have three options here:1)Start it with empty slots and run the toaster for a one minute, or2)Add one minute, of toasting time, to your first toast run, or3)You can actually choose to follow the manufacturer's instructions and set the timing dial to just past the 2 (minute), where they printed a black dot for you; set it there and for most breads and you will have a perfect first toast and a toaster that is now warmed up for subsequent loads. (They have actually tried to dummy-proof this toaster, the numbers are gone and my knob is labeled light, medium and dark; see they do listen.)For subsequent toasting just chose the setting you desire, (as with any toaster, different breads take different times and fresher bread will take a bit longer etc.; I have one Portuguese sweat bread that toasts very, very quickly). Once the first set of toast is made, this 2 slot-unit, can toast 55 per hour. Now that's a lot of toast.More "quirks" if you will:The bagel setting(s) is a little different, the two center elements do the toasting, so face the cut slices that way; but also the outer elements also gently heat the underside of the bagel. (I also have the rack and you can place humongous bagels (cut side down) and they will toast perfectly.)The toast does not pop-up. There is a simple mechanical lever and knob that is the fundamental design and it is both brilliant and WONDERFUL. There are two benefits for me. One, it is easy-peasy to check my toast without disrupting the toasting cycle. Two, it keeps the toast (or sandwich) warm until I am ready to retrieve it. There is no major shifting or squishing of bread, I can easily grasp very small raisin toast without the bamboo tongs (I always needed tongs for all my other toasters).Defrost setting: There used to be a snowflake on the dial to indicate it was to defrost, but I guess it was too complicated for some. Now you just put it on the 1 minute timer. After that, WAIT 20 seconds, then use or toast. This is very handy. Reviving bread this way is much, much better than microwaving.The timer: Similar to old wind up alarm clocks (my mother has one that is probably 50 years old and still wakes her every morning), is mechanical. It ticks while it is on. So there are two indicators you are toasting; one, the pleasant ticking and two, the LED light.The crumb tray: It seems really simple and it is. But there are NO MORE CRUMBS under the toaster, ever. I love that.The accessories:Bread Cage: If you have a lot of "small" items to toast, you might want to consider the bread cage. This is excellent for normal-sized toasted sandwiches, like cheese and such, or small bagels, or whatever crumpets or tea cakes are? They recommend letting the toasted sandwich sit for an additional minute for more thorough heating throughout; it really helps the cheese melt.The Warming Rack: If you have a lot of "larger" items to heat/toast, you might get this add-on. This fits above the toaster. It has various uses, like to warm or defrost muffins, buns (hot dog, hamburger etc.). Some people actually use this for toasting big bagels. Others put a piece of foil/parchment paper and reheat pizza here; it does do a great job for it, no more soggy crusts. Still others use it to heat tortillas. Whatever you use it for, it is great; it is much faster and gives better results than using a toaster oven. When re-heating pastries with icing I put a piece of parchment paper (pre-cut and in the cupboard above the toaster) down on the rack to protect from drips. (I am very biased on this option, for this is the actual reason why I finally researched Dualit and bought it; few toasters seem have this option.)Clean-up is a breeze. The most mess comes from drips from reheating pastry and such with the warming rack. This too is easy-peasy. First let it cool then lightly wipe with a damp towel with a touch of a type non-abrasive cleaner (baking soda, Bon Ami or Barkeepers Friend); looks brand new again.Other features:Serviceability: All parts are easily purchased and replaceable. If you ever need to replace a heating element the user's manual shows you how to do it!It is just simple, wonderful and incredibly functional product. The bottom line is this machine, no matter the age, rocks.

I got tired of toasters that would stop toasting the whole slice of bread after less than a year because most of the elements had burned up so I decided to splurge on this big, clunky British-made toaster. It's huge and it's heavy and it's very expensive, but the copper color makes it beautiful. There are reasons for all of this. It is very basic. No fancy computer chips to fail after a while. The controls are simply dials. There is a lever with a ball on the end which raises and lowers whatever you are toasting. The slots are wide and very deep. You can place a long slice of sourdough bread into the slot at an angle, and the toaster is so deep that it covers 98% of it. There is no signal when done toasting, merely a click which turns off the elements. The elements are specially patented which makes them incredibly durable and long-lasting. You can choose to toast two slots or four slots with simply a turn of a dial. I love the simplicity of this toaster and believe that it will outlive me.

Cher mais réparable en cas de problème.

Analog type controls took a bit of getting used to but it works perfectly.

Fantastic and great quality. This toasts slowly giving the result of a golden toast with nice chewie center.Easy to clean and the cover over the elements prevent the interior from building up debris

Simplemente perfecto, bien hecho, solido, robusto, un electrodoméstico digno y rudo, como los de antes, vale la pena no solo por su estética, se ve que es algo que durará muchos muchos años, hecho a mano y diseñado para poder ser reparado, lo recomiendo totalmente mejor que otros tostadores de "lujo" qué solo son lo estetico y nadamas.

I will never buy another toaster other than Dualit. It makes the best toast without drying it out