Retro Toasters: The Evolution of the Classic Toaster
The primary purpose of toasters is to toast bread (although they are capable of other tasks).
Humans have toasted bread for thousands of years and the earliest toast was produced by simply sticking a piece of bread on a stick and holding it over a fire, or just leaving a piece of bread near a fire until it was finished.
This was done to make the bread crunchy and give it a toasted taste, the same as today, but it also served to make the bread last longer - an important factor back in the days before refrigeration.
As time passed and technology improved, wire baskets to toast bread were developed.
This was an improvement, but it wasn't until electricity that toasters similar to the ones we use today were developed.
The first electrical toasters were simple upright triangular devices with heating elements and a wire cage that held the bread away from the toaster.
A number of variations were developed, but it was not until the early 1920s that a version of the classic automatic pop-up toaster was developed.
From the 1930s to the 1960s, a number of companies, including Sunbeam and General Electric, produced classic retro toasters.
These toasters were for the most part very well designed (many are still in service today), had a shiny chrome finish and quite often were very sleek in design.
The most famous of these retro toasters is probably Sunbeam's T-9 "Half-Round" model, also known as the "World's Fair Toaster" because it was introduced in 1939.
This toaster had an ultramodern Art Deco style that echoed the design trends of the period.
The Sunbeam T-9 can still be found today, but an original can cost hundreds of dollars.
Fortunately there are replicas available that cost far less.
The dominance of the classic retro toaster with solid workmanship, shiny chrome exterior and stylish design waned when toaster ovens were introduced.
Although toaster ovens were often not manufactured to the same quality standards as the older toasters, they were able to cook a wider variety of foods such as bagels, English muffins, thicker bread, fish sticks, and so on.
Versatility won out over quality, and less effort was made in designing new toasters.
As mentioned earlier, replicas of retro toasters are available.
Some, such as the Sunbeam T-9 are designed to look like a specific model of toaster.
Others are designed to be "in the style" of classic retro toasters.
This is a great money saver for those who want to design a retro kitchen without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Humans have toasted bread for thousands of years and the earliest toast was produced by simply sticking a piece of bread on a stick and holding it over a fire, or just leaving a piece of bread near a fire until it was finished.
This was done to make the bread crunchy and give it a toasted taste, the same as today, but it also served to make the bread last longer - an important factor back in the days before refrigeration.
As time passed and technology improved, wire baskets to toast bread were developed.
This was an improvement, but it wasn't until electricity that toasters similar to the ones we use today were developed.
The first electrical toasters were simple upright triangular devices with heating elements and a wire cage that held the bread away from the toaster.
A number of variations were developed, but it was not until the early 1920s that a version of the classic automatic pop-up toaster was developed.
From the 1930s to the 1960s, a number of companies, including Sunbeam and General Electric, produced classic retro toasters.
These toasters were for the most part very well designed (many are still in service today), had a shiny chrome finish and quite often were very sleek in design.
The most famous of these retro toasters is probably Sunbeam's T-9 "Half-Round" model, also known as the "World's Fair Toaster" because it was introduced in 1939.
This toaster had an ultramodern Art Deco style that echoed the design trends of the period.
The Sunbeam T-9 can still be found today, but an original can cost hundreds of dollars.
Fortunately there are replicas available that cost far less.
The dominance of the classic retro toaster with solid workmanship, shiny chrome exterior and stylish design waned when toaster ovens were introduced.
Although toaster ovens were often not manufactured to the same quality standards as the older toasters, they were able to cook a wider variety of foods such as bagels, English muffins, thicker bread, fish sticks, and so on.
Versatility won out over quality, and less effort was made in designing new toasters.
As mentioned earlier, replicas of retro toasters are available.
Some, such as the Sunbeam T-9 are designed to look like a specific model of toaster.
Others are designed to be "in the style" of classic retro toasters.
This is a great money saver for those who want to design a retro kitchen without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars.
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