On Aug 18, 8:47*pm, Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
> On Mon 18 Aug 2008 05:24:11p, Dee Dee told us...
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> > On Aug 18, 2:09*pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
> >> > wrote in message
>
> ....
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> >> > Either the bread has gotten larger (which I doubt) or the toaster
> >> > manufactures have been downsizing the toasters over the years. I've
> >> > replace mine twice now and I still find part of the bread shows over
> >> > the toaster top and doesn't get toasted. In an age of conserving
> >> > energy, having to flip the bread around and toast it a second time
> >> > doesn't make 'cents'.
>
> >> Never had to do that with normal sized white bread, only for larger
> loave
> >> s of Italian or other similar styles. *Do you have a good brand of hte
> $7
> >> made in China from Wal Mart? *Well, most all are made in China except
> the
> >> ve ry expensive Dualit from England.
>
> > Really Fun reading the Dualit reviews on Amazon. *One 5* review says
> > this:
>
> > "I love the fact that operates completely different than any other
> > toaster out there. It's best to preheat it - but once you do you can
> > put in pieces of bread one right after another with consistant
> > results. None of the problems you have w/American toasters when they
> > get heated where the first piece is perfect, the next is too light,
> > and the next comes out more like a piece of bread and so on."
>
> > The Cusinart toaster I own is supposed to do this, and does to a
> > certain degree; but after 4 pieces of toast (two 2x), it always has
> > seemed to forget and the 3rd go-round comes out burnt at the same
> > setting.
>
> > a 1* review says this:
> > First of all, you MUST preheat it for a couple of minutes or it will
> > not toast.
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> > I don't think I could abide the preheating a toaster either. *I guess
> > I'll deal with the one I have now,
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> > To the OP, concern about money vs. time when toasting and it doesn't
> > toast the whole part of the bread:
> > I do the same thing with bread I buy, but I just cut off the less
> > toasted for DH, he doesn't mind. *But I like mine heavily toasted.
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> > Another thingie: cut your bread to shape, put the edges in a bag for
> > crutons or breadcrumbs.
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> > Sometimes if the bread (I make my own usually) has harder crust, cut
> > it off before toasting, which will make your piece more useable.
>
> > All these things are time consuming, but do not cost you 'cents.'
>
> > Dee Dee
>
> But having to do all these things is a royal PITA. *We have a "commercial"
> Hamilton Beach 4-slice toaster, and it's consistent from first slice to
> last.
>


I agree. It is a PITA (not PITA bread :-)) )

DH brought home a loaf each of sourdough and rye last week from Trader
Joe's. They are of this large size, and the loaves had been cut into
two pieces and they are still too large for the toaster. I don't know
if the sizes are all being cut this way.

I bought a couple of loaves from Panera Bread about a month ago; some
of their loaves are smaller. At first the rye tasted fine, but I
bought another two loaves and they were 'pukey.'

DH is spending time again with his father in CT -- he has his third
bout of cancer now, so I'm not interested in making bread when he's
not here. Too dangerous -- which brings me back to the toaster again;
my choice is plastic (I never thought I'd say that!), but I've burnt
myself too many times on a toaster; it now has to be plastic (ugh!)

Dee Dee