On average, the toaster uses up to 5 to 10 amps depending on its size and wattage. A general 2000 watts toaster would use up to 9 amps of electricity during operative. Although power ratings on the body of toasters as like other electrical appliances are indicative and only appropriate to a certain extent, the electrical consumption of a toaster normally falls under the above-mentioned range, with nine amps being the most common amp rating.
More About Toasters
So that now we are discussing toasters, let us take a moment to fully appreciate their utility in our lives. Imagine how glad we feel when we wake up and arrive at the breakfast table only to find crisp buttered pieces of toasts waiting for us along with the morning beverage. Now it might necessarily not be made in the toaster, but maybe the stove was used. But clearly, the toaster provides us the leverage and relieves us of all the waiting around in front of the stove.
The toaster is that electric appliance which turns all the electric power put into it and converts it into heat, which is then used for cooking that bread into the perfect brown toast in a matter of seconds. Now all that we already know, especially the millions of people already reaping the benefits of their toaster every morning. But most of us fail to acknowledge how the toaster gets its job done, how the electricity is transformed into heat and gets the bread burned in such a short period of time.
Let us dive deeper and learn the many nuances of a toaster’s working principle.
Transforming One Energy Form To Another
It’s all basic science, stuff we learned in our 8th standard physics. The magic lies in energy and its conversion. Energy can be classified into six basic forms, among which heat and electricity are major ones. The law of conservation of energy states that energy can be neither destroyed nor created but only converted from one for to another. The electric toaster makes use of just that and converts the electrical energy put in it into heat energy. This heat energy is then controlled and used appropriately to burn and cook up the bread into a brown toast.
If electricity is passed through a wire, energy is simultaneously transmitted from one end to another. Electrons, the tiny, negatively charged particles inside the atoms of the wire metal, are responsible for carrying this energy along the wire. As these electrons flow from one end to the other, they physically collide and jostle against each other. This physical movement and collision give off heat. This amount of electricity generated is indirectly proportional to the thickness of the wire, and with more collisions, we can extract more amount of heat.
The insides of an electric toaster consist of rows of glowing red wires which are oriented towards the bread. These wires turn hot as electricity is passed through them. This heat is then directed or rather radiated towards the bread to cook it into a toast.
What Happens On The Inside?
As we put the slice of bread inside the toaster and press the ON, the following ensues inside it.
1. The wire plugged into the domestic electric supply brings in electrical current into the toaster circuit.
2. This current flows through the series of thin filaments attached to the inside of the toaster.
3. These filaments are connected spaced appropriately so as to heat the bread surface evenly.
4. These filaments are also very thin, and hence they radiate light energy by glowing when electricity is passed through them.
5. Heat energy radiates from these series of filaments, and they gradually heat up the surfaces of the bread and cook it up into a toast.
How Do Toasters Timely Turn Themselves Off?
Toasters use three common techniques to automatically turn themselves on in time. The most commonly used are the timer and the thermostat. Some sophisticated high-end models also make use of light detector circuits or photoelectric cells to get the job done. Let us look into each one of them briefly.
1. Timers
The usage of timers is based on the fact that most people eat similar kinds of bread sliced in a similar manner. Hence the time taken to properly turn them into crisp toasts would also be similar. This understanding is hence applied to toasters, which used an electronic timing circuit to switch off the heating element once the timer sets off. The timer can be controlled and turned up or down to extend or cut down the cooking time.
2. Thermostats
Thermostats are electronic devices that can be used to regulate an electric circuit on and off to keep the temperature at a fairly constant point. This is used in most toasters to keep the toaster from getting burned and cook it just aptly.
The bi-metal strip thermostat is the most commonly used one, and it consists of two strips of different metals welded together. This strip is attached to the toaster’s heating element. As the temperature rises, the bread slowly starts cooking, and the strip bends into a curve due to the varying coefficient of thermal expansion. Once the right temperature is reached, the strips bend sufficiently to snap open the circuit and turn the heating element off. The controls can be turned up and down to adjust the temperature degree that is to be reached before snapping open the circuit.
3. Photoelectric Cells
Commonly referred to as a photocell, it is an electronic gadget that generates electricity proportional to the amount of light falling on its surfaces. High-end toasters use this technical component to control the on-off feature of the toaster. As the bread is cooked, it turns from white to brown to black. The intensity of light reflected on the surface of the bread decreases gradually, which can be measured using a photocell and used to turn the toaster off when the right intensity of light is reflected off the brown surface of the bread.
How Does The Bread Pop?
As the associated on-off technology (timers or thermostats) turns the toaster off, it releases a spring onto which a metal cage is holding the bread is mounted. As the spring is released, the cage is also bolstered up with a measured thrust that makes your toast pop up as it is nearly cooked. This technique makes it easier and safer for the user to take the hot toast out of the toaster without injuring their fingers and hands.
Best Toaster Brands Available In The Market
Let us complete the toaster guide with a small list of brands that manufacture the best toasters to suit your cause.
1. Black And Decker
One of the premium names when it comes to toaster manufacturers, Black and Decker, makes a wide variety of toasters, including countertop oven toasters and four-slice pop-up toasters. Their quality remains consistent throughout all varieties, as do the reviews in favor of them. Not only do their models offer a great appearance and color variety, but they also provide great functionality when it comes to making the perfect toasts. The models are also known to be robust and long-lasting, to top it all off.
2. Avanti
This is a toaster brand that is well-known more for their countertop oven products, but their pop-up models can work wonders with that bread slice nevertheless. Their toasters are useful in more ways than one and offer great value for their price. Their latest models also offer the trendiest designs that provide that glam edge to your kitchen counter.
3. Breville
Breville takes the cake in the design aspect as it incorporates the best and latest designs in its toaster models. Most of their toaster models come with an LED display that gives them the cool factor apart from the usual run-of-the-mill functionality. They also come with added features such as the “just a bit more” button that allows your toast to burn a bit more for people who want their toasts crunchier. All these great features and appearance brownie points come at a cost, a much higher than usual cost. Breville toasters are very high-end and fetch a costlier price tag than their usual market competitors.
4. Cuisinart
Cuisinart is your average toaster brand, which makes models that hardly disappoint yet maintain a low profile brand value. They make both types of toasters and excel at it evenly. Their price tags are also modest and don’t burn a hole in your pocket. We can find the off negative reviews against a few models but none too concerning.
| Brands | Most popular toaster model |
| Breville | Die-Cast 2-Slice Smart toaster |
| Black and Decker | 2-slice toaster |
| Cuisinart | The Bakery Artisan |
| Avanti | Classic 875718 Toaster |
Conclusion
Making a great toast becomes easier when you have the right toasting equipment helping you each time. Learning how a toaster works might appearing fascinating yet simple, but the right model of the toaster can make your breakfast really endearing.
