It's A Bird! It's A Plane! No! It's A Cherry Poptart! Black & Decker Versatoast
Written: Mar 18 '02 (Updated May 02 '06)
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Pros: 4 slots, outside stays cool, Black & Decker product.
Cons: Extremely large and bulky, hard to pop up the levers, projectile toast.
The Bottom Line: If space isn't an issue and you've outgrown a 2 slot toaster, check out this baby.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Black & Decker T1400BD Versatoast Cool Touch 4-Sli... |
When I came across the Black & Decker Versatoast at Wal-Mart I wasn't all that impressed with it. At first glance it looked pretty cheesy and the simple fact of the matter is I already had a perfectly good, working toaster at home. The only thing that kept echoing through my head during my gaunt up and down the aisles was “It’s a four slice toaster”. So if that can be considered a strong selling point for an appliance, this thing sold itself despite that less than impressive first glance.
Before this review goes any further, if you have limited space in your kitchen, you can pretty much forget about this toaster. Normally, Black & Decker items are streamlined, compact and space saving. The Versatoast is a completely different story. The measurements might give you a better perspective of the shear size of this toaster – 13 x 10 x 7. I can’t help but think that some of this must be wasted space – a nice little trick to make the consumer think they are getting a real bargain because of the size.
The Perks
The number one reason to have this is the ability to make four slices of toast at the same time – well – almost. I have noticed over the past few months that the right side tends to cook faster than the left side. Even when both are pushed down at the same time, the right side is always done a good twenty seconds before the left. Curious, I dropped the left side first then waited about ten seconds to drop the right. Same thing – the right was done first. Maybe there is some glitch in the thermostat on either side, but after a while you do get used to it.
I no longer have to compete in the bi-weekly Olympic event of “Crumb Shaking”. You know, where you stand over the sink or garbage can and try to evict the little pieces past breakfast fodder without slapping yourself in the face with the cord. Thanks to two slide out crumb catching trays, you too can be injury free when it comes to crumb removal. Unlike some toasters that boast an ‘easy to use’ tray removal system – this one is so easy even my ex-husband could do it.
Speaking of Olympic events I am no longer eligible for – my name was removed from the “Red Thumb & Burnt Palm” event. Since the outer part of the toaster remains cool to the touch – I no longer have to shove my hand into the ice cube bin after moving it across the counter, pulling out pieces I forced into the slots or [duh] seeing if it was still to hot to put away. Now, this doesn’t mean that two minutes after you use this you can shove it back in the cabinet – it simply means that you can pick it up and move it to a more convenient location without saying a variety of ‘colorful’ words.
If you like your bagels toasted [bagels, not beagles] this is a great investment. The wide slots allow you to be a little less precise when slicing them and the bread guides hold them snuggly in place so you get an even toast. And face it, there is nothing worse than having to eat a bagel that is only 75% toasted.
The So-So Features
The ‘toast-o-matic’ type dials that allow you to adjust the toasting time are nice, but can get bumped easily – so if you have offspring that wander around in a morning daze, keep them away from this unless you want a toasted item so hard you can use it as a plaque removal tool. The dials range from ‘light’ to ‘medium’ to ‘dark’ and you’ll have to try this out a few times to find the right setting for different food items. Frozen waffles need to stay in for about 30 seconds longer than regular non-frozen items so take that into consideration or you might end up with a nicely cooked outside and a icy cold, still frozen inside.
The Bad
The only major design flaw is the handle release. If you peek inside your toaster and see your treat is done – you are really taking a gamble by trying to force the handle up. If you do manage to get the handle up you might just have to do a circus maneuver to catch your freshly heated item [hence the title of the review]. Aside from the strong ejection of the goods [get your mind out of the gutter], it almost feels like you are going to break the handles by forcing them up. I tried to turn down the control knob, but that had no effect on the ejection process.
The levers / handles in general are pretty cheap. If you wiggle them back and forth there is a lot of movement. Sure, some of you will say, “They weren’t meant for wiggling”. What I do in my kitchen is my business and if I want to wiggle the levers – by god I will wiggle them. Since they are made of plastic I am sure that eventually they will break – but for now they just tolerate my unnecessary wiggle and giggle.
I am not sure if this is an isolated incidence with the product or just a reflection of my electrician’s stupidity but I have to fight – literally – with the plug every time I use this. I have to force it into the socket and getting it out is just as hard. I wrote Black & Decker about this and as of today I haven’t receive a reply to my email. I will update this when / if I get an answer to my question about the stubborn plug situation.
Who Needs This
Anyone who makes more than 4 slices of toast could benefit from this, but you have to remember that this takes up a lot of space. Storing it in a cabinet might be tricky as well – so think about where this thing is going to be when not in use. I keep mine in a cabinet and as lazy as this may sound – sometimes I just don’t want to have to drag it out, clear off the countertop and wait for it to cool down to put it away. Thank god for microwave pancakes. Subsequently, if you have a small family or don’t do breakfast more than a few times a week, this will be a waste of money.
Warranty
This toaster set me back $24.99 at Wal-Mart [where else]. When I priced it at K-Mart I was told that for $5.99 I could purchase an extra year [extended warranty] for this. Since you have to take an item to a register to get a price scan – they are obligated to tell you about the extended warranties. The warranty that comes with the Versatoast is for two years against defects. You have the option of taking to an authorized repair center or shipping it to them at your cost. For $24.99 I think I’ll use it until it breaks then buy a new one. I might stand in line for an hour to mail out holiday cards, but not to mail a toaster.
The Bottom Line
If I were given the choice to purchase this toaster again, I would really have to think long and hard about it. It’s just a pain to have to keep it in a cabinet and have to juggle the appliances to use it. On the same note, it is nice to be able to whip out toast on one side and frozen waffles on the other – even if I do have to break out the catcher’s mitt to catch it. I can’t remember the number of times a piece of toast, Poptart or waffle landed on the floor and the dog looked at me and – I swear – smiled. He seems to be the only one truly in love with this toaster :]
Happy Toasting and thanks for the visit!
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2004 Freak369
Other kitchen gadgets and goodies ....
Black & Decker Versatoast Toaster, Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Coffee Maker, Sharp Microwave Oven [R-308H], Mr. Coffee Coffee Maker [AD10], Black & Decker “Long Slot” 2 Slice Toaster [T2750], Toastmaster Handheld Blender [1750], Rival Hot Pot, Toastmaster Sandwich Maker [TSM4SAN], Braun Aroma Deluxe Timer Coffeemaker 10 Cup [KF580], General Electric Microwave Oven [JVM1440], Dirt Devil Classic Hand Held Vacuum, Wahl Hair Trimmer [8647], Mr Coffee Pump Pot [PP5], Dirt Devil Scorpion Handheld Cordless Vacuum, Black & Decker Thermal Carafe 8 Cup Coffeemaker
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $24.99
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