I've had this toaster for about 3-4 years and have been pretty pleased with it overall. But now that it's older, I'm starting to see some shortcomings that when I look back, were there all the time.

I don't know how many years to expect a toaster to last, maybe 5 or 6 years for a good one... This toaster won't make it that long, but it's done better than my previous toaster. I had a Krups Toastronic that only lasted about 2 years and cost just as much as this one did, so I guess I'm doing ok.

When you look at this toaster you see a lot of fancy features. A one slice setting. A bagel setting. A defrost setting. A reheat setting. Darkness control. And a reset button. You might think that this is pretty cool, but after using it for a while, you wonder why those features are there. Sure the features look like they're useful, and to some people they probably are, but I have to wonder whether they were worth the expense. In the years that I've owned this toaster I haven't touched the one slice button, the defrost button, or the reheat button, except to try them once to see what they did. They sound/look useful, but in everyday life, they really aren't. When you wake up in the morning and pop a piece of bread into it, you just want toast, not the hassle of figuring out what buttons to push.

For me, the bagel setting is good because it slowly brings up the temperature so as to heat the bagel throughout instead of burning it. The darkness controls work like they're supposed to, and as your toaster gets older, you'll find that you have to adjust the darkness higher to get the kind of darkness you want. The reset button rarely gets used, but use has increased as the toaster has started to become a little unpredictable as far as browning is concerned.

My biggest complaint is the fact that this toaster invariably launches my toast into orbit. If it wasn't for the cupboard above it, who knows were my toast would end up. One morning I lost my toast, only to find it days later behind my fridge.

About a year ago, I started getting toast that was unevenly toasted. The bottom of my toast was always underdone. The heating elements seem to be working, but they're just not toasting. The problem is getting worse, and now I am seeing some of the heating elements dying.

Cleaning is pretty easy due to the sleek design, and the crumb dump as I call it, does what it's name implies. It dumps crumbs all over the place. The crumb dump slides out from the side and is long and shallow, making it very easy to spill. My advice is hold the toaster over the sink when emptying crumbs.

For $70, I guess this isn't a bad toaster. It's lasted several years longer than any toaster I've ever owned. Its time is about up, and I'll be looking for a replacement soon. I'd recommend this toaster even with all the "features" and the crumb dump.

Update - 10-21-01
This toaster has finally had it. The heating elements near the bottom of the toaster have given up the ghost. My toast is now tan on top and white on the bottom. Doesn't make for a very good toast experience. I'll be in the market for a new toaster soon, but I doubt I'll buy another Cuisinart even if it is top rated. Maybe a Dualit???



Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 70

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