Buying a new toaster oven was a minor learning experience.

Once upon a time, a toaster oven worked like a toaster -- you pushed down on
a lever to start the toasting cycle. This feature now exists only on
toaster-only toasters. Most toaster ovens now have a timer, marked with
various degrees of darkness.

And the controls now apply to everything the toaster-oven does -- one knob
sets the temperature (there are specific toaster and broiler settings),
another the operating mode (warm, bake, toast, broil), and a third the
timer. This takes a moment to get used to, but it's neither illogical nor
fundamentally confusing.

I was about to buy a B&D TRO964 ($30 at Fred Meyer), when I noticed that the
timer could not be turned backwards. So you couldn't reduce the toasting
time (if you've a mind to). I also did not like the all-metal construction;
it's too easy to burn yourself.

So I kept looking, and in tar-GET (soft g), I found another $30 B&D, the
TRO490, which was similar, but had a reversible timer and a curved (!)
window. (I wouldn't be surprised if tar-GET were the only store carrying
that particular model.) So I bought that.

How long will it last? Who knows? I'll report back in 20 years.

"William Sommerwerck" writes:

Buying a new toaster oven was a minor learning experience.

Once upon a time, a toaster oven worked like a toaster -- you pushed down on
a lever to start the toasting cycle. This feature now exists only on
toaster-only toasters. Most toaster ovens now have a timer, marked with
various degrees of darkness.

And the controls now apply to everything the toaster-oven does -- one knob
sets the temperature (there are specific toaster and broiler settings),
another the operating mode (warm, bake, toast, broil), and a third the
timer. This takes a moment to get used to, but it's neither illogical nor
fundamentally confusing.

I was about to buy a B&D TRO964 ($30 at Fred Meyer), when I noticed that the
timer could not be turned backwards. So you couldn't reduce the toasting
time (if you've a mind to). I also did not like the all-metal construction;
it's too easy to burn yourself.

So I kept looking, and in tar-GET (soft g), I found another $30 B&D, the
TRO490, which was similar, but had a reversible timer and a curved (!)
window. (I wouldn't be surprised if tar-GET were the only store carrying
that particular model.) So I bought that.

How long will it last? Who knows? I'll report back in 20 years.

Remember the old GE toaster ovens? No electronics, lasted 30 years.
Usually the most that went wrong with them was the power cord needing
replacement. I miss them.

--
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Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
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Sam Goldwasser wrote:
"William Sommerwerck" writes:

Buying a new toaster oven was a minor learning experience.

Once upon a time, a toaster oven worked like a toaster -- you pushed down on
a lever to start the toasting cycle. This feature now exists only on
toaster-only toasters. Most toaster ovens now have a timer, marked with
various degrees of darkness.

And the controls now apply to everything the toaster-oven does -- one knob
sets the temperature (there are specific toaster and broiler settings),
another the operating mode (warm, bake, toast, broil), and a third the
timer. This takes a moment to get used to, but it's neither illogical nor
fundamentally confusing.

I was about to buy a B&D TRO964 ($30 at Fred Meyer), when I noticed that the
timer could not be turned backwards. So you couldn't reduce the toasting
time (if you've a mind to). I also did not like the all-metal construction;
it's too easy to burn yourself.

So I kept looking, and in tar-GET (soft g), I found another $30 B&D, the
TRO490, which was similar, but had a reversible timer and a curved (!)
window. (I wouldn't be surprised if tar-GET were the only store carrying
that particular model.) So I bought that.

How long will it last? Who knows? I'll report back in 20 years.

Remember the old GE toaster ovens? No electronics, lasted 30 years.
Usually the most that went wrong with them was the power cord needing
replacement. I miss them.

--
sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.


My usual answer: Do you have a thrift store nearby?

jak

I have taken the covers off , set it in the tub and use oven cleaner to
clean it all up . Dry it good before use .

My usual answer: Do you have a thrift store nearby?

A valid question.

I wonder, though, how likely one is to find a _working_ toaster-oven --
particularly a modestly priced one like the GE/B&D -- at a thrift store?
Don't people generally toss out such products when they fail? And if they
haven't failed, why drop them off at a thrift shop?

William Sommerwerck wrote:

My usual answer: Do you have a thrift store nearby?

A valid question.

I wonder, though, how likely one is to find a _working_ toaster-oven --
particularly a modestly priced one like the GE/B&D -- at a thrift store?
Don't people generally toss out such products when they fail? And if they
haven't failed, why drop them off at a thrift shop?


From estates, when the kids have to get rid of everything after a
parent dies. A freind of mine just closed his store after seven years,
and almost always had one for sale for 5 to 15 dollars.

Another source is a local freecycle group. I see them fairly often,
on my local group.

http://www.freecycle.org/


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The crazy, and the insane.
The first sign of insanity is denying that you're crazy.

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
William Sommerwerck wrote:
My usual answer: Do you have a thrift store nearby?
A valid question.

I wonder, though, how likely one is to find a _working_ toaster-oven --
particularly a modestly priced one like the GE/B&D -- at a thrift store?
Don't people generally toss out such products when they fail? And if they
haven't failed, why drop them off at a thrift shop?


From estates, when the kids have to get rid of everything after a
parent dies. A freind of mine just closed his store after seven years,
and almost always had one for sale for 5 to 15 dollars.

Exactly. Toaster and toaster ovens are also cheap enough to be replaced
when minor issues occur, or they just start looking...old.

While I most often pick up useful stuff at thrift stores, I find the
same sorts of interesting/useful items--cheap--at yard sales and pawn
shops as well.

Another source is a local freecycle group. I see them fairly often,
on my local group.

I used to subscribe to freecycle email. It flooded my inbox and never
resulted in getting an item I wanted/needed. I was always too late, so
I gave up on them.

The 'free' listings on Craigslist are more managable; but I rarely see
anything I want. I do shop CL often, though; and buy a lot of stuff
there. Also notable is that my city government runs a surplus auction
from where I've bought many times...also GovDeals.com worth looking at.

jak
http://www.freecycle.org/

"William Sommerwerck" writes:

Buying a new toaster oven was a minor learning experience.

Once upon a time, a toaster oven worked like a toaster -- you pushed down on
a lever to start the toasting cycle. This feature now exists only on
toaster-only toasters. Most toaster ovens now have a timer, marked with
various degrees of darkness.

And the controls now apply to everything the toaster-oven does -- one knob
sets the temperature (there are specific toaster and broiler settings),
another the operating mode (warm, bake, toast, broil), and a third the
timer. This takes a moment to get used to, but it's neither illogical nor
fundamentally confusing.

I was about to buy a B&D TRO964 ($30 at Fred Meyer), when I noticed that the
timer could not be turned backwards. So you couldn't reduce the toasting
time (if you've a mind to). I also did not like the all-metal construction;
it's too easy to burn yourself.

So I kept looking, and in tar-GET (soft g), I found another $30 B&D, the
TRO490, which was similar, but had a reversible timer and a curved (!)
window. (I wouldn't be surprised if tar-GET were the only store carrying
that particular model.) So I bought that.

How long will it last? Who knows? I'll report back in 20 years.

Remember the old GE toaster ovens? No electronics, lasted 30 years.
Usually the most that went wrong with them was the power cord needing
replacement. I miss them.

--
sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

"William Sommerwerck" wrote in message
...
Buying a new toaster oven was a minor learning experience.

Once upon a time, a toaster oven worked like a toaster -- you pushed down
on
a lever to start the toasting cycle. This feature now exists only on
toaster-only toasters. Most toaster ovens now have a timer, marked with
various degrees of darkness.

And the controls now apply to everything the toaster-oven does -- one knob
sets the temperature (there are specific toaster and broiler settings),
another the operating mode (warm, bake, toast, broil), and a third the
timer. This takes a moment to get used to, but it's neither illogical nor
fundamentally confusing.


snip

Google - The King and the Toaster

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Chris