Dualit 2-Slice Toaster

Our old toaster died one Sunday morning so Monday I started searching for a new one. We had a Cuisanart - and I had planned on buying the same brand of toaster maybe just a 4 slot version until I read the reviews. The one that was on sale at the local department store (for $100)got miserable reviews on Amazon, so I searched and searched and searched and the only toaster that got consistantly good reviews is the Dualit.

I ended up purchasing a refurbished Dualit on another website for about half the price. I'm not one to skimp on kitchen appliances or gadgets, but spending over $200 on a toaster seemed a bit extreme. Now that I've received it I've decided it's worth every penny. If it breaks tomorrow, I'd definitely run right out and spend pay full price to replace it.

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 other thing I love is the fact that you raise and lower the bread when the timer goes off, versus the American toasters where you push the toast down to activate the toaster. That stupid push button/latch mechanism has been the death of every toaster I've ever owned. I was playing with a couple of the Cuisanarts at the department store and on both units it was broken - just from store use, let alone actual use!

Now back to the price again. My sister who doesn't appreciate good kitchenware swears by cheap toasters because she "can replace them every couple of years when something breaks". I started to think back on my old Cuisanart that I loved. I received it as a shower gift when we were married 8 years ago and at the time it was about $60. It was a great toaster and if you averaged it out it cost about $8 a year to own. So - given that, if I replaced a cheap toaster every other year, I doubt I could find a $16 toaster even at a discount store that would last more than a year. Hopefully I haven't cursed my Dualit but if so, like I said earlier, I'd replace it with a full priced non-refurbished any day. Buy one, you'll be happy you did.