Most people will think this question is a bit silly – “what is a toaster?”. We’ve all seen them. We all probably own one. They’re cheap, useful, and really don’t take up much space. But how would you explain it to an alien who had no concept of toasters, toasting, or toasted snacks?
Even more than that, do we just take this knowledge for granted? If you had to break down what a toaster actually doesn’t, how would you explain the differences between a toaster’s uses and a toaster oven’s uses? It’s a little more difficult now, isn’t it?
We’re going to look at what makes a toaster a toaster and how the different toaster settings and their history change shaped this common kitchen appliance.
Table of contents
- What is a toaster used for?
- What settings does a toaster have?
- What is a toaster oven used for?
- What settings does a toaster oven have?
- Toaster oven temperature conversion
- Conclusion
What is a toaster used for?
A toaster is for making toast. Done.
Not quite, actually. Historically, toasters have been used to be brown bread using heated elements to caramelize the natural sugars that are produced by yeast during the breadmaking process. But now we have multiple products which we can cook with our toasters.
Although we don’t generally associate toasters with doing anything but toasting, there are multiple new products that are designed just to be used in toasters. This means that you can make bagels, artisan toast, and pop tarts in a toaster. Handy, right?
What settings does a toaster have?
Depending on your toaster, you can have a range of settings. Some have multiple heat settings that allow you to cook your bread exactly how you want it. Some even have extra “bagel” or “bun” (for our British readers) settings that get you a great toasted finish on a different kind of snack.
If you heard someone asking “how do I work a toaster?”, you might think it’s a silly question. But it’s not – a lot of people don’t know what the dial is for, let alone how to use the more complex settings! Think about all the different functions and how they can actually build up to make the sophisticated but simple piece of equipment we all keep in our kitchens.
If you are buying a product that isn’t just a standard toaster, there should also be three other keys settings:
- Defrost
- Reheat, and
- Cancel
These three settings mean you can do a lot with your toaster.
Defrost
Exactly what it says on the label. If you like to freeze bread but need your toasted snack in an instant, this is a necessary button for you. It will thaw out and partially cook your bread, perfect for a full toasting.
Reheat
Basically an extremely low cooking setting, this will warm up toast or toast shaped snacks that you put in the toaster. This is great for people who are always forgetting about their breakfasts (like me…) and still want to eat it when it’s gone cold. Finding a higher powered toaster will help you make sure that you get crunchy toast even with a reheated piece.
Cancel
Perfect for the indecisive toast fan. This setting will stop the toaster half way through a cook and pop it out for you to enjoy. This is especially useful if you have set the toaster on the wrong setting and need to get it out now.
If you have a toaster with these settings, you can make sure you get the toast that you want.
What is a toaster oven used for?
New toaster ovens are like toasters in some ways but bear a lot more similarity with the other half of their names – ovens. Like small ovens that can go on your worktop, there are grills that can cook a variety of foods in a relatively short time.
The grand variety of toaster oven designs and makes can make it difficult to describe them properly. You can find some which are specifically designed as small pizza ovens – they have a 12-inch disk shape which allows pizzas to fit nicely under the grill. You can also find ones that are designed for roasting, usually with a glass door to lower over the front of the oven.
Regardless of their special features and gimmicks, toaster ovens also cook toast. They are designed to give you great toast, just like from under the grill. If you don’t mind trading toasting time for versatility, we just made the question “what is a toaster for?” much more difficult.
What settings does a toaster oven have?
This greatly depends on the product you have bought. We can say that they usually have more uncommon with a standard oven than a toaster, though. They will have specific knobs and dials to give you specific temperatures and timings.
Some also come with add-on toaster slots, meaning you get all the functionality and versatility of the toaster oven and a high-quality toaster. This all depends on your budget and what you want out of your new piece of kitchenware.
Toaster oven temperature conversion
Much like its design suggests, a toaster oven functions almost exactly like a small conventional oven. This means there’s little to no adjustment needed when cooking standard oven dishes — if your recipe calls for temperature X, just set your toaster oven to X, and you’re good to go.
If you’re planning to use your toaster oven as an oversized toaster, think of how long it would take to make toast in a full-sized oven. After preheating, it usually takes about 5 to 9 minutes to achieve a golden, crispy slice. With a bit of patience, this hybrid appliance can deliver excellent toast — and a whole lot more.
🔄 Myth-Busting the History
Has the toaster always looked and worked the way it does today?
Not exactly. In fact, early toasters were quite basic — and by today’s standards, a bit dangerous. The first models had exposed heating elements, meaning users had to be extra careful not to get burned. There were no automatic pop-up features, no sensors, and no safety shells. Toasting bread required constant attention and manual flipping.
Contrary to popular internet myths, Alan MacMasters did not invent the first electric toaster, nor was his supposed invention responsible for any recorded electrical fire deaths. This story was actually part of a long-running online hoax. The real development of the electric toaster began in the early 1900s, with key contributions from engineers like Albert Marsh (who developed nichrome, the heating wire) and Frank Shailor of General Electric, who introduced the first commercially successful model in 1909.
Modern toasters have come a long way since those early prototypes. Features like pop-up mechanisms, automatic shut-off sensors, and dual-sided heating elements are all relatively recent innovations that have made toasting safer, faster, and more consistent.
It’s safe to say: today’s toasters and toaster ovens are more user-friendly — and safer — than ever before.
Conclusion
A toaster toasts bread. But it’s a lot more than that now. It is a series of small developments that turned a strange household novelty into a mainstay of kitchens all over the world.
From the basic toaster that you can buy for $20 to the top of the range toaster oven, answering the question “what is a toaster?” is better phrased as “what can a toaster not do?”. Do you think the inventors of the first toasters ever considered roasting a chicken in their inventions? Unlikely.