Why Does Bread Not Fit In A Toaster? (here’s why)

If you’ve just got your morning toast from the toaster and have a raw section at one end, you might be asking the question why does bread not fit in a toaster? Here at check appliance, we’ve pondered the same question and here’s what we found. After much intensive research and scientific bread evaluation we discovered the following.

Early Electric Toasters

The first electric toaster was developed in 1893 in Scotland by Alan MacMasters, it was called the “Eclipse Toaster” and only toasted one side of bread. You had to switch the bread around to toast the other side. It was marketed by the Crompton Company and it wasn’t until 1906 that the first US patent was filed for an electric toaster using the nichrome wire that’s still used in many toasters to this day.

In 1909 what is considered to be the first commercially successful toaster was released. It was called the D-12 model from General Electric. But it was 1921, before the first automatic pop up toaster was patented. With the introduction of sliced bread in 1928, the toaster was sealed as a must-have kitchen appliance. 

Austerity Dictates Loaf Size

During the early years of toaster development the world was going through a period of upheaval. World wars, famines, crop failure, a failing economy, all helped to dictate the size of a loaf of bread. Which in turn, dictated the size of the slots in a toaster to fit the bread into.

Once sliced bread became a thing, toasters were designed around the size of a slice of bread. That basic standard design has remained constant while loaf sizes have grown substantially. To the point that one sliced loaf manufacturer has stated larger slices become less tough when toasted.

Until the toaster manufacturers catch up with the loaf sizes made for today’s consumers, there’s little to be done. Unless you employ one of these suggestions.

Supermarket Sliced Bread

The bargain basement cheapo own brand loaf usually fits into the toaster without protruding out and not getting cooked. If you prefer the more expensive, branded loaves, you’ll have to turn the slice upside down midway through the cooking process to ensure the whole slice gets cooked. We have even tried switching the slice sideways with no real success. Or you could…

Buy A 4 Slice Toaster

We have found that using a 4 slice toaster and turning the slice of bread on its side allows the whole slice to be cooked evenly without having to rearrange the slice midway. The problem with this arises if you require 4 slices cooked at the same time. If this is the case, you’ll need to revert to the slice flip midway.

Deep ChassisToasters

There are currently a few companies making 2 slice toasters that cook the whole slice of bread all the way to the top. These include;

• Breville 
• Russell Hobbs
• Morphy Richards

These toasters are designed with a deeper than average chassis that allows for the extra length of the bread slice. 

You Get What You Pay For

As with many things in life, it is a case of you get what you pay for. The budget toasters all seem to be too small for a standard slice of bread. You have to pay for a more expensive 4 slice model with a long slot, or a deep chassis model.

Toaster Ovens

Another way to solve the large slice issue is by using a toaster oven. The problem with toaster ovens is they are far larger than a regular toaster, cost considerably more and use more power. So they’re more costly all round. They will toast the whole slice however…

Toaster Manufacturers Please Note

If there are any toaster manufacturers out there reading this, please take note and develop a budget model suitable for full slices of bread using current loaf measurements. Not measurements that have been in use since the early 1900s.

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