The Brave Little Toaster

Did you have toast for breakfast? 75 million Americans did enjoy toast this morning and many of them probably toasted their bread in a boring toaster. Did you? Not that I'm advocating discarding old appliances in favor of the latest trend (remember how sad The Brave Little Toaster and his friends were?), but there are some exciting new toasters on the way. Toasters were the first electric appliance to mass populate American homes - think about it, they came before before radio, blenders, television, and microwaves. Perhaps this is why designers often use toasters to show off their creativity.

From the 1920s toaster shown at the top of the page to the 1940s toaster shown below, toasters have led the way in design trends:

So, what's headed to your kitchen in the future? How about this Toast Writer from designer Sasha Tseng? Write your note on the top and it's toasted into the bread . . . too bad this is only a concept, it could be a great way to start the day!



Or maybe you'd like to watch your bread toast? Try this transparent toaster:



Or, if you like a little excitement in the morning, how about this Trebuchet Toaster from Dutch designer Ivo Vos? Just like a real, medieval Trebuchet, this toaster slings your bread across the room. Hopefully, it differs from the medieval trebuchet, though, in that it isn't hurled by an attacking army and it isn't on fire!

So, prepare for National Bread Month (were you the last to know? it's November) by giving your toast a little more thought. And, if you're an aspiring inventor or designer, perhaps you'll think of a hot new toaster design (sorry for the pun). As for me, I'm thinking that we should have breakfast for dinner tonight - crunchy bacon and lots of hot, buttery toast and a pot of Formosa Oolong!

And - a peep at tomorrow's topic: Wedding Etiquette