Toaster

A toaster is a machine for toasting food such as sliced bread and bagels. Toasted bread is called toast. Other toastable products may be described as toaster pastry.

Related Topics:
Bread - Bagel - Toast - Toaster pastry

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A typical toaster uses infrared radiation to heat a piece of bread. The heat is usually produced by conducting electricity through nichrome wires (Joule heating). The toasting process consists of reducing the bread's water content (originally ~35% of total weight), raising its temperature, and slightly charring and caramelizing its surface. The caramelization process is a chemical reaction in which the complex starch molecules break apart into simpler sugar molecules upon heating. That is why toast is usually sweeter than normal bread.

Related Topics:
Infrared - Nichrome - Joule heating - Char - Caramelizing - Chemical reaction - Starch

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Toaster ovens perform toasting functions of a pop-up toaster, however, the heating elements are positioned horizontally. A toaster oven usually has a glass door and a pull out tray upon which the object to be toasted is placed. Because of its design, a toaster oven can also perform some of the functions provided by a regular oven, but on a somewhat smaller scale. Toaster ovens are freestanding units, commonly placed on countertops or hung from cupboards (kitchen cabinets).

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It is highly recommended that no one attempts to retrieve toast and other objects from the toaster using silverware such as a knife because of the risk of electric shock..

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