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Around the 16th century, toasting forks were used to toast sliced bread over an open fire. However, the user had to hold the fork consistently. There was also a risk of dropping the bread into the fire. -
The first evidence of metal cages being used to toast bread originated in Scotland around the 17th century. It helped secure the bread and made it easier to flip over, but the user still had to hold the contraption. -
In the late 1800s, electricity was introduced in commercial businesses and a few homes in the United States. This allowed for the expansion of electrical-based inventions and products. -
Essex-based Crompton Company invented the first stand-alone electric toaster. However, it could only toast one side at a time and was prone to burning. -
American inventor Albert Leroy Marsh invented nicochrome, an alloy combining nickel and chromium used as a heating element. It could reach high temperatures while remaining durable. -
In conjunction with Albert Marsh, George Schneider of the American Electrical Heater Company submitted a patent for the first American electric toaster. At this point, toasters were only used in businesses. -
The first commercially successful American electric toaster was patented by Frank Shailor of the General Electric Company. -
Copeman Electric Stove Company introduced the first toaster that automatically turns the bread to cook evenly. -
Charles Strite patented the first toaster with “pop-up” technology. It heated both sides of the bread simultaneously to eliminate the need to flip the bread. -
The Waters Genter Company tweaked Strite’s previous design by adding a timer. It was sold commercially as the Toastmaster. -
Otto Frederick Rohwedder created a machine to slice loaves of bread before packaging. He sold his own bread brand called Kleen Maid Bread. -
Sunbeam introduced the Radiant Control toaster. Instead of using a lever to lower and raise the bread, one could simply drop the bread into the slots. The bread’s weight automatically lowered it into the toaster and activated the cooking process. There was no timer; a sensor detected the temperature that radiated from the bread to determine its cooking level. -
Toasters became more affordable and commonplace in the American home. -
Robert J. Salem from General Electric Company filed a patent for a temperature sensor in toasters to prevent overheating.
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Robin Southgate, a university student in the United Kingdom, created a toaster that burnt the day’s weather forecast into the bread. -
Basheer Tome, a student at Georgia Tech, created a toaster that uses color sensors to make the toast the perfect color. -
Nowadays, toasters are equipped with functions to toast other products, like bagels or waffles. Some toasters can have up to 4 slots to cook simultaneously.